Brandi Downs
Tasks
My primary task will be operating a microwave radiometer to determine sea ice characteristics such as ice thickness, salinity, and snow cover. I will also operate other groups' remote sensing instruments and help the sea ice team with their measurements. With the remaining time I have available, I plan to act as polar bear guard for groups collecting data outside the safety zone.
Science Questions
What is the ultra high frequency (UHF) permittivity of sea ice and how does it vary with salinity?
How does emission change as the ice evolves from a surface skim of frazil to multiyear ice? What are the dominant scattering and emission mechanisms at each stage of ice growth and decay?
How does snow cover change the UHF emission? How does the emission change when snow melt begins?
What is the temperature profile in sea ice? What is the temperature profile when snow is present?
What is the local variability in brightness temperature about a measurement site? If there is variability, what physical mechanism is responsible? If not, why not?
What are you most excited about the expedition?
I am very excited to live near the North Pole for two months, to see the ecosystem change firsthand as winter transitions to spring, and, especially, to be a part of this historical expedition that will answer many questions we have about the Arctic and help fill gaps in our climate change models.
What do you love most about the Arctic?
I love the brutal cold, the life on and under the ice, and the fact that it is so fragile and so critical to our planet's overall health.