PALMER STATION SCIENCE MONTHLY REPORT March 2003 Charles Amsler, Station Science Leader NEWS FROM THE LAB Brett C. Pickering, Winter Assistant Supervisor The poor weather of February continued through March. The sun was occluded by clouds 93% of the month. There was only a single day when clouds covered less than half of the sky. These clouds brought with them 82.3 mm of precipitation during 24 days. Winds were typical of Palmer at this time of the year; the average wind speed was 10 knots with a gust registering 57 knots. These winds precluded boating operations for 5 days. Another four days were lost to local brash piling into Arthur Harbor and Hero Inlet. A mid-month portcall of the R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD brought in more winter over staff and filled the station nearly to capacity for 10 days while the ship sailed to Lallemand Fjord for work by GO-092-O (Berger) and GO- 073-O (Domack). During this time the LTER grantees finished up sampling for the season and packed their labs and equipment. A large portion of RPSC staff was engaged in turn over training. At the end of the month with the return or the R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD the LTER grantees and RPSC personnel departed dropping station population to 26. While the population dropped the labs and aquarium were full the research activities of BO-022-O (Amsler) and lab staff replacing supplies of the LTER groups with those for the fish groups arriving in early April. Wildlife continued to disperse to other climes during March. The majority of penguins left the area with only 40-80 Adelie Penguins remaining on local islands. On occasion a few Gentoo Penguins wandered the station. The Giant Petrel Chicks are the only birds in the area remaining on nests, although a few Brown Skua checks remain in their parents' territories. Elephant Seals returned to the area outside the pump house the excitement of those who had not seen them before. However, their enthusiasm for the beasts began to wane once the wind began to waft the characteristic E-seal aroma back to station. An occasional small group of Humpback Whales were spotted from boaters or people on the glacier. Other wildlife spotted during the month were: Antarctic Terns, Blue-Eyed Shags, Fur Seals, Kelp Gulls, Leopard Seals, Sheathbills, and South Polar Skuas. The following projects conducted research at Palmer Station during March: 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. Personnel on station: Heidi Geisz and Cindy Anderson. Though the weather in March was not ideal, we had access to our remote island sites, which allowed us to complete the acquisition of the final LTER Seabird Component core field data. We were able to finish Adelie penguin work for the season, which included maintenance and retrieval of our telemetry equipment and searching the area for several satellite-linked transmitters on the ground or attached to adult molting Adelies. Utilizing the time provided by patchy weather conditions, we were able to organize and inventory our field gear in disarray following the remodeling project of last winter. Additionally, 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. Our work in March benefited greatly from the able assistance provided by many Raytheon Polar Services Company employees at Palmer Station. 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 Palmer inshore stations E and B were sampled five times during the month of March: 01 March, 04 March, 08 March, 11 March, 14 March and 18 March. Water was collected at each of these stations for HPLC, productivity, chlorophyll, POC and nutrients in addition to light measurements and CTD measurements done through the water column. Preliminary results show low production and chlorophyll levels throughout the month. Highs of 496.8 mgC/m² and 45.3 µg/m² at station E and 484.2 mgC/m² and 57.6 µg/m² at station B, for productivity and chlorophyll a respectively, were observed 04 March. In addition to core LTER measurements, two microzooplankton (3 March and 10 March) and three DOC, dissolved organic carbon, (5 March, 12 March, and 17 March) experiments were conducted. The APV, autonomous profiling vehicle, remained deployed until 10 March when it was packed for return to the states. All remaining labs and equipment were packed up from 19-25 March when the Gould headed north. A huge thanks you to all on station for their assistance in the conclusion of another successful field season! 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, Anne Fairhead, Yusheng Huang, Kevin Peters, Stephanie Weiss During March our group completed 30 dives to collect subtidal marine macroalgae and macroinvertebrates in the local waters around Palmer Station. We also made two intertidal collections at Laggard Island and one in Kristie Cove. Most of a week of heavy brash in Arthur Harbor towards the end of the month hampered field operations but did not last long enough to significantly impact laboratory experiment schedules. In the lab, a full suite of laboratory experiments were up and running early in the month. Bioassays of sponges, tunicates, and macroalgae, both as fresh tissue and as organic extracts, were conducted throughout the month using both sea stars and amphipods as bioassay "taste testers." Small and large scale chemical extractions and purifications of invertebrates and algae were conducted. We also continued monitoring and maintenance of a long term defense induction experiment with the sponge Suberites sp. that was initiated in January. We are grateful for the generous and professional assistance of numerous RPSC staff, including personnel who redeployed on LMG03-03 and those continuing at Palmer. Of those redeploying, Rob Edwards and Doug Fink deserve special thanks for facilitating our laboratory and field operations 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. In March we continued sampling for biweekly core measurements of microbial (bacterial abundance and production) and biogeochemical properties (DOC, DIC, particulate organic matter and lipid biomarkers) at Stations B and E near Palmer Station, as the 2002-03 field season drew to a close. Additional samples were collected biweekly from the seawater intake, a proxy for Station A. Measurements of extracellular hydrolytic enzyme activity (a- and b- glucosidase) were added to the Palmer Station core measurements after successful completion of these assays during LMG 03- 01. This brings to a successful ending the first full season of microbial biogeochemistry research at Palmer Station. We thank everyone on the RPSC, NSF and LTER staffs who helped and contributed immeasurably to our project. They are too numerous to mention. We look forward to next year. 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 were 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 were 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 seawater temperature and salinity were 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.