Drilling and winching expert Mike and logger engineer Merlin move the fabric logger from the prep tent into the logging arch.
The optical fabric logger, a brand-new instrument from the University of Minnesota’s Optical MEMS Group, shows off its internal mechanisms. The tool uses three remotely-controlled cameras and lenses, three embedded computers, and motorized rotating polarizers to take images of the ice crystals in the borehole wall in order to calculate the ice fabric
The main WAIS Divide borehole is 3.3 km deep and filled with fluid, resulting in pressures of nearly 5000 PSI
Merlin troubleshoots a problem with the logger
Troubleshooting issues in the field can be hard work. Luckily, the prep tent came thoughtfully equipped with a cot for taking quick breaks.
