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).

Time-lapse photography of condensation

On last year's study, it was noticed that condensation visible in the caves appears to increase towards the end of the day. Using time-lapse photography, we can quantify the volume of condensation which is removed at night, and conclude regarding likely mechanism of removal.

Camera & Firmware

To do this, we have a Canon IXUS 50 with CHDK hacked firmware. The firmware allows shots to be taken with very long intervals between them. I have begun testing this.

Battery life

At room temperature, it can take a photo every 15 minutes for 6 hours. At the moment, I am testing it in a refrigerator. Because we need 24 hours of footage, we need to rig up some kind of external battery. The present battery is a 3.7v, 700mah L-ion. Suggestions of how to do this are welcome. Am considering purchasing http://www.smallbattery.company.org.uk/sbc_bm6380.htm and trying to connect that.

If the battery says it's 3.7V can you test it with a multimeter - it's probably about 4.2V when it's fully charged? In which case it's pretty much the same as a lithium ion 18650 battery (the type they use in laptops) only with less capacity. So is it not possible to get one or more lithium ion 18650s and connect as many as is necessary in parallel and then make a connector out of some sort of camera-battery-shaped piece of wood or something with metal glued in the appropriate places that can slot into the camera? - Edvin (via email, posted by Aaron 09:39, 12 June 2008 (BST))

Interesting point. The 3.7V is the specified voltage printed on the battery. I've just tested it at full charge and it's actually about 4.0V with no load. I imagine the camera has a voltage regulator so that using a 4.2V battery would be fine, at worst causing the regulator to heat up a lot (and maybe keep the camera warmer!). I'd be willing to try an 18650 bodge. I don't know anything about charging lithium 18650s though, sounds like it could be tricky. -Aaron 09:39, 12 June 2008 (BST)

You need a specific lithium ion battery charger. I think there will be one at top camp for the drills anyway and I'll have mine at basecamp which has powerpoles on it.

Mount

I would like to attach the camera to a spit to be placed in the wall in CSB. To enable this, one idea is to attach a spit thread to the end of one of the legs of a tripod such as http://www.ukoptics.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=201. Work has not begun on this, and if someone wants to do it that would be great.

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 300)

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 temperature readings were very nearly identical to that from Feuerkoegel, 15km away.

I've just found some weather stations which look cheaper and easier to transport and use than I'd expected. I think it may be worth getting one of these to verify if our data continues to match Feuerkoegel, and also for rainfall measurements which aren't available from the Feuerkogel station. -Aaron 09:35, 12 June 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)

Instead of a maneuverable blimp as discussed earlier we could get a weather balloon and a bullet camera to simply go straight up on a string and film the side of the aven.

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?