D-Opto logger survives two years in harsh winter wilderness

One of four D-Opto loggers lost two years ago in Finland has turned up hale and hearty despite the extreme winter conditions it endured.

Professor Lauri Arvola, of the University of Helsinki's Lammi Biological Station in Finland, recently contacted D-Opto to tell us how the instruments – which measure temperature, dissolved oxygen saturation and content – are tough enough to operate and survive even harsh winter conditions.

"We lost, in September 2011, four D-Optologgers during a heavy storm and I already believed we lost them finally," he said.

However, he was recently contact by a woman who said she had found something new on the lake shore which appeared to belong to Professor Arvola because it had a small flag with his phone number on it.

"I went to the lake and see the place and what I discovered was a real surprise; a buoy with one of the loggers we lost almost two years before.

"And even more I was surprised when I replaced the battery in the lab and connected the logger with my computer; the data was still there and the logger was operating well after two years.

"The last two winters were very harsh here in Finland and although there is usually snow which protects everything beneath it, I think it was almost unbelievable that the logger was still operating after two years. I would say - a real miracle!

"Thanks for doing such a good device!" said Professor Arvola.