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DEAPS: Discover Earth, Atmospheric & Planetary Sciences
There are two options for participating in DEAPS this year: one is a trip to Yellowstone National Park, and the other is related to Extreme Weather and Climate. Both of these options are described below.
Yellowstone Program (Montana and Wyoming)
The purpose of the trip will be to teach students basic earth science from the nature and causes of volcanic eruptions to the origin and diversity of microbial life in hot springs, to what we can tell about past climates from the fossil record. The trip will involve flying from Boston on August 22nd to Bozeman Montana. Upon arrival we will load into rental vans and begin our trip, which will involve camping and touring in Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding region. We will leave Yellowstone on the night of the August 28th and fly back to Boston on August 29th.
DEAPS Specifics
Dates: Saturday, August 22nd through Saturday, August 29th. All students must arrive on Friday, August 21st and will depart to Montana as a group early in the morning of the 22nd. No exceptions will be made.
Place: Montana, Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park
Supplies: All students are asked to bring a daypack, tent and/or sleeping bag and pad. Gear will be provided for those that do not have it. On most days there will be hikes of moderate difficulty at elevations considerably above sea level.
Available Spaces: Limited to 15-20 depending on total costs.
Cost: Each participant will be required to contribute $400.00 towards the cost of the trip. The Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences will cover all other costs.
The exact schedule has yet to be finalized, but include some of the following:
- Studying the volcanic history of the Yellowstone area
- Camping in the park
- Informal lectures from faculty and staff
- Detailed study of the chemistry and biology of hot springs
- See a fossil forest that is approximately 50 million years old
For additional information, see the DEAPS web site at: http://web.mit.edu/DEAPS/earth_2009/
Extreme Weather and Climate Program (Mt. Washington Observatory, New Hampshire)
The Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences provides a unique environment to study the multi-faceted nature of the science of the Earth and other planets. We thrive on interdisciplinary ventures, seeking to understand the fundamental workings of natural systems by examining physical, chemical, and biological processes occurring across a vast spectrum of time and space.
The EAPS three-day exploration program in ‘ Extreme Weather and Climate’ will cover some of the most interesting and challenging aspect of weather and climate research.
The first day of the program will be dedicated to extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and winter blizzards. What do we know about their nature and their frequency? Are they getting more extreme and more frequent?
The second day will focus on current issues of climate research. What have we learned from the past climate, what do we know of the present and what can we say about the future?
Lectures by experts in the field will be accompanied by rotating fluid laboratory experiments, intended to illustrate the behavior of fluids on the rotating earth. Students will have the opportunity to work in small groups and get their hands wet, discussing their results with faculty, graduate students and peers.
The final day of the program will be spent on a trip to the Mt Washington Observatory in New Hampshire. The 6288 ft mountain peak is known as the place where “extreme weather” is the norm. Here the students will be exposed to the challenges of observational meteorology together with a direct experience of the mountain environment and geology.
DEAPS - Weather and Climate Specifics
- Dates: Tuesday, August 25 through Friday, August 28.
- Place: EAPS - Green Building (Bldg. 54) Tuesday and Wednesday, Freshmen will be housed in their assigned dormitory. Thursday, students, faculty and staff will travel to New Hampshire and stay overnight
- Available Spaces: 15
- Cost: No charge. The Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences will cover all costs.
What Will We Do?
Tuesday, August 25 – Registration
- Dinner and activities to welcome you to EAPS
Wednesday, August 26– Extreme Weather
- Breakfast
- Lecture by EAPS faculty
- Hands on experiment: Part 1 – an “hurricane in a tank”, the radial inflow experiment
- Lunch
- Hands on experiments: Part 2 – atmospheric data connection
- Dinner with students and faculty
- Informal discussion of lab experiments
Thursday, August 27– Climate Change
- Breakfast
- Lecture by EAPS faculty
- Hands on experiment: Part 1 – “weather in a tank”, the general circulation experiment
- Lunch
- Hands on experiments: Part 2 – atmospheric data connection
- Departure for New Hampshire
- Dinner at a lodge and overnight stay
Friday, August 28– Visit to Mt Washington Observatory
- Breakfast
- Visit of the Mt Washington Observatory – meteorological instruments and observations
- Lunch
- Observations of the geology of the area
- Dinner
- 7:00 Departure for Boston
For additional information, see the DEAPS web site at: http://web.mit.edu/DEAPS/weather/.
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