PALMER STATION SCIENCE SITREP JUNE 1998 NEWS FROM THE LAB. Diane Wetterlin, Winter Assistant Supervisor, Laboratory Operations Everything has been moved out of Bio Lab Store except for a couple of desks, a metal grey cabinet (containing laptops, binoculars, GPSs) and one section of shelving. Once FMC got the shelving assembled in the Machine shop the move down there went rather quickly. The transferring of location from Bio Lab Store to Machine shop in Mapcon takes a little longer, we are about 40% done. Half of the inventory that was distributed to the various labs was spare parts in an attempt to minimize the confusion of everyone working here next season. Other major items that did not get put in the Machine shop are: the metal grey cabinet containing microscopes and microscopy supplies went to lab 6, illuminators for the scopes are in Lab 7, all the manifolds are in Lab 9, Lab 5 has many of the office supplies and small scientific implements, Chart paper is located in a wooden cabinet hung in Lab 1, Beckman centrifuge supplies will be above or close to the Optima XL centrifuge, many aquarium items were moved into the aquarium, the molecular biology items are in the warm van. This is just a summery, I am sure that I have overlooked several items. I tried to stick to some logical reasoning for the relocations but sometimes it just came down to where there was space. To sum up first floor right now, everyone is back where they should be and equipment is in the right room but things are not organized, put away or clean. Lab 4 has never been touch and is my reprieve, for when I am feeling overwhelmed I go to Lab 4 and close the door. This way I can envision the rest of the labs looking this good and see a light at the end of the tunnel. The sprinkler system has been installed in the SSL office and the former Bio Lab Stores, and work should start soon in the aquarium Since there was still some finishing touches to do on the third floor Bio Lab, FMC made an agreement with people moving in that the workers would be allowed to enter the rooms during the day. Without hesitation people happily agreed. You could almost feel and hear the collected sigh of relief and joy from the station as people moved into their own rooms. We had a nice station family day for Midwinter celebration. A group of people put together a table full of some, not only delicious but beautifully presented, Hors d oeuvres. Those daring enough did a midwinter plunge off the pier followed by some therapeutic time in the thermal equalizer. In the late afternoon steaks were thrown on the Bar-B-Que for dinner. After dinner the Comms Tech made a special toast, with wine sent to him from the Comms Tech at Vernansky, to all those wintering in Antarctica. This was followed by a generous slice of the most delicious mud pie I have ever sunk my teeth into. I think everyone had a very pleasantly satisfying day. Not much new on the critter front. Same guys hanging around, Sheathbills, Terns, Cormorants, Kelp Gulls, Elephant, Crabeater and Fur Seals, Snow Petrel and of course my favorite to watch flying the Giant Petrels. Had a claimed sighting of a Cape Petrel but I don t believe it was ever confirmed. A week or so ago a Weddel seal camped out by the pump house for a night. (Note to S-009, it was not tagged), haven t seen too many of them since I have been here. Today we watched a cormorant eat a fish that was at least half his size and probably weighed as much if not more than he did. Don t know my fish in this part of the world but its shape reminded me of a bullhead. Weather this month is probably the big head line. On June 13th we were blessed to see one of Mother Natures more spectacular art pieces, Nacreous Clouds. It was one of the few days that I worked downstairs in the Grantee office instead of by a window in the SSL office. Luckily someone remember I was there and came in all excited to tell me to come look outside but didn t say at what. When I walked outside from the Aquarium room I had no idea what to expect, I suspected whales, but as I looked up I saw them displayed above the glacier. For a second I could hardly breath. I felt like I was witnessing either something divine or extra terrestrial. I was close, at 28.5 Km they are as close to anything I will see visiting from outer space. The centers of the clouds were so bright that you could hardly look at them. This was ringed by an ever-changing brilliant array of iridescent colors. The rest of the big weather news for June was how warm and wet it was. Average temperature was 1.1 C up from last months 2.7 C. The melted precipitation also went up 24.8mm to 75.5mm partially do to the 34cm increase in snow, making the total snow for the month 63cm. Otherwise the numbers look about the same as last month; number of days with precipitation 21 with 17 of those being snow days, average wind was 9 knots, 24 days of overcast, 2 partly cloudy and 4 clear days. Although the precipitation for June was up, the month ended with 21cm of snow cover, only 6cm more snow than last month. Considering June started with 15 cm of snow from May there was a lot of melting going on this month. The maximum snow depth occurred on the 13th of June with 54cm, with the minimum occurring on the 21st with 5cm. It has been only two weeks since our days have started to lengthen but several people say they can already tell the difference. The computer says we now have 4 hours and 10 minutes of daylight. S-085 GPS CONTINUOUS OPERATION REFERENCE STATION. J. Mullins, U.S. Geological Survey The station science technician has monitored the system. During the month GPS data was collected continuously, converted daily to a RINEX format, compressed, and transmitted to the US Geological Survey in Reston, VA. S-091 GLOBAL SEISMOGRAPH STATION AT PALMER STATION. R. Butler, Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) The station science technician has operated the system. Seismic events were recorded throughout the month. The helicorder laser printer was repaired, and the system is fully operational. S-106 STUDIES OF LIGHTNING-INDUCED ELECTRON PRECIPITATION OF THE IONOSPHERE. U. Inan, Stanford University The station science technician has monitored the system. The Stanford receiver records very low frequency (VLF) radio waves for studying ionospheric and magnetospheric natural phenomena. All operations were normal this month. S-204 MEASUREMENTS OF ATMOSPHERIC O2 IN RELATION TO THE GLOBAL CARBON CYCLE. Ralph Keeling, Scripps Institution of Oceanography Air samples are collected on a semi-weekly basis by the station physician. The samples are return shipped to Scripps for analysis of O2 and CO2 content. The goal of the program is to resolve seasonal and interannual variations in atmospheric O2 (detected through changes in O2/N2 ratio) which can aid in the determination of rates of marine biological productivity and ocean mixing and aid in the separation of the global sink for anthropogenic CO2 into terrestrial and oceanic 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. S-254 CHLORINE-AND BROMINE-CONTAINING TRACE GASES IN ANTARCTICA. R.A. Rasmussen, Oregon Graduate Institute for Science and Technology 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. James T. Peterson, Environmental Research Laboratories, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 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. C. Sanderson, Department of Energy, Environmental Measurements Laboratory The station science technician has operated the system. One sample filter was exposed for the duration of each week, and a weekly schedule of calibration, background, and sample counts was maintained. The RAMP system is part of a global network seeking to characterize the quantity and distribution of radionuclide particles occurring both naturally and artificially in the atmosphere. T-312 TERASCAN SATELLITE IMAGING SYSTEM. R. Whritner, Scripps Institution of Oceanography The station science technician has operated the system. Throughout the month, the TeraScan system collected, archived, and processed DMSP and NOAA satellite pass telemetry, maintaining a schedule of 17-19 passes per day. NOAA and DMSP telemetry was archived for S-032 when the LTER grid was clear. Automated Weather Station (AWS) transmissions were monitored from Bonaparte Point, Hugo Island, and RACER Rock using the TeraScan system. The AWS at Bonaparte Point was repaired. T-513 UV MONITORING NETWORK. C. Booth, Biospherical Instruments, Inc. The station science technician has operated the system. Throughout the month, raw irradiance data scans were collected daily and transmitted to BSI, and preliminary irradiances and spectral integrals were produced in support of Science. Scheduled absolute calibration scans were performed, and the science technician assisted Biospherical Instruments with additional calibrations and diagnosis of the UV monitor operation.