Return-Path: quetinla@palmer.usap.nsf.gov Delivery-Date: Sat Dec 5 08:33:33 1998 Return-Path: Received: from snowmass.asa.org by icess.ucsb.edu (8.8.4/SMI-8.7-Icess) id IAA05051; Sat, 5 Dec 1998 08:33:30 -0800 (PST) Received: from cool.palmer.usap.nsf.gov (root@cool.palmer.usap.nsf.gov [204.145.215.2]) by snowmass.asa.org (8.9.0/8.9.0) with ESMTP id JAA18369 for ; Sat, 5 Dec 1998 09:29:44 -0700 (MST) Received: from palmer.usap.nsf.gov (palmer.palmer.usap.nsf.gov [204.145.215.3]) by cool.palmer.usap.nsf.gov (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id QAA08531 for ; Sat, 5 Dec 1998 16:32:15 GMT Received: from PALMER/SpoolDir by palmer.usap.nsf.gov (Mercury 1.31); 5 Dec 98 16:32:29 -0400 Received: from SpoolDir by PALMER (Mercury 1.31); 5 Dec 98 16:32:13 -0400 Received: from [204.145.215.88] by palmer.usap.nsf.gov (Mercury 1.31); 5 Dec 98 16:32:11 -0400 Message-Id: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Sat, 5 Dec 1998 13:30:46 -0400 To: palmer_science@asa.org From: quetinla@palmer.usap.nsf.gov (Langdon Quetin) Subject: NOVEMBER SCIIENCE SITREP - PALLMER STATION Cc: quetinla@palmer.usap.nsf.gov (Langdon Quetin) PALMER STATION SCIENCE SITREP NOV 1998 LANGDON B. QUETIN, SSL Field work during the month of November was severely limited by extensive pack ice, usually extending from Hero Inlet to the horizon. Boating days (including half days) totaled 7, the lowest number of days since at least 1991, the start of the Palmer LTER program. On the days when the boats could be launched pack ice had retreated beyond the 2 mile boating limit only on 3 November. In contrast, pack ice west of the Antarctic Peninsula this season is not unusually extensive for November, and the snow pack is at unusually low levels and found only in persistent summer snow fields. Based on SitRep reports for November since 1991 there have been three years when the number of boating days was 11 d or less (1991, 1994, 1998) and two years when the number of boating days was 25 d or greater (1992, 1996). This suggests a three to four year periodicity in boating days for the month of November linked to larger scale weather and pack ice variability. NEWS FROM THE LAB Robert L. Edwards, Supervisor, Laboratory Operations In November, the R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD arrived at Palmer Station near the conclusion of the LMG99-9 UV research cruise, bringing two more researchers and one more research project to Palmer Station. The ship remained in the area for several days, continuing the UV research and allowing station scientists to access local waters which were inaccessible by Zodiac because of ice, returning to offload cargo and borrowed lab equipment and materials. The laboratories are now supporting a full complement of summer scientists, with 11 individuals from five different research projects. All primary lab space on station is being utilized, including the active use of the dive locker, and remaining aquarium and lab bench areas. In contrast to November of last year, however, we don't have the same degree of crowding and space overlap, due to fewer researchers and more dedicated office and library space. Researchers were not the only recent arrivals, the appearance of skuas and Wilson's storm-petrels rounds out the summer complement of birds nesting in the local area, and crabeater seals, Minke whales and Orca were sighted for the first time this summer in Arthur Harbor. Divers were able to take advantage of early season water clarity to observe and videotape the R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD and pier area this month. Several proposals to provide greater depth clearance to the ship when docked at Palmer Station are under review. Station staff were also able to clear the pier of cargo vans and equipment, allowing the installation of an active corrosion protection system for the sheet pilings to begin. Some summer weather conditions arrived at Palmer Station as November became warmer and less windy than October. Temperatures ranged from -8 to +7 C, with an average just barely below freezing at -0.1 C. Precipitation was slightly greater than last month, 39 mm ( water equivalent) fell mostly as snow, even though the net snow pack decreased to zero at our standard snowstake. Precipitation occurred on 26 days, and there was only 1 clear day throughout the month. The peak wind of 51 kts occurred on the 2nd, with the average wind velocity dropping to 8 kts and fairly even distribution of prevailing wind direction around all points of the compass. Unfortunately, the winds and currents conspired to pack quite a bit of ice in waters around station The following programs were involved in research at Palmer Station: BO-003-O IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON ANTARCTIC VASCULAR PLANTS: WARMING AND UV-B RADIATION. Principal Investigator Thomas A. Day, Department of Plant Biology and The Center for the Study of Early Events in Photosynthesis, Arizona State University PERSONNEL ON STATION: Christopher T. Ruhland, Fusheng Xiong, Jenny S. Lin Studies continued on the effects of UV-B and warming on the two species of Antarctic vascular plants, Deschampsia antarctica (Antarctic hairgrass) and Colobanthus quitensis (Antarctic pearlwort). Access to Stepping Stones Islands (a group of islands 2 km SE of Palmer Station), the site of our main field experiment, has been limited in the months of October and November due to heavy sea ice conditions. We have taken photographs for initial estimates of cover analysis on all 70 of our treatment frames that modify ambient levels of UV radiation and temperature. We have also added supplemental water and nutrients to an extra 20 frames at our field site. We have been sampling intensively from our experiment being conducted on Gamage Point, near Palmer Station. We have nine UV-radiation manipulation filter frames (UV-B exclusion, UV-B transparent and open) with both species growing under these frames. Plants under these frames have been sampled on four different sampling dates during the month of November for UV-mediated DNA damage. We expect that plants under the UV-B transparent and open frames will yield higher levels of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers than those under UV-B exclusion frames. These samples are currently being processed in the lab at Palmer Station for transport back to Arizona State University. In addition to DNA sampling, we have been simultaneously making measurements of light- and dark-adapted photosynthetic yield of photosystem II with a pulse amplitude modulated fluorometer on separate plants under each of the treatment frames. We have also been examining long-term effects of UV-B on impairment of photosynthesis and enzyme reaction rates of both species in the lab using a liquid-phase oxygen electrode in combination with the fluorometer. Diurnal rates of photosynthesis (leaf carbon dioxide uptake) under UV-B transparent and UV-B exclusion conditions are currently being assessed with a portable infrared gas analysis system. In addition to these measurements we have been assessing UV-B effects on growth using Demographic Growth Analysis. Changes in leaf length and number and tiller/shoot production are currently being measured on a weekly basis. We are also measuring changes in epidermal cell length and number to partially explain differences in leaf elongation rates under our treatments. In addition to these measurements on mature plants, we have germinated seeds of both species of Antarctic vascular plants in the lab, and placed these seedlings under our UV-manipulation filters. We will be conducting physiological measurements on these seedlings to examine UV-B effects on growth and development. We would like to thank ASA personnel at Palmer Station who have continuously provided excellent support to our field team and helped make November a very productive month for BO-003-O. BP-013-O LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH (LTER) ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT (SEABIRD COMPONENT). Principal Investigator William R. Fraser, Montana State University PERSONNEL ON STATION: Peter Duley and Matt Irinaga Heavy and persistent brash ice this month has severely limited access to our island research study sites. Adelie penguin reproductive success study sites were established on Torgersen and Humble Islands. 12 sites in colony 14 and 4 sites each in colonies 8, 18, and 20 on Torgersen Island. On Humble Island 12 sites were established in colony 2 and 4 sites each in colonies 3, 4, and 5. This year we are looking at the reproductive success of Adelie penguins at 240 nests in the Palmer area. Our first Adelie egg was discovered on 3 November. Access to Torgersen Island during Adelie penguin pair formation for diet sampling was restricted due to heavy ice. On 27 November diet sampling with well established pairs revealed only well digested krill with one in six birds having krill fresh enough to allow for any measurement. Snow transect measurements were taken on Torgersen, Humble, and Litchfield Islands on 16 November. On Cormorant and Christine Islands snow transects were measured on 23 November. Brown skua pair formation, arrival dates and nesting chronology were established this month. Humble Island has two pairs of brown skuas on eggs. On Litchfield there are five pairs established with three pairs on eggs. With another unbanded brown skua showing interest in a territory near the cache on Litchfield. Cormorant and Christine Islands each have one pair of brown skuas setting up territories. We have made one trip to Short Cut Island to look at arrival dates for south polar skuas and to census the island for active giant petrel nests. Forty active giant petrel nests were found. However, very few south polar skuas have set up territories on Short Cut Island so far this year. Access this field season has been limited to the near shore islands because of the ice. No trips to either Bisco or Dream Islands have been made to assess the populations of seabirds on these remote islands. BP-016-0 LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM - AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT (PHYTOPLANKTON COMPONENT). Principal Investigator Maria Vernet, Scripps Institute of Oceanography Personnel on Station: Wendy Kozlowski, Eric Pohlman, Jennifer White Brash ice has continued to move in and out of Arthur Harbor this month keeping water column sampling at the inshore stations minimal. Full standard profiles from the zodiac were completed at station B three times, and at station E only once during the month. Station B was also sampled once from the LM Gould during it's port call to Palmer on the twelfth, and we extend our thanks to the ship and science crews for that opportunity. In addition, station B was sampled one time for a time series UV exposure experiment. During non-boating periods, surface water was sampled from the seawater intake area, giving seven additional sample dates. All core data sets continue to be collected during these sample days. The LMG also brought the HPLC to station and the instrument has been set up and calibrations begun. Preliminary measurements from the complete November sampling days at station B (01 Nov through 28 Nov), integrated through the photic zone show a low average production of 0.3gC/m^2 as compared to 0.9gC/m^2 for the single sampling date in November of 1997. BP-028-0 LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE-DOMINATED SYSTEM (PREY COMPONENT). Principal Investigators Robin M. Ross and Langdon B.Quetin, Marine Science Institute, University of California at Santa Barbara PERSONNEL ON STATION: Langdon Quetin and Dan Martin L. Quetin and D. Martin arrived at Palmer Station at the end of Laurence M. Gould cruise 98-9 November 10. During November we have been able to acoustically search within limited areas for krill during three boating days: a 2 h search on November 23 between LTER stations A and B, a 1.5 h search on November 27 near station B and a 1.5 h transect on November 28 along the ice edge from station D to Spume Island to station H to halfway to station J. No krill were located acoustically during these searches. We have been diving 8 times in the area of Hero Inlet, near the Palmer Station dock. Only on one dive were 4-5 individual krill noted. Based on past years and the pack ice (not fast ice) in Hero Inlet, it is unusual not to find krill abundant enough for collections. Other activities in addition to lab set up have been to design the new Rubber Duke platform to accept the new hydraulic winch system and plan for two LTER cruises: January/February and June/July. Progess on the new hydraulic winch system has been delayed since the winch system will not arrive at Palmer Station until early January 1999. We thank an excellent crew at Palmer Station this year for their help moving us smoothly into the lab. BP-032-O LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH (LTER) ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT (OPTICS). Principal Investigator Raymond C. Smith, ICESS, University of California at Santa Barbara Personnel on station: Karen W. Patterson Zodiac sampling was restricted to three days this month due to ice and/or weather. Pat Neale and the other science groups on board the L.M. Gould offered us use of the ship while they were working in the area to sample our LTER stations between their scheduled stations during the last couple of days of their cruise. Taking advantage of this gracious offer, we were able to sample a fourth day at station B on 12 November. Chlorophylls continue to be sampled twice weekly from Bonaparte and Gamage Points and weekly from the seawater intake. Ice pictures continue to be taken daily from the platform on the roof of GWR and weekly from the glacier. Communications problems between the computers and the Lambda 6 spectrophotometers have been resolved. However, new problems have arisen with the Lambda 6 spectrophotometers. Extremely noisy and unpredictable baselines are currently preventing accurate and timely processing of light absorption by particulate, detrital and dissolved organic matter. I am continuing to work with John Powell and Rob Edwards to try to resolve this problem. This month was also an active planning month for the January 1999 LTER cruise. GO-052-O GPS CONTINUOUS OPERATION REFERENCE STATION. Principal Investigator 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. GO-091-O GLOBAL SEISMOGRAPH STATION AT PALMER STATION. Principal Investigator R. Butler, Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) The station science technician has operated the system. Global seismic events were recorded throughout the month. All operations during the month were normal. The data processing computer was added to the local network so personnel at Albuquerque Seismic Laboratory can soon download daily status files for quality control. AO-106-O STUDIES OF LIGHTNING-INDUCED ELECTRON PRECIPITATION OF THE IONOSPHERE. Principal Investigator 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. Extra data was taken during the Leonid meteor shower. OO-204-O MEASUREMENTS OF ATMOSPHERIC O2 IN RELATION TO THE GLOBAL CARBON CYCLE. Principal Investigator 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. OO-254-O CHLORINE-AND BROMINE-CONTAINING TRACE GASES IN ANTARCTICA. Principal Investigator 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. OO-264-O COLLECTION OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR FOR THE NOAA\CMDL WORLDWIDE FLASK SAMPLING NETWORK. Principal Investigator 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. This data will be used to determine how the rate of change of these parameters affects climate, particularly by including them in climate model studies. OO-275-O UM/DOE-EML REMOTE ATMOSPHERIC MEASUREMENTS PROGRAM. Principal Investigator 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. A bad backup battery was replaced. OO-283-P ANTARCTIC AUTOMATED WEATHER STATIONS. Principal Investigator Charles Stearns, University of Wisconsin Automated Weather Station (AWS) transmissions were monitored from Bonaparte Point, Hugo Island, and RACER Rock using the TeraScan system. The Racer Rock AWS site has a bad power supply battery, so data collection and transmission is sporadic, based on the power generated by the solar panel. TO-312-O TERASCAN SATELLITE IMAGING SYSTEM. Principal Investigator R. Whritner, Scripps Institute of Oceanography The station science technician has operated the system. Throughout the month, the TeraScan system collected, archived, and processed DMSP, NOAA and SeaWiFS satellite pass telemetry, maintaining a schedule of 20-22 passes per day. NOAA and DMSP telemetry was archived for BP-032-O when the LTER grid was clear of clouds. Chlorophyl indicating images were generated and used to support the UV Research Cruise. Some bugs in the TeraScan system remain, and the vendor has been requested to fix them. Ice images were generated when skies were clear for use by the R/V Laurence M. Gould in navigation. TO-513-O UV MONITORING NETWORK. Principal Investigator 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 system is operating normally. -- End --