PALMER STATION SCIENCE MONTHLY REPORT February 2003 Dr. William Fraser, Station Science Leader NEWS FROM THE LAB Rob Edwards, Lab Supervisor As healthy and benevolent as the weather gods must have felt in January, apparently they became dyspeptic in February. Nothing actually life-threatening, though clearly they were irritable, because stormy weather and high winds stopped boating activities for 11 out of 28 days. In reality, the weather was not too much worse than an average late summer, but just bad enough to get in the way of fieldwork. Average temperature was 2.3 C, average wind was 10 kts with a peak of 62 kts, there was measurable precipitation on 24 days and only one clear sky day all month. At the beginning of the month, the return of the LTER personnel who were on the summer research cruise meant that all the science facilities on station were very full, with lots of activity as researchers worked hard in the lab to compensate for the weather delays. A mid-month portcall of the R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD brought in the remaining members of B-022-P (Amsler), as well as the first of the winterover support staff, including Glenn Grant to replace Jeff Otten as Science Tech. After being away from the Peninsula side for a number of years, Gerry Ness returned as Winter Station Manager. Despite the much changed and updated Station facilities he quickly moved into the big office, replacing Joe Pettit, who is getting a well-deserved break after nearly 12 months on the ice. The busy tour season wrapped up by the end of the month with a full plate of cruise ships, and charter or private yachts. Several of the offshore visits by large vessels were canceled due to schedule changes and bad weather. Rumor has it that the vessel that started the "modern" era of Antarctic tourism, the M/V EXPLORER, will be retired this year; she made possibly her last visit to Palmer Station on 21 February. Most of the wildlife in the surrounding area were also busy trying to take care of business before summer's end, with penguin chicks fledging, adults molting, leopard seals feasting. Apparently the large krill swarms have moved offshore as there were far fewer Humpback whales near Station this month, but one group of marine mammals became more prevalent as the first fur seals of the season started appearing on the islands. Overall the number of elephant seals appears reduced this year; though I don't think Station personnel have greatly missed the aural and olfactory intensity that e-seals usually share with us. Giant Petrels are the late bloomers of the season, but their chicks were rapidly approaching the weight, if not the plumage, of their parents. The Brown Skua chicks are also rapidly growing, though it appears their South Polar Skua cousins were unsuccessful in reproducing this year. The following projects conducted research at Palmer Station during February: BP-013-P: PALMER, ANTARCTICA LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECT: LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: CLIMATE MIGRATION, ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE AND TELECONNECTIONS IN AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT: SEABIRD COMPONENT William R. Fraser, Principal Investigator, Polar Oceans Research Group, Sheridan, MT. and BO-198-P: MONITORING THE EFFECTS OF TOURISM AND ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABILITY ON ADELIE PENGUINS AT PALMER STATION, ANTARCTICA William R. Fraser, Principal Investigator, Polar Oceans Research Group, Sheridan, MT. Personnel on station: Cindy Anderson, Heidi Geisz,, Donna Patterson and Bill Fraser. The return of the Laurence M. Gould at the end of the LTER cruise on February 3 added Heidi Geisz to our field team; Brett Pickering, Jennifer Jerrett and Chris Denker returned to Punta Arenas with the LMG's departure on February 5. The extraordinary weather we enjoyed in January unfortunately came to an abrupt end by the second week in February, making working conditions in the field extremely difficult and generally disrupting our sampling efforts. As a result, we instrumented fewer Adélie penguins with satellite- linked transmitters (PTTs) than we had hoped for and took fewer diet samples than expected. The Humble Island telemetry work, which provides data on foraging trip durations, is mostly automated and was not impacted by weather conditions. In February we also started and finished our work on Adélie penguin chick fledging weights and completed studies on the breeding biology and diets of Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins. On a positive note, our LTER field team aboard the LMG obtained diet samples and instrumented Adélie penguins at two locations south of Palmer Station near Renaud and Adelaide islands. Although the diet samples are still being processed, the PTT record is providing an interesting first look at the aspects of the foraging ecology of this species in these two regions. As in past seasons, we continued the acquisition of basic data on the demography, breeding biology and foraging ecology of Giant Petrels, Kelp Gulls, Blue-eyed Shags and Brown and South Polar Skuas. These data add to several species-specific time series that began in the mid-1970s. Giant Petrel chick banding also began during the last week of the month. Tourist visits ended at Palmer on February 21 with the arrival and departure of the Explorer. Coincident with this last visit, we ended our tourist impact studies on Torgersen Island. Data based on this study will be used during the next two years to design experiments dealing with habituation of Adelies to human presence. Our work this month benefited greatly from help given to us by other science groups and virtually all Raytheon employees. This effort helped us get through many weather-imposed bottlenecks. BP-016-O: PALMER, ANTARCTICA LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECT: LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: CLIMATE MIGRATION, ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE AND TELECONNECTIONS IN AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT: PHYTOPLANKTON ECOLOGY COMPONENT Principle Investigator: Dr. Maria Vernet, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and BP-032-P: PALMER, ANTARCTICA LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECT: LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: CLIMATE MIGRATION, ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE AND TELECONNECTIONS IN AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT: BIO-OPTICS, REMOTE SENSING, SEA ICE COMPONENT Principle Investigator: Dr. Raymond C. Smith, ICESS, University of California at Santa Barbara Personnel on Station: Erin Bostrom, Peter Horne, and Karie Sines February 02 brought an end to the summer 2003 LTER cruise and the return of personnel from BP-016/BP-032 to Palmer Station. During the following two days, equipment was moved from the LM Gould into labs 2, 7 and 8. The Gould departed station 04 February, taking with her a large portion of the fondly remembered 2002-2003 field team. Core measurements of Palmer Inshore stations E and B resumed on 06 February with additional sampling of these stations occurring 10 Feb, 13 Feb, 17 Feb, 22 Feb, and 26 Feb. Preliminary results show production and chlorophyll levels similar to those seen during the month of December. Highs of 1375 mgC/m˛ and 18.9 µg/m˛ at station E and 1309 mgC/m˛ and 80.1 µg/m˛ at station B, for productivity and chlorophyll a respectively, were observed 06 February. In addition to core LTER measurements, three microzooplankton (12 Feb, 19 Feb, and 24 Feb) and two DOC, dissolved organic carbon, (11 Feb and 18 Feb) experiments were conducted. By 24 February Arthur Harbor had cleared of icebergs and the APV, autonomous profiling vehicle, was re-deployed (28 Feb). A huge thank you to all on station for making our return such a smooth transition! BO-022-P: THE CHEMICAL ECOLOGY OF SHALLOW- WATER MARINE MACROALGAE AND INVERTEBRATES ON THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA Charles Amsler and James McClintock, Principal Investigators, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Bill Baker, Principal Investigator, University of South Florida Personnel on station: Chuck Amsler, Maggie Amsler, Bill Baker, Anne Fairhead, Yusheng Huang, Kevin Peters, Stephanie Weiss During early February, the group (Baker and Peters only) concentrated their efforts on continuing, targeted diving collections of sponges to be used in laboratory bioassays later in the season as well as opportunistic collections of other benthic marine organisms of chemical ecological interest. They also continued monitoring and maintenance of a long term defense induction experiment with the sponge Suberites sp. that was initiated in January. The rest of the main body of the S-022 field team arrived with the LMG on 17 February and a full suite of experimental laboratory studies on aspects of the chemical ecology and trophic interactions of benthic macroalgae and invertebrates was coming into place by the end of the month. BP-045-O: PALMER, ANTARCTICA LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECT: LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: CLIMATE MIGRATION, ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE AND TELECONNECTIONS IN AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT: MICROBIAL/BIOGEOCHEMISTRY COMPONENT Principal investigator Dr. Hugh Ducklow, School of Marine Science, The College of William and Mary Personnel on station: Hugh Ducklow and Lauren Rogers. After returning from the LTER Summer Cruise on 03 February, we resumed biweekly sampling of the seasonal cycles of selected microbial and biogeochemical components of the nearshore ecosystem in Arthur Harbor. Routine, regular sampling was hampered somewhat by recurring high winds. Bacterial production rates have been variable but appear to be declining from high rates observed in November-December. We have also continued collecting large-volume (~80 liters) particulate matter samples for biomarker analysis. Two additional efforts supplemented our work during this period: we analyzed the enzyme assay samples taken during the LMG cruise, and initiated measurements of enzyme activity here on station, to complement other measurements of bacterial production and abundance. We are using the well-known fluorogenic substrates MUF-alpha- and MUF-beta glucoside to assay for activity of their respective enzymes. Rates from the LMG cruise appeared to be resolved above the detection limits (3x background in killed controls) throughout the LTER Grid, with a tendency for declining rates offshore. Finally we collected a single, large volume (1000 liter) sample of size-fractionated plankton (GF/F filtrate, nominally < 0.8 ?m, the bacterial size fraction) immobilized on a 0.1 ?m capsule filter for analysis of radiocarbon in bacterial nucleic acids. Determination of the ?14C value fro bacterial nucleic acids reflects the age and probable origin of dissolved organic carbon the bacteria were utilizing in situ at the time of collection (eg, recent fresh plankton origin vs old refractory deep water DOC). Routine sampling will continue through 25 March before our season ends. Special thanks are due this month to Barb Watson for assisting in fluorescence spectroscopic measurement of enzyme assays; Chris Coon for organizing cruise samples, Stacie Tanner and Rebecca Shoop for help with preparing end of season shipments, Eric Pohlman for waste management and discussions of literature and film, Bill Baker for wine, and to Doug Fink and BP-016 (Karie, Erin and Peter) for continuing assistance with sampling and access to the field. 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. New software was installed that further automates the transfer of data to USGS. An initial GPS survey of the retreating glacier edge behind the station was conducted as a training exercise using the portable Rover system. 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 real time. Seismometer mass positions were adjusted and instrument vacuum pressures inspected. 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 sent 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 RACER Rock anemometer is broken. The Hugo Island AWS is not currently transmitting. Spare parts were loaded on the Laurence M. Gould for possible use in the repair of the Marguerite Bay AWS anemometer, time permitting. AO-306-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. Broadband synoptic data was recorded on a schedule of 3 out of every 15 minutes each day, and broadband continuous data was collected for 9 hours/day. Narrowband continuous data was collected for 6 hours each day. Extra raw and processed broadband synoptic data files were transferred to Stanford where they are being examined for detection of transmissions from the new South Pole VLF Beacon antenna. An additional raw data file was generated from a Betamax recording that coincided with the Columbia disaster. This raw file was sent to Stanford for analysis where they will use it to help determine if atmospheric electrical phenomena may have been a problem for Columbia. 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, capturing approximately 30 passes per day. An 85GHz SSM/I "ice concentration" image was produced and transferred to UCSB for BP-032-P (Smith) on a weekly basis. Ice images were provided to the Laurence M. Gould for use in planning and navigation. Images were also sent to the POC of the upcoming LMG03-03 cruises for use in planning. A sea surface temperature image was generated and sent to UCSD to assist them in determining where to deploy their drifters during an upcoming cruise. SeaSpace, the maker of the TeraScan system, is continuing to look into the problem of missing scanlines in the data coming from DMSP satellites F-13 and F-14. A revised software script has corrected part of the problem. TO-513-O: ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRORADIOMETER NETWORK Charles R. 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. 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. METEOROLOGY The Science Technician acts as chief weather observer, and compiles and distributes meteorological data. 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. The spreadsheet macro that generates the real time graphs for the PALMOS system was modified to show 12 hours of data rather than 24. The PALMOS snow depth sensor was replaced and appears to be functioning properly. Additionally, modifications to the cabling between the instruments and recording PC have resulted in reduced data errors. Coastal Environmental Systems provided revised copies of the report generator software. At this time, however, the software is running continuously but not producing reports. Other issues and software bugs remain, and RPSC personnel are working with Coastal to provide Palmer Station with a program that will function according to the original specifications. Until that time, manual synoptic observations continue three times each day.