A research team is headed into some of the most brutal weather conditions on the planet, under the direction of Professor Edward Hanna of the University of Sheffield.  They go in search of knowledge about global warming.  It is the belief of the professor and his team that climate change has caused an unusually warm pocket of air to get ‘stuck’ over the Greenland Ice Sheet.  This, of course, could cause series problems for other areas, as the ice melts into the ocean waters, cooling the temperature of those waters.

Their studies have, so far, included a compilation of climate data dating back to the 1800s.  This, combined with their in-field research, could teach us a great deal about global warming and what it could mean in the future.

While the temperatures are warmer, according to the team’s data, this can be a very harsh environment to live- and work in.  Nearly 80% of Greenland’s surface is covered by the large body of ice.  It is the second largest ice sheet in the world (the Antarctic sheet wins the title of largest).  It is estimated that the ice sheet has been there for more than one hundred thousand years.  The average high temperatures in February hover several degrees below zero.  Assuming that the team intends to experience the temperatures in those coldest months, they will need to know, for sure, that their equipment will operate correctly in the negative temperatures and bitter wind chill.

That type of pre-testing is best done in a climate controlled environment.  SRP Controls offers a wide range of PGC (parameter generation & control) units that can generate many types of conditions found in nature. If someone wants to make a jacket that can withstand -45°F, at wind speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, for instance, these conditioning units can simulate those temperatures and winds to ensure that the jacket performs as advertised.  Similarly, scientific equipment can be tested in an environment that mimics what it will be subjected to on the job.