Morten Hervik and Ravn Rydtun report that milestones have been reached and the work has proceeded as planned.

Right up until now.

- We have now had – and still have – a few days of bad weather. That's completely fine, as it gives us a small test of how the construction holds. Next week we will start working on converting this into a power station. We will install one tonne of batteries, together with solar panels and wind turbines. Once we have the power running, we can begin to calibrate the sensors and receive the first data.

Background:
 

In close and good cooperation with the Norwegian Polar Institute, a seismo-acoustic array station is to be established, funded by the Research Council of Norway. A network of several seismometers and infrasound sensors (acoustic sensors) placed in a geometric pattern to improve detection, localisation, and characterisation of seismic events (such as earthquakes, explosions, volcanic activity) and atmospheric sound.

It was originally intended to be set up at Troll, but because the government has decided to upgrade the Troll research station and, among other things, to establish a wind power station for green energy, NORSAR had to relocate the measuring station away from this facility. The direct reason is the noise that the wind turbines would create. The extra funding to move the station came from the Ministry of Climate and Environment (KLD).

Morten and Ravn explain what they have been working on since the New Year:

• The time has mostly been spent on container work. The container arrived a few days after the New Year with transport from the ice edge. They were delayed by a few days due to bad weather on the way, and had to stop until conditions improved.

We unloaded the container and the walls were constructed and attached to it. The transport out was carried out with one of the station's "Troll beasts". A 50-ton beast with a side loader for loading and transporting containers. In short, a tracked truck. We had to wait a few days as the route up to Armlenet had to be re-secured with ground radar. During the previous transport of an excavator to Armlenet, one of the machines almost went through the ice. We got the green light and set off.

After a three-hour drive, we reached Armlenet with the precious cargo and placed it onto the base frame. We bolted together the top and bottom frames using various straps and pulleys to press everything together. Finally, we built decking and stairs which provide access to the container. 

Now we are getting a few days of bad weather, which provides a small test of how the construction holds. Next week we will start the work to convert this into a power station. We will install one tonne of batteries, along with solar panels and wind turbines. When we have the power up and running, we can begin to calibrate the sensors and receive the first data.