BY JONATHAN KENNY, GOH YING TING, AND DARREN TAN PEI KUN
On the morning of 2nd June, 2018, we gathered at Singapore’s Changi Airport to leave for Houghton, MI. The cumulative flying time of 23 hours did not intimidate us at all. Knowing that we had spent a good 6 months bringing this trip to fruition, knowing that we would gain invaluable insights at Michigan Tech University (MTU), and knowing that we could depend on our 9 other peers, we proceeded with the immigration and braced ourselves to step into the land of the free.
The flight was indeed a long and tiring one and we only reached our inn at 1 AM. Despite the exhaustion, we were fuelled with the exciting prospect of visiting the beautiful Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore the next day and were determined to get a good night’s rest. However when dawn came, we were not greeted by the warmth of sunshine but by a chilly fog. Yet, this did not dampen our spirits as we embarked on a 4 hour long journey on the highway, with beautiful forests and pristine lakes flanking our van. When we reached Pictured Rocks, the fog thankfully cleared up for a bit, gracing us with the beautiful landscape and the billion year old continuous rock formations. The scene would forever be etched in our memory as we knew that the visit was a very rare opportunity.
The next day, we embarked on our 5 day learning experience at MTU. We started the day with a hearty breakfast together with our lovely host, Dr. Raymond Shaw and Dr. Will Cantrell. They were unbelievably welcoming and were always prioritising our welfare above all else. Dr Shaw presented on the introduction of cloud physics and detailed the formation of clouds. We learned that cloud droplets are formed from the condensation of water vapour, which is dependent on the temperature and the relative humidity of the surrounding area. They then merge together to form a larger rain droplet. Cloud dynamics are described with a high Reynolds number, and hence require a meticulous approach in studying them. Learning the interactions within a cloud without disturbing it is a complicated and intricate process. Therefore, instead of bringing lab equipment up to the sky, Dr Shaw’s research group brings the cloud down to the laboratory, explaining the need for a cloud chamber. During the course of the 5 days, we gained an insight into the two ways clouds can be artificially formed under laboratory conditions inside the cloud chamber. We also got to see how aerosol particles affect the size of the cloud droplet formed, which consequentially affects the formation of the cloud. Lastly, we saw the various technologies used to study the turbulence effect inside a cloud and how to automatically count the number of cloud droplets according to their radii.
Besides the cloud chamber, we were exposed to the various auxiliary research MTU does pertaining to clouds. We learned that due to the massive size of Lake Superior, it exhibits a sea-like property that adversely affects the climate of Houghton. Dr Shaw agrees with this observation, quipping that “There are only 2 weathers in Houghton, winter and before winter.” The Two-way coupled 3D Great Lakes-Atmosphere Regional Model, developed by Prof Xue, studies the effects of the Great Lakes on the pattern of ice cover, current patterns and thermal stratification with greater precision and accuracy. Besides the numerical modelling, we also learned more about the device Holodec, which stands for the Holography Detector for Clouds. This was the early iteration of studying cloud droplets by bringing lab equipment up to the sky. Using UV light and analysing the diffraction pattern due to the interference of the UV light and the cloud droplets, the type of particles present and their sizes can be analysed.
To conclude our study trip, Dr Shaw planned a BBQ party with his research group at the McClain State Park. The park was very well maintained, the air was very cool and refreshing, and Lake Superior so enormous that it felt like you were looking into the ocean. We had a lovely eating and chit-chatting session enjoying the tasty food and the summer breeze. We also shared our experiences on being a CN Yang scholar to the various MTU graduate students over freshly-made smores. Their laidback culture and cheery attitudes were infectious, and many of us jokingly suggested that Houghton is the perfect retirement home. Besides the BBQ, we also visited Quincy Mine near Houghton. Quincy Mine used to be a prominent hub for mining in its heyday. From taking a tram ride in the dangerously formed mine shaft, experiencing the complete darkness without any source of illumination inside the mining system and hearing the deafening sound of the vibrating rock crusher, we were given a teaser into the story of the miners which has played a major role in defining Houghton as a Copper town.
All in all, the trip to humble little Houghton was an eye-opening and enriching experience. For a good number of us, it challenged our preconceived impressions of America – Houghton was nowhere close to what the media painted America to be: no complications between leftists and rightists, no brouhaha over “capitalist pigs” or Trump. The small, quiet town, rich in both its anthropogenic and geologic history, impressed all of us with its simplistic beauty despite the diversity of our scientific backgrounds. From the warmth and hospitality of its people, to the enthusiasm and novelty of its university’s scientific pursuits, the summer visit to Michigan Tech University in Houghton revitalised our love for science, and left our hearts filled with joy to their brims.