Helen FieldsScience Writer

Today (Tuesday April 7) was an ice station – a day when people can go out and do their work on the ice. Chris and I decided today’s story would be about this one scientist who has an ROV – a remotely operated vehicle, like a little tiny submarine that flies around in the water. He puts it through a hole in the ice.

His plan is to use this super-delicate glass oxygen sensor to measure the oxygen super close to the ice, at increments of something ridiculously tiny, like 10 microns or something. Last year he broke the sensor on the first attempt and that was it. Truthfully, part of the reason for doing his story today was because that dang thing might break and he might never go on the ice again. So the whole time they were working, I was totally paranoid about this little piece of glass. It had some thin metal bars around it, but that wasn’t much protection.

One time the ROV came out of the water and the tip of the oxygen sensor was just barely poking out of its cage. It did not look right to me. Everyone was running around adjusting sciencey things, and I was just staring at the probe and worrying.

Ensuing conversation:

Me: Is the probe supposed to be sticking out like that?
Scientist: [Jumps, then grabs the ROV and starts adjusting it.] Thank you so much for noticing that. [Repeated over and over.]
Chris the Photographer: How much does that thing cost? Helen Fields just paid for herself.
Me: You’re welcome, NSF

It turns out I did not, in fact, pay for myself – the sensor costs about $700. But I was still happy to be useful.