PALMER STATION SCIENCE SITREP JULY 1996 The following science projects were active at Palmer Station during the month: S-005 THE ROLE OF ANTIFREEZE PROTEINS IN THE SURVIVAL OF ANTARCTIC FISHES. Dr. Arthur L. DeVries, University of Illinois, Physiology Department, Urbana, IL. Personnel on station: Arthur DeVries, Michael Kuiper, and Diana Laird. The objective of this study is to compare the physiology of peninsula fish with those caught around the McMurdo Sound region with regard to their seasonal exposure to ice. We intend to investigate the relationship of environmental conditions and the production of Antifreeze Glycopeptides (AFGPs). Fish were caught using blake and otter trawls in the vicinity of Dallmann Bay, Smith and Deception Islands. Specimens collected included three species of icefish (Chionodraco rastrospinosis, Chaenocephalus aceratus, and Champscephalous gunnari) and various other Notothenioids (coriiceps, larsoni, nudefrons). Blood and organ samples were carried back to the home institution for freezing point studies or genetic analysis. Approximately 25 Notothenidae corriceps were hand-lined from the pier at Palmer Station. These fish were either immediately assayed for the presence of internal ice or involved in warm acclimation experiments investigating the upregulation of AFGP synthesis in response to temperature changes. 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-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-036 EVOLUTION OF AN OXYGEN-BINDING HEMOPROTEIN IN AN UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT: MYOGLOBIN IN THE HEMOGLOBINLESS ANTARCTIC ICEFISHES. Bruce D. Sidell, University of Maine. Personnel on-station: Thomas Moylan, Kristin O'Brien During the month of July, we continued the Palmer-based research program we initiated in June, and prepared for the 17 July departure of S-036 from the station. During July 11-12 trawling operations were carried out aboard the R/V POLAR DUKE in Dallmann Bay (vicinity of Astrolabe Needle) for capture of additional fish specimens. A total of 26 bottom trawls were conducted in a 30 hour period, at an average fishing depth of 120 meters. This fishing trip was conducted in conjunction with project S-037 (Detrich). Specimens collected included: 37 C. aceratus, 5 C. gunnari, 3 C. rastrospinosus , 1 P. georgianus, 5 C. wilsoni, 1 N. coriiceps, 3 G. acuticeps, approximately 200 G. gibberifrons, and 2 Bathyraja spp. Animals were transported to Palmer Station and transferred to the station's aquarium on 13 July to be held for experimentation. Laboratory science activities concluded in July include: 1) Tissues from C. aceratus, G. gibberifrons and N. coriiceps were sampled and fixed for subsequent study by electron microscopy at our CONUS laboratory. 2) Measurements of the activity of a key enzyme of energy metabolism (phosphofructokinase) were made in the heart ventricle and oxidative skeletal muscles from C. aceratus, C. rastrospinosus and G. gibberifrons. This study is part of a larger effort to determine how the loss of hemoglobin and myoglobin affects metabolic capacity in these fishes. 3) Tissues were collected from Channichthyid icefishes, Nototheniid, and Bathyraja species. The tissues were frozen in preparation for transport back to our CONUS institution where further enzymatic and molecular analysis will take place. In combination, results of our experiments should shed light upon the physiological significance of the loss of myoglobin and the mechanisms of gene expression of this protein, which shows very large variance in its expression among the channichthyid icefishes. As part of the Palmer Station Winter Science Lecture Series, our group presented a talk on our work, as well as a demonstration of dissection techniques focusing on the comparative anatomy of red blooded and white blooded Antarctic fishes. Success of our season to date has been greatly enhanced by excellent support from ASA personnel, crew and master of the R/V POLAR DUKE and the support personnel of Palmer Station. They are all gratefully acknowledged. S-037 STRUCTURE, FUNCTION, AND EXPRESSION OF COLD-ADAPTED TUBULINS AND MICROTUBULE-DEPENDENT MOTORS FROM ANTARCTIC FISHES. Dr. H. William Detrich, Northeastern University, Boston, MA. Personnel on station: S.K. Parker, A. Ramsey, and A. Saeed The goals of our program are to understand the molecular adaptations that enhance the function and expression of tubulins, microtubule motors, and globins from Antarctic fishes. During July, we continued two of our projects, the cell culture optimization studies and tubulin/globin gene promoter analyses begun in June. Culture parameters, including seeding density, serum supplementation, and culture flask coatings, were evaluated systematically. Fin cell cultures from three icefish species (Chaenocephalus aceratus, Champsocephalus gunnari, and Chionodraco rastrospinosus) and from one nototheniid (Notothenia coriiceps) were propagated successfully for 4-5 weeks and frozen for transport to our home institution (NU). Some successful cultures were also obtained from icefish spleen, head kidney, and testis tissues. Subsequently, spleen and head kidney cultures were used in preliminary studies to assess tubulin and globin gene promoter activities by transfection of luciferase reporter constructs. No luciferase activity was detected six days after transfection, probably due to the slow growth of the cell cultures. Longer duration promoter assays are now in progress, and future work at NU will be performed to optimize transfection parameters, including DNA concentration and purity, and electroporation conditions. A. Ramsey (NU) arrived on station on 8 July (R/V POLAR DUKE Cruise 96-6A) to continue studies on the enzymatic properties of the microtubule motor kinesin. Kinesin was purified from brain tissues of the nototheniid Gobionotothen gibberifrons and then further purified by cation exchange chromatography. The basal and microtubule-stimulated ATPase activities of the purified material were measured at 0 and 10 deg C. Two short fishing trips were conducted on Cruise 96-6A, the first during deployment of the R/V POLAR DUKE to Palmer Station and the second just prior to the R/V POLAR DUKE'S redeployment to Punta Arenas. Fish specimens collected included the icefishes C. aceratus, C. gunnari and C. rastrospinosus, the rockcods N. coriiceps and G. gibberifrons, and miscellaneous notothenoid fishes (Parachaenichthys charcoti, etc.). These fishes were used in the experiments described above and for additional tissue sampling (brain, testis, head kidney, spleen, and testis) to support further research at NU. On 16 July, S.K. Parker (NU) departed Palmer for CONUS. A. Ramsey and A. Saeed remain at Palmer to complete their work and will redeploy at the conclusion of Polar Duke Cruise 96-7 (6 August departure from Palmer). The success of our winter season research program has been greatly assisted by the excellent support of the personnel of Antarctic Support Associates and the captain and crew of the R/V POLAR DUKE. Our heartfelt thanks to all. 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.On 11 July, new gaskets and o-rings were installed in the baseplates of all three seismometers, and all instruments were leveled on the rebuilt baseplates. The fiber optic drivers that provide the communications link between DA and DP were replaced at the same time. An autoload was necessary following the work in the vault in order to appropriately set the event detection background and thus avoid multiple spurious detections. S-106 STUDIES OF LIGHTNING-INDUCED ELECTRON PRECIPITATION OF THE IONOSPHERE. Dr. Umran S. Inan, Stanford University. No personnel were on station. The system has been monitored by the station science technician. On 12 July, the narrowband system recorded only six hours and 25 minutes of data, rather than the normal twelve hours. No cause of this event was identified, and it appears to have been a singular occurrence. As a result of a brief power outage on 19 July, the programmer clock switched to its internal oscillator. When the outage was discovered, the clock was placed back on the external frequency standard, and its time was updated. The continuous broadband VCRs required reprogramming following the outage. All corrections were made in time for data collection on 20 July. Late in the month an intermittent hum was observed in the signal from the N/S loop. With the assistance of Mark Melcon, the hum was traced to a faulty extension cord being used in the replacement of the roof on the VLF hut, and the cord was replaced. 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; Dr. Colin Sanderson, Department of Energy-Environmental Measurements Laboratory, New York, NY 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. An exposed filter was discovered to have an undesirable interior fold. A subsequent examination of inventory revealed that an estimated one third of the remaining unexposed filters also suffer from the noted defect. The grantees were notified and will send more filters. During a brief power outage on 19 July, the RAMP computer stopped background counting and rebooted itself, and the MCA turned off the phototube high voltage. Upon discovery, the HV was turned back on, and background counting was restarted. T-312 TERASCAN SATELLITE IMAGING SYSTEM. Dr. Robert Whritner, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA No personnel were on station. The system has been operated by the station science technician. Throughout the month of July, 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, and readings were collected from the Hugo Island and Bonaparte Point AWSs in support of the LTER project. An extraneous directory link that had been producing cronjob errors on the Sparc10 was removed on 02 July by running fsck. The Bonaparte Point AWS ceased transmissions on 11 July. The station's power supply was checked, but the reset performed by cycling power did not restored proper operation. The University of Wisconsin indicated that the malfunction in the AWS was likely to be the result of a failure of internal circuitry. T-513 UV MONITORING NETWORK. Charles Booth, Biospherical Instruments, Inc. No personnel were on station. The system has been operated by the 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. An absolute scan was performed on 18 July with the seasoned lamp. The thermostat controlling the heater in the UV addition began to exhibit erratic behavior (sticking on) in early July, and by 22 July it was failing frequently enough to warrant replacement with a heavier duty model. A brief power outage on 19 July caused the control computer to reboot, but no scans were lost. HV levels and the scan schedule were monitored throughout the month and adjusted as necessary to compensate for changing daylight conditions. ASA - SCIENCE SUPPORT NEWS, PALMER STATION In January, 1997, a new Beckman XL-80 ultracentrifuge with a power-conserving air cool drive and thermoelectric cooling heating system will arrive on station. A rotor was ordered (swinging bucket SW-41TI) to supplement our current stock (as listed in the SIP). The centrifuge will be installed by our instrument technician who recently attended an intensive training session at Beckman. The training included installation, preventative maintenance procedures and trouble shooting down to the circuit board component level. ASA received a considerable cost savings by trading in our old, aging LE-50 ultra, and this unit will be returned to the states in February, 1997. It served us well for many years, but we are all happy to see it leave! There will be a service visit to Palmer Station by Mats Nilsson, a Wallac Instrument Technician, in September. He will be on site for approximately ten days. In addition to servicing both station Liquid Scintillation Counters (LSC), he will be providing two service training sessions to laboratory staff and interested grantees. Though both counters worked last year, they had their share of problems, and this visit should provide us with two reliable functional units. On his way north, Mats will service the R/V POLAR DUKE'S unit. As some of you may know, the airlines are adhering more strictly to existing regulations regarding the amount of dry ice that may be placed on board passenger planes as baggage (either as carry-on or as checked baggage). Information is available in the pamphlet "Instructions on Packing and Shipping 1996-1997 Field Season or on the world wide web at www.asa.org/ato/p&s9697.txt or by contacting your ASA POC. In an effort to provide a reliable, alternative method for returning frozen samples to the CONUS, ASA Science and Logistics are working on the certification of cargo (previously called 'unaccompanied') shipments for frozen samples. We purchased recording temperature monitors that will be used in two "dummy" shipments from Palmer Station to Port Hueneme in November. The monitors will record all transit temperatures and can be downloaded to a computer. It is hoped that these monitors can be used in future northbound shipments as a quality control check. For those soon departing to Palmer and other remote sites, we wish you all safe trips, smooth crossings and OPEN seas.