The program to continue this site testing has recently been approved for logistical support by the Polar Continental Shelf Program of Natural Resources Canada. PCSP will provide a base camp, tents and transport from Resolute to our sites on Western Ellesmere Island. The site testing this year is collaboration between Carlberg (University of Toronto), Steinbring & Fahlman (NRC-HIA), Bruce Cole (Environment Canada) and Brad Wallace (Defence Research and Development Canada). The preliminary evaluation system consists of weather equipment and a sky camera at each of two sites. The data is being fed into flash memory and was to be transferred south via satellite modem; the system itself is powered by a small wind turbine. Unfortunately, the modem-computer communication failed after about a week but the data in flash memory is expected to be intact. This summer the plan is to recover the data in flash memory and install a 3rd “TMT style” all sky camera on a higher peak, with preliminary results to be published this fall. And, the satellite modem system is going to be made a lot more robust.
We are hopeful that these initial results will confirm the promising astronomical properties of the sites, and are planning to return in 2008 with a campaign to measure astronomical seeing and (possibly) the mid-IR sky brightness and transparency. Discussions with a US based group, interested in operating a small transit telescope for photometric monitoring of stars for variability and planet detection, are underway. There is definitely room for more activity and student participation, however at the present time we have no support other than our internal funds for this program. We certainly look forward to reporting in the fall on our results!