SnoMote

If a mobile weather station were to be deployed in the arctic, one of the issues that will be faced is limited communication. In today's world of e-mail, cell phones, and 3G internet access, it is easy to forget that connectivity can be a major obstacle. In Greenland and Antarctica, communication is accomplished largely by satellite. Depending on the orbit and time of year, opportunities to talk to those satellites could occur as little as once a day. To cope with the limited communication, the SnoMote rovers must store all of the sensor reading locally, then transmit the data packet when possible. Part of the upcoming field tests in Alaska is to test this communication system. While on the glacier, the rover will be given several chances to upload data logs to a remote server here in Atlanta. When that happens, these data files will be immediately viewable. To aid in their viewing, the "SnoMote Data Explorer" site (link on the right) has been created. Simply select one of the available data log files, and a sensor graph will be generated, as well as a small map indicating the location of the rover. A few sample data files from the 2009 field trials have been uploaded to the site already. Feel free to explore.