PALMER STATION SCIENCE SITREP OCTOBER 1999 Paul J. Ricchiazzi, SSL NEWS FROM THE LAB Ken Doggett, Sr. Asst. Supervisor, Laboratory Operations November has been a busy month for science at Palmer Station. There are currently 19 grantee personnel on Station, representing seven research groups. The Station remained ice-locked for most of the month although Torgerson Island was accessible for several days at the beginning of the month. The ice thickness was great enough to allow travel and sampling was conducted through holes close to shore. Open water appeared during the last week of the month and Zodiac operations commenced. Science and support staff continued work on the combined boating platform for BP-016-O (Vernet) and BP-032-O (Smith). The science groups initiated construction of the platform in Punta Arenas during October. All wood construction, wiring painting, sealing and instrumentation mounting is complete and the platform is ready for water trials. This platform will make sampling and measurements more efficient for the groups and reduce the number of Zodiacs required in the water. Daily average temperature has climbed to 0.0 C at Palmer. High for the month was +6.6 C and the low 9.5 C. The snow stake began the month with 67 cm of snow accumulation which, with the increase in temperatures, melted to zero by the last week of the month. There were 26 days of precipitation recorded during the month resulting in 83.7 mm of melted accumulation. Average wind speed was 12 knots with a maximum gust of 57 knots on the 16th. The local seabird population continues to increase with the return of the Skuas (Brown and South Polar) on the 1st of the month. Chinstrap penguins have been spotted around Station and, along with Gentoos and Adelies, round out the brush-tail penguin populations. Leopard seal sightings have been slim this month with the presence of so much ice. The following programs were involved in research at Palmer Station: BP-013 LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT (SEABIRD COMPONENT). William R. Fraser Montana State University, Bozeman, MT. Personnel On Station: Peter Duley, Erik Chapmen, Michele Rosenshield Regular and dependable access to Island research study sites began in the first week of November. Reproductive study sites for Adelies were established on Humble and Torgersen by the 17th of the month. This year we are looking at reproductive success at 150 nests on Torgersen and 100 nests on Humble Island. With population counts on Torgersen Humble and Litchfield, and based on data from our reproductive study sites we estimated peak egg dates. Peak egg counts for Torgersen Humble, and Litchfield were carried out on 17 November. Cormorant and Christine counts were done on 19 November. Access to Dream Island for peak egg counts did not happen until 27 November. To determine health and reproductive fitness egg weights and measurements were taken at 30 nests in colonies 14 and 16 on Torgersen on 20 November. Snow transects have been lined out and measured on all Islands. Arrival dates and nesting chronology for Brown skuas on Litchfild, Humble, Cormorant, and Christine were followed throughout the month. As of this writing a very small percentage of the Brown skuas are nesting this year in the Palmer area. Several known age skuas have been observed on Torgersen and Litchfield Islands this field season. Southern Elephant seals have been having a large impact on the nesting Adelies on Humble Island this year. Colonies 5, 3, 3.1, and 2 all have had smashed nests as a result of wallowing Elephant seals. There are currently 63 seals on Humble Island. Large numbers of Elephant seals have also been observed on Litchfield Island. BP-016-0 LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT (PHYTOPLANKTON COMPONENT) Maria Vernet, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Principle Investigator Personnel on Station: Jill Glass, Karie Sines November opened with ice remaining in the Arthur Harbor vicinity, preventing the usual sampling at Palmer offshore stations. Sampling began during these non-boating days from surface water in the vicinity of the station seawater intake. Full profile water collection was completed three times each at stations B (21, 27 and 30 Nov) and E (21, 27 and 29 Nov). Seawater intake was sampled on 01, 04 and 8 Nov and weather permitted one full profile at station B on the 11th. Core LTER measurements are being taken on all water collected. This includes two types of primary productivity experiments (both long term simulated in situ and a short term multi-irradiance incubation), water collection for pigment analysis with HPLC, filtration for particulate Carbon, Hydrogen and Nitrogen analysis, sample collection for nutrient analysis of Nitrate, Silicate and Phosphate, and several preservations for microscopy. BP-028-O LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT (PREY COMPONENT). Langdon B. Quetin and Robin M. Ross, Co-Principal Investigators, University of California, Santa Barbara. Personnel on Station: Tracy Shaw, Dan Martin and Andrew Altieri Ice conditions and high winds prevented us from being able to sample from the zodiac until November 19. During that time we were able to catch krill through leads in the ice in Hero Inlet and Arthur Harbor. These were good-sized adult krill that appeared to be feeding on ice algae. Many of the females had red thelyca and a few were carrying spermatophores. We were able to do two growth rate experiments and one set of chemical composition/condition factor experiments with these animals. When the ice was breaking up there were huge schools of krill everywhere but when the ice all blew out completely the krill apparently went with it. Now that the ice is gone we've been able to start acoustic transects from the zodiac to survey for krill, although we've seen little or no sign of krill schools since the ice left. We hope that this will change in the near future. Andrew Altieri arrived on station on November 26 via a zodiac transfer from the R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD which was working in the area. He will be replacing Dan Martin who is leaving Palmer in early December. We were very glad that we were able to get Andrew ashore early so that can learn our Palmer sampling routine while Dan is still here. BP-032-0 LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT (BIO-OPTICAL COMPONENT) Dr. Raymond C. Smith, Principal Investigator University of California, Santa Barbara Personnel on Station: Lauri Burke and John Milner In cooperation with S016, sea water samples have been collected twice weekly, weather permitting, from Station B, Station E, Bonaparte Point, and Gammage Point. Surface water as well as water from five different depths has been collected from Station B and Station E. Sea water samples were filtered for chlorophyll-a in a darkened laboratory. The filters were dissolved in acetone and are stored in scintillating vials in the freezer. We currently have over 130 sample vials. Several technical difficulties have been encountered and solved this month. With the delivery of spare parts, the fluorometer on the CTD array has been repaired. PRR power issues have been resolved. The zodiac platform winch handle has been repaired. The new zodiac platform has been completed and is ready for service. GO-052-P GPS CONTINUOUS OPERATION REFERENCE STATION. J. Mullins, U.S. Geological Survey The station science technician has monitored the system. During the month, GPS transmissions were collected continuously, converted daily to a RInEx format, compressed, and transmitted to the US Geological Survey in Reston, VA. Following an email exchange with personnel at Ashtech, several upgraded software packages were downloaded and installed, including upgrades for Reliance hand-held and processor operations. An upgraded release of the base station software GBSS was also retrieved, installed on a PC, and run in parallel with the current base station package GPS-Base. This test uncovered a Doppler sign error in GPS-Base's data and several minor header inconsistencies in GBSS's data files. After much investigation, the settings needed to get Garmin hand-held GPS units to log positions automatically with a fixed time interval were discovered. Tests were run with a unit in a fixed location, with and without the incorporation of differential correctors, in an attempt to characterize its accuracy. A profile of the walking path up the glacier was made as a training aide in the use of the rover Z-12 receiver. 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 were normal. 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. At the request of the grantees, the distribution of signals from the N/S and E/W loops to the various tape recording channels within the VLF hut was confirmed. A followup check, however, discovered that the physical loops were improperly feeding the preamp at the antenna, with the end result being that N/S was masquerading as E/W, and vice-versa, everywhere in the hut. After consultation with the grantees, the loops were switched back to their appropriate inputs on 25/26 November 1999. In anticipation of an increase in signal level, two HAARP IF gains were lowered prior to the switching of the loops. The 10kHz time mark was removed from the left PCM Betamax channel, also on 25/26 November 1999. The GOES clock continued to experience difficulty in locking onto a satellite signal and in keeping proper time once locked. Several oscillator adjustments were made according to operating manual instructions, but the clock's behavior does not seem to have been improved. Several days of HAARP narrowband data were lost, and many others were probably compromised, due to clock malfunctions. BO-200-0 ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION INDUCED DNA DAMAGE IN BACTERIOPLANKTON IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN. II. PHOTOCHEMICAL AND TROPHIC INTERACTIONS AND SEASONAL PATTERNS OF UV RESPONSE. Wade H. Jeffrey, Principal Investigator, University of West Florida. Personnel on Station:, Jennifer Fritz , Jason P. Kase, Jarah Meador, David Mitchell, J. Dean Pakulski, Jill Peloquin Work continued much as it did the previous month. Water samples were collected primarily from stations A, B, and E which were sampled 1, 4 and 4 times, respectively, and the sensitivity of bacterioplankton communities measured with the solar simulator and filtered for community structure analysis using the 16S rRNA genes. In addition, water collected from LTER station B and E were diluted tenfold in filtered seawater and incubated under full solar irradiance, with UVB blocked, with both UVA and UVB blocked, and in the dark. At three-day intervals, subsamples were collected for measuring community sensitivity to UV using the solar simulator and for community structure changes. On one occasion, sea ice was collected, melted out slowly in the lab, and exposed to UV using the solar simulator. Surface water collected at the same time was exposed in parallel to allow a comparison between the two communities. Samples were also taken to compare differences in microbial community structure. Daily experiments to measure patterns of bacterial production and DNA damage in relation to ozone were performed continuously until the 13th of this month, resulting in 51 consecutive days of sampling during ozone season. This experiment is now done on a weekly basis. Experiments designed to measure diel patterns of bacterial production and DNA damage in relation to naturally changing light intensities and exposures have been performed weekly as planned. Weekly experiments designed to look at the expression of Rec A have been performed. Cultivation of bacterioplankton from samples has continued. We deployed a plasmid dosimeter in Hero Inlet and on the deck to measure DNA damage after a solar "dose response" and at increasing depth in the water column. This dosimeter consists of two supercoiled plasmids mixed together in equimolar amounts. Supercoiled plasmid (Form I) runs as a single band using agarose gel electrophoresis; a single nick in the plasmid converts it to an open circle (Form II) that runs slower on the gel. The two plasmids we have chosen are pUC19 which consists of 5400 base pairs and pACT which consists of about 7500 base pairs. Forms I and II of mixed pUC19 and pACT run as four distinct bands on an agarose gel. Subsequent to exposure the dosimeters are frozen for shipment to the lab in Texas where they will be analyzed. By treating the plasmid mixture with endonucleases that specifically recognize and cleave certain types of DNA damage we can quantify the induction of several types of damage simultaneously. We will be using T4 phage endonuclease V to cut cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, Saccharomyces cerevisiae UV DNA damage endonuclease (UVDE) + E. coli photolyase to cut (6-4) photoproducts, E. coli endonuclease III to cut cytosine photohydrates, E. coli endonucelase IV to cut at apyrmidinic/apurinic sites, and yeast 8-oxodeoxyguanosine glycosylase (yOGG) to cut at this lesion. In addition, we will be able to see frank breaks in DNA caused by higher doses of solar UV. Cyclobutane dimers and (6-4) photoproducts will be independently determined using radioimmunoassay. From these analyses UVA and UVB dependent types of damage will be quantified and ratios calculated to compare with the solar UV spectrum and ozone concentrations. We began generating UV survival curves for the bacterial isolates collected earlier in the season. We have placed a shaking water bath (without water) in the environmental refrigerator which can hold 20-30 25 mL flasks. Bacteria are grown in suspension with vigorous mixing in seawater media at 1.1EC and the absorbance at 550 nm is monitored using a spectrophotometer. Growth rates have been determined for three distinct isolates to date, including PS99X3, PS99A1, and PS99X7. For survival analyses 5 mL of bacteria is exposed to increasing fluence of UV light filtered through Kodacel (wavelength cutoff = 290 nm) in the mini-photoinhibitron. The cultures are then incubated in the environmental chamber under a 24 h light cycle in clear flasks or brown bottles. Growth curves are generated for each fluence, slopes are calculated, and normalized to the control. Our results so far indicate that PS00A1 is UVB-sensitive exhibiting no shoulder on the survival curve (i.e., no repair) and no difference in recovery in the dark and light (i.e., no light-dependent repair). In contrast, PS99X3 shows significant recovery in the light and much reduced survival when incubated in the dark. Jarah Meador will continue this work through December. In addition to our marine studies we began investigating the possibility of using glacial bacteria as indicators of historical UV exposure. The hypothesis is that glacial bacteria killed at or near the surface of the glacier retain the lethal DNA damage and become part of the glacial striata. If DNA damage can be quantified in bacteria extracted from different layers of the glacier patterns of high and low damage levels may reflect historical instances of ozone depletion. Because of the small amount of biomaterial DNA damage will be quantified in situ using monoclonal antibodies against cyclobutane dimers and immunofluorescence micrography. In our initial experiment we collected distinctly different glacial ice samples from Arthur Harbor (i.e., white ice, two different blue ice samples, and clear ice). Samples were slowly thawed, isolated on 2 uM filters, and the DNA stained with DAPI. Inspection under the fluorescence microscope showed bacteria in all ice samples. Because of possible seawater contamination, ice samples were takes from the face of a nearby glacier for analysis. Although considerably fewer bacteria were evident they were present. Jarah Meador will be sampling glacial ice from a crevasse later in the season for DNA damage analysis back in Texas. The part of our group working in the Rad Van on the pier continued to conduct experiments on spectral and temporal effects of UV on phytoplankton and bacteria. At the beginning of the month when the ice was restricting zodiac operations, we obtained water samples from Arthur Harbor through breaks in the ice, or samples of ice algae were collected for analysis. These methods of sampling were also used later in the month when winds were too strong to permit boating. Once zodiac operations were possible, sampling occurred primarily at LTER stations B and E. Experiments of spectral UV effects continued in the "photoinhibitron", a spectral incubator. Bacterial production was examined five times and the inhibition of photosynthesis by phytoplankton was tested eight times using this instrument. A variety of incubations were conducted to look at the temporal effects of UV and the potential for recovery from UV damage this month. We completed five short-term (2 hours) and seven longer 10-hour incubations in which we measured radiocarbon incorporation by phytoplankton. Two additional time series experiments were done using the photoinhibitron on bacterial incorporation. Our last radio-isotope experiments in the Rad Van will be conducted on December 1st, after which, all the equipment will be packed up to ship back to the Smithsonian Institution. With regard to UV measurements, the Smithsonian Institution SR-18 UV-B spectroradiometer continued to measure the UV irradiance from 290-324 nm on the T-5 building during November. In addition, on two occasions the Biospherical Instruments (BSI) PUV-500 radiometer was deployed at LTER stations B and E, to measure the penetration of UV in the water column along with the Station's CTD. In addition, S200 had the opportunity to present two science lectures which included the work by Jennifer Fritz, Jill Peloquin, and David Mitchell. Without the continued support of Palmer Station ASA personnel, this work would not have been possible and we would like to thank them again. In particular we would like to thank Ken Doggett for helping set up bacterial cultures analyses and Ross Hein for his assistance with deploying the plasmid dosimeter and glacial ice sampling. 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 inter annual 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 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. 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 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. BO-279-O SURFACE UV IRRADIANCE AND PAR VARIABILITY OVER ANTARCTICA Paul J. Ricchiazzi and Catherine Gautier, University of California at Santa Barbara Personnel on Station: Allison Payton, and Paul Ricchiazzi Data collection from our GUV and GIR radiometer has continued throughout the month. A few days after our arrival, the vertical placement of these instruments was slightly increased to bring them flush with the level of the other radiometers on the roof of T5. A Multi Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR) was installed on T5, near the SUV-100 spectroradiometer, and our GUV and GIR radiometers. This involved construction of a small platform on an exterior staircase, and modification of an instrument cable to allow data retrieval from the interior of T5. Direct and diffuse irradiance data has been recorded since 2nov99, when sunny conditions permitted proper alignment of the shadowband. The sharp transition between the high reflectivity over Anvers Island, and low reflectivity over the ocean should produce a dramatic transition in sky brightness when viewing within a vertical plane perpendicular to the coast. We have obtained several radiance scans along such a viewing plane using an Analytic Spectral Devices spectroradiometer, which provides spectral coverage between 350 and 2500 nm at 1 nm resolution. To relate this information to the conditions at other viewing angles, the radiance measurements were accompanied by concurrent all-sky photographs shot with a Nikon 950 digital camera. A 10 foot helium balloon has been used to obtain aerial photographs of the ocean region in the vicinity of Palmer Station. The aerial photographs have been obtained on three separate days, and span an interesting range of sea ice condition. These photos will help us specify the surface reflectance distribution, which is required by our 3-D radiation model. During the earliest balloon flight on 4nov99 snow covered ice completely surrounded the station out to more than 8 km. The balloon pictures obtained on 9nov99 show clearing around the station, but some remaining ice is evident several kilometers to the South-West. Our final aerial photos on 27nov99 indicate essentially ice free conditions. This sparse set of sea observations were augmented by a set of daily panoramic photographs of the ocean area obtained with the Nikon 950 digital camera. In preparation for our boat transect experiment, two identical GUV radiometer systems were installed on Outcast island, and on one of the smaller Zodiacs. The sea and ice conditions have only recently allowed boat operations, and we were only able to acquire concurrent irradiance data from the T5, the Zodiac and Outcast radiometers for a single pass between Outcast and the station. OO-283-P ANTARCTIC AUTOMATED WEATHER STATIONS. Charles Stearns, University of Wisconsin The station science technician has monitored the local sites. Automated Weather Station (AWS) transmissions were monitored from Bonaparte Point and RACER Rock using the TeraScan system. TO-312-O TERASCAN SATELLITE IMAGING SYSTEM. R. Whritner, Scripps Institution 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 19-23 passes per day. Two to three encrypted SeaWiFs passes were also collected and archived each day. NOAA, DMSP, and encrypted SeaWiFS telemetry were archived for BP-032-O when the LTER grid was clear of clouds. 85 GHz SSM/I ice concentration images were sent to BP-032-O on a weekly basis. Work was done on formalizing the ancillary support that is routinely provided to BP-032-O. The TeraScan software was upgraded from version 2.6 to version 3.0 on 15 November. Pass capture was initially unsuccessful following the upgrade, but after manual configuration of several parameters to characterize Palmer's specific hardware arrangement, capture of NOAA and DMSP satellites took place. SeaWiFS telemetry was not received until 19 November, due to the coincidental shutdown of the satellite during the Leonid meteor shower. The upgrade appears to have been successful with the exception of the use of the swreplay function for delayed mode decoding of SeaWiFS telemetry; this problem is being addressed with SeaSpace Corp. support personnel. Visible light images showing conditions around Anvers Island were produced and provided via floppy disk and email attachment to the R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD. Specific passes that coincided with experiments were saved to tape for BO-279-O. 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. Absolute calibration scans were performed as scheduled. The UV monitor experienced two minor glitches this month. On 18 November, the system was found in a "hung" state in the middle of a scan. Clicking a mouse button brought it back to life, but the majority of the day's scans were missed. Three hours of scans were not performed at the beginning of the day on 26 November; the cause of this failure was not determined. Restoration of ftp services on BSI's server allowed for the resumption of daily automatic file transfers. --=====================_14380868==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable PALMER STATION SCIENCE SITREP
OCTOBER 1999

Paul J. Ricchiazzi, SSL

NEWS FROM THE LAB
Ken Doggett, Sr. Asst. Supervisor, Laboratory Operations

November has been a busy month for science at Palmer Station.  There are currently 19 grantee personnel on Station, representing seven research groups.  The Station remained ice-locked for most of the month although Torgerson Island was accessible for several days at the beginning of the month.  The ice thickness was great enough to allow travel and sampling was conducted through holes close to shore.  Open water appeared during the last week of the month and Zodiac operations commenced.

Science and support staff continued work on the combined boating platform for BP-016-O (Vernet) and BP-032-O (Smith).  The science groups initiated construction of the platform in Punta Arenas during October.  All wood construction, wiring painting, sealing and instrumentation mounting is complete and the platform is ready for water trials.  This platform will make sampling and measurements more efficient for the groups and reduce the number of Zodiacs required in the water.

Daily average temperature has climbed to 0.0 C at Palmer.  High for the month was +6.6 C and the low 9.5 C.  The snow stake began the month with 67 cm of snow accumulation which, with the increase in temperatures, melted to zero by the last week of the month.  There were 26 days of precipitation recorded during the month resulting in 83.7 mm of melted accumulation.  Average wind speed was 12 knots with a maximum gust of 57 knots on the=20 16th.

The local seabird population continues to increase with the return of the Skuas (Brown and South Polar) on the 1st of the month.  Chinstrap penguins have been spotted around Station and, along with Gentoos and Adelies, round out the brush-tail penguin populations.  Leopard seal sightings have been slim this month with the presence of so much ice. 


The following programs were involved in research at Palmer Station:


BP-013 LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT (SEABIRD COMPONENT).
William R. Fraser Montana State University, Bozeman, MT.
Personnel On Station: Peter Duley, Erik Chapmen, Michele=20 Rosenshield

Regular and dependable access to Island research study sites began in the first week of November.  Reproductive study sites for Adelies were established on Humble and Torgersen by the 17th of the month.  This year we are looking at reproductive success at 150 nests on Torgersen and 100 nests on Humble Island.  With population counts on Torgersen Humble and Litchfield, and based on data from our reproductive study sites we estimated peak egg dates. Peak egg counts for Torgersen Humble, and Litchfield were carried out on 17 November.  Cormorant and Christine counts were done on 19 November.  Access to Dream Island for peak egg counts did not happen until 27 November.  To determine health and reproductive fitness egg weights and measurements were taken at 30 nests in colonies 14 and 16 on Torgersen on 20 November.  Snow transects have been lined out and measured on all Islands.

Arrival dates and nesting chronology for Brown skuas on Litchfild, Humble, Cormorant, and Christine were followed throughout the month.  As of this writing a very small percentage of the Brown skuas are nesting this year in the Palmer area.  Several known age skuas have been observed on Torgersen and Litchfield Islands this field season.

Southern Elephant seals have been having a large impact on the nesting Adelies on Humble Island this year.  Colonies 5, 3, 3.1, and 2 all have had smashed nests as a result of wallowing Elephant seals.  There are currently 63 seals on Humble Island.  Large numbers of Elephant seals have also been observed on Litchfield Island.


BP-016-0 LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT (PHYTOPLANKTON COMPONENT)
Maria Vernet, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Principle Investigator
Personnel on Station: Jill Glass, Karie Sines

November opened with ice remaining in the Arthur Harbor vicinity, preventing the usual sampling at Palmer offshore stations. Sampling began during these non-boating days from surface water in the vicinity of the station seawater intake. Full profile water collection was completed three times each at stations B (21, 27 and 30 Nov) and E (21, 27 and 29 Nov). Seawater intake was sampled on 01, 04 and 8 Nov and weather permitted one full profile at station B on the 11th.

Core LTER measurements are being taken on all water collected. This includes two types of primary productivity experiments (both long term simulated in situ and a short term multi-irradiance incubation), water collection for pigment analysis with HPLC, filtration for particulate Carbon, Hydrogen and Nitrogen analysis, sample collection for nutrient analysis of Nitrate, Silicate and Phosphate, and several preservations for microscopy.


BP-028-O LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT (PREY COMPONENT).
Langdon B. Quetin and Robin M. Ross, Co-Principal Investigators, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Personnel on Station: Tracy Shaw, Dan Martin and Andrew Altieri

Ice conditions and high winds prevented us from being able to sample from the zodiac until November 19. During that time we were able to catch krill through leads in the ice in Hero Inlet and Arthur Harbor. These were good-sized adult krill that appeared to be feeding on ice algae. Many of the females had red thelyca and a few were carrying spermatophores. We were able to do two growth rate experiments and one set of chemical composition/condition factor experiments with these animals. When the ice was breaking up there were huge schools of krill everywhere but when the ice all blew out completely the krill apparently went with it. Now that the ice is gone we've been able to start acoustic transects from the zodiac to survey for krill, although we've seen little or no sign of krill schools since the ice left. We hope that this will change in the near future.

Andrew Altieri arrived on station on November 26 via a zodiac transfer from the R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD which was working in the area. He will be replacing Dan Martin who is leaving Palmer in early December. We were very glad that we were able to get Andrew ashore early so that can learn our Palmer sampling routine while Dan is still here.


BP-032-0 LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM:
AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT (BIO-OPTICAL COMPONENT)
Dr. Raymond C. Smith, Principal Investigator University of California, Santa Barbara
Personnel on Station: Lauri Burke and John Milner

In cooperation with S016, sea water samples have been collected twice weekly, weather permitting, from Station B, Station E, Bonaparte Point, and Gammage Point. Surface water as well as water from five different depths has been collected from Station B and Station E. Sea water samples were filtered for chlorophyll-a in a darkened laboratory. The filters were dissolved in acetone and are stored in scintillating vials in the freezer. We currently have over 130 sample vials.

Several technical difficulties have been encountered and solved this month. With the delivery of spare parts, the fluorometer on the CTD array has been repaired. PRR power issues have been resolved. The zodiac platform winch handle has been repaired. The new zodiac platform has been completed and is ready for service.


GO-052-P GPS CONTINUOUS OPERATION REFERENCE STATION.
J. Mullins, U.S. Geological Survey

The station science technician has monitored the system. During the month, GPS transmissions were collected continuously, converted daily to a RInEx format, compressed, and transmitted to the US Geological Survey in Reston, VA.

Following an email exchange with personnel at Ashtech, several upgraded software packages were downloaded and installed, including upgrades for Reliance hand-held and processor operations. An upgraded release of the base station software GBSS was also retrieved, installed on a PC, and run in parallel with the current base station package GPS-Base. This test uncovered a Doppler sign error in GPS-Base's data and several minor header inconsistencies in GBSS's data files. After much investigation, the settings needed to get Garmin hand-held GPS units to log positions automatically with a fixed time interval were discovered. Tests were run with a unit in a fixed location, with and without the incorporation of differential correctors, in an attempt to characterize its=20 accuracy.

A profile of the walking path up the glacier was made as a training aide in the use of the rover Z-12 receiver.


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 were normal.


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.

At the request of the grantees, the distribution of signals from the N/S and E/W loops to the various tape recording channels within the VLF hut was confirmed. A followup check, however, discovered that the physical loops were improperly feeding the preamp at the antenna, with the end result being that N/S was masquerading as E/W, and vice-versa, everywhere in the hut. After consultation with the grantees, the loops were switched back to their appropriate inputs on 25/26 November 1999. In anticipation of an increase in signal level, two HAARP IF gains were lowered prior to the switching of the loops.

The 10kHz time mark was removed from the left PCM Betamax channel, also on 25/26 November 1999.

The GOES clock continued to experience difficulty in locking onto a satellite signal and in keeping proper time once locked. Several oscillator adjustments were made according to operating manual instructions, but the clock's behavior does not seem to have been improved. Several days of HAARP narrowband data were lost, and many others were probably compromised, due to clock malfunctions.


BO-200-0 ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION INDUCED DNA DAMAGE IN BACTERIOPLANKTON IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN. II. PHOTOCHEMICAL AND TROPHIC INTERACTIONS AND SEASONAL PATTERNS OF UV RESPONSE.
Wade H. Jeffrey, Principal Investigator, University of West Florida.
Personnel on Station:, Jennifer Fritz , Jason P. Kase, Jarah Meador, David Mitchell, J. Dean Pakulski, Jill Peloquin

Work continued much as it did the previous month. Water samples were collected primarily from stations A, B, and E which were sampled 1, 4 and 4 times, respectively, and the sensitivity of bacterioplankton communities measured with the solar simulator and filtered for community structure analysis using the 16S rRNA genes. In addition, water collected from LTER station B and E were diluted tenfold in filtered seawater and incubated under full solar irradiance, with UVB blocked, with both UVA and UVB blocked, and in the dark. At three-day intervals, subsamples were collected for measuring community sensitivity to UV using the solar simulator and for community structure changes. On one occasion, sea ice was collected, melted out slowly in the lab, and exposed to UV using the solar simulator. Surface water collected at the same time was exposed in parallel to allow a comparison between the two communities. Samples were also taken to compare differences in microbial community structure.=20

Daily experiments to measure patterns of bacterial production and DNA damage in relation to ozone were performed continuously until the 13th of this month, resulting in 51 consecutive days of sampling during ozone season. This experiment is now done on a weekly basis. Experiments designed to measure diel patterns of bacterial production and DNA damage in relation to naturally changing light intensities and exposures have been performed weekly as planned. Weekly experiments designed to look at the expression of Rec A have been performed. Cultivation of bacterioplankton from samples has continued.

We deployed a plasmid dosimeter in Hero Inlet and on the deck to measure DNA damage after a solar =93dose response=94 and at increasing depth in the water column. This dosimeter consists of two supercoiled plasmids mixed together in equimolar amounts. Supercoiled plasmid (Form I) runs as a single band using agarose gel electrophoresis; a single nick in the plasmid converts it to an open circle (Form II) that runs slower on the gel. The two plasmids we have chosen are pUC19 which consists of 5400 base pairs and pACT which consists of about 7500 base pairs. Forms I and II of mixed pUC19 and pACT run as four distinct bands on an agarose gel. Subsequent to exposure the dosimeters are frozen for shipment to the lab in Texas where they will be analyzed. By treating the plasmid mixture with endonucleases that specifically recognize and cleave certain types of DNA damage we can quantify the induction of several types of damage simultaneously. We will be using T4 phage endonuclease V to cut cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, Saccharomyces cerevisiae UV DNA damage endonuclease (UVDE) + E. coli photolyase to cut (6-4) photoproducts, E. coli endonuclease III to cut cytosine photohydrates, E. coli endonucelase IV to cut at apyrmidinic/apurinic sites, and yeast 8-oxodeoxyguanosine glycosylase (yOGG) to cut at this lesion. In addition, we will be able to see frank breaks in DNA caused by higher doses of solar UV. Cyclobutane dimers and (6-4) photoproducts will be independently determined using radioimmunoassay. From these analyses UVA and UVB dependent types of damage will be quantified and ratios calculated to compare with the solar UV spectrum and ozone concentrations.

We began generating UV survival curves for the bacterial isolates collected earlier in the season. We have placed a shaking water bath (without water) in the environmental refrigerator which can hold 20-30 25 mL flasks. Bacteria are grown in suspension with vigorous mixing in seawater media at 1.1EC and the absorbance at 550 nm is monitored using a spectrophotometer. Growth rates have been determined for three distinct isolates to date, including PS99X3, PS99A1, and PS99X7. For survival analyses 5 mL of bacteria is exposed to increasing fluence of UV light filtered through Kodacel (wavelength cutoff =3D 290 nm) in the mini-photoinhibitron. The cultures are then incubated in the environmental chamber under a 24 h light cycle in clear flasks or brown bottles. Growth curves are generated for each fluence, slopes are calculated, and normalized to the control. Our results so far indicate that PS00A1 is UVB-sensitive exhibiting no shoulder on the survival curve (i.e., no repair) and no difference in recovery in the dark and light (i.e., no light-dependent repair). In contrast, PS99X3 shows significant recovery in the light and much reduced survival when incubated in the dark. Jarah Meador will continue this work through December.

In addition to our marine studies we began investigating the possibility of using glacial bacteria as indicators of historical UV exposure. The hypothesis is that glacial bacteria killed at or near the surface of the glacier retain the lethal DNA damage and become part of the glacial striata. If DNA damage can be quantified in bacteria extracted from different layers of the glacier patterns of high and low damage levels may reflect historical instances of ozone depletion. Because of the small amount of biomaterial DNA damage will be quantified in situ using monoclonal antibodies against cyclobutane dimers and immunofluorescence micrography. In our initial experiment we collected distinctly different glacial ice samples from Arthur Harbor (i.e., white ice, two different blue ice samples, and clear ice). Samples were slowly thawed, isolated on 2 uM filters, and the DNA stained with DAPI. Inspection under the fluorescence microscope showed bacteria in all ice samples. Because of possible seawater contamination, ice samples were takes from the face of a nearby glacier for analysis. Although considerably fewer bacteria were evident they were present. Jarah Meador will be sampling glacial ice from a crevasse later in the season for DNA damage analysis back in Texas.

The part of our group working in the Rad Van on the pier continued to conduct experiments on spectral and temporal effects of UV on phytoplankton and bacteria. At the beginning of the month when the ice was restricting zodiac operations, we obtained water samples from Arthur Harbor through breaks in the ice, or samples of ice algae were collected for analysis. These methods of sampling were also used later in the month when winds were too strong to permit boating. Once zodiac operations were possible, sampling occurred primarily at LTER stations B and E. Experiments of spectral UV effects continued in the =93photoinhibitron=94, a spectral incubator. Bacterial production was examined five times and the inhibition of photosynthesis by phytoplankton was tested eight times using this instrument.

A variety of incubations were conducted to look at the temporal effects of UV and the potential for recovery from UV damage this month. We completed five short-term (2 hours) and seven longer 10-hour incubations in which we measured radiocarbon incorporation by phytoplankton. Two additional time series experiments were done using the photoinhibitron on bacterial incorporation. Our last radio-isotope experiments in the Rad Van will be conducted on December 1st, after which, all the equipment will be packed up to ship back to the Smithsonian Institution.

With regard to UV measurements, the Smithsonian Institution SR-18 UV-B spectroradiometer continued to measure the UV irradiance from 290-324 nm on the T-5 building during November. In addition, on two occasions the Biospherical Instruments (BSI) PUV-500 radiometer was deployed at LTER stations B and E, to measure the penetration of UV in the water column along with the Station's CTD.

In addition, S200 had the opportunity to present two science lectures which included the work by Jennifer Fritz, Jill Peloquin, and David Mitchell. Without the continued support of Palmer Station ASA personnel, this work would not have been possible and we would like to thank them again. In particular we would like to thank Ken Doggett for helping set up bacterial cultures analyses and Ross Hein for his assistance with deploying the plasmid dosimeter and glacial ice sampling.


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 inter annual 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.=20
R.A. Rasmussen, Oregon Graduate Institute for Science and=20 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. 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 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.


BO-279-O SURFACE UV IRRADIANCE AND PAR VARIABILITY OVER ANTARCTICA
Paul J. Ricchiazzi and Catherine Gautier, University of California at Santa Barbara

Personnel on Station: Allison Payton, and Paul Ricchiazzi

Data collection from our GUV and GIR radiometer has continued throughout the month. A few days after our arrival, the vertical placement of these instruments was slightly increased to bring them flush with the level of the other radiometers on the roof of T5.

A Multi Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR) was installed on T5, near the SUV-100 spectroradiometer, and our GUV and GIR radiometers. This involved construction of a small platform on an exterior staircase, and modification of an instrument cable to allow data retrieval from the interior of T5. Direct and diffuse irradiance data has been recorded since 2nov99, when sunny conditions permitted proper alignment of the shadowband.

The sharp transition between the high reflectivity over Anvers Island, and low reflectivity over the ocean should produce a dramatic transition in sky brightness when viewing within a vertical plane perpendicular to the coast. We have obtained several radiance scans along such a viewing plane using an Analytic Spectral Devices spectroradiometer, which provides spectral coverage between 350 and 2500 nm at 1 nm resolution. To relate this information to the conditions at other viewing angles, the radiance measurements were accompanied by concurrent all-sky photographs shot with a Nikon 950 digital camera.

A 10 foot helium balloon has been used to obtain aerial photographs of the ocean region in the vicinity of Palmer Station. The aerial photographs have been obtained on three separate days, and span an interesting range of sea ice condition. These photos will help us specify the surface reflectance distribution, which is required by our 3-D radiation model. During the earliest balloon flight on 4nov99 snow covered ice completely surrounded the station out to more than 8 km. The balloon pictures obtained on 9nov99 show clearing around the station, but some remaining ice is evident several kilometers to the South-West. Our final aerial photos on 27nov99 indicate essentially ice free conditions. This sparse set of sea observations were augmented by a set of daily panoramic photographs of the ocean area obtained with the Nikon 950 digital camera.

In preparation for our boat transect experiment, two identical GUV radiometer systems were installed on Outcast island, and on one of the smaller Zodiacs. The sea and ice conditions have only recently allowed boat operations, and we were only able to acquire concurrent irradiance data from the T5, the Zodiac and Outcast radiometers for a single pass between Outcast and the station.


OO-283-P ANTARCTIC AUTOMATED WEATHER STATIONS.
Charles Stearns, University of Wisconsin

The station science technician has monitored the local sites. Automated Weather Station (AWS) transmissions were monitored from Bonaparte Point and RACER Rock using the TeraScan system.


TO-312-O TERASCAN SATELLITE IMAGING SYSTEM.
R. Whritner, Scripps Institution 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 19-23 passes per day. Two to three encrypted SeaWiFs passes were also collected and archived each day. NOAA, DMSP, and encrypted SeaWiFS telemetry were archived for BP-032-O when the LTER grid was clear of clouds. 85 GHz SSM/I ice concentration images were sent to BP-032-O on a weekly basis. Work was done on formalizing the ancillary support that is routinely provided to BP-032-O.

The TeraScan software was upgraded from version 2.6 to version 3.0 on 15 November. Pass capture was initially unsuccessful following the upgrade, but after manual configuration of several parameters to characterize Palmer's specific hardware arrangement, capture of NOAA and DMSP satellites took place. SeaWiFS telemetry was not received until 19 November, due to the coincidental shutdown of the satellite during the Leonid meteor shower. The upgrade appears to have been successful with the exception of the use of the swreplay function for delayed mode decoding of SeaWiFS telemetry; this problem is being addressed with SeaSpace Corp. support personnel.

Visible light images showing conditions around Anvers Island were produced and provided via floppy disk and email attachment to the R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD.

Specific passes that coincided with experiments were saved to tape for BO-279-O.


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. Absolute calibration scans were performed as scheduled.

The UV monitor experienced two minor glitches this month. On 18 November, the system was found in a "hung" state in the middle of a scan. Clicking a mouse button brought it back to life, but the majority of the day's scans were missed. Three hours of scans were not performed at the beginning of the day on 26 November; the cause of this failure was not determined.

Restoration of ftp services on BSI's server allowed for the resumption of daily automatic file transfers.
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