PALMER STATION SCIENCE SITREP SEPTEMBER 1996 NEWS FROM THE LABS (Marian Moyher - Supervisor, Laboratory Operations): The weather is lousy. For half of the month, when the winds have not been blowing over 20 knots, thick brash ice has been in the harbor. This combination has ceased all boating activities. The prevailing wind direction is from the north, and in one week, our snow pack decreased by 30 centimeters at the snow stake. Adelie penguins were spotted for the first time on the 26th, struggling in the brash. The instrument and computer technicians combined to help set up the Waters HPLC with an older software package. Though initial efforts were frustrated by incompatible formats, the computer technician prevailed. The instrument tech will insure that the computer configuration is saved in compressed format, pictures taken of the current setup, and a procedure written that will ease the process in the future. The optimal situation would be to leave instruments set up, and the instrument tech is working with Facilities to increase available space in lab 6 by adding a shelf to accommodate computers, monitors and printers. With two arriving science groups at the end of the month (Fraser and Vleck), on site science is condensing some of their operations. The third science group (Jeffrey) will stay on board the Duke, joined by members of Delong's group, for the first science cruise of the austral spring. ASA science support has been busy insuring adequate instrument and supply support of both venues. Those arriving on station this year will notice that the science books have been moved from GWR to the grantee office next to lab 9. This was done to accommodate the video editing equipment moved to make room for the GWR women's bathroom. The microfiche remained in GWR. I would like to improve our library holdings, and encourage all our grantees to make recommendations regarding new book acquisitions and to provide us with reprints of your antarctic-based publications. I am also rounding up historic video footage of study sites, and starting a slide archive. Copies of video tapes and a few extra slides of your work here can be used as reference by researchers and for tourist presentation. Please feel free to contact Alice Doyle (ASAHQ) or Marian (Palmer) with questions. S-007 UV PHOTOBIOLOGY OF PLANKTONIC DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF ANTARCTIC BENTHIC INVERTEBRATES. CO P.Is.: Deneb Karentz, University of San Francisco and Isidro Bosch, State University of New York, Geneseo. PERSONNEL ON STATION: Isidro Bosch, Deneb Karentz, Ross Hein, Andy Opett and Greg Wardle Our aim is to determine the extent to which levels of UV-B in Antarctic surface waters during the springtime period of ozone depletion affect the development and survival of planktonic developmental stages (gametes, embryos, larvae) of benthic marine invertebrates. Our research effort involves sampling of natural plankton populations and manipulations of specimens reared in the laboratory, including experiments in outdoor tanks and in situ. Much of our efforts since our Sept 2 arrival at Palmer Station have been devoted to the preparation of equipment for the collection (e.g. plankton pump, PUV radiometer) and analyses (HPLC, spectrofluorometer) of field data and for laboratory and outdoor experiments (e.g. plankton culture devices, outdoor tanks, dosimeter racks). We have made five SCUBA dives to collect adult invertebrates from Arthur Harbor and Hero Inlet. One species in particular, the sea star Psilaster charcoti, has provided ample material for our investigations throughout the month of September. The susceptibility of gametes and embryos of Psilaster to UV-B has been investigated in the laboratory with artificial UV sources, and in outdoor and in situ experiments under "normal" and depleted ozone conditions. Analyses to determine ontogenetic changes in the presence of UV screening compounds are presently under way. Two other invertebrate species, the limpet Nacella concinna and the sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri, have also been collected in preparation for similar studies of their UV-photobiology. In addition to our experimental work on selected benthic invertebrates we have initiated field work to determine the vertical distribution of benthic invertebrate larvae relative to in water UV levels and to various other biological and physical oceanographic conditions. Samples have been collected in off- shore waters from the R/V Polar Duke, and in coastal waters using small vessels. S-016 LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH (LTER) ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT. PHYTOPLANKTON COMPONENT. Dr. Maria Vernet, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Marine Research Division, La Jolla, CA. No personnel were on station. Station personnel collected and filtered weekly water samples for later analysis of chlorophyll content. S-024 ANTARCTIC MARINE ARCHAEBACTERIA; BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE. Edward DeLong, University of California, Marine Science Institute, Santa Barbara, California 93106. PERSONNEL ON STATION: Alison Murray, Christina Preston, Ramon Massana S-024 field team objectives during the month of September included sampling, monitoring archaeal abundance by in situ hybridization, assaying physiological activity, and conducting picoplankton microcosm enrichment experiments. Zodiac operations opened September 4, and when weather conditions cooperated, the team sampled seawater at 2 depths at stations within the 2-nautical mile boating limit, at 5 stations (LTER stations A, B, J, F, and a site between Litchfield and Breaker Islands). Sites were sampled between 1 and 4 times during the month depending on accessibility to the location. The seawater intake system in the pumphouse was also sampled throughout the month, to extend the sampling record we initiated August 4. With the arrival of the Polar Duke on 2 September and having an extended port call, we were very fortunate to have coordinated a sampling day trip on the Polar Duke on 6 September. We were able to complete 4 CTD casts at three sites off the southwest of Anvers Island, in the Palmer Basin region. Casts were taken on a transect 5, 10, and 15 nautical miles from shore, with the 5 and 10 mile casts to 500 m, and the 15 mile cast to a depth of 1200 m. From all field samples, biomass is collected for rRNA hybridization experiments to determine relative abundance of the archaea with respect to the bacterial and eukaryal components of the picoplankton, and for DGGE/PCR analysis of community structure and composition. At the same time prokaryotic cell concentration, chlorophyll analysis, and samples for in situ hybridization experiments were collected, and processed at Palmer Station. Secondly, in situ hybridization studies documenting the absolute abundance of archaea in seawater samples were continued. Preliminary findings suggest that the planktonic archaeal concentration in nearby seawaters have declined in comparison to samples collected in early August. Depth profiles in the Palmer Basin suggest a decrease in Archael cells at depth, compared to surface, and sub-surface concentrations. The physiological activity studies focusing on measuring in situ archaeal activity have been extended. We are using radioactive incorporation assays, in combination with metabolic inhibitors of these pathways, to measure lipid and protein biosynthesis of archaeal specific lipid and protein synthetic rates. Experiments were conducted to investigate dose response of the picoplankton assemblage to different antibiotic inhibitors, and combinations of inhibitors of lipid and protein biosynthetic pathways specific to archaeal, bacterial, and eukaryl components of the picoplankton. The effect of temperature on these biosynthetic rates was also investigated. Picoplankton microcosm studies conducted under in situ conditions in the environmental rooms at Palmer are continuing. A variety of enrichment conditions and antibiotics were used in an attempt to identify conditions that favorable for archaeal growth. S-028 LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH (LTER) ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE DOMINATED SYSTEM. SECONDARY PRODUCTION COMPONENT. Drs. Robin M. Ross & Langdon B. Quetin, Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA. No personnel were on station. Station personnel transferred both the cultures living on station and several new cultures sent down on R/V POLAR DUKE to replace some cultures that had died. The light cycle was reset to mimic the natural winter light. These cultures are being cultivated throughout the winter for krill grazing experiments. S-091 GLOBAL SEISMOGRAPH STATION AT PALMER STATION. R. Butler, Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) No personnel were on station. The system has been monitored by the station science technician. A power outage on 26 September disabled the comms link between the DA and DP, but packets were buffered in the DA for the twelve minutes until the return of power restored the link, so no information was lost. On 27 September, data recording switched from tape drive /MT0 to /MT1 following a series of "Error 244" messages from /MT0. This error, probably indicating a comparison failure following a tape write, has been seen sporadically in the past. Again, no information was lost in this incident. S-106 STUDIES OF LIGHTNING-INDUCED ELECTRON PRECIPITATION OF THE IONOSPHERE. U. Inan, Stanford University. No personnel were on station. The system has been monitored by the station science technician. On 23 September, the narrowband system again recorded less than the normal twelve hours of data. High winds were again present, though the cause/effect relationship between the wind and lost data is unclear at this point. A twelve minute power outage on 26 September outlasted the system UPS, but the outage occurred at an opportune time, and the only loss was one synoptic recording. VCRs were reset, and the programmer clock was reacquainted with the external frequency standard after the power returned. S-204 MEASUREMENTS OF ATMOSPHERIC O2 IN RELATION TO THE GLOBAL CARBON CYCLE. R. Keeling, Scripps Institution of Oceanography Personnel on station: Ralph Keeling. Ralph Keeling visited Palmer station between Sept 2nd and 11th to install air sampling apparatus. Apparatus installed in T-5 includes an intake line, a pumping module, and a cryochiller for removal of water vapor. The samples are to be collected subsequently on a semi-weekly basis by the station physician and return shipped to Scripps for analysis of O2 and CO2 content. The goal of the program is to resolve seasonal and interannual variations in O2 (detected through changes in O2/N2 ratio) which can aid in the determination of rates of marine biological productivity and ocean circulation, and aid in the separation of total global sink for anthropogenic CO2 into terrestrial and oceanic CO2 components. The program involves air sampling at a network of sites in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Palmer station is especially well situated to resolve signals due to carbon cycling in the Southern Ocean. During the visit, two sets of samples were collected at the station. Samples were also collected on the transits on the Polar Duke across the Drake Passage. All aspects of the work went very smoothly; the expert assistance of Greg Packard, Cole Mather, John Booth, and Ralph Bovard is gratefully acknowledged. S-254 CHLORINE-AND BROMINE-CONTAINING TRACE GASES IN ANTARCTICA. Dr. R.A. Rasmussen, Oregon Graduate Institute for Science and Technology, Portland, OR No personnel were on station. Air samples are taken on a weekly basis by the station physician. The samples are returned to the Institute for analysis of a number of trace components, especially chlorine- and bromine-containing gases. These elements have been implicated in the chemical processes that contribute to the austral-spring depletion of the ozone layer over Antarctica. This work will contribute to a better understanding of the buildup of trace constituents, particularly those of high-latitude marine origin. S-257C COLLECTION OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR FOR THE NOAA\CMDL WORLDWIDE FLASK SAMPLING NETWORK. Dr James T. Peterson, Environmental Research Laboratories, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO No personnel were on station. Air samples are taken on a weekly basis by the station physician. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory team continue long-term measurements of trace atmospheric constituents that influence climate. The Palmer Station air samples are returned to the NOAA laboratory for analysis of trace constituents, including carbon dioxide. These measurements are part of NOAA's effort to determine and assess the long-term buildup of global pollutants in the atmosphere. These data will be used to determine how the rate of change of these parameters affects climate, particularly by including them in climate model studies. S-275 UM/DOE-EML REMOTE ATMOSPHERIC MEASUREMENTS PROGRAM. J. Prospero/T. Snowdon, University of Miami; C. Sanderson, Department of Energy-Environmental Measurements Laboratory No personnel were on station. The system has been operated by the station science technician. One sample filter was exposed for the duration of each week, and a weekly schedule of calibration, background, and sample counts was maintained. New batteries were installed in the RAMP equipment on 18 September. The old batteries were several years past their projected lifetimes and were no longer operating the equipment during power outages. The replacement batteries proved their worth on 26 September when the system weathered a twelve minute power outage without a glitch. The DEAN air sampling pump was non- operational for the duration of the outage. Following the replacement of the batteries it was noticed that the LLD value in the MCA had changed. After consultation with EML in New York, the parameter was reset to its former value. T-312 TERASCAN SATELLITE IMAGING SYSTEM. R. Whritner, Scripps Institution of Oceanography No personnel were on station. The system has been operated by the station science technician. Throughout the month of August, the TeraScan system collected, archived, and processed DMSP and NOAA telemetry, maintaining a schedule of 15-17 passes per day. NOAA telemetry was archived for S-032 when the LTER grid was clear. Transmissions from the Hugo Island AWS were last received on 28 September, and the University of Wisconsin has been notified. TOVS total ozone information was extracted from NOAA-12 passes and archived for S-200 throughout the month. The software patch provided by SeaSpace, Inc., that was installed at the end of August did not fix the problem of the antenna azimuth "freezing" during pass tracking, and occasional passes, particularly at high elevation, continued to have sections with dropped telemetry. Further samples of the problem were provided to SeaSpace early in the month, but no action had been forthcoming by the end of the month. T-513 UV MONITORING NETWORK. C. Booth, Biospherical Instruments, Inc. No personnel were on station. The system has been operated by the station science technician. Throughout the month, raw irradiance data were collected daily and transmitted to BSI, and preliminary irradiances and integrals were produced in support of Science. Meetings were held with grantees from S-007 and S-200 to ascertain their needs for preliminary UV data, and data files have been provided on a daily basis. Absolute scans were performed on 09 and 26 September. HV levels and the scan schedule were monitored throughout the month and adjusted as necessary to compensate for rapidly changing daylight conditions. A power outage on 26 September aborted the local noon data scan. When the power was restored, the system automatically ran a wavelength scan. The 9.9 nm offset reported was "Calibrated" away, and a data scan was initiated manually at 16:19 UT to replace the one missed at 16:00 UT.