Digital Cameras are very useful equipment for the nzTABS researchers. While always useful to capture the spectacular scenery while out and about in the valleys, they are also useful for capturing visual information about a site worth sampling or interesting biota discovered while hiking or sampling. The November team took digital photos of each sample location they scouted out to aid the January team in finding the right location. Because our researchers come from a range of scientific backgrounds, sometimes someone with the extensive expertise on a particular discovery may not be present. If for example, an interesting moss was found, our researchers could take a photo to show our vegetation experts back at camp.
Watch how a time lapse camera captured the sublimation (evaporation of ice crystals without melting) of snow when being tested in the Miers Camp - Video
What happens in the valleys when our researchers can’t be there is also important for the project, particularly the highly transient snow cover. Although our researchers also deployed swathes of iButton temperature loggers throughout the valleys, the occasional snow falls in the valleys and how these might relate to the temperatures recorded by the iButtons is an important line of investigation. Although the team had access to satellite photos of the study area, often when snow falls there is accompanying cloud cover. It was thought that time lapse cameras left in the valleys throughout the year may fill gaps in the record.
A number of options needed exploring before the time lapse camera could be setup. The first consideration was deciding on what level of detail or resolution was needed by researchers so they could estimate snow cover. The next was deciding how many photos at the chosen resolution could be stored on the camera memory card. Lastly the length of time between exposures was calculated with extra time being allowed in case field workers could not download image files before the memory card was full.
Mark, Craig and Len deploy a time lapse camera. -Len Doel
Photos like this were used for identifying sample sites. Each photo has a number on a white board and its coordinates recorded by GPS. -Lars Brabyn
