Jackie's "Wouldn't this be a Great Idea?" Series: Part One

Most of the United States has had a pretty snowy winter (if you live somewhere that hasn't, please let me know that we actually don't live in winterwonderland--I would love some warm news). Here in Albany, New York, the snow has built up into wonderfully distinct, packed strata.

Scientists already use arctic "ice cores" to study past global climates, but they have hardly tapped into the potential of snow.

Why have we not yet taken snow cores?

I honestly have no clue what you're thinking in front of the uncomfortable glare of your computer. But you might be thinking, hey Jackie, this seems silly. Don't we already know the climate of the previous winter? Couldn't we look at, say, meteorological reports and find the exact same information that we find in the cores without all the extra work?

Well, to you say to you three things:
One: Do you really trust weathermen?
Two: Where is your sense of adventure?, and
Three: Maybe you aren't quite advanced enough to understand the technical intricacies of snow-cores.

Think of the possibilities! We could report on ice storms had happened months ago-- wouldn't that be helpful in filling up twenty-four hours of weather channel coverage?

Climatologists, call me up when you want to use this genius idea-- or if you already have used it and I've been missing all the snow core action.

Days and days of accumulated ice form strata. We assume it all came from the sky, although the "snowblower" seems another likely culprit.

Look on the right side of the photograph: A fold in the strata of the ice? We can only guess what tectonic forces could be at work here. . . until one of you takes this research on as your own (and gives me the royalties)

This geologic formation has a recessed upper layer. . . could it be due to rising temperatures, or is the ice simply balding?