Lots of scientists look forward to analyzing the data they've collected. This can be one of the most exciting stages of the scientific method because you start to answer some of the questions you've posed.
For me, the data collection itself can be just as fun.
One of the perks of having cameras that capture images every minute is that we capture many of the beautiful phenomena that take place on the ocean. As long as they take place on time scales longer than one minute, and as long as they happen when it's not dark out, I'll catch a photo.
The first image shows sea smoke, which seems to happen on a bitterly cold day each year around this time. When the temperature of the water is warmer than that of the air, and the water evaporates faster than the air can absorb it, the excess water condenses into the smoky apparition that we see. As long as the temperature conditions are just right, these foggy conditions will persist long enough for us to enjoy the spectacle.
The next image shows some broken ice floating downstream and out of the harbor. Over the course of the winter, we see a lot of different types of ice on the surface of the harbor. Some forms originate upstream while others form along the edges of the water. Taking the time to look at these images and explore the harbor helps to build an intuition about the environment. To me, it's important to do this before jumping in to the analysis of the data. I find that taking the time to do this helps me build insight no matter what project I'm working on.
For me, the data collection itself can be just as fun.
One of the perks of having cameras that capture images every minute is that we capture many of the beautiful phenomena that take place on the ocean. As long as they take place on time scales longer than one minute, and as long as they happen when it's not dark out, I'll catch a photo.
The first image shows sea smoke, which seems to happen on a bitterly cold day each year around this time. When the temperature of the water is warmer than that of the air, and the water evaporates faster than the air can absorb it, the excess water condenses into the smoky apparition that we see. As long as the temperature conditions are just right, these foggy conditions will persist long enough for us to enjoy the spectacle.
The next image shows some broken ice floating downstream and out of the harbor. Over the course of the winter, we see a lot of different types of ice on the surface of the harbor. Some forms originate upstream while others form along the edges of the water. Taking the time to look at these images and explore the harbor helps to build an intuition about the environment. To me, it's important to do this before jumping in to the analysis of the data. I find that taking the time to do this helps me build insight no matter what project I'm working on.
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