PALMER STATION SCIENCE SITREP August 2002 NEWS FROM THE LAB Cherie M. Wilson, Winter Assistant Supervisor, Laboratory Operations By the end of this month, the laboratories began to look less like a demolition site and more like brand new laboratory facilities. Photos of lab progress were posted on the RPSC website. Lab furniture has been installed in several labs and finish work (painting, linoleum installation, ceiling installation, outlet and switch installation, ductwork to fumehoods) continues. All of the drywall and floor sanding created large quantities of dust which will all be cleaned up in the coming weeks as the finish work draws to a conclusion. During this month, the Earth Station dome was also constructed, creating a new landmark for Palmer Station. Photos of the construction may be viewed on the RPSC website: (http://www.polar.org/Public/Photos/PalmerRemodel/index.htm). The R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD arrived on August 2 and stayed overnight before departing for the GLOBEC cruise and a rendezvous with the R/V NATHANIEL B. PALMER. The station was able to provide last minute supplies needed by scientists for their projects. The fast ice present in Arthur Harbor and Hero Inlet was blown out in a storm at the end of July. Some wildlife returned with the open water including Cormorants, Giant Petrels, Kelp Gulls, two Leopard Seals, a Crabeater Seal, and two Minke Whales. The station continues to be a popular feeding site with Snowy Sheathbills. The station was treated to a parade of impressive icebergs, one mountain-like berg staying around long enough to become known as "our" iceberg. After it blew out in a storm and then returned, presenting a different aspect, there was considerable discussion about whether or not it was, in fact, "our" iceberg. Nacreous clouds, fog, and a full rainbow were also on display for photographers this month. A final "warm" storm at the end of the month with temperatures above 0C and rain afforded us an opportunity to chop out the thick layer of ice that had formed on the lower decks. The following projects conducted research at Palmer Station this month: AO-106-P: GLOBAL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE RADIATION BELTS AND THE LOWER IONOSPHERE Umran Inan, Principal Investigator, Stanford University. The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. The Stanford equipment receives and records Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio waves in order to study natural ionospheric and magnetospheric phenomena, as well as to study the distribution of the lightning strikes that are a principle source of natural VLF signals. The antenna cable running up the glacier became encased in ice 2"-6" in diameter after freezing fog conditions, breaking the support cable. The ice was removed and the cable repaired. There was no damage to the signal cable itself. A new PC for the North-South narrowband system was installed. A new CD writer was installed in the East-West narrowband PC. GO-052-P: GPS CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING REFERENCE STATION Jerry Mullins, Principal Investigator, U.S. Geological Survey. The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. Throughout the month, 15-second epoch GPS transmissions were collected continually at station PALM. Each day, the previous day's data file was examined for completeness, compressed, and transmitted to the USGS in Reston, VA. After USGS installed a new FTP server in Reston, the data transfer scripts at Palmer Station were modified to send the data to this new server as well as to the original server. After a suitable overlap period, data will only be sent to the new server. Having received a new, needed connector, the differential GPS broadcast antenna was reinstalled on the front of the T-5 building. The differential GPS system was then used to assist FEMC with locating the exact position and orientation of the new SATCOM installation. All data from July and August were burned to a CD. GO-090-P: GLOBAL SEISMOGRAPH NETWORK (GSN) SITE AT PALMER STATION Rhett Butler, Principal Investigator, Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS). The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. Station PMSA is one of more than 130 sites in the GSN, monitoring seismic waves produced by events worldwide. Data files are recorded to tape and also sent to the USGS in near real time, as the local Internet connection allows. The three bell jars were pumped down with a vacuum pump, and the position of the mass in the vertical seismometer was adjusted. OO-204-O: A STUDY OF ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN VARIABILITY IN RELATION TO ANNUAL TO DECADAL VARIATIONS IN TERRESTRIAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS Ralph Keeling, Principal Investigator, Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Air samples are collected on a semiweekly basis by the station physician. The goal of this project is to resolve seasonal and interannual variations in atmospheric O2 (detected through changes in O2/N2 ratio), which can aid in determining rates of marine biological productivity and ocean mixing. The results are also used to help determine the terrestrial and oceanic distribution of the global anthropogenic CO2 sink. The program involves air sampling at a network of sites in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Palmer Station is especially well situated for resolving signals of carbon cycling in the Southern Ocean. Samples taken from the station are return-shipped to Scripps where the analysis of O2 and CO2 content takes place. OO-264-O: COLLECTION OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR FOR THE NOAA\CMDL WORLDWIDE FLASK SAMPLING NETWORK David Hofmann, Principal Investigator, Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Air samples are collected on a weekly basis by the station physician. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory continues its long term measurements of carbon dioxide and other climate relevant atmospheric gases. The Palmer Station air samples are returned to the NOAA laboratory for analysis as part of NOAA's effort to determine and assess the long term buildup of global pollutants in the atmosphere. Data from this experiment will be used in modeling studies to determine how the rate of change of these parameters affects climate. OO-275-O: DOE-EML REMOTE ATMOSPHERIC MEASUREMENTS PROGRAM (RAMP) Colin Sanderson, Principal Investigator, Department of Energy, Environmental Measurements Laboratory. The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. 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. One sample filter was exposed for the duration of each week, and a weekly schedule of calibration, background, and sample counts was maintained. OO-283-P: ANTARCTIC AUTOMATIC WEATHER STATIONS (AWS) Charles Stearns, Principal Investigator, University of Wisconsin. The Science Technician monitors data transmissions for the project. AWS transmissions from Bonaparte Point, Hugo Island, and RACER Rock were monitored using the TeraScan system. The Hugo Island and RACER Rock AWS sites are not currently transmitting. The Bonaparte Point AWS was visited. It appears to be in good working condition, although some corrosion was noted. TO-312-O: TERASCAN SATELLITE IMAGING SYSTEM Dan Lubin, Principal Investigator, Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. Throughout the month, the TeraScan system collected, archived, and processed DMSP and NOAA satellite telemetry, maintaining a schedule of 20-25 passes per day. Infrared, visible and microwave images were provided to the Laurence M. Gould and to the POC of the GLOBEC IV cruise in support of cruise planning. An 85GHz SSM/I "ice concentration" image was produced and transferred to UCSB for BP-032-P (Smith) on a weekly basis. A long standing problem with scanlines being dropped in the DMSP images was investigated and determined to be related to infrared measurements of extremely cold temperatures, below -82?C. These temperatures sometimes occur at the tops of high clouds, generally south of Palmer Station. SeaSpace has been notified of the problem and should determine if the problem is in the TeraScan software, or with the satellite data stream itself. TO-513-O: ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRORADIOMETER NETWORK Charles Booth, Principal Investigator, Biospherical Instruments, Inc. The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. The BSI UV monitor produces full sky irradiance spectra ranging from the atmospheric UV cutoff near 290nm up to 605nm, four times per hour, while the sun is above the horizon. Some minor problems with the GUV real time web site were located and repaired. The daily post processing was revised to provide preliminary data in the same format as that provided by BSI. TIDE GAGE Tony Amos, Point of Contact, The University of Texas Marine Science Institute. The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. Tide height and sea water temperature and salinity are monitored on a continual basis by a gage mounted at the Palmer Station pier. SYNOPTIC WEATHER OBSERVATIONS Each day, three synoptic weather observations were performed, coded, and sent to Rothera Station via HF radio. At the end of the month, a summary report was prepared and sent to interested parties. SYNOPTIC WEATHER OBSERVATIONS Daily weather observations were collected and sent to Rothera Research Station via HF radio. At the end of the month, a summary report was prepared and sent to interested parties. Science Technician Monthly Report July 2002 A new Science Technician arrived on July 10th. After a nine-day overlap period, the original Science Technician departed. GO-052-P GPS CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING REFERENCE STATION. Jerry Mullins, Principal Investigator, U.S. Geological Survey. The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. Throughout the month, 15 second epoch GPS transmissions were collected continually at station PALM. Each day, the previous day's data file was examined for completeness, compressed, and transmitted to the USGS in Reston, VA. The data acquisition system was upgraded by replacing the PC with a new one running Windows 2000. A newer version of the acquisition software was also installed. GO-090-P GLOBAL SEISMOGRAPH NETWORK (GSN) SITE AT PALMER STATION. Rhett Butler, Principal Investigator, Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS). The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. Station PMSA is one of more than 130 sites in the GSN, monitoring seismic waves produced by events worldwide. Data files are recorded to tape and also sent to the USGS in near real time, as the local Internet connection allows. AO-106-P GLOBAL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE RADIATION BELTS AND THE LOWER IONOSPHERE. Umran Inan, Principal Investigator, Stanford University. The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. The Stanford equipment receives and records Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio waves in order to study natural ionospheric and magnetospheric phenomena, as well as to study the distribution of the lightning strikes that are a principle source of natural VLF signals. OO-204-O A STUDY OF ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN VARIABILITY IN RELATION TO ANNUAL TO DECADAL VARIATIONS IN TERRESTRIAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS. Ralph Keeling, Principal Investigator, Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Air samples are collected on a semi-weekly basis by the station physician. The goal of this project is to resolve seasonal and interannual variations in atmospheric O2 (detected through changes in O2/N2 ratio), which can aid in determining rates of marine biological productivity and ocean mixing. The results are also used to help determine the terrestrial and oceanic distribution of the global anthropogenic CO2 sink. The program involves air sampling at a network of sites in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Palmer Station is especially well situated for resolving signals of carbon cycling in the Southern Ocean. Samples taken from the station are return-shipped to Scripps where the analysis of O2 and CO2 content takes place. OO-264-O COLLECTION OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR FOR THE NOAA\CMDL WORLDWIDE FLASK SAMPLING NETWORK. David Hofmann, Principal Investigator, Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Air samples are collected on a weekly basis by the station physician. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory continues its long term measurements of carbon dioxide and other climate relevant atmospheric gases. The Palmer Station air samples are returned to the NOAA laboratory for analysis as part of NOAA's effort to determine and assess the long term buildup of global pollutants in the atmosphere. Data from this experiment will be used in modeling studies to determine how the rate of change of these parameters affects climate. OO-275-O DOE-EML REMOTE ATMOSPHERIC MEASUREMENTS PROGRAM (RAMP). Colin Sanderson, Principal Investigator, Department of Energy, Environmental Measurements Laboratory. The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. 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. One sample filter was exposed for the duration of each week, and a weekly schedule of calibration, background, and sample counts was maintained. OO-283-P ANTARCTIC AUTOMATIC WEATHER STATIONS (AWS). Charles Stearns, Principal Investigator, University of Wisconsin. The Science Technician monitors data transmissions for the project. AWS transmissions from Bonaparte Point, Hugo Island, and RACER Rock were monitored using the TeraScan system. The Hugo Island and RACER Rock AWS sites are not currently transmitting. TO-312-O TERASCAN SATELLITE IMAGING SYSTEM. Dan Lubin, Principal Investigator, Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. Throughout the month, the TeraScan system collected, archived, and processed DMSP and NOAA satellite telemetry, maintaining a schedule of 20-25 passes per day. Infrared and microwave images were provided to the Laurence M. Gould and to the POC of the GLOBEC IV cruise in support of cruise planning. An 85GHz SSM/I "ice concentration" image was produced and transferred to UCSB for BP-032-P (Smith) on a weekly basis. TeraScan's configuration was changed to utilize a UPS monitor program that will shut the system down cleanly if the UPS battery becomes drained during an extended power outage. TO-513-O ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRORADIOMETER NETWORK. Charles Booth, Principal Investigator, Biospherical Instruments, Inc. The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. The BSI UV monitor produces full sky irradiance spectra ranging from the atmospheric UV cutoff near 290nm up to 605nm, four times per hour, while the sun is above the horizon. Multiple Absolute Scans were performed on 10 July in preparation for the annual site visit by BSI personnel. Another Absolute Scan was performed on 29 July. An engineer from BSI was on site 10 July to 19 July to perform the annual checks and calibrations. A new four channel radiometer (GUV) was installed and the supporting software installed on the PC. The continuous data from this new instrument will supplement the UV monitor data. The GUV data will be available in real time for local researchers to view graphically. TIDE GAGE. Tony Amos, Point of Contact, The University of Texas Marine Science Institute. The Science Technician operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. Tide height and sea water temperature and salinity are monitored on a continual basis by a gage mounted at the Palmer Station pier.