We teachers and students in Hawaii say 'aloha' and hope that everyone is enjoying the broadcasts. The students are working very hard and doing a fantastic job. They get up at 2:00 a.m. in the morning and arrive at the broadcast site ate 4:00 a.m. for site assignments and last minute directions.
The most exciting activity for the students and teachers is being out on the active lava field which has now been named the JASON flow. The flowing lava has a thin skin which can be walked upon but you must not stand in one spot too long or the soles of our boots begin metling. After crossing the flow the students work with scientists near the edge of the flow measuring temperature and collecting samples.
Doing five broadcasts a day in temperatures near 140 degrees Fahrenheit drains students who must drink over a gallon of liquids to prevent dehydration. Between broadcasts, teacher and student argonauts participate in interviews with newspapers and television stations near their home towns through phone and satellite connections.
The broadcast day is over about 1:00 p.m. which enables the students to participate in additional activities. Yesterday we went through the Thursten Lava Tube which was nifty since we are seeing lava presently flowing through tubes at the broadcast site. This afternoon Cheryl Tarr is taking us out to find and observe honeycreepers.
Other students need the email so I'll sign off now but will try to send another message tomorrow.
Paul Varsho
Teacher Argonaut
JASON VI Home Page
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Gene Carl
Feldman
(gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov)
(301) 286-9428
Todd Carlo Viola,
JASON Foundation for Education
(todd@jason.org)