DULUTH, Minn. — Scientists from across the Great Lakes region know a lot about the water in summer, when they can go out in boats and conduct research under a warm sun.
But when it comes to understanding how the lakes function in winter, there's surprisingly little data available.
That's why scientists from 18 institutions in the U.S. and Canada, including universities and government agencies, are fanning out in 12 teams this month across the lakes — toting ice augers and wearing safety float suits — to grab as much data as possible during the coldest, iciest time of year.
