PALMER STATION SCIENCE SITREP APRIL 1999 Bruce D. Sidell, SSL NEWS FROM THE LAB. Diane Wetterlin, Winter Asst. Supervisor, Laboratory Operations April showed no signs of the usual ease up of business that is associated with he coming of the winter season. Two science groups, BP-013-0 (Fraiser) and AO-106-0 (Inan), completed their season and departed. The ASA summer crew completed turnover with the winter crew and also departed on the R/V Lawrence M Gould in mid April. Their departure reduced the station population to 24 but will soon rise to 38 with the arrival of several special project teams and three more scientists (one for BP-037 (Detrich) and two for BP-036 (Sidell)) on May 1st. Construction, or I should say demolition, has started for the Comms remodel/upgrade. The hallway wall and the wall dividing the Comms room from the new science office were removed. All prep work will be done before the ship arrives, so asbestos abatement and reconstruction can start immediately upon the arrival of the ship. Once the Comms remodel is completed at the end of May, there shouldn't be any more major construction projects this season in Bio-Lab. The remodel of the first floor GWR, however, is well underway and will take all season. The Darkroom was also dismantled for asbestos abatement. The supplies are being stored in Lab 1 along with supplies and books from the Comms room. The enlarger and two small floor cabinets were stored in the heated birder's hut just outside of Lab 1. The X-ray developing tanks and supplies are being kept available in the X-ray room. The Snow Petrels arrived about a week after I did; the winter residents are now all here. There are still enough critters hanging around to keep the animal watchers at the station entertained. Last week the station was treated to the sight of five Leopard seals on ice floes all at the same time in Arthur Harbor. This is a record for me. I have never seen more than the occasional one at a time. I am writing this before the monthly weather "facts" come out, therefore, it is written from memory rather than consulting the data. Wet and windy are the words for April's weather. When it did snow it was heavy and wet. For the most part the temperature stayed hovering or above freezing. The majority of the days that were windy but also had no precipitation felt refreshing but not cold, fall-like. BO-036-O EVOLUTION OF AN OXYGEN-BINDING PROTEIN IN AN UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT: MYOGLOBIN IN THE HEMOGLOBINLESS ANTARCTIC ICEFISHES. Bruce D. Sidell, Principal Investigator, University of Maine. Personnel on Station: T. Grove and B.D. Sidell After a successful fishing effort aboard the ARSV L.M. Gould at the end of March, we have initiated this year's experiments aimed at understanding the physiological and evolutionary implications of variable expression of myoglobin among species of the Antarctic icefish family. Tissues from species of icefish that express myoglobin (Chiondraco rastrospinosus, Pseudochaenichthys georgianus) or lack the protein (Chaenocephalus aceratus) were harvested and prepared for frozen shipment to our CONUS laboratory for subsequent molecular biological investigations. During April, we also have continued our experiments to assess metabolic characteristics of myoglobin-containing and -lacking hearts from icefishes that can be correlated with the presence and absence of the intracellular oxygen-binding protein or as adaptations to cold body temperature. Specifically, we have initiated experiments to assess the activity of a pivotal enzyme in the pathway of fatty acid metabolism, fatty acyl-CoA synthetase, in hearts and oxidative skeletal muscles. Preliminary experiments have also been undertaken to develop a chromatographic strategy for purification of this protein from tissues of Antarctic fishes. Between 12-14 April, we conducted a second trawling operation in Dallmann Bay in conjunction with personnel from Project BO-037-O (described in more detail below) for capture of fishes. These animals were returned to Palmer Station and transferred to the aquarium for subsequent experiments. Our thanks are extended to ASA personnel, both at Palmer Station and aboard the ARSV L.M. Gould, and to ECO personnel aboard the vessel for their assistance to our projects during the past months. We also look forward to the arrival of three additional members of our field team, Craig Marshall, Timothy Moerland and Thomas Moylan, who will be arriving at Palmer Station later today (1 May) on the L.M. Gould. BO-037-O STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND EXPRESSION OF COLD-ADAPTED TUBULINS AND MICROTUBULE-DEPENDENT MOTORS FROM ANTARCTIC FISHES. H. William Detrich III, Principal Investigator, Northeastern University Personnel on Station: H. William Detrich III, S. Hann, D. Yergeau During the month of April, we continued our experimental program on the microtubule cytoskeleton, the hematopoietic system, and the light-dependent DNA repair system of Antarctic fishes. First, we initiated the characterization of the blood cells of both red- and white-blooded notothenioid fishes, including the rockcod Notothenia coriiceps and the icefishes Chaenocephalus aceratus, Chionodraco rastrospinosus, Champsocephalus gunnari, and Pseudochaenichthys georgianus. Second, we began experiments to clone the photolyase gene from C. aceratus and to measure the kinetics of expression of this gene following exposure of these organisms to various doses of ultraviolet light. Third, microtubule proteins were isolated to support our CONUS studies of microtubule dynamics and kinesin motor activities. Eight microtubule preparations using G. gibberifrons brain tissue were performed. One brain kinesin preparation from G. gibberifrons was conducted prior to the untimely failure of the Beckman Optima XL-80K Ultracentrifuge. Despite valiant efforts of ASA personnel to restore it to usability, the ultracentrifuge remains nonfunctional. We have therefore rechristened it the SubOptima Ultracentrifuge. Lacking a functional ultracentrifuge, we have been unable to prepare kinesin. We hope to rectify this situation with the return of the retired Beckman L5-50E ultracentrifuge to Palmer from the warehouse in Punta Arenas. Finally, we have sampled numerous tissues, primarily from icefishes, to support work at our home institution. In conjunction with project S-036 (Sidell), we conducted a fishing trip to Dallmann Bay on the ARSV LM Gould (12-14 April). Trawling operations were successful, yielding the following specimens of red- and white-blooded Antarctic notothenioid fishes: 237 Gobionotothen gibberifrons, 7 Dissostichus mawsoni, 7 N. coriiceps, 2 Parachaenichthys charcoti, 2 Gymnodraco acuticeps, 31 C. aceratus, 22 C. rastrospinosus, and 22 C. gunnari. On return to Palmer Station on 14 April, fishes were transported to the Palmer Station Aquarium. On 16 April project member Yergeau departed Palmer Station for CONUS on board the ARSV. We await the arrival of project member Christian Busold on 1 May. We thank the ship and station personnel for their help in the performance of our field and laboratory work. GO-052-O GPS CONTINUOUS OPERATION REFERENCE STATION. 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. Starting on 03 April 99, the Air Force was performing End of Week Rollover and Y2K tests on one of the GPS satellites. The CORS Base Station software did not recognize the temporary "unhealthy" status of the satellite, which caused total loss of data on two days, and partial loss of data on three other days. Once the source of the problem was identified, reception from that particular satellite was disabled for the duration of the Air Force testing. Additional testing will be performed by the Air Force in late May. GO-091-O GLOBAL SEISMOGRAPH STATION AT PALMER STATION. 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. A vacuum pump was used to evacuate air from the domes which cover the seismometers. Mass balance adjustments were made at this time. AO-106-O STUDIES OF LIGHTNING-INDUCED ELECTRON PRECIPITATION OF THE IONOSPHERE. U. Inan, Stanford University The station science technician has operated the system. The Stanford receiver records very low frequency (VLF) radio waves for studying ionospheric and magnetospheric natural phenomena. The posts holding up the tower and VLF antenna on the glacier were reinstalled in the ice using a power ice auger, in preparation for winter. Precision GPS readings were taken of the antenna loops before and after they were moved. Visiting Stanford personnel completed testing and calibration of the existing equipment, and partially installed a new PC/CDROM broadband synoptic recording system. The installation will be completed when the new software being written and tested at Stanford has been finished. This newly installed broadband VLF PC data acquisition system appears to be interfering with the previously installed narrowband VLF PC data acquisition system, causing it to stop and restart itself on an irregular basis. Tests are being made to determine the mode of interference. OO-204-O MEASUREMENTS OF ATMOSPHERIC O2 IN RELATION TO THE GLOBAL CARBON CYCLE. 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. R.A. Rasmussen, Oregon Graduate Institute for Science and Technology The station physician takes air samples on a weekly basis. 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. James T. Peterson, Environmental Research Laboratories, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The station physician takes air samples on a weekly basis. 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. 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. OO-283-P ANTARCTIC AUTOMATED WEATHER STATIONS. Charles Stearns, University of Wisconsin The station science technician has monitored the sites. Automated Weather Station (AWS) transmissions were monitored from Bonaparte Point, Hugo Island, and RACER Rock using the TeraScan system. The Hugo Island AWS site, which stopped transmitting on 1/21/99, is down until a ship visit can be arranged. The Palmer Science Technician may be able to visit the Hugo site in May and either repair the Station, or bring it back to Palmer Station for diagnosis and repair. The Racer Rock AWS site mysteriously stopped transmitting for a couple of days but then restarted its transmissions with no intervention. TO-312-O TERASCAN SATELLITE IMAGING SYSTEM. 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 and NOAA satellite pass telemetry, maintaining a schedule of 17-20 passes per day. NOAA and DMSP telemetry was archived for BP-032-O when the LTER grid was clear of clouds. Ice images were generated when skies were clear for use by the R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD and R/V NATHANIAL B. PALMER in navigation. Ice images of the Larsen ice shelf were supplied to the Antarctic Research Center of Scripps Institute of Oceanography. The large iceberg that came towards Anvers Island from the west, was named B-10A by the National Ice Center when it first broke off of an ice shelf. It is now about 215 miles NNE of Palmer Station, 70 miles WNW of King George Island. It did not move during the last week of April, and may be resting against the continental shelf. TO-513-O UV MONITORING NETWORK. 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. It was discovered that the preliminary UV data that was provided onsite during the past austral summer differs significantly from the values calculated by Biospherical Instruments. Investigation is ongoing to determine the source of error in the preliminary data. Meanwhile, BSI is supplying corrected data to users who had received the faulty preliminary data. ______________________________________________________________ [Note added in proof --This will be a little test about whether everyone has a sense of humor : ) -- For those of you who have been following last month's SITREP from Palmer Station (filed by Bill Fraser) and the weekly science reports from the L.M. Gould (filed by yours truly), you may have noticed that there has been considerable confusion (dare I say an identity crisis) about the new scheme for assignation of science event numbers. You will be greatly relieved to see that I now have unearthed a 3-page document explaining the "Four-Step Process" for assigning science event numbers and have brought projects above into conformity with this new vision. Thus, you will see that -036 and -037 are now BO- projects, not BP- or even BS- (which would be even more offensive than BO-) events. I will refrain from making any comments about the merits of a 12-step process to rid us of the 4-step process - oops, I went and commented anyway. Bottom line - we all think of them as S-events. - BDS] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- During my time away from the Station the past few days ("gone fishing") I realized that I had omitted the contribution from Troy Wood (AO-106-O) from April's Palmer Science Sitrep. I enclose same for your information below. Bruce Sidell AO-106-O STUDIES OF LIGHTNING-INDUCED ELECTRON PRECIPITATION OF THE IONOSPHERE. U. Inan, Stanford University Personnel on Station: Troy Wood March 25, 1999 - April 16,1999 The primary objective of this visit to Palmer Station was the maintenance and upgrade of the existing VLF receive system. Maintenance performed on the VLF receive antenna included the replacement of frayed suspension ropes, anchoring of tower support posts and the determination of the precise location of the antenna's position using differential GPS measurements. The support posts for the stretch of cable between the antenna and receive hardware were also anchored. Receive hardware maintenance included the replacement of two broadband beta recorders as well as the cleaning and adjustment of other existing hardware. The entire system was also recalibrated. In addition, new computer hardware was installed for the synoptic recording of digital broadband data. This system will eventually replace the AMPEX system currently in use and will record data on compact disks as opposed to magnetic tape. In addition a signal filter/interface box was installed for use with the existing digital narrowband system as well for use with the new digital broadband system previously described. Another objective of the site visit was to obtain a simultaneous data set from Palmer Station and from a similar receiver located in Stanford, California. Broadband data was continuously recorded at both sites for a period of 13 days, from April 3 to April 15, during the visit. Overall the mission objectives were met and the system is in good working order. Of special interest however, is the continued encroachment of the crevasse zone towards the antenna and antenna cable. If the encroachment continues, it may become necessary to relocate the antenna.