Greetings from the Top of the World! I’m Jorge Coppin-Massanet, a PhD student with the Cornell/NASA SSHOW UP team. My research focuses on developing advanced instrumentation for exploring icy environments—both here on Earth and potentially on other worlds. With this being my first Arctic field season, I am writing this blog to capture my thoughts about it. I’m excited to share my experiences and discoveries from our thrilling expedition!
After nearly a year of planning, poring over research papers, and extensive logistical prep, I finally SSHOWed UP in Greenland, and it has exceeded all my expectations! Arriving at Pituffik Space Base, situated 1,210 km (750 mi) north of the Arctic Circle and just 1,524 km (947 mi) from the North Pole, the reality of fieldwork struck me immediately upon glimpsing the awe-inspiring Arctic landscapes during our AMC flight landing early Friday morning.
Our journey included a brief but productive stop in Baltimore, where we refined our field plans, clarified team goals, and completed critical safety training. Once settled at Pituffik, we swiftly located our dormitories, unpacked equipment shipped months earlier, and dove straight into preparations. Our initial days involved navigating logistics, setting up essential gear, and acclimating to our new environment. On our very first night, we were treated to an unexpected and spectacular aurora—a promising omen for our mission ahead.
I quickly became proficient at piloting snowmobiles across sea ice—an exhilarating skill I never anticipated mastering, especially having spent my entire life in the Caribbean. The fieldwork has allowed me to learn numerous new skills and refine previous ones. Sea ice safety training refreshed my knowledge of first aid and search-and-rescue techniques, while setting up field camps brought back memories of knot-tying from my Boy Scout days. Moreover, I gained a profound appreciation for the complex logistics behind polar exploration.
Life at Pituffik Space Base has been even more vibrant than anticipated. The community here has warmly welcomed our team, from hearty meals at Dundas Hall to lively karaoke nights at the appropriately named “Top of the World Club.” Our enthusiastic performance of “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan might not win any vocal awards, but we definitely scored high on team spirit! Also, the curious Arctic foxes occasionally greeting us outside our dorms have been a delightful addition to our days.
Beyond daily logistics and enjoyable base activities, we’ve already achieved significant scientific milestones. In just two weeks, we completed our first three Icefin dives at sites WF1 and WF2. During these dives, we successfully mapped nearly 8 kilometers of underwater terrain, gathering valuable oceanographic data—including temperature, salinity, oxygen levels, current speeds, and detailed sonar and HD camera imagery of Wolstenholme Fjord. Our second dive set a new Icefin mission record, covering almost 5 kilometers, and marked my first experience piloting Icefin. By the end of our third dive, we completed a transect across the fjord, setting the stage for upcoming explorations at the fjord’s marine-terminating glaciers.
Looking ahead, I’m eager to continue our exciting work, getting up close to glacier fronts, deploying my own instrument—SUIMS—for its first field tests, and further investigating the intriguing dynamics of subglacial plume outflows.
Stay warm, and stay tuned for more updates soon!