Episoder
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Scene 7 starts with one side of a conversation between Prof. Tahtiavain and Ogilvie. It’s a tough year for Ogilvie because he is grieving the loss of his youngest son, who died in Jan 1895. Despite the pain, Ogilvie must return to the Yukon in Oct 1895. Will he be able to travel with Prof. Tahtiavain in Dec?
Fast forward to 1976 where Aaranya is reading an 1898 report by Ogilvie that’s written in French. She had read an 1899 report by Arthur St. Cyr, but that was an easy read because the paper was in English. Aaranya is obviously struggling and mispronouncing so many words that native French speakers probably want her to stop reading.
Before Ogilvie’s report, she had started reading Les Anciens Canadiens par Philippe Aubert de Gaspé, but she was able to get to only some part of a verse on the title page – that’s what you hear at the start of this episode. She will read this book someday.
Scene 8 is a brief conversation between Prof. Scamanderand Aaranya. After this conversation, Aaranya takes a break from French by revisiting two papers by Tempelman-Kluit (1979 and 2012) before her trek to mount St. Cyr, northwest of Quiet Lake.
Aaranya is referring to the following resources:
Evidence of arc-continent collision (Tempelman-Kluit, 1979) Geology of quiet lake and Finlayson lake map areas (Tempelman-Kluit, 2012) Guide officiel du Klondike: Le grandchamp d'or du Canada, le district du Yukon (Ogilvie, 1898) Les anciens canadiens par Philippe Aubert de Gaspé (1877)Note: This is a work of fiction, so everything herein is imaginary with some dangling facts. This is a MeriPelle episode, so you will hear a few seconds of the house song (Pohjola by Olli Halonen). As always, expect Aaranya to croak again - background help from this YouTube video (O Canada in French)
Almost six months since Frazer enfolded...
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In Prof. Long's notes, Aaranya finds a reference to an 1899 report that describes the topography of the Teslin-Quiet Lake area. She's back on Canol road near Sidney Lake (south of Quiet Lake) that is a tributary of the Nisutlin river. She will be here for two weeks, traversing the same routes taken by Arthur Saint Cyr during his 1898 exploration of the Nisutlin and Big Salmon rivers.
As Canada switched from the Imperial to the Metric system in 1975, Aaranya is converting all the measurements indicated in Arthur's report before she heads out the following morning.
Scene 6 opens with a conversation between Prof. Abbott and Prof. Scamander at the Frazden school in Lapland. Hannah is concerned about Aaranya's field trip to this secluded part of the Yukon, but Prof. Scamander assures her that Aaranya is safe and happy to help.
You will hear your host give you some context throughout this episode, which includes an excerpt from Wolves of the Yukon by Bob Hayes.
Aaranya will howl - nothing new. You will also hear her read aloud quite a lot of this 1899 report because she is placing markers on her maps for her upcoming study.
References in this episode are as follows:
Wolves of the Yukon by Bob Hayes (2010) Geology of Teslin-Quiet Lake area, Yukon (1936) Exploration of the country east of Teslin Lake (1899) The Yukon Connection (an episode from your host's other podcast - Arctic HOWLs)Note: This podcast is a work of fiction, so everything herein is imaginary with some dangling facts. Aaranya is attempting to sing O Canada in French, and here's the YouTube video she used for practice.
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Mangler du episoder?
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A bone-chilling cold snap below minus 43 degrees Celsius kept Aaranya away from her field site near the Quiet Lake batholith. Canada switched from the Imperial to the Metric system only a few months ago on April 01, 1975. So, Aaranya is keeping track of both the systems during her January 1976 field trip. She is still studying the Yukon-Tanana terrane for clues about the deathly hallows.
Prof. Scamander is back at the Frazden school in Lapland, so Aaranya has no valid reason to ignore the textbook she is commissioned to write.
It is time to start thinking about the first SARtastic beast and the first paper that Aaranya had read when she started her research on radar imaging. This beast is from the MeriKotka house, so the episode starts with a brief mention of DJ Bohm (its founder).
Aaranya reads some content from a 1999 paper on a near-field 3-D synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging algorithm. As she is thinking aloud and this is a crude draft, you will hear her talk about how this paper led her down a certain path and led her to other research papers from 2001, 2015, 2021, and 2022.
As this beast is from the MeriKotka house, you will hear how the founder of the house inspired Aaranya over the years and how a dialogue between DJ Bohm and a biologist helped Aaranya finally understand what the 1975 song (Kuinka Voit by Hector) from scene 3 was telling her about the formative field.
Aaranya is referring to the following papers:
Historical roots of gauge invariance (2001) 3-D radar imaging using range migration techniques (1999) Deep learning and quantum annealing methods in synthetic aperture radar (2021) A Review of Synthetic-Aperture Radar Image Formation Algorithms and Implementations: A Computational Perspective (2022) Overcoming polar-format issues in synthetic aperture radar multichannel autofocus (2015-2016)Note: As this podcast is a work of fiction, everything herein is imaginary with some random facts. You will hear a few seconds of the MeriKotka house song (Kaikista maailman maista by Petri Laaksonen) because our first SARtastic beast belongs to MeriKotka. Aaranya will croak again.
153 days since Frazer enfolded...
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In this episode of season 2, Prof. Scamander is curious how Aaranya knew where to find the next clue related to the deathly hallows. She thanks Prof. Longbottom and Ted Irving for this paleomagnetic clue near the Quiet Lake batholith and the Yukon-Tanana terrane.
Aaranya reads a 1976 paper to get a sense of the stratigraphy of the area and start exploring the anomalies in the Pelly mountains.
As this is a fictional setup, expect Aaranya to go on a tangent to set the stage for the next few episodes. Also, this is a MeriPelle episode, so you will hear a few seconds of the house song (Pohjola by Olli Halonen).
Aaranya is referring to the following papers:
Whence British Columbia by Ted Irving (1985) Yellowstone in Yukon by Prof. Johnston (1996) The Baja BC series by Prof. Nick Zentner (2022 - 2023) Geological Survey of Canada (Report 1A, 1976) | See page 112 for the paper on the Pelly mountains | Tempelman-Kluit, D. J., Gordey, S. P. & Read, B. C. (1976). Stratigraphic and structural studies in the Pelly Mountains, Yukon Territory. Geological Survey of Canada, Paper, 76-1A, 97-106. https://doi.org/10.4095/104174 -
In this episode of season 2, Aaranya Susipetonen questions Prof. Scamander about misdirecting her research on Occamies and Thestrals when she was at Old Crow, YT.
A long explanation ensues about Copernicus' prediction related to the chief healer and the founders of the Frazden school. Aaranya learns about Prof. Wanderson, the founder of the MeriMies house, and his immense contribution to the muggle and magical world.
MeriPelle gets a spot award (100 points), so you might hear a few seconds of the house song, Pohjola by Olli Halonen. As this episode is about the founder of the MeriMies house, you will also hear a few seconds of their house song (Mä en pelkää by Lauri Tähkä). The episode ends with Prof. Scamander requesting Aaranya to read a few pages from Prof. Wanderson's 1994 paper.
Note: This podcast is a work of fiction with some random facts, and you might hear your host croaking often.
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In the last episode, Aaranya Susipetonen introduced us to the founder of the MeriKotka house (DJ Bohm). In this episode, she looks back at how the founder of her MeriPelle house explored the trails of Wayeeses in the far north.
As she reads an excerpt from his book, Northern Trails (1905), she admires the courage of her MeriPelle founder to stand alone and view Wayeeses through a different lens.
For those interested in the wolves of Labrador, Aaranya recommends a documentary by Andrew Manske.Note: This podcast is a work of fiction with some random facts, and you might hear Aaranya singing the theme song of her MeriPelle house (Pohjola by Olli Halonen).
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Celebrating the 106th birth anniversary of David Bohm (Dec 20, 1917), the founder of the MeriKotka house that focuses on thought.
In this episode of season 2, Aaranya Susipeton learns why the muggles are unable to understand the message of the chief healer and how the occamy became the mascot of the MeriKotka house.
She travels to an unidentified location in Sveitsi to see nonlocality unfolding and enfolding in the presence of her favorite rhythmist, DJ Bohm. A song from 1975 seems to haunt her. Is it trying to tell her something about the formative field?
Note: This podcast is a work of fiction with some random facts, and you might hear your host croaking again.
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Mun Suomeni: Hyvää Itsenäisyyspäivää!
The second episode of season 2 is hosted by Aaranya Susipetonen, an ex-MeriPelle (SAR Systems) who was a student of David Bohm and Newt Scamander. She has a doctorate in Magizoology and has written a textbook on Thestrals and Occamies. She is currently in Sodankylä (Lapland) to write her second textbook.
As we celebrate the 106th founding day of Frazden, Aaranya shares the origins of the four houses of our SARtastic beasts (MeriPelle, MeriKotka, MeriMies, and MeriMetso).
As this podcast is a work of fiction, everything herein is imaginary with only a dash of dangling facts. You might hear your host croaking Minun Suomeni somewhere during this episode. Karaoke music by Päivi Pulkkinen.
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Welcome to season 2. The direction of this podcast has changed from interviews to being a personal project for Letty, who retired from Tech in Sept 2023.
Her SARtastic beasts have been sorted into four houses:
Matter: SAR systems (the instrument) Thought: SAR-related research (algorithms and such) Products of Thought: SAR applications and commercialization That Which Cannot Be Named: Everything else that surrounds SAR but is unfathomableScene 1 begins with that which cannot be named. The excerpt read in this episode is from a document that was made publicly available in Sept 2003.
As this podcast is now a fun project for Letty, expect fiction with randomly sprinkled facts.
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As product designers and writers are expected to reduce their users' cognitive load and articulate a product's efficacy without leaking unnecessary technical details, the first question that tends to pop up is: How do we address the needs of our technical and non-technical audience at the same time without we feeling overwhelmed?
We cannot learn everything that we need to about some shiny new object in tech at such short notice. So, how do we ensure that our users get the outcomes that help them move forward at a pace that feel's right to them?
This conversation with Kelsey Hightower is from 2020 when the cloud-native landscape and SRE were getting too hot to handle. The tech's probably gotten more befuddling, but Kelsey's thoughts still ring true. -
Five key themes guided this conversation with no strict goalposts and guardrails, so the conversation could follow its own course. Here's what to expect in this episode that's focused on Permafrost.
Explains active retrogressive thaw slumps (RTS) that were found along the Alaska and Dempster highways in the Yukon.
His experience in geohazard mapping in Northern Canada and what got him interested in climate-driven hazards. For all you geology enthusiasts, look out for the Klondike connection and paleontology. Almost one million years of permafrost archive data about Pleistocene Beringia - gold rush to really old “paleo” rush! Dawson was unglaciated - and that tells you something!
The formation and degradation of permafrost (the process focus), including permafrost mapping in Northern Quebec and the Yukon. Is there a connection between permafrost distribution/thawing and wildfire propensity?
How do the indigenous communities feel about the changing landscape and how are they preparing for changes in the soil with respect to their traditional practices and food security - for example, the shrubification of the region that's replacing the lichen cover and the subsequent change in the migratory pattern of the caribou?
Blending evidence-based and community-based interventions: How to facilitate the integration of science and traditional knowledge toward climate adaptation? Your host is curious about his 2018 project where he studied how the traditional land use by the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation of Old Crow was affected by this changing landscape? Thaw sensibility - map of traditional land use (only known by the community) and map of permafrost cover change to inform adaptation mechanisms, including infrastructure needs. A lake that drained due to permafrost degradation and the indigenous people losing their traditional fishing spot.
The role of space-based earth observation (EO) in climate adaptation. Characterization of vegetation to inform the change dynamics and to identify potential permafrost sites (correlating the distribution of permafrost with a specific type of vegetation). Letty getting curious about the connection between peatland and permafrost (through wildfire-induced destabilization of the black spruce trees that collaborate with moss and lichen to perpetuate the usual cycle of life that now stands threatened).
The conversation continues with the use of drones to develop orthomosaics and digital elevation models (DEMs) of areas in the far north where satellite imagery is scarce or blurry! Can get the depth of the peat and the flow direction of water to better understand the impact on permafrost (the latter suffers in the presence of the former because water brings along its heat source that accelerates thawing). Perhaps another opportunity for water heatmaps (hydrological network that could potentially drain the permafrost in northwestern Canada).
How can we contribute to his research effort and other local efforts (their website: Yukon University Research Centre). A key stewardship message for his listeners. Letty learns that her leave-no-trace, responsible tourism efforts are threatening at best!
The background music that you might hear for about 1.3 minutes (toward the end) is from this YouTube video. Letty used the French version of O Canada for her rehearsal. -
Some weeks ago, Sparkgeo released a storymap that linked the 2021 Abbotsford (British Columbia, Canada) flood event with the wildfires that hit the province early last year. Your host, Letty, had an opportunity to speak with two members of the research team (James Banting and Natalia Domarad) that released the storymap. This conversation was scheduled in April (soon after the release of the storymap) and recorded on May 13.
Here's what to expect in this episode:
00:00 Letty introducing our guests and the topic of discussion
04:00 Questions Letty asked them about the wildfires and the flood event
08:04 Natalia's background in fluvial geomorphology and the significance of burn scars
12:04 The use of satellite imagery, Canada's upcoming wildfire monitoring satellite system (WildFireSat), and the research implications for first responders and insurance companies
15:20 How do the underlying datasets impact such research efforts and the need for data preparation/validation
22:50 What was the public reaction after the release of the wildfire and flood damage storymap. Sparkgeo's effort toward science communication that is easy to grasp and apply by people who need this information to better prepare for such emergencies.
25:30 What other research efforts are brewing at Sparkgeo (cloud-native vector formats and coral reef research)
27:00 A key message from our guests and potential micro contributions toward Earth stewardship
32:00 Self-education about our changing planet - papers we can read
Papers on Letty's desk
Trends in wildfire burn severity across Canada, 1985 to 2015
Echolocation call structure and intensity in five species of insectivorous bats
The right to burn: barriers and opportunities for Indigenous-led fire stewardship in Canada
This story on Youtube: Deep Dive (Wildfires and Flood Damage) -
A (p)reaction video is a short (< 5min) summary of what you think is meaningful for others to pay attention to about another video or presentation by someone else. Letty is a member of o11yfest, and she was inspired by Stephen Townshend's (p)reaction video so much that she decided to do an episode on what she found meaningful about a few talks.
Only the first segment of this episode is a real (p)reaction because it is under five minutes! The other two segments are almost a running commentary ;)
Here's what to expect in this episode:
00:00 A 3.5-minute (p)reaction on Ricardo Ferreira's talk: Building Software Reliability with Distributed Tracing 03:54 An almost 10-minute (p)reaction on Stephen Townshend's talk: Bad Observability 13:39 A running commentary on Christopher Evans' talk: Observability is not just for your systems (it's for your team and incidents as well) 26:43 A common denominator that seems to be underscoring the world of observability (Dave Snowden's Cynefin framework) 29:00 Letty talking about her two podcasts (this one and Arctic HOWLs), her past role of a Flood Product Owner, and her micro-attempt to bring together the bubbles of earth observation, cloud-native infrastructure, and observability
