PALMER STATION SCIENCE MONTHLY REPORT November 2004 NEWS FROM THE LAB Langdon Quetin, Station Science Leader The Laurence M. Gould visited the station November 11-12 (LMG04-13A), bringing additional scientists to the station. We now number 16 distributed among 7 science projects. Research Associate Johan Booth continues to oversee data collection for 10 research projects, operate and maintain on-site equipment for the Palmer tide gage, and serve as chief weather observer for the station. Reports specific to each project, including personnel movements, are below. Palmer Station continued to be iced in (similar to October) but sea ice conditions have deteriorated to the point where foot travel on sea ice is no longer possible. We are experiencing one of the latest durations of extensive pack ice along the WAP since the 1980s (Sharon Stammerjohn, Pal LTER, personal communication). Due to the ice conditions, boating continues to be periodic and challenging. Work away from station this month has happened on a limited basis during periods (usually measured in hours) of calm between strong northerly winds pushing the ice southward, creating limited open water, and southerly winds pushing ice northward again. The issue of limited sampling opportunities due to the late retreat of pack ice is a repeated theme in the project reports that follow. Briefly, air temperatures for the month averaged 0.0B0C, ranging from -5.8 degrees C to 7.1 degrees C, early in the month. Wind averaged 10 kts and peaked at 59 kts November 18. We have had 49 mm of melted precipitation and 31 cm of snowfall. Maximum snow stake depth was 84 cm November 8, and snow for the month was 267 cm. For this year to date we have had 532.4 mm of melted precipitation which is the second lowest amount of melted precipitation through November between 1990 and 2004. More weather details can be found in the Meteorology report below. Thanks again to all of the station personnel for excellent support. B-003-P: RESPONSE OF TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS ALONG THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA TO A CHANGING CLIMATE Thomas A. Day, Principal Investigator, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. Personnel on station: Thomas A. Day, Christopher T. Ruhland, David M. Bryant, Sarah Strauss, Michell Thomey Worked continued preparing our climate manipulation plots in the backyard behind Palmer Station. In these plots we will modify temperature, ultraviolet radiation (UV) and precipitation regimes to mimic future climate change along the Peninsula, and examine how these changes affect terrestrial plants and associated soils (tundra 'cores' or 'microcosms') that we place in the plots. After removing snow from plots, infrared heaters we placed over some plots to allow us to warm cores in these plots. Frames that hold UV-screening filters that will reduce UV levels over some cores were also placed on plots. A precipitation collector was placed near the site. The precipitation we collect will be applied to some cores, providing a supplemental precipitation treatment that simulates another possible climate change scenario. Climate manipulation plot preparation was completed on November 15. Since then we have been collecting micrometeorological data on the plots. This includes air and soil temperatures, relative humidity and vapor pressures, and wind speed and direction. These data are being analyzed to provide baseline or pre-treatment microclimatic conditions at plots, and are also being compared to the Palmer Station weather station data to assess the correlation between the two sets of measurements. The 240 tundra cores that go into the plots over wintered in an area adjacent to the plots, and did not melt out from snow and ice until November 24. The following day we attached leachate collection funnels to the bottom of each core, and placed the cores in the treatment plots. We also collected and sorted leaf litter of the two higher plant species we are studying, Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis, and are currently placing this litter into small mesh bags that will be placed in the cores to monitor litter decomposition rates. We also started baseline measurements of CO2 flux from the cores. These are measured in the light and dark to give us estimates of net ecosystem CO2 exchange and ecosystem respiration, respectively. Once we have completed enough baseline measurements, we will begin treatments (heating and adding supplemental precipitation) in plots. Day and Ruhland joined the field team at Palmer Station on November 11, arriving on LMG04-13A. During the transit, and continuing at Palmer Station, they have been measuring ultra violet radiation (UV) and visible light levels each day and sending these data back to their home institutions where undergraduate students in an environmental science classes use this data in their final class projects. We thank personnel at Palmer Station for their support assistance during the month. Special thanks to Brad Kuehn, Jeff Gustafson, Tonya Edwards, Kelsi Giswold and Dan Weisblatt for assistance in preparing the climate manipulation plots in the backyard, Steve Barten for logistical support, and Chris Vitry and Shayne Clausson for assistance in solving computer issues. B-013-L/P: PALMER, ANTARCTICA LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECT: LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: CLIMATE MIGRATION, ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE AND TELECONNECTIONS IN AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT: SEABIRD COMPONENT B-198-P: MONITORING THE EFFECTS OF TOURISM AND ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABILITY ON ADELIE PENGUINS AT PALMER STATION, ANTARCTICA William R. Fraser, Principal Investigator, Polar Oceans Research Group, Sheridan, MT. (Combined report for B-013-L/P and B-198-P) Personnel on station: Dan Evans, Peter Horne and Brett Pickering Ice and wind conditions have continued to be a hindrance to our field work this season. We were only able to visit area islands on eight occasions during the month. Twenty field days were lost due to ice conditions and two to high winds. We have tried to make the most of our time in the field by reaching as many field sites as possible when conditions allowed. On the 11th the L.M.G. brought Peter Horne to our field team. Despite our limited number of field days we were able to reach the Adelie colonies several times during the end of the month permitting us to capture peak egg counts. We set up reproduction sites on Torgersen and Humble Islands and monitored them as conditions allowed. Adelie egg weight and measurement data were collected from a subset of colonies. In addition to the penguin work we also conducted measurements of snow depths across the five local islands colonized by Adelies. Brown skua studies commenced with the arrival of these birds in November. Banded skuas were noted and depredated Adelie eggs were counted. Blue-eyed shags colonies were monitored through the month. Censuses of marine mammals were also conducted as conditions allowed. Numbers of crab eater, elephant, Weddell, and leopard seals were monitored. Pods of orcas were spotted three times during the month. The first minke whales in the area were spotted at the end of the month. Time on station was spent compiling long-term data sets, proofing data, maintaining current data, and testing satellite transmitters. Thanks to Marge Bolton and Mark Lehman for all of their wonderful creations made in the Palmer kitchen. B-016-L/P: PALMER, ANTARCTICA LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECT: LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: CLIMATE MIGRATION, ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE AND TELECONNECTIONS IN AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT: PHYTOPLANKTON ECOLOGY COMPONENT Dr. Maria Vernet, Principle Investigator, Scripps Institution of Oceanography Personnel on station: Karie Sines, Eli Loomis Large amounts of ice in the Palmer Station vicinity prevented regular sampling of inshore stations E & B during the month of November. Stations E & B were sampled together a total of two times, 24 November and 30 November. Station E was sampled 18 November and station B on 8, 13, and 21 November. Additionally, two microzooplankton grazing experiments and seven bi-weekly samplings of the seawater intake area were completed this month. Calibrations of the HPLC and the Turner 10-AU Fluorometers were also completed during the month of November. Preliminary results of standard primary production estimates show continued low averages similar to those seen in November of 2003, but without evidence of an early season bloom. We would like to thank the Palmer Lab Staff for their continued assistance in the laboratory and the field. B-028-L/P: PALMER, ANTARCTICA LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECT: LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: CLIMATE MIGRATION, ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE AND TELECONNECTIONS IN AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT: PREY COMPONENT. Drs. Robin Ross and Langdon Quetin, Principal Investigators, Marine Science Institute, University of California at Santa Barbara Personnel on station: Langdon Quetin, Joshua Sprague Ice conditions allowed us to sample krill larvae from the underside of pack ice throughout the month. Larval abundance appears relatively low this season and association of the larvae with the pack ice, based on diver observations, has decreased during the month. We have completed one adult krill and 4 larval krill growth experiments. Samples from the experiments have been analyzed and entered into spreadsheets. Krill growth rates increased during the month but remain below summer levels. Krill have also been measured and weighed, and frozen or dried for later chemical and carbon analysis. We continue to find furcilia 6 stages (the last larval stage) in the krill population. All krill growth and fecundity samples from LTER cruise 04Jan have been analyzed and entered into spreadsheets. In addition to krill collection dives, we dove on the Bahia Paraiso with excellent visibility. Based on penetrations to the hull and the amount of steel debris below the deck area, it is obvious that more damage to the ship occurs during each winter. Our overall impression is that the stern of the wreck has slipped down slope off a rock ledge by 5-7 m and may have rolled a few degrees more onto the superstructure. We look forward to increased boating operations next month and thank all station personnel for their continued and excellent support. B-032-L/P: PALMER, ANTARCTICA LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECT: LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: CLIMATE MIGRATION, ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE AND TELECONNECTIONS IN AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT: BIO-OPTICS, REMOTE SENSING, SEA ICE COMPONENT Dr. Raymond C. Smith, Principle Investigator, ICESS, University of California at Santa Barbara Personnel on station: Austen Thomas, Katherine Schwager The bio-optical component of the LTER collected data from stations E & B twice during the month of November. Stations E & B were sampled separately, as a result of ice or weather, a total of four more times (Station E on 18 Nov and Station B on 8, 13, 21 Nov). Preliminary results from the CTD show a slight increase in fluorescence in the water column which correlates with an increase of measured Chlorophyll a. We would like to thank the Palmer Lab Staff for their continued assistance in the laboratory and the field. B-045-L/P: PALMER, ANTARCTICA LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROJECT: LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON THE ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM: CLIMATE MIGRATION, ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE AND TELECONNECTIONS IN AN ICE-DOMINATED ENVIRONMENT: MICROBIAL/BIOGEOCHEMISTRY COMPONENT Dr. Hugh Ducklow, Principal investigator, School of Marine Science, The College of William and Mary Personnel on station: Michele Cochran and Nicole Middaugh The month of November was unusual with the amount of sea ice and strong winds that prevented sampling at stations B and E until mid-month. However, by using the aluminum landing craft, we were able to sample off Gamage Point and two sites at the mouth of Arthur Harbor. On Nov. 8th we obtained our first samples from station B! We performed time trials using these samples to determine the optimal incubation time for tritiated thymidine (6 hours) and leucine (3 hours) in the bacterial production procedure. Our Principal Investigator, Hugh Ducklow, left on the LMG on Nov. 13th and took the ice and wind with him, albeit temporarily, as we were able to collect our first full set of samples from both stations B and E on the 17th and 18th! We have been to both stations three times this month. Based on the latest CTD information from B-016, we changed our original sampling depths of 0, 10, 20, and 50 meters to 0, 15, 30, and 50 meters. As expected, bacterial activity is greatest at the surface and 15 m depths and diminishes by a factor of at least 3 at 50 m. Activity is slightly greater at Station B compared to E. Surface water temperature measured at approximately 30 cm has been between -0.4 and -1.2 C. In spite of the persistent sea ice cover, bacterial production rates are broadly comparable to the same time period in 2002 and 2003, when the ice broke up earlier than this year. Large-volume filtrations from the pump house for lipid biomarkers have been performed on a weekly basis, without interference from weather or sea ice. Special thanks to Jeff Gustafson for designing and building a 4-place carrier for the Go-Flo bottles and to the boat guys, Vinny Gordon and Toby Koffman for adjusting our outboard motor, making it much easier to start! G-052-P GPS CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING REFERENCE STATION. Jerry Mullins, Principal Investigator, U.S. Geological Survey The Research Associate operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. Throughout the month, 15-second epoch GPS data files were collected continually at station PALM, compressed, and transmitted to the USGS in Reston, VA. On 03 November. the data acquisition computer was rebooted to apply OS updates. With data collection already interrupted, some experimentation with different sampling rates and file collection configuration changes ensued, in an unsuccessful attempt to duplicate the data corruption experienced the previous week (and described in last months report). Prior to resumption of data acquisition, the collection of serial "trap" files was disabled. Acquisition was restarted with the receiver set at a 0.5-second interval and the computer logging both 15- and 0.5- second data files in anticipated support of NASA / Chilean Navy aerial surveying missions. Those surveying operations commenced on 18 November and ran through 29 November. Data files for flight days were provided to the researchers; other high-speed data files were simply deleted from the acquisition computer. The rover Z-12 dGPS unit and the stationbs transit were used on 28 November to survey the location of points on the Arthur Harbor glacier face. G-090-P GLOBAL SEISMOGRAPH NETWORK (GSN) SITE AT PALMER STATION. Rhett Butler, Principal Investigator, Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) The Research Associate operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. Station PMSA is one of more than 130 sites in the GSN monitoring seismic waves produced by events worldwide. Data files are recorded to tape and also sent real-time to the U.S. Geological Survey. After several months without any packet-flooding hang-ups, the generation of laser-printed helicorder emulations was re-enabled. A seasonal vault visit was performed to re-center the vertical mass, reassert the bell jar vacuum, and check battery voltages. O-202-P ANTARCTIC METEOROLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTER (AMRC) SATELLITE DATA INGESTOR. Charles Stearns, Principal Investigator, University of Wisconsin The Research Associate operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. The AMRC SDI computer processes satellite telemetry received by the Palmer Station TeraScan system, extracting Automated Weather Station information and low-resolution infrared imagery and sending the results to AMRC headquarters in Madison, WI. O-204-O A STUDY OF ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN VARIABILITY IN RELATION TO ANNUAL TO DECADAL VARIATIONS IN TERRESTRIAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS. Ralph Keeling, Principal Investigator, Scripps Institution of Oceanography The station physician collects air samples on a semiweekly basis. The goal of this project is to resolve seasonal and inter-annual variations in atmospheric O2 (detected through changes in O2/N2 ratio), which can aid in determining rates of marine biological productivity and ocean mixing. The results are also used to help determine the terrestrial and oceanic distribution of the global anthropogenic CO2 sink. The program involves air sampling at a network of sites in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Palmer Station is especially well situated for resolving signals of carbon cycling in the Southern Ocean. Samples taken from the station are sent to Scripps where the analysis of O2 and CO2 content takes place. O-264-O COLLECTION OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR FOR THE NOAA\CMDL WORLDWIDE FLASK SAMPLING NETWORK. David Hofmann, Principal Investigator, Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory continues its long-term measurements of carbon dioxide and other climate relevant atmospheric gases. The Palmer Station air samples are returned to the NOAA laboratory for analysis as part of NOAA's effort to determine and assess the long-term buildup of global pollutants in the atmosphere. Data from this experiment will be used in modeling studies to determine how the rate of change of these parameters affects climate. The station physician collects air samples on a semiweekly basis. O-275-O DOE-EML REMOTE ATMOSPHERIC MEASUREMENTS PROGRAM (RAMP). Colin Sanderson, Principal Investigator, Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Measurements Laboratory 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. One sample filter was exposed for the duration of each week, and a weekly schedule of calibration, background, and sample counts was maintained. The Research Associate operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. On 03 November, the RAMP system stopped counting and displayed an error message indicating a failure in the serial/parallel converter. The system was eventually brought back to normal operation with the original converter after a rather unsatisfying roulette of swapping spares, power-cycling, and computer rebooting and power-cycling. A repeat of this error on 28 November proved much more tractable, as a single power-cycling of the converter solved the problem. O-283-P ANTARCTIC AUTOMATIC WEATHER STATIONS (AWS). Charles Stearns, Principal Investigator, University of Wisconsin The Research Associate monitors data transmissions for the project. AWS transmissions from Bonaparte Point, Hugo Island, and Racer Rock were monitored using the TeraScan system, with only Bonaparte Point currently operational. AWS data received was also forwarded to UCSB for B-032-P (Smith). A-306-P GLOBAL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE RADIATION BELTS AND THE LOWER IONOSPHERE. Umran Inan, Principal Investigator, Stanford University The Research Associate operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. The Stanford equipment receives and records Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio waves in order to study natural ionospheric and magnetospheric phenomena, as well as to study the distribution of the lightning strikes that are a principle source of natural VLF signals. Broadband synoptic data was recorded on a schedule of three out of every 15 minutes each day, and broadband continuous data was recorded for at least six hours per day. Narrowband continuous data was collected for 12 hours each day. The backlog of accumulated narrowband data and broadband continuous JPEG files was burned to DVD. A successful Windows XP "Remote Desktop" testing session was coordinated with a grantee at Stanford. At the request of a grantee, a data processing script was run, and the resulting extracted data was forwarded to the grantee. The script required modification twice, as needed to process differently named and located files, in order to cover all the data desired. Assistance was provided to the grantees in identifying materials needed for the planned antenna move in March. Digital photos were provided, Jiffy drill operation was tested, and parts specifications were researched. Enhanced whistler activity was observed occasionally, though generally infrequently, throughout the month, and extra DVDs were burned with broadband continuous data from these periods. T-312-O TERASCAN SATELLITE IMAGING SYSTEM. Dan Lubin, Principal Investigator, Scripps Institution of Oceanography The Research Associate operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. Throughout the month, the TeraScan system collected, archived, and processed DMSP, NOAA, and ORBVIEW-2 satellite telemetry, c apturing approximately 25-30 passes per day. A weekly 85GHz SSM/I ice concentration image was produced and transferred to UCSB for B-032-P (Smith). Image generation in support of present and future activities aboard the R/V LAURENCE M. GOULD was frequent this month, with DMSP visible images being provided in support of general operations, Petermann Island field camp installation and later access, planning and execution of research on LMG04-14, and planning of research in two separate areas on LMG05-02. In addition to the normal image support of the vessel, a last-minute request for weather image support by the NASA / Chilean Navy aerial survey group was received. After discussions led to the definition of an area of interest, a procedure was implemented to automate the production and delivery of visible and infrared images of this area from each satellite pass captured. Early in the month it was discovered that although all calibrated channels of SeaWiFS data appeared to be normal, no "ocean colors" data was being produced by TeraScan, and error flags indicating a "bad atmospheric correction" were being set in all clear areas of the images. After confirming that this was happening last summer as well, discussions were initiated with SeaSpace to identify the cause. NOAA-16 and NOAA-17 visible channel calibration files were updated; NOAA calibration files had not been updated since late 2002, when SeaSpace changed the procedure by which such updates happen, rendering the automated protocol implemented at Palmer useless. The updated numbers do not substantially affect the visual impact of the images produced. The tape-drive configuration file on the TeraScan workstation was edited to include lines specific to the Sony drives in use on the system; this renders the drives more efficient in several areas of operation. Positioning to files near the end of the tape is particularly improved, as a command that previously might take as long as 40 minutes to complete is now accomplished in just two minutes. T-513-O ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRORADIOMETER NETWORK Charles Booth, Principal Investigator, Biospherical Instruments, Inc The Research Associate operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. A BSI SUV-100 UV spectroradiometer produces full sky irradiance spectra ranging from the atmospheric UV cutoff near 290nm up to 605nm, four times per hour, while the sun is above the horizon. A BSI GUV-511 filter radiometer, which has four channels in the UV and one channel in the visible for measuring Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR), is located next to the SUV-100. Data from the GUV-511 instrument is made available on a daily basis on the projects website at http://www.biospherical.com/nsf. Scheduled absolute calibrations were performed on 04 and 20 November. On 08 November, a serial port error prevented the GUV from opening its daily data file; manually stopping and restarting its data collection allowed the file to be opened. TIDE GAGE Tony Amos, Point of Contact, The University of Texas Marine Science Institute The Research Associate operates and maintains on-site equipment for the project. Tide height, seawater temperature, and salinity are monitored on a continual basis by a gage mounted at the Palmer Station pier. An intensive review was performed on the past several years of tide gage data, with the identification of numerous periods when apparent malfunctions of the acquisition computer caused extended periods of data, sometimes as long as a full week, to be time stamped improperly. These malfunctions are particularly insidious as theres no obvious indication in the high-level data that anything is wrong; for that one must look at the files of raw data. After further investigation it was discovered that the problem occurs when the tide gage acquisition program is not the "foreground" application in Windows, and the SOP for the project will be updated to include the importance of this fact. After the periods of improperly time-stamped data were removed from the data series, a preliminary harmonic analysis was performed. The results were promising, but more work will be needed to make them useful. The tide gage was set to log data to its local hard drive during two LAN file server outages, one unexpected and one longer than expected. METEOROLOGY The Research Associate acts as chief weather observer, and compiles and distributes meteorological data. At the end of the month a summary report is prepared and sent to interested parties. Weather data collected using the automated electronic system is archived locally and forwarded semimonthly to the University of Wisconsin for archiving and further distribution. Synoptic reports are automatically generated every six hours by the Palmer Meteorological Observing System (PalMOS) and emailed to the NOAA for entry into the Global Telecommunications System (GTS). Current weather observations for all Antarctic stations, including Palmer, are available on the web at: http://www.wunderground.com/global/AA.html. After consultation with on-site PAUC members, the single daily manual cloud coverage observation was deemed to be valueless, and it was discontinued on 10 November.