THE REASON WHY

Global climate is changing. For geologists, like those involved with ICE 2001, climate has been changing continuously throughout Earth's history. What makes the present phase different is that, for the first time, human activity is a significant driver of climate change. As our industrial society increases the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, we are altering one of the fundamental balances that drives the climate system. In order to understand what the future may hold, it is essential to understand the intricate complexities of this system. Detailed records of how climate has varied in the past, in the absence of human-induced factors, are essential for the development of improved climate models needed to better project possible future conditions.

Satellite photo of the northeast Pacific, showing one of the many storms that move north into Alaska and the Yukon, including Mount Logan.

Among the globe's critical climate components are the storms generated in the northeast Pacific Ocean (See Photo). While little is known of their longterm history, the icefields of Logan contain important answers. The icefields are made up of snowfalls accumulated over the past 10,000 years and more. Scientists are on those icefields to extract ice cores that, with careful analysis, will allow them to decipher the climate record over those years. Ice field records have been examined elsewhere in the world, notably in Antarctica, Greenland and Canada's own Arctic Islands and have made great contributions to climate science. Now it is the turn of North America's northwest mountains to reveal their secrets of ancient climate, to be uncovered by the scientists working in a remote corner of Canada, a harsh land but also one of breathtaking beauty.

THIS WEEK'S UPDATE OF ACTIVITIES ON LOGAN

Tents at King Col enduring one of the frequent storms from the Pacific. Photo credit Chris Zdanowicz

The Canadian expedition is divided into three teams. The drill team, composed of five persons, is just arriving at the Prospector-Russell Col drill site, some 5,300 m above sea level. They had been trapped for several days at an intermediate site, Windy Camp, by a storm that brought winds as high as 150 km/hour.

Travel is impossible under these circumstances. A second team has just arrived at its destination, the Base Camp on Quintino Sella Glacier at 2,800 m elevation, after being delayed at Kluane Lake by the same storm. The third, two-man, team will spend its time at the permanent Kluane Lake camp beside the Alaska highway.

Meanwhile, a Japanese team, which earlier had been flown in to King Col, is drilling an ice core and has reached a depth of 130 m. King Col, at 4,200 m elevation, is mid-way between P-R Col and the QS Base Camp.

The Japanese have already started to move ice samples down to the QS Base Camp. In addition to all that activity, an American team has just started to drill an ice core at a 3,000 m site, Eclipse, located about 40 km northeast of the other teams. They have now reached a depth of over 20 m. These other camps and their work will be described in subsequent weekly reports.