Expo 2008/Research Planning

These are all the possible ideas for research type things that could be done on expo 08. Hopefully we can use this page to discuss all the possibilities and decide which ones will go ahead. Please post more possibilities, I've just gotten them started!

Continuation of microclimate project

Downloading CSB datalogger (Definite)

A datalogger was left in Chocolate Salty Balls with four thermistors attached. This should have recorded the temperature at four points along CSB once an hour since around August 11th, 2007. The data is interesting for several reasons including the evaluation of how strongly annual variation penetrates into the cave and how this relates to the strength of the diurnal signal (different equations exist for this).

Deploying thermistors (Definite, but where?, cost ~GBP80 for replacement parts to last year's system)

From last year's expedition, we have four dataloggers with four ports each, and twelve thermistors with 50m cables. One possibility is to simply repeat what was done last year in Stienbruckenhoehle. However, other ideas are welcomed. We may abandon the wet / dry bulb pair approach for attempting to measure humidity in favor of putting each thermistor in a different place.

Anemometers (Definite, cost ~GBP50 to GBP300)

By expo, there will be working anemometers. Quantifying airflow means we can - Evaluate "chimney effect" theories- is airflow a function of temperature? Does it reverse at night, and/ or during the winter, as the theory predicts? - By looking at relationships in airflow between different entrances, potentially understand the connectivity between those entrances

Micropsychrometer (Possible cost GBP0)

If this gets repaired, we can do humidity profiles.

Deploying surface weather station (Possible, cost ~GBP 800)

A modern weather station could be purchased and permanently established on the Plateau. Campbell scientific Basic Weather Stations have 2.4ghz transmitters which apparently transmit for 1km to a computer. This would allow for easy downloading from top camp, and potentially the parking lot (might need a repeater). With local interest, this could be integrated into online weather databases and made available 24/7 for everyone. It would be good to relate underground data to a nearby weather station. However, the data from the weather station last year showed that the readings were very nearly identical to that from Feuerkoegel, 15km away.

Thermal imaging of cave walls (long shot, cost of insuring camera)

Would allow us to understand how far out of thermal equilibrium cave air and cave walls are, and how this changes with distance into cave and depth. Depends on Clive Oppenheimer lending the geography department's thermal camera.

• It's looking like the geography department infrared camera is going to be unavailable again this year. There are companies that rent them, but I have no idea what it costs. I have contacted http://www.flirthermography.co.uk to find out. -Aaron 11:42, 15 May 2008 (BST)

Ruggedized tablet pc aquired (for free)

We could try for underground sketching. Otterbox makes a waterproof case for Fujitsu tablets. This would eliminate problems with lack of pencils, marks rubbing off of waterproof paper, etc. Also would allow there to be an appropriate device for data collection at top camp.

Need to work out a way to use tunnel with just the pen as input.

Cave exploration blimp (Possible, ~GBP130 with small helium tank)

The toys at for example http://www.raidentech.com/rcbl.html could be adapted for aven exploration to look around the corner of aven tops. Problems that would need to be considered: -high altitude means less bouyancy -blimp would need to be inflated at site so it can be transported through the cave

Documentary

While it might not make sense for underground, I think it would be worth getting a good quality video camera of some form for at least the above ground portions of the documentary. -Aaron 23:45, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Exploration innovation

Wookey? Pony + Disto?