My fellow Summit science techs, Jason and Marci, have a basic grounding in my duties. And I have a few days experience with their tasks. This cross-training allows us some flexibility, in case one of us got sick or needed a hand during a busy period. On our cross-training days, instead of heading out to the TAWO lab as usual, Jason and Marci took turns joining my rounds of the MSF lab, the 50-meter tower, and the solar radiation stands.

The photo above shows a moment from our training, just as Jason and I approached the radiation stands.  On the aluminum booms of these stands are clustered radiometers, sensitive to different wavelength ranges, that point either upwards to measure incoming solar radiation, or downward to measure reflected radiation (for albedo). Our basic tool for keeping these radiometers clean and rime-free is a soft-bristled brush. This is carried in a blue nylon bag that was sewn by an anonymous science tech of seasons past. With the brush, we dust off any soft rime accumulations. Quick work.  But for hard ice, the brush is useless, and we reach deeper into the blue nylon bag, for a spray bottle of ethanol and a fistful of optical wipes.  Even at very cold temperatures, the ethanol readily melts through accumulated rime ice, leaving the sensor ice-free but wet, and the optical wipes are employed to dry the radiometer domes.  A reliable fallback when the brush fails.  In the photo above, Jason pauses ahead of the radiation stands, spray bottle in hand, with a big halo overhead.