Stories by Matthew Sturm

SnowSTAR-2012: Convergence

Sometimes in science everything just comes together, but not often. This time it did. What could have gone wrong in the campaign? Lots. The two biggest possibilities were that the weather could have been bad (Fig.

SnowSTAR-2012: Big N The pursuit of snow data and high honor

By Chris Polashenski and Simon FilholIt has been a very busy time for us the last few days. After about 8 days of prep work, our aircraft arrived in beautiful weather.

SnowSTAR-2012: Questionable Monuments and Widespread Cratering

Art Gelvin April 14th: It has been a busy few days. Yesterday the remaining part of team arrived from Fairbanks.

SnowSTAR-2012: Hoars and Drifters

Alaskan North Slope Snow LiDAR Campaign: SnowSTAR-2012

Figure 1. My four companions at Atigun Pass (from left: Simon, Philip, Art and Chris). April 8th, 2012: I had somehow missed that we were leaving on Easter Sunday….

Blizzard! Explained.

It starts with a soft, almost soothing, hiss, but it is not a comforting sound. The hiss -- the sound of wind and snow grains sliding along the ground--is the prelude to a mighty symphony of noise, swirling snow, and danger.

Lava Loops and Stone Stripes

After 30 years in Fairbanks, Alaska, we finally wimped-out and went to Hawaii at Christmas instead of our cabin. The cabin is in a remote mountain valley and gets no direct sun this time of year, and the temperature hovers around -20°F.

Arctic Plants Feel the Heat

Global warming is dramatically revamping not only the ice but also tundra and forests at the top of the world, greening some parts and browning others. The alterations could exacerbate climate change

A Novel Canal Lift at Foxton

By the English Correspondent of the Scientific American