22.05.2025 | Mira Lange | SLF News
Mira Lange, a secondary school student, spent three weeks at the SLF as an intern. She writes about her experiences during this time in this logbook entry.
This text was automatically translated.
The ghost train in Laret ¶
During my first week at the SLF, I was able to get to know the Python programming language. It supports science very strongly when it comes to data analysis, but Python is also very helpful in areas such as machine learning and software development because it is a rather simple programming language.
The group meeting of the snow physics group always takes place on Wednesday. I was also allowed to attend, but when I got to the meeting room, there was only one seat left. It was the seat at the "head of the table". Initially reluctant to take this spot, I sat down and got to meet all the nice people from this group. I really liked how they supported each other and showed interest in each other's Projects. It was a very nice experience to be part of such a round table.
The next day was the first day of field work. So I drove to Laret with Julia and Anja to create a snow profile. We couldn't see anything outside the measurement area because it was so foggy. Every now and then we heard a ghost train pass by, but we couldn't see it. I also got to know the SMP (SnowMicroPen) during the snow profile. The SMP is a highly sensitive force sensor that drives into the snow at a constant speed and measures the penetration resistance 250 times per millimeter. This measures the properties of the snow's microstructure. Back at the SLF, I got to digitize the data. I had previously familiarized myself with the NiViz website and then started to enter the data. At the end of the week mark, I accompanied Fabian to the cold lab for the first time. Our mission was to prepare the snow for the "Snow Gluer" samples. For this we needed coarse "snow" and very fine "snow", which we produced by crushing ice with a cheese grater and then sieving it.
I will never underestimate the sun in the snow again ¶
This first week flew by which put the team excursion on the agenda already. On Monday afternoon, we went to the Weissfluhjoch in fog and snowfall to take a look at the measuring field with the various measuring devices and to go skiing. Benni, Matthias and Fabian explained all the devices, but the highlight was the large SMP. It was impressive to see because there is no bigger SMP anywhere. I found it exciting to see how interested everyone was in talking about these devices. And I noticed that not only during the excursion, but always, no matter what, I always had the feeling that people really enjoyed working here, and I really liked that. It was very cold up there, because there was not only fog and snowfall, but also wind. But for me, the temperatures didn't change for the better on Tuesday, because it's not so pleasant in the cold lab, despite the thick down suits, warm shoes, gloves and hat. However, cutting up the snow samples from the Antarctic with Matthias and making the cylindrical samples with Fabian was so interesting that it almost made me forget about the cold.
This week's snow profile was the last one for this spring, as the snow will almost certainly not be there next week. I enjoyed it because I was able to apply the things I learned in the field during the first week.
And then the time had come, I went up to the Weissfluhjoch with Isabella to take isotope samples with her and Lea and to do a "big snow profile" with Martin. We were up there shortly after sunrise and started the SMP measurements before we had to dig the profile. Isabella and Lea had three hours between each isotope sample, which is why we needed about two hours for the profiling. Martin explained everything to us in great detail. Why you always have to shade the surface, how the shapes of the snow crystals are formed, what shapes there are and much more. During the second break, we ate our lunch before making a few descents. I went down later in the afternoon because I couldn't help any more and they had to do the same thing again as in the morning. But on the way down I realized that I had forgotten sunscreen. This caught up with me on Friday when I not only had a very bad sunburn on my face, but also a bit of a headache and dizziness. So I stayed at home on Friday and cooled my face.
I only saw gray areas ¶
So the third and final week of my internship began when Fabian brought me a stick with the data from crushing our cylinder-shaped samples and I had to find the height points and the area under the line. I started with that and went to the lab to crush ice again for some variety in between, because I get to make new samples on my own this week, but I needed more of the coarse "snow" for that.
I quickly figured out the elevation points, but I was at a loss when it came to calculating the area under the line in the plot. I tried to teach myself integral arithmetic on Tuesday, but it wasn't enough for such a complex area.
Lars' task didn't require this either. It was about drawing the snow layers in NIR images of the Jungfraujoch and Antarctica. You have to do this so that the computer learns how to do it and can then do it itself at some point. This is a project with machine learning students from Toronto. It wasn't easy because sometimes the individual layers are not clearly visible. Especially in the picture from Antarctica, because it only snows very little there, but it winds a lot. So the layers are thinner but also not as straight as those on the Jungfraujoch.
I couldn't look at these pictures for very long because at some point I started imagining layers where there were none. That's why I took a lot of breaks where I continued writing the blog or went to the lab and made the samples for Fabian.
I made myself a "mise en place" and then started to weigh out the snow and mix it with a whisk. When the samples were ready, I cleaned up the lab and continued working on the NIR images.
On my last day here at the SLF, we ate cake in the cafeteria and exchanged ideas. After talking to Ruschle and Julia about my assessment, I went to the lab with Julia to look at the CT and to examine snow crystals from the SnowMaker under the microscope.
A valuable companion in my future life ¶
I learned a lot during this internship. Not just about snow, but also about what I will look for in future career options. I want to find a profession that I enjoy as much as the people here at the SLF.
I have also learned that it pays off not to take the easy route. I worked hard to get this internship and it was more than worth it.
Lastly, I would like to thank Ruschle, Julia, Fabian, Matthias, Lars and Isabella for letting me come and work with you.
I will look back on this internship with very good feelings and am excited to see whether my future path will take me in this direction. Thank you very much!
Copyright ¶
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