PALMER STATION SCIENCE SITREP SEPTEMBER 2000 NEWS FROM THE LAB Brett C. Pickering, Winter Assistant Supervisor, Laboratory Operations. September was a busy month in the labs as the beginning of the science season approached. GWR remodel was completed to the stage where the exercise equipment was able to be relocated from the Aquarium and Bio Machine Shop to the new exercise room. The aquaria were returned to their normal configuration and one tank was filled inside. Supplies from station as well as items that were brought in on LMG00-08 were staged in the clean laboratories for incoming science groups. September brought the coldest temperatures to date. Sea ice was present in the vicinity for 22 days. The ice in Hero Inlet above the trolley was approved for travel across to Bonaparte Point. The average temperature was -6.8C with extremes of 2.9 and -19.6 C. Average wind speed was 11 knots with a maximum gust of 62 knots. Precipitation fell 24 days with a melted accumulation of 28 mm. 18 cm of snow was measured with a maximum snow stake depth of 58cm. There were two partly cloudy days and two clear days. Wildlife numbers continued to dwindle as the winter conditions deepened. The only animals noted in the area were: Leopard Seals, Weddell Seals (there were two females that pupped in Hero Inlet), Sheath Bills, Giant Petrels, Imperial Shags (which for were absent during the "iced-in" periods), Kelp Gulls, Snow Petrels, and Adelie Penguins. BP-032-0 LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIORNMENT (BIO-OPTICAL COMPONENT) R. Brown, University of California, Santa Barbara The lab manager has taken water samples from Palmer Station's seawater intake on a weekly basis. The samples have been filtered for chlorophyll-a analysis in a darkened laboratory and stored in a freezer for subsequent processing. 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. The rover Z-12 and Husky unit returned from servicing at Ashtech. The rover was successfully tested; the Husky will be tested in the near future. GO-090-P GLOBAL SEISMOGRAPH STATION AT PALMER STATION. R. Butler, Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) The station science technician has monitored the system. Global seismic events were recorded throughout the month. At the request of the grantees, the contents of a configuration file were examined and relayed. After a couple of days of fuzzy, progressing to crumpled, printing, the LaserJet IIIp that produces the helicorder emulations failed completely. The local expert diagnosis was a completely worn gear on the mechanism feeding the fuser, and ASL was notified of the failure. A LaserJet 4+ was installed from station spares and printing was resumed. AO-106-P STUDIES OF LIGHTNING-INDUCED ELECTRON PRECIPITATION OF THE IONOSPHERE. 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. Throughout the month, there were many periods of enhanced activity on the narrowband systems. Virtually every day showed interesting events, and on those days special plots were prepared and sent to the grantees. For the first few days of the month, extra recordings were made in support of the IMAGE satellite VLF broadcasting campaign. Digital recordings were made of the most favorable parts of the most favorable passes, and Betamax recordings were made for all passes. 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 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. 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, Hugo Island, and RACER Rock using the TeraScan system. The Bonaparte Point unit continued to send an invalid wind speed, presumably due to a CPU failure. The Hugo Island unit continued not to broadcast. 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, NOAA, and encrypted SeaWiFS satellite pass telemetry, maintaining a schedule of 20-25 passes per 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 produced and sent to BP-032-O on a weekly basis. Numerous images, both infrared and microwave-derived "ice concentration", were produced and sent to the R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD throughout the month to assist in cruise planning. Cold temperatures in the middle of the month caused the GPS used for time-keeping to fail, as it had in the cold last winter. A second antenna/receiver, acquired from the manufacturer in exchange for another cold-sensitive unit, functioned properly when installed. 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, including the quarterly triple absolute calibration. The project's spare DMM, power supply, and HRAD were successfully tested.