U.S. Geological Survey scientific activities in the exploration of Antarctica: 2002-03 field season

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meunier, Tony K.; Williams, Richard S.; Ferrigno, Jane G.

2007-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) mapping program in Antarctica is one of the longest continuously funded projects in the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). This is the 53rd U.S. expedition to Antarctica in which USGS scientists have participated. The financial support from the National Science Foundation, which extends back to the time of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) in 1956–57, can be attributed to the need for accurate maps of specific field areas or regions where NSF-funded science projects were planned. The epoch of Antarctic exploration during the IGY was being driven by science, and, in a spirit of peaceful cooperation, the international scientific community wanted to limit military activities on the continent to logistical support. The USGS, a Federal civilian science agency in the Department of the Interior, had, since its founding in 1879, carried out numerous field-based national (and some international) programs in biology, geology, hydrology, and mapping. Therefore, the USGS was the obvious choice for these tasks, because it already had a professional staff of experienced mapmakers and program managers with the foresight, dedication, and understanding of the need for accurate maps to support the science programs in Antarctica when asked to do so by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Public Laws 85-743 and 87-626, signed in August 1958 and in September 1962, respectively, authorized the Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior, through the USGS, to support mapping and scientific work in Antarctica. The USGS mapping and science programs still play a significant role in the advancement of science in Antarctica today. Antarctica is the planet's 5th largest continent [13.2 million km2 (5.1 million mi2)], it contains the world's largest (of two) remaining ice sheets, and it is considered to be one of the most important scientific laboratories on Earth. This report provides documentation of USGS scientific activities in the exploration of Antarctica during the 2002–03 field season (Mullins, 2002).

New Data Services for Polar Investigators from Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nitsche, F. O.; Ferrini, V.; Morton, J. J.; Arko, R. A.; McLain, K.; O'hara, S. H.; Carbotte, S. M.; Lehnert, K. A.; IEDA Team, I.

2013-12-01

Accessibility and preservation of data is needed to support multi-disciplinary research in the key environmentally sensitive Polar Regions. IEDA (Integrated Earth Data Applications) is a community-based data facility funded by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) to support, sustain, and advance the geosciences by providing data services for observational solid earth data from the Ocean, Earth, and Polar Sciences. IEDA tools and services relevant to the Polar Research Community include the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Data System (ASODS), the U.S. Antarctic Program Data Coordination Center (USAP-DCC), GeoMapApp, as well as a number of services for sample-based data (SESAR and EarthChem). In addition to existing tools, which assist Polar investigators in archiving their data, and creating DIF records for global searches in AMD, IEDA recently added several new tools and services that will provide further support for investigators with the data life cycle process. These include a data management plan (http://www.iedadata.org/compliance/plan) and data compliance reporting tool (http://www.iedadata.org/compliance/report) that will help investigators comply with the requirements of funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF). Data, especially from challenging Polar Regions, are likely to be used by other scientists for future studies. Therefore, data acknowledgment is an important concern of many investigators. To encourage data acknowledgments by data users, we link references of publications (when known) to datasets and cruises registered within the ASODS system as part of our data curation services (http://www.marine-geo.org/portals/antarctic/references.php). In addition, IEDA offers a data publication service to register scientific data with DOI's, making data sets citable as publications with attribution to investigators as authors. IEDA is a publication agent of the DataCite consortium. Offering such services provides additional incentives for making data available through data centers. Such tools and services are important building blocks of a coherent and comprehensive (cyber) data support structure for Polar investigators.

Treatment of radioactive waste salt by using synthetic silica-based phosphate composite for de-chlorination and solidification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, In-Hak; Park, Hwan-Seo; Lee, Ki-Rak; Choi, Jung-Hun; Kim, In-Tae; Hur, Jin Mok; Lee, Young-Seak

2017-09-01

In the radioactive waste management, waste salts as metal chloride generated from a pyrochemical process to recover uranium and transuranic elements are one of problematic wastes due to their intrinsic properties such as high volatility and low compatibility with conventional glasses. This study reports a method to stabilize and solidify LiCl waste via de-chlorination using a synthetic composite, U-SAP (SiO2-Al2O3-B2O3-Fe2O3-P2O5) prepared by a sol-gel process. The composite was reacted with alkali metal elements to produce some metal aluminosilicates, aluminophosphates or orthophosphate as a crystalline or amorphous compound. Different from the original SAP (SiO2-Al2O3-P2O5), the reaction product of U-SAP could be successfully fabricated as a monolithic wasteform without a glassy binder at a proper reaction/consolidation condition. From the results of the FE-SEM, FT-IR and MAS-NMR analysis, it could be inferred that the Si-rich phase and P-rich phase as a glassy grains would be distributed in tens of nm scale, where alkali metal elements would be chemically interacted with Si-rich or P-rich region in the virgin U-SAP composite and its products was vitrified into a silicate or phosphate glass after a heat-treatment at 1150 °C. The PCT-A (Product Consistency Test, ASTM-1208) revealed that the mass loss of Cs and Sr in the U-SAP wasteform had a range of 10-3∼10-1 g/m2 and the leach-resistance of the U-SAP wasteform was comparable to other conventional wasteforms. From the U-SAP method, LiCl waste salt was effectively stabilized and solidified with high waste loading and good leach-resistance.

Friis Hills glacial history: an international collaboration to examine Miocene climate in Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halberstadt, A. R. W.; Kowalewski, D. E.

2016-12-01

The Friis Hills, Antarctica (western McMurdo Dry Valleys) contain unique, well-preserved records of Miocene climate. These terrestrial deposits hold geomorphic clues for deciphering the glacial history in a region directly adjacent to the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Stacked till sheets, interbedded with lake sediments and non-glacial deposits, reveal a complex history of ice flow and erosion throughout multiple glacial-interglacial cycles (Lewis and Ashworth, 2015). Fossiliferous beds containing Nothofagus, diatoms, algal cells, pollen, insects, and mosses provide past climatological constraints. The Friis Hills sustained multiple alpine glaciations as well as full ice-sheet development, recording glacial drainage reorganization and evidence of previous ice configurations that possibly overrode the Transantarctic Mountains (Lewis and Ashworth, 2015) exposing only scattered nunataks (i.e. a portion of Friis Hills). Lack of chronological control has previously hindered efforts to link the Friis Hills glacial history with regional context; a tephra deposit at the base of the glacial drifts currently provides a single age constraint within the drift deposits. To build upon previous studies, an international collaboration between the USAP, Antarctic New Zealand, and the Italian Antarctic community proposes to core a paleo-lake in the center of the Friis Hills in November 2016, thereby acquiring one of the oldest continuous sedimentological records within the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Here we report discoveries from this year's fieldwork, and reconstruct paleoenvironment at the periphery of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet for the mid-early Miocene, a critical time when marine isotopic records indicate dramatic ice fluctuations. Ash within the sediment core stratigraphy will provide a more robust chronology for the region, and will also suggest possible outcrop locations of corresponding ash deposits to pursue while in the field. We anticipate that the Friis Hills stratigraphy will have the necessary chronological control for correlation with offshore marine records from the Ross Embayment, including the ANDRILL project.

U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Activities in the Exploration of Antarctica: Introduction to Antarctica (Including USGS Field Personnel: 1946-59)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tony K. Meunier Edited by Williams, Richard S.; Ferrigno, Jane G.

2007-01-01

3) significant changes that have occurred in Antarctic exploration and research since World War II will be discussed at the end of this report. Subsequent Open-File Reports will provide a year-by-year documentation of USGS scientific activities and accomplishments in Antarctica beginning with the post-IGY, 1959-60 research team. One Open-File Report is planned to be written for each field-based season. For an example of the series format, see Open-File Reports 2006-1113 (Meunier, 2007a) and 2006-1114 (Meunier, 2007b). This report is a companion document to Open-File Report 2006-1116 (Meunier, 2007c). The USGS mapping and science programs in Antarctica are among the longest continuously funded projects in the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). The 2005-06 field season is the 56th consecutive U.S. expedition in which USGS scientists have been participants, starting in 1946. USGS and the National Science Foundation (NSF) cooperation began with the establishment by NSF of the U.S. Antarctic (Research) Program [USA(R)P] in 1958-59 under Operation Deep Freeze IV (DF IV) and was given the responsibility for the principal coordination and management of all U.S. scientific activities in Antarctica in Deep Freeze 60 (DF 60) (1959-60). Financial support from NSF, mostly in the form of Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) and Cooperative Agreements, extends back to this period and can be attributed to the need for accurate geologic, geophysical, and topographic base maps of specific field areas or regions where NSF-funded science projects were planned. The epoch of Antarctic exploration during the IGY was driven by science and, in a spirit of peaceful cooperation, the international scientific community wanted to limit military activities on the continent to logistical support (Meunier, 1979 [2007], p. 38). The USGS, a Federal civilian science agency in the Department of the Interior, has, since its founding in 1879, carried out numerous field-based national (and some international) programs in biology, geology, geophysics, hydrology, and mapping. Therefore, the USGS was the obvious choice for these tasks, because it already had a professional staff of experienced mapmakers, scientists, and program managers with the foresight, dedication, and understanding of the need for accurate maps to support the science programs in Antarctica when asked to do so by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Public Laws 85-743 and 87-626, signed in August 1958, and in September 1962, respectively, authorized the Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior, through the USGS, to support mapping and scientific work in Antarctica (Meunier, 1979 [2007], appendix A). Open-File Report 2006-1116 includes scanned facsimiles of postal cachets. It has become an international practice to create postal cachets to commemorate special events and projects in Antarctica. A cachet is defined as a seal or commemorative design printed or stamped on an envelope to mark a philatelic or special event. The inked impression illustrates to the scientist, historian, stamp collector, and general public the multidisciplinary science projects staffed by USGS and collaborating scientists during the field season. Since 1960, philatelic cachets have been created by team members for each USGS field season and, in most cases, these cachets depict the specific geographic areas and field season program objectives. The cachets become a convenient documentation of the people, projects, and geographic places of interest for that year. Because the cachets are representative of USGS activities, each year's cachet is included as a digital facsimile in that year's Open-File Report. In the 1980s, multiple USGS cachets were prepared each year, one for use by the winter team at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and the other for the project work areas of the austral summer field season programs.

Dual burden of malnutrition in US Affiliated Pacific jurisdictions in the Children's Healthy Living Program.

PubMed

Novotny, Rachel; Li, Fenfang; Leon Guerrero, Rachael; Coleman, Patricia; Tufa, Aifili J; Bersamin, Andrea; Deenik, Jonathan; Wilkens, Lynne R

2017-05-22

Few data are available on dual burden of under and over nutrition of children in the Pacific region. The objective was to examine prevalence of stunting at birth and current stunting and their relationship to obesity in US Affiliated Pacific (USAP) jurisdictions. Cross sectional survey with cluster sampling by community. 5558, 2-8 years olds were measured in 51 communities in 11 USAP jurisdictions. The main outcome measures were stunting at birth, current stunting and obesity by body mass index. Prevalences of stunting at birth, current stunting and obesity were determined, adjusting for age distribution and community clustering. Differences by among age, sex, race and jurisdiction income levels were evaluated by chi-square analysis. Relationships of stunting at birth and current stunting with obesity were examined using a hierarchical model accounting for the study design. Prevalences were stunting at birth 6.8% (Standard Error, SE = 0.9%), current stunting 1.4% (SE = 0.2%) and obesity 14.03.8% (SE = 0.9%). Obesity was highest in upper middle income jurisdictions (UMIJ) at 17.5%. Stunting at birth differed by race (p = 0.0001) with highest prevalence among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders (10.7%). Prevalence of stunting at birth was different by jurisdiction income level with 27.5% in lower middle income jurisdictions (LMIJ), and 22.2% in UMIJ, and 5.5% in higher than high income jurisdictions (HIJ) at 5.5% (p < 0.0001). Prevalence of current stunting was higher in LMIJ than HIJ (p = 0.001), although children with current stunting were less likely to have been stunted at birth. The association between stunting at birth and current stunting was negative (OR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.05-0.69). Currently stunted children were marginally less likely to be obese than not stunted children in the USAP, where the prevalence of current stunting is low. Stunting (at birth and current) was highest in LMIJ, while UMIJ jurisdictions had the highest dual burden of malnutrition (that is the highest combination of both stunting at birth and obesity). National Institutes for Health clinical trial # NCT01881373 (clinicaltrials.gov).

The ultrasound-assisted physical examination in the periodic health evaluation of the elderly.

PubMed

Siepel, T; Clifford, D S; James, P A; Cowan, T M

2000-07-01

Except for specific procedures such as blood pressure measurement, the conventional physical examination (PE) does not have sufficient sensitivity to be useful as part of the periodic health evaluation. Ultrasound has demonstrated greater sensitivity and specificity in numerous studies but has been too expensive to be widely employed in health screening. The purpose of our study was to determine whether an examination in which conventional and ultrasound techniques are blended and applied by a primary care physician might be feasible and useful in the periodic health evaluations of senior citizens. Seventy-two patients presenting to a community-based family physician for periodic health evaluations received an ultrasound-assisted physical examination (USA-PE) from a second family physician. The results were reported to the primary physician, and the outcomes were tracked for periods of up to 2 years. Twenty-two of the 72 patients (31%) had abnormalities found by the USA-PE that were not apparent during the conventional PE. Five of these patients (7%) had serious conditions that received prompt treatment with apparent benefit. Findings included endometrial carcinoma, abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid stenosis, hydronephrosis, and urinary retention. The USA-PE found more abnormalities in this group of patients than conventional PE. Whether it can improve outcomes for senior citizens undergoing periodic health evaluations in a cost-effective manner is yet to be determined.

Multispectral scanner system parameter study and analysis software system description, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landgrebe, D. A. (Principal Investigator); Mobasseri, B. G.; Wiersma, D. J.; Wiswell, E. R.; Mcgillem, C. D.; Anuta, P. E.

1978-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The integration of the available methods provided the analyst with the unified scanner analysis package (USAP), the flexibility and versatility of which was superior to many previous integrated techniques. The USAP consisted of three main subsystems; (1) a spatial path, (2) a spectral path, and (3) a set of analytic classification accuracy estimators which evaluated the system performance. The spatial path consisted of satellite and/or aircraft data, data correlation analyzer, scanner IFOV, and random noise model. The output of the spatial path was fed into the analytic classification and accuracy predictor. The spectral path consisted of laboratory and/or field spectral data, EXOSYS data retrieval, optimum spectral function calculation, data transformation, and statistics calculation. The output of the spectral path was fended into the stratified posterior performance estimator.

77 FR 1743 - U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-11

... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel; Notice of Meeting In accordance with Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, as amended), the National Science Foundation announces the following meeting: Name: U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel Review, 76826. Date/Time...

77 FR 9707 - U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel Review; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-17

... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel Review; Notice of Meeting In accordance with Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, as amended), the National Science Foundation announces the following meeting: Name: U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel Review, 76826. Date/Time...

76 FR 63329 - U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel Review; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-12

... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel Review; Notice of Meeting In accordance with Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, as amended), the National Science Foundation announces the following meeting: Name: U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel Review (76826). Date/Time...

77 FR 20852 - U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel Review; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-06

... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel Review; Notice of Meeting In accordance with Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, as amended), the National Science Foundation announces the following meeting: Name: U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel Review, 76826. Date/Time...

45 CFR 671.13 - Waste management for the USAP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

....13 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION... plans for waste reduction, storage and disposal) specifying for each of its permanent stations, field... past activities (i.e., traverses, fuel depots, field bases, crashed aircraft) so that such locations...

IEDA Thesaurus: A Controlled Vocabulary for IEDA Systems to Advance Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, P.; Lehnert, K. A.; Arko, R. A.; Song, L.; Hsu, L.; Carter, M. R.; Ferrini, V. L.; Ash, J.

2014-12-01

Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA) is a community-based facility that serves to support, sustain, and advance the geosciences by providing data services for observational geoscience data from the Ocean, Earth, and Polar Sciences. Many dedicated systems such as the Petrological Database (PetDB), Marine Geoscience Data System (MGDS), System for Earth Sample Registration (SESAR), Data Coordination Center for the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP-DCC), etc., under the umbrella of the IEDA framework, were developed to support the preservation, discovery, retrieval, and analysis of a wide range of observational field and analytical data types from diverse communities. However, it is currently difficult to maintain consistency of indexing content within IEDA schema, and perform unified or precise searching of the data in these diverse systems as each system maintains separate vocabularies, hierarchies, authority files, or sub taxonomies. We present here the IEDA Thesaurus, a system, which combines existing separate controlled vocabularies from the different systems under the IEDA schema into a single master controlled vocabulary, also introducing some new top facets for future long-term use. The IEDA thesaurus contains structured terminology for petrology, geochemistry, sedimentology, oceanography, geochronology, and volcanology, and other general metadata fields. 18 top facets (also called 'top categories') are defined, including equipment, geographic gazetteer, geologic ages, geologic units, materials, etc. The terms of the thesaurus are cross validated with others popular geoscience vocabularies such as GeoRef Thesaurus, U.S. Geological Survey Library Classification System, Global Change Master Directory (GCMD), and Semantic Web for Earth and Environmental Terminology (SWEET) ontologies. The thesaurus is organized along with the ANSI/NISO Z39.19-2005 Guidelines for the Construction, Format, and Management of Monolingual Controlled Vocabularies, and is published using Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS) format. The IEDA thesaurus server provides classic web semantic features such as SPARQL, RESTful web services, and unique URI based on open source technologies.

45 CFR 675.4 - Waiver process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... DEPLOYMENT TO ANTARCTICA § 675.4 Waiver process. (a) If an individual is found not physically qualified for deployment to Antarctica, the USAP's contractor will inform the individual of the determination and of the... determined to be appropriate are eligible for deployment to Antarctica subject to any necessary limitations...

45 CFR 675.3 - Medical clearance criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Medical clearance criteria. 675.3 Section 675.3 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION MEDICAL CLEARANCE PROCESS FOR DEPLOYMENT TO ANTARCTICA § 675.3 Medical clearance criteria. (a) The USAP shall...

45 CFR 675.3 - Medical clearance criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Medical clearance criteria. 675.3 Section 675.3 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION MEDICAL CLEARANCE PROCESS FOR DEPLOYMENT TO ANTARCTICA § 675.3 Medical clearance criteria. (a) The USAP shall...

45 CFR 675.3 - Medical clearance criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Medical clearance criteria. 675.3 Section 675.3 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION MEDICAL CLEARANCE PROCESS FOR DEPLOYMENT TO ANTARCTICA § 675.3 Medical clearance criteria. (a) The USAP shall...

Scientific Applications of two U.S. Antarctic Program Projects at NSIDC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scharfen, G. R.; Bauer, R. J.

2001-12-01

The National Snow and Ice Data Center maintains two Antarctic science data management programs supporting both the efforts of Principal Investigators (PIs), and the science that is funded by the NSF Office of Polar Programs. These programs directly relate to the OPP "Guidelines and Award Conditions for Scientific Data", which identify the conditions for awards and responsibilities of PIs regarding the archival of data, and submission of metadata, resulting from their NSF OPP grants. The U.S. Antarctic Data Coordination Center (USADCC) is funded by NSF to assist PIs as they meet these requirements, and to provide a U.S. focal point for the Antarctic Master Directory, a web-based searchable directory of Antarctic scientific data. The USADCC offers access to free, easy-to-use online tools that PIs can use to create the data descriptions that the NSF policy data requires. We provide advice to PIs on how to meet the data policy requirements, and can answer specific questions on related issues. Scientists can access data set descriptions submitted to the Antarctic Master Directory, by thousands of scientists around the world, from the USADCC web pages. The USADCC website is at http://nsidc.org/NSF/USADCC/. The Antarctic Glaciological Data Center (AGDC) is funded by NSF to archive and distribute data collected by the NSF Antarctic Glaciology Program and related cryospheric investigations. The AGDC contains data sets collected by individual investigators on specific grants, and compiled products assembled from many different PI data sets, published literature, and other sources. Data sets are available electronically and include access to the data, plus useful documentation, citation information about the PI(s), locator maps, derived images and references. The AGDC website is at http://nsidc.org/NSF/AGDC/. The utility of both of these projects for scientists is illustrated by a typical user-driven case study to research, obtain and use Antarctic data for a science application.

Reaching for the Horizon: Enabling 21st Century Antarctic Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogan-Finnemore, M.; Kennicutt, M. C., II; Kim, Y.

2015-12-01

The Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs' (COMNAP) Antarctic Roadmap Challenges(ARC) project translated the 80 highest priority Antarctic and Southern Ocean scientific questionsidentified by the community via the SCAR Antarctic Science Horizon Scan into the highest prioritytechnological, access, infrastructure and logistics needs to enable the necessary research to answer thequestions. A workshop assembled expert and experienced Antarctic scientists and National AntarcticProgram operators from around the globe to discern the highest priority technological needs includingthe current status of development and availability, where the technologies will be utilized in the Antarctic area, at what temporal scales and frequencies the technologies will be employed,and how broadly applicable the technologies are for answering the highest priority scientific questions.Secondly the logistics, access, and infrastructure requirements were defined that are necessary todeliver the science in terms of feasibility including cost and benefit as determined by expected scientific return on investment. Finally, based on consideration of the science objectives and the mix oftechnologies implications for configuring National Antarctic Program logistics capabilities andinfrastructure architecture over the next 20 years were determined. In particular those elements thatwere either of a complexity, requiring long term investments to achieve and/or having an associated cost that realistically can only (or best) be achieved by international coordination, planning and partnerships were identified. Major trends (changes) in logistics, access, and infrastructure requirements were identified that allow for long-term strategic alignment of international capabilities, resources and capacity. The outcomes of this project will be reported.

The ANGWIN Antarctic Research Program: First Results on Coordinated Trans-Antarctic Gravity Wave Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, M. J.; Pautet, P. D.; Zhao, Y.; Nakamura, T.; Ejiri, M. K.; Murphy, D. J.; Moffat-Griffin, T.; Kavanagh, A. J.; Takahashi, H.; Wrasse, C. M.

2014-12-01

ANGWIN (ANrctic Gravity Wave Instrument Network) is a new "scientist driven" research program designed to develop and utilize a network of Antarctic atmospheric gravity wave observatories, operated by different nations working together in a spirit of close scientific collaboration. Our research plan has brought together colleagues from several international institutions, all with a common goal to better understand the large "continental-scale" characteristics and impacts of gravity waves on the Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) environment over Antarctica. ANGWIN combines complementary measurements obtained using new and existing aeronomy instrumentation with new modeling capabilities. To date, our activities have focused on developing coordinated airglow image data of gravity waves in the MLT region at the following sites: McMurdo (US), Syowa (Japan), Davis (Australia), Halley (UK), Rothera (UK), and Comandante Ferraz (Brazil). These are all well-established international research stations that are uniformly distributed around the continental perimeter, and together with ongoing measurements at South Pole Station they provide unprecedented coverage of the Antarctic gravity wave field and its variability during the extended polar winter season. This presentation introduces the ANGWIN program and research goals, and presents first results on trans-Antarctic wave propagation using coordinated measurements during the winter season 2011. We also discuss future plans for the development of this exciting program for Antarctic research.

Cenozoic Antarctic DiatomWare/BugCam: An aid for research and teaching

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wise, S.W.; Olney, M.; Covington, J.M.; Egerton, V.M.; Jiang, S.; Ramdeen, D.K.; ,; Schrader, H.; Sims, P.A.; Wood, A.S.; Davis, A.; Davenport, D.R.; Doepler, N.; Falcon, W.; Lopez, C.; Pressley, T.; Swedberg, O.L.; Harwood, D.M.

2007-01-01

Cenozoic Antarctic DiatomWare/BugCam© is an interactive, icon-driven digital-image database/software package that displays over 500 illustrated Cenozoic Antarctic diatom taxa along with original descriptions (including over 100 generic and 20 family-group descriptions). This digital catalog is designed primarily for use by micropaleontologists working in the field (at sea or on the Antarctic continent) where hard-copy literature resources are limited. This new package will also be useful for classroom/lab teaching as well as for any paleontologists making or refining taxonomic identifications at the microscope. The database (Cenozoic Antarctic DiatomWare) is displayed via a custom software program (BugCam) written in Visual Basic for use on PCs running Windows 95 or later operating systems. BugCam is a flexible image display program that utilizes an intuitive thumbnail “tree” structure for navigation through the database. The data are stored on Micrsosoft EXCEL spread sheets, hence no separate relational database program is necessary to run the package

The ANTOSTRAT legacy: Science collaboration and international transparency in potential marine mineral resource exploitation of Antarctica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cooper, Alan; Barker, Peter; Barrett, Peter; Behrendt, John; Brancolini, Giuliano; Childs, Jonathan R.; Escutia, Carlota; Jokat, Wilfried; Kristoffersen, Yngve; Leitchenkov, German; Stagg, Howard; Tanahashi, Manabu; Wardell, Nigel; Webb, Peter

2009-01-01

The Antarctic Offshore Stratigraphy project (ANTOSTRAT; 1989–2002) was an extremely successful collaboration in international marine geological science that also lifted the perceived “veil of secrecy” from studies of potential exploitation of Antarctic marine mineral resources. The project laid the groundwork for circum-Antarctic seismic, drilling, and rock coring programs designed to decipher Antarctica’s tectonic, stratigraphic, and climate histories. In 2002, ANTOSTRAT evolved into the equally successful and currently active Antarctic Climate Evolution research program. The need for, and evolution of, ANTOSTRAT was based on two simple tenets within SCAR and the Antarctic Treaty: international science collaboration and open access to data. The ANTOSTRAT project may be a helpful analog for other regions of strong international science and geopolitical interests, such as the Arctic. This is the ANTOSTRAT story.

Joint Antarctic School Expedition - An International Collaboration for High School Students and Teachers on Antarctic Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botella, J.; Warburton, J.; Bartholow, S.; Reed, L. F.

2014-12-01

The Joint Antarctic School Expedition (JASE) is an international collaboration program between high school students and teachers from the United States and Chile aimed at providing the skills required for establishing the scientific international collaborations that our globalized world demands, and to develop a new approach for science education. The National Antarctic Programs of Chile and the United States worked together on a pilot program that brought high school students and teachers from both countries to Punta Arenas, Chile, in February 2014. The goals of this project included strengthening the partnership between the two countries, and building relationships between future generations of scientists, while developing the students' awareness of global scientific issues and expanding their knowledge and interest in Antarctica and polar science. A big component of the project involved the sharing by students of the acquired knowledge and experiences with the general public. JASE is based on the successful Chilean Antarctic Science Fair developed by Chile´s Antarctic Research Institute. For 10 years, small groups of Chilean students, each mentored by a teacher, perform experimental or bibliographical Antarctic research. Winning teams are awarded an expedition to the Chilean research station on King George Island. In 2014, the Chileans invited US participation in this program in order to strengthen science ties for upcoming generations. On King George Island, students have hands-on experiences conducting experiments and learning about field research. While the total number of students directly involved in the program is relatively small, the sharing of the experience by students with the general public is a novel approach to science education. Research experiences for students, like JASE, are important as they influence new direction for students in science learning, science interest, and help increase science knowledge. We will share experiences with the planning of the pilot program as well as the expedition itself. We also share the results of the assessment report prepared by an independent party. Lastly, we will offer recommendations for initiating international science education collaborations. United States participation was funded by the NSF Division of Polar Programs.

Burlington IAP, Vermont. Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO). Parts A-F.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-23

34~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~A .... . ... .. . .. ... ... . . .. . .. ........ . . . . . . .. ’_L ’,AL CLIŘATOLOGY FRANCH 7AC SURFACE WINDS S A T,-.ŕ SERVICM/MAC...72 C USAP ETAC 0-1-5n (a.. A) ..vWW... 1394""S "IS FOOD ~~ ADS 00OLI *L ,AL CLIMATOLOGY BRANCH uSAFETAC CEILING VERSUS VISIBILITY A7. EATHER SERVICE/MAC

Counterinsurgency in West Africa: Non Lethal Activities

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

Michael S. Lewis Beck, Alan Bryman , Tim Futing Liao, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods , SAGE, 2004, California, USA.p.894. 11...Publishing, 1966. Michael S. Lewis Beck, Alan Bryman , Tim Futing Liao, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods , SAGE, 2004...conduct the research . Research Design The methodology that will be used in this thesis is a qualitative method using case studies. Qualitative research

Antarctic news clips, 1991

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1991-08-01

Published stories are presented that sample a year's news coverage of Antarctica. The intent is to provide the U.S. Antarctic Program participants with a digest of current issues as presented by a variety of writers and popular publications. The subject areas covered include the following: earth science; ice studies; stratospheric ozone; astrophysics; life science; operations; education; antarctic treaty issues; and tourism

NASA/NSF Antarctic Science Working Group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoklosa, Janis H.

1990-01-01

A collection of viewgraphs on NASA's Life Sciences Biomedical Programs is presented. They show the structure of the Life Sciences Division; the tentative space exploration schedule from the present to 2018; the biomedical programs with their objectives, research elements, and methodological approaches; validation models; proposed Antarctic research as an analog for space exploration; and the Science Working Group's schedule of events.

45 CFR 674.5 - Requirements for collection, handling, documentation, and curation of Antarctic meteorites.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ANTARCTIC METEORITES § 674.5 Requirements for... shall consult with the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs to identify another...

Designing an effective mark-recapture study of Antarctic blue whales.

PubMed

Peel, David; Bravington, Mark; Kelly, Natalie; Double, Michael C

2015-06-01

To properly conserve and manage wild populations, it is important to have information on abundance and population dynamics. In the case of rare and cryptic species, especially in remote locations, surveys can be difficult and expensive, and run the risk of not producing sample sizes large enough to produce precise estimates. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct preliminary analysis to determine if the study will produce useable estimates. The focus of this paper is a proposed mark-recapture study of Antarctic blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia). Antarctic blue whales were hunted to near extinction up until the mid- 1960s, when commercial exploitation of this species ended. Current abundance estimates are a decade old. Furthermore, at present, there are no formal circumpolar-level cetacean surveys operating in Antarctic waters and, specifically, there is no strategy to monitor the potential recovery of Antarctic blue whales. Hence the work in this paper was motivated by the need to inform decisions on strategies for future monitoring of Antarctic blue whale population. The paper describes a model to predict the precision and bias of estimates from a proposed survey program. The analysis showed that mark-recapture is indeed a suitable method to provide a circumpolar abundance estimate of Antarctic blue whales, with precision of the abundance, at the midpoint of the program, predicted to be between 0.2 and 0.3. However, this was only if passive acoustic tracking was utilized to increase the encounter rate. The analysis also provided guidance on general design for an Antarctic blue whale program, showing that it requires a 12-year duration; although surveys do not necessarily need to be run every year if multiple vessels are available to clump effort. Mark-recapture is based on a number of assumptions; it was evident from the analysis that ongoing analysis and monitoring of the data would be required to check such assumptions hold (e.g., test for heterogeneity), with the modeling adjusted as needed.

Personality Testing in Antarctic Expeditioners: Cross Cultural Comparisons and Evidence for Generalizability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musson, D. M.; Sandal, G. M.; Harper, M. L.; Helmreich, R. L.

Antarctica provides an ideal environment in which to study human behaviour under conditions of isolation and confinement. Such research is currently being conducted through several national Antarctic research programs, with the subject pool for these investigations necessarily consisting of individuals from multiple nationalities. Cross-cultural research has shown, however, that psychological traits and individual values may vary significantly between national and ethnic groups. Until now, there has been an implicit assumption that Antarctic personnel are essentially similar from one national program to another and that therefore findings from any one nation's Antarctic program should generalize to another, as well as to other domains such as spaceflight. We believe that it is necessary to validate this assumption through empirical research. This objective of this analysis was to determine the degree of similarity between the psychological testing profiles of Antarctic research personnel from different national Antarctic programs, and to determine the degrees of similarity or difference of these personnel to a normative population. METHODS In separate studies, Antarctic personnel from Australia (n=57), Norway (=37), and Great Britain (n=145) were administered the Personal Characteristics Inventory (PCI) before departing to Antarctica. The PCI is a battery consisting of 11 psychological scales designed to assess specific traits related to achievement and interpersonal competence that have been shown to be particularly salient to human performance under stressful and complex conditions. For comparative normative data, a group of 441 U.S. undergraduate students were also administered the PCI. Due to historical reasons, researchers in this study used 2 versions of the PCI, and only 9 of the 11 scales were directly equivalent. RESULTS For the three national Antarctic groups (Australia, Norway, and Great Britain), no significant variation was found between group mean scores on any of the nine separate traits assessed by the PCI for which clear comparisons could be made - these included: Instrumentality, Expressivity, Negative Instrumentality, Verbal Aggressiveness, Negative Communion, Mastery, Work Orientation and Competitiveness. For the two scales for which comparisons were less reliable, Impatience &Irritability as well as Achievement Striving, some differences between national groups were suggested. Testing response patterns showed some national variation in that the Australian subjects answered the Likert-style survey questions by choosing more extreme values when compared to Norwegian and British participants. In comparison to the U.S. student population, Antarctic personnel from all three nations scored lower on Negative Instrumentality, Verbal Aggressiveness, and Competitiveness. Greater variability between all 4 groups was seen with the traits of Impatience &Irritability and Achievement strivings, but again, comparisons on these two dimensions were less reliable due to differences in the testing battery. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that there is a high degree of similarity among Antarctic personnel from the three nations included in these analyses. They also support generalizing psychological research findings between different national programs of Antarctic research. Differences suggested in ratings of Impatience and Irritability as well as Achievement Striving warrant attention in future studies. In comparison with a normative US student population, significant differences were found on a number of measures. It is not clear at this time whether these differences are due to cultural differences or due to the existence of a characteristic Antarctic expeditioner personality profile. Recommendations for future research include the need to standardize psychological instruments used in different programs of space analogue research and the inclusion of methodologies to address confounds inherent in cross cultural research. Further study is warranted into characteristic personality profiles of Antarctic personnel and how such characteristic profiles may affect the generalization of research findings to other environments.

German Antarctic Receiving Station (GARS) O'Higgins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neidhardt, Alexander; Ploetz, Christian; Kluegel, Thomas

2013-01-01

In 2012, the German Antarctic Receiving Station (GARS) O'Higgins contributed to the IVS observing program with four observation sessions. Maintenance and upgrades were made, and a new replacement dewar is under construction in the observatory at Yebes, Spain.

Antarctic Data Management as Part of the IPY Legacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Bruin, T.

2006-12-01

The Antarctic Treaty states that "scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and made freely available". Antarctica includes the Southern Ocean. In support of this, National Antarctic Data Centres (NADC) are being established to catalogue data sets and to provide information on data sets to scientists and others with interest in Antarctic science. The Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management (JCADM) was established by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP). JCADM comprises representatives of the National Antarctic Data Centres. Currently 30 nations around the world are represented in JCADM. JCADM is responsible for the Antarctic Master Directory (AMD), the internationally accessible, web-based, searchable record of Antarctic and Southern Ocean data set descriptions. The AMD is directly integrated into the international Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) to help further merge Antarctic science into global science. The AMD is a resource for scientists to advertise the data they have collected and to search for data they may need. JCADM is the Antarctic component of the IPY Data Infrastructure, which is presently being developed. This presentation will give an overview of the organization of Antarctic and Southern Ocean data management with sections on the organizational structure of JCADM, contents of the Antarctic Master Directory, relationships to the SCAR Scientific Research Programmes (SRP) and IPY, international embedding and connections with discipline-based peer organizations like the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange Committee (IODE). It will focus primarily on the role that an existing infrastructure as JCADM, may play in the development of the IPY Data Infrastructure and will provide considerations for IPY data management, based on the experiences in Antarctic and oceanographic data management.

Advances through collaboration: sharing seismic reflection data via the Antarctic Seismic Data Library System for Cooperative Research (SDLS)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wardell, N.; Childs, J. R.; Cooper, A. K.

2007-01-01

The Antarctic Seismic Data Library System for Cooperative Research (SDLS) has served for the past 16 years under the auspices of the Antarctic Treaty (ATCM Recommendation XVI-12) as a role model for collaboration and equitable sharing of Antarctic multichannel seismic reflection (MCS) data for geoscience studies. During this period, collaboration in MCS studies has advanced deciphering the seismic stratigraphy and structure of Antarctica’s continental margin more rapidly than previously. MCS data compilations provided the geologic framework for scientific drilling at several Antarctic locations and for high-resolution seismic and sampling studies to decipher Cenozoic depositional paleoenvironments. The SDLS successes come from cooperation of National Antarctic Programs and individual investigators in “on-time” submissions of their MCS data. Most do, but some do not. The SDLS community has an International Polar Year (IPY) goal of all overdue MCS data being sent to the SDLS by end of IPY. The community science objective is to compile all Antarctic MCS data to derive a unified seismic stratigraphy for the continental margin – a stratigraphy to be used with drilling data to derive Cenozoic circum-Antarctic paleobathymetry maps and local-to-regional scale paleoenvironmental histories.

Digital Video--From the Desktop to Antarctica.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutto, David N.

This narrative describes the processes and technologies employed to produce and deliver a series of complex interactive learning experiences that brought together working scientists in Antarctic and students and teachers across North America. This multifaceted program included field production in the Antarctic, the use of experimental…

77 FR 31044 - Permits Issued Under the Antarctic Conservation Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-24

... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Permits Issued Under the Antarctic Conservation Act AGENCY: National... 95-541. SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish notice of permits... CONTACT: Nadene G. Kennedy, Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, Rm. 755, National Science Foundation...

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) in the IPY 2007-2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennicutt, M. C.; Wilson, T. J.; Summerhayes, C.

2005-05-01

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) initiates, develops, and coordinates international scientific research in the Antarctic region. SCAR is assuming a leadership position in the IPY primarily through its five major Scientific Research Programs; ACE, SALE, EBA, AGCS, and ICESTAR; which will be briefly described.Antarctic Climate Evolution (ACE) promotes the exchange of data and ideas between research groups focusing on the evolution of Antarctica's climate system and ice sheet. The program will: (1) quantitatively assess the climate and glacial history of Antarctica; (2) identify the processes which govern Antarctic change and feed back around the globe; (3) improve our ability to model past changes in Antarctica; and (4)document past change to predict future change in Antarctica. Subglacial Antarctic Lake Environments (SALE) promotes, facilitates, and champions cooperation and collaboration in the exploration and study of subglacial environments in Antarctica. SALE intends to understand the complex interplay of biological, geological, chemical, glaciological, and physical processes within subglacial lake environments through coordinated international research teams. Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic (EBA) will use a suite of modern techniques and interdisciplinary approaches, to explore the evolutionary history of selected modern Antarctic biota, examine how modern biological diversity in the Antarctic influences the way present-day ecosystems function, and thereby predict how the biota may respond to future environmental change. Antarctica and the Global Climate System (AGCS) will investigate the nature of the atmospheric and oceanic linkages between the climate of the Antarctic and the rest of the Earth system, and the mechanisms involved therein. A combination of modern instrumented records of atmospheric and oceanic conditions, and the climate signals held within ice cores will be used to understand past and future climate variability and change in the Antarctic as a result of natural and anthropogenic forcings over the last 100,000 years. Interhemispheric Conjugacy Effects in Solar-Terrestrial and Aeronomy Research (ICESTAR) will study the interactions between and collective behavior of the many component parts of the Earth system, including the interaction between the natural environment and human society. Objectives include specification and prediction of the state of the system and assimilation and integration of data from disparate sources to understand the complex geospace environment.

IGY to IPY, the U.S. Antarctic oversnow and airborne geophysical-glaciological research program from 1957 to 1964 from the view of a young graduate student

USGS Publications Warehouse

Behrendt, John C.

2007-01-01

When 12 countries established scientific stations in Antarctica for the 1957-58 (IGY), the Cold War was at its height, seven countries had made claims in Antarctica, and the Antarctic Treaty was in the future. The only major field project of the U.S. IGY Antarctic program was series of oversnow traverses, starting in 1957, making seismic reflection ice soundings (and other geophysical measurements) and glaciological studies. The U.S.S.R. and France made similar traverses coordinated through the IGY. Although geology and topographic mapping were not part of the IGY program because of the claims issue and the possibility of mineral resources, the oversnow traverse parties did geologic work, during which unknown mountains were discovered. The oversnow traverses continued through 1966 and resulted in an excellent first approximation of the snow surface elevation, ice thickness and bed topography of Antarctica, as well as the mean annual temperature of that era and snow accumulation.

From IGY to IPY, the U.S. Antarctic Oversnow and Airborne Geophysical-Glaciological Research Program from 1957 to 1964 from the View of a Young Graduate Student

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behrendt, J. C.

2006-12-01

When 12 countries established scientific stations in Antarctica for the 1957-58 International Geophysical Year (IGY), the Cold War was at its height, seven countries had made claims in Antarctica, and the Antarctic Treaty was a few years in the future. I was a graduate student assistant seismologist, on the unexplored Filchner- Ronne Ice Shelf as part of the only major field project of the U.S. Antarctic program. Starting in 1957, the U.S. began a series of oversnow traverses making seismic reflection ice soundings (and other geophysical measurements) and glaciological studies to determine the thickness and budget of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. The U.S.S.R. and France made similar traverses coordinated through the IGY. Although geology and topographic mapping were not part of the IGY program because of the claims issue and the possibility of mineral resources, the oversnow traverse parties did geologic work, where unknown mountains were discovered. The oversnow traverses continued through 1966 and resulted in an excellent first approximation of the snow surface elevation, ice thickness and bed topography of Antarctica, as well as the mean annual temperature of that era and snow accumulation. The vacuum tube dictated the logistics of the oversnow traverse program. Seismic equipment including heavy batteries weighed about 500 kg. Therefore a Sno-Cat tracked vehicle was needed to carry this load. Usually three such vehicles were needed for safety. Because about 3 l/km of fuel were consumed by each Sno-Cat, about 100 kg/day of fuel per vehicle was required. A resupply flight could carry only ~600 kg/flight (varying greatly as to range and type of aircraft).The Filchner Ice Shelf Traverse, 1957-58, in which I participated, encountered many crevasses. Vehicles broke through thin snow bridges and one man fell deep into a crevasse. Fortunately there were no deaths and only one serious injury resulting from crevasse accidents on the U.S. oversnow traverse program. Starting in 1958 and continuing to 1964 the oversnow traverses were complimented by an airborne geophysical program comprising widely spaced landings for seismic reflection ice sounding and 75,000 km of widely spaced aeromagnetic and snow surface elevation profiles. The airborne profiles were concentrated over the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) and along the length of the Transantarctic Mountains, and approximately defined the vast extent of a late Cenozoic volcanic province beneath the WAIS associated with the unknown West Antarctic rift system. There were numerous hazards encountered using these U.S. Navy planes of opportunity including denting a wing on a hidden mountain and a crash on one occasion killing the geophysicist (Edward Thiel) and four others. There was an aircraft death rate of 3.8 deaths per year in the U.S. program from 1955-66. The oversnow and airborne traverses of the IGY-IGC period employed the inductive method of scientific research with only the general objectives of defining the Antarctic Ice Sheet as to surface elevation, thickness, snow accumulation and temperature. In contrast, Antarctic research today employs deductive logic with narrowly defined objectives and testing of hypotheses. This change has been necessary because of expense, and competition of proposals by many scientists. Nonetheless something has been lost by this approach, and there is still the need for "exploration" types of research is the still unknown vast continent of Antarctica.

A Strategic Vision for NSF Investments in Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research: Recommendations of a New Study from the National Academes of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weller, R. A.; Bell, R. E.; Geller, L.

2015-12-01

A Committee convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine carried out a study (at the request of NSF's Division of Polar Programs) to develop a strategic vision for the coming decade of NSF's investments in Antarctic and Southern Ocean research. The study was informed by extensive efforts to gather ideas from researchers across the United States. This presentation will provide an overview of the Committee's recommendations—regarding an overall strategic framework for a robust U.S. Antarctic program, regarding the specific areas of research recommended as highest priority for NSF support, and regarding the types of infrastructure, logistical support, data management, and other critical foundations for enabling and adding lasting value to the proposed research .

The 1984-1985 Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) Field Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandford, Scott A.

1986-01-01

The purpose of the 1984-1985 ANSMET (Antarctic Search for Meteorites) expedition was to recover meteorites from the Main, Near Western, Middle Western, and Far Western icefields in the Allan Hills area and to carry out a reconnaissance of other nearby blue icefields. A brief summary of the locations and maps visited are provided.

Sharing Antarctic Research in the Classroom: Authentic Outreach as a Means of Improving Student Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betteley, Pat; Harr, Natalie; Lee, Richard E., Jr.

2013-01-01

For six seasons, Richard Lee has included a K-12 teacher on his Antarctic research team to coordinate outreach to U.S. classrooms. These teachers have communicated with thousands of students and their teachers and planned authentic outreach activities to improve student performance. Program success depends on funding by the National Science…

Atmospheric CO2 Record from Continuous Measurements at Jubany Station, Antarctica (March 1994 - December 2009)

DOE Data Explorer

Ciattaglia, Luigi [CNR-IFA, Rome, Italy; Rafanelli, Claudio [CNR-IFA, Rome, Italy; Rodriguez, Horacio [DNA-IAA, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Araujo, Jorge [DNA-IAA, Buenos Aires, Argentina

2010-03-01

The Italian PNRA (National Research Program in Antarctica) began continuous atmospheric carbon dioxide measurements at Jubany in 1994. The laboratory at Jubany Station is operated year-round by the DNA (Argentine Antarctic Department) through an agreement with PNRA. The Antarctic station at Jubany (62° 14'S, 58° 40'W) is situated on King George Island, in the South Shetland archipelago north of the Antarctic Penisula. On the basis of annual averages calculated from monthly averages, CO2 levels at Jubany have risen from 356.75 in 1994 to 384.74 in 2009.

Biological invasions in the Antarctic: extent, impacts and implications.

PubMed

Frenot, Yves; Chown, Steven L; Whinam, Jennie; Selkirk, Patricia M; Convey, Peter; Skotnicki, Mary; Bergstrom, Dana M

2005-02-01

Alien microbes, fungi, plants and animals occur on most of the sub-Antarctic islands and some parts of the Antarctic continent. These have arrived over approximately the last two centuries, coincident with human activity in the region. Introduction routes have varied, but are largely associated with movement of people and cargo in connection with industrial, national scientific program and tourist operations. The large majority of aliens are European in origin. They have both direct and indirect impacts on the functioning of species-poor Antarctic ecosystems, in particular including substantial loss of local biodiversity and changes to ecosystem processes. With rapid climate change occurring in some parts of Antarctica, elevated numbers of introductions and enhanced success of colonization by aliens are likely, with consequent increases in impacts on ecosystems. Mitigation measures that will substantially reduce the risk of introductions to Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic must focus on reducing propagule loads on humans, and their food, cargo, and transport vessels.

Integrating Antarctic Science Into Geospace System Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, J. D.

2010-12-01

Addressing the scientific, technical, and sociological challenges of the future requires both detailed basic research and system based approaches to the entire geospace system from the Earth’s core, through solid Earth, ice, oceans, atmosphere, ionosphere, and magnetosphere to the Sun’s outer atmosphere and even beyond. Fully integrating Antarctic science, and fully exploiting the scientific research possibilities of the Antarctic continent through effective and efficient support infrastructure, will be a very important contribution to future success. Amongst many new facilities and programs which can and are being proposed, the Moveable Antarctic Incoherent Scatter Radar (MAISR) at McMurdo illustrates the potential for innovative future science. This poster uses some of the proposed science programs to show how the scientific community can use the data products of this facility, and how they can contribute to the development of the tools and mechanisms for proposing, executing, and utilizing such new research capabilities. In particular, incoherent scatter radars played a big role in data collection during the recent International Polar Year and plans for future extended operations, including those in Antarctica, will be discussed in the light of lessons learnt in applying observations to global modeling developments.

In Situ Thermal Imagery of Antarctic Meteorites and Their Stability on the Ice Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harvey, R. P.; Righter, M.; Karner, J. M.; Hyneck, B.; Keller, L.; Meshik, A.; Mittlefehldt, D.; Radebaugh, J.; Rougeux, B.; Schutt, J.

2017-01-01

The mechanisms behind Antarctic meteorite concentrations remain enigmatic nearly 5 decades after the first recoveries, and much of the research in this direction has been based on anedcotal evidence. While these observations suggest many plausible processes that help explain Antarctic meteorite concentrations, the relative importance of these various processes (which can result in either an increase or decrease of specimens) is a critical component of any more robust model of how these concentrations form. During the 2016-2017 field season of the US Antarctic Search for Meteorites program we aquired in situ thermal imagery of meteorites specimens that provide semi-quantitative assesment of the relative temperature of these specimens and the ice. These provide insight into one hypothesized loss mechanism, the downward thermal tunnelling of meteorites warmed in the sun.

Program of the Antarctic Syowa MST/IS radar (PANSY)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, K.; Tsutsumi, M.; Sato, T.; Saito, A.; Tomikawa, Y.; Aso, T.; Yamanouchi, T.; Ejiri, M.

We have been promoting a project to introduce the first MST Mesosphere-Stratosphere-Troposphere IS Incoherent Scatter radar which is a VHF pulse Doppler radar in the Antarctic to Syowa Station 39E 69S Program of the Antarctic Syowa MST IS Radar PANSY as an important station observing the earth s environment with the aim to catch the climate change signals that the Antarctic atmosphere shows This radar consists of about 1000 crossed Yagi antennas having a peak power of 500kW which allows us to observe the Antarctic atmosphere with fine resolution and good accuracy in a wide height range of 1-500 km The interaction of the neutral atmosphere with the ionosphere and magnetosphere as well as the global-scale atmospheric circulation including the low and middle latitude regions are also targets of PANSY The observation data with high resolution and good accuracy obtained by the PANSY radar are also valuable from the viewpoint of certification of the reality of phenomena simulated by high-resolution numerical models The scientific importance of PANSY is discussed and resolved by international research organizations of IUGG URSI SCAR SCOSTEP and SPARC and documented in a report by Council of Science and Technology Policy in Japan One major issue for the operation of the MST IS radar at an isolated place such as Syowa Station is the reduction of power consumption We have developed a new power-efficient transmitter class-E amplifier and successfully reduced the needed power consumption to an acceptable

AGU honored for Antarctic book

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AGU has won an honorable mention award at the Fifteenth Annual Awards Program for Excellence in Professional and Scholarly Publishing sponsored by the Association of American Publishers for the book Volcanoes of the Antarctic Plate and Southern Oceans. The book is part of AGU's Antarctic Research Series, an outgrowth of research done during the International Geophysical Year that was begun in 1963 with a grant from the National Science Foundation. The award was presented at the AAP Annual Awards Dinner on February 6 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington, D.C. The award consists of a medallion and a plate on which the names of the publisher, title, and authors are engraved.

The Antarctic Master Directory -- the Electronic Card Catalog of Antarctic Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scharfen, G.; Bauer, R.

2003-12-01

The Antarctic Master Directory (AMD) is a Web-based, searchable record of thousands of Antarctic data descriptions. These data descriptions contain information about what data were collected, where they were collected, when they were collected, who the scientists are, who the point of contact is, how to get the data, and information about the format of the data and what documentation and bibliographic information exists. With this basic descriptive information about content and access for thousands of Antarctic scientific data sets, the AMD is a resource for scientists to advertise the data they have collected and to search for data they need. The AMD has been created by more than twenty nations which conduct research in the Antarctic under the auspices of the Antarctic Treaty. It is a part of the International Directory Network/Global Change Master Directory (IDN/GCMD). Using the AMD is easy. Users can search on subject matter key words, data types, geographic place-names, temporal or spatial ranges, or conduct free-text searches. To search the AMD go to: http://gcmd.nasa.gov/Data/portals/amd/. Contributing your own data descriptions for Antarctic data that you have collected is also easy. Scientists can start by submitting a short data description first (as a placeholder in the AMD, and to satisfy National Science Foundation (NSF) reporting requirements), and then add to, modify or update their record whenever it is appropriate. An easy to use on-line tool and a simple tutorial are available at: http://nsidc.org/usadcc. With NSF Office of Polar Programs (OPP) funding, the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) operates the U.S. Antarctic Data Coordination Center (USADCC), partly to assist scientists in using and contributing to the AMD. The USADCC website is at http://nsidc.org/usadcc.

Continuous Photoprocessing/Photoprocessing Control Career Ladders, AFSCs 23330, 23350, 23370, 23331, 23371, and 23399.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-04-01

J AFLC AFSC L~-ATC L_ ESC* N~Q USAF R a ±1MAC [ PACAF SAC TAC USAFA USAPE OTHER UNIT ORt ORGANIZATION (Not wirde, Major CowsnedL. IF "OTHER UNIT...Print Filters 88. Printers Model D, 35= 89. Printers Model J , 16= CODE 99 xiv • CDC ID AFS 233XO/X1 m .CX DC3DC1DC1DCD BACKGROUND INFORMATION (CONTINUED...BACKGROUND INFORMATION (CONTINUED) BLACN CIRCLE (1) TO TH RIGHT OF = EACH RESNS-E YOU ISH TO INDICATE . Tacky oller Cleaners 0IDOMMOD(® 115. Tacoma

Diagnosing Antarctic Fog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazzara, M. A.

2010-07-01

Fog affects aviation and other logistical operations in the Antarctic; nevertheless limited studies have been conducted to understand fog behavior in this part of the world. A study has been conducted in the Ross Island region of Antarctica, the location of McMurdo Station and Scott Base - the main stations of the United States and New Zealand Antarctic programs, respectively. Using tools such as multi-channel satellites observations and supported by in situ radiosonde and ground-based automatic weather station observations, combined with back trajectory and mesoscale numerical models, discover that austral summer fog events are "advective" in temperament. The diagnosis finds a primary source region from the southeast over the Ross Ice Shelf (over 72% of the cases studied) while a minority of cases point toward a secondary fog source region to the north along the Scott Coast of the Ross Sea with influences from the East Antarctic Plateau. Part of this examination confirms existing anecdotes from forecasters and weather observers, while refuting others about fog and its behavior in this environment. This effort marks the beginning of our understanding of Antarctic fog behavior.

Quantarctica: A Unique, Open, Standalone GIS Package for Antarctic Research and Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, G.; Matsuoka, K.; Skoglund, A.; Melvaer, Y.; Tronstad, S.

2016-12-01

The Norwegian Polar Institute has developed Quantarctica, an open GIS package for use by the international Antarctic community. Quantarctica includes a wide range of cartographic basemap layers, geophysical and glaciological datasets, and satellite imagery in standardized file formats with a consistent Antarctic map projection and customized layer and labeling styles for quick, effective cartography. Quantarctica's strengths as an open science platform lie in 1) The complete, ready-to-use data package which includes full-resolution, original-quality vector and raster data, 2) A policy for freely-redistributable and modifiable data including all metadata and citations, and 3) QGIS, a free, full-featured, modular, offline-capable open-source GIS suite with a rapid and active development and support community. The Quantarctica team is actively seeking new contributions of peer-reviewed, freely distributable pan-Antarctic geospatial datasets for the next version release in 2017. As part of this ongoing development, we are investigating the best approaches for quickly and seamlessly distributing new and updated data to users, storing datasets in efficient file formats while maintaining full quality, and coexisting with numerous online data portals in a way that most actively benefits the Antarctic community. A recent survey of Quantarctica users showed broad geographical adoption among Antarctic Treaty countries, including those outside the large US and UK Antarctic programs. Maps and figures produced by Quantarctica have also appeared in open-access journals and outside of the formal scientific community on popular science and GIS blogs. Our experience with the Quantarctica project has shown the tremendous value of education and outreach, not only in promoting open software, data formats, and practices, but in empowering Antarctic science groups to more effectively use GIS and geospatial data. Open practices are making a huge impact in Antarctic GIS, where individual countries have historically maintained their own restricted Antarctic geodatabases and where a majority of the next generation of scientists are entering the field with experience in using geospatial thinking for planning, visualization, and problem solving.

Polar Research Board annual report, 1987 and future plans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1988-12-31

This annual report describes the Polar Research Board, its origin and objectives, its work and plans, and its principle activities and accomplishments during calendar year 1987. The Overview presents a concise summary of the various aspects of the Board`s program and of its responsibilities as US National Committee for the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) of the International Council of Scientific Unins. Arctic and Antarctic activities are described.

Polar Research Board annual report, 1987 and future plans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1988-01-01

This annual report describes the Polar Research Board, its origin and objectives, its work and plans, and its principle activities and accomplishments during calendar year 1987. The Overview presents a concise summary of the various aspects of the Board's program and of its responsibilities as US National Committee for the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) of the International Council of Scientific Unins. Arctic and Antarctic activities are described.

The U.S. Antarctic and space programs, a useful alliance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkniss, Peter E.

Antarctica has been called 'Space on Earth' because the continent's extreme isolation, combining with extremely low temperatures, alternating cycles of light and dark, and the lack of any naturally occurring life support, simulates planetary conditions. For scientists, the polar regions, particularly the Antarctic, are 'Earth's window to outer space.' Originally, this term applied to this study of the aurora and other phenomena related top solar-terrestrial interactions. Today this concept has broadened considerably to include research on processes occurring near or on the Earth, such as the study of solar ultra-violet radiation and related processes resulting from the depletion of stratospheric ozone above Antarctica or the investigation of high-energy solar or galactic particles from sites in central Antarctica. The alliance between the antarctic and space science can be traced to 1957-the year that Sputnik was launched and modern science programs began during the International Geophysical Year. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have a long history of cooperative projects in the Antarctic. This collaboration ranges from the use of satellite- based technology for communications, research weather observations, and data acquisition to testing and calibrating equipment that will be used aboard space crafts. In January 1991, the two agencies signed a Memorandum of Agreement that will extend this collaboration.

There (70° S @ 10,177 m) and Back Again, An Umbraphile's Tale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, G.

2006-07-01

Until 23 Nov 2003, no total solar eclipse (TSE) had ever been observed from the Antarctic. Yet, interest in securing observations of that event, visible only from the Antarctic, was extremely high and provided the impetus for breaking that paradigm of elusivity in the historical record of science and exploration. The execution of a lunar shadow intercept and the conduction of an observing program from a Boeing 747-400 ER aircraft over the Antarctic interior permitted the previously unobtainable to be accomplished. The unique computational and navigational requirements for this flight are discussed from the enabling perspective of control and data acquisition S/W specifically developed for this task.

Antarctica and global change research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weller, Gunter; Lange, Manfred

1992-03-01

The Antarctic, including the continent and Southern Ocean with the subantarctic islands, is a critical area in the global change studies under the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) and the World Climate Research Program (WCRP). Major scientific problems include the impacts of climate warming, the ozone hole, and sea level changes. Large-scale interactions between the atmosphere, ice, ocean, and biota in the Antarctic affect the entire global system through feedbacks, biogeochemical cycles, deep-ocean circulation, atmospheric transport of heat, moisture, and pollutants, and changes in ice mass balances. Antarctica is also a rich repository of paleoenvironmental information in its ice sheet and its ocean and land sediments.

75 FR 65385 - Advisory Committee for Polar Programs; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-22

... Antarctic Program review; Strategic Planning; planning for a Polar Research Vessel. Dated: October 19, 2010... research community, to provide advice to the Director of OPP on issues related to long-range planning...

Ice Sheet History from Antarctic Continental Margin Sediments: The ANTOSTRAT Approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barker, P.F.; Barrett, P.J.; Camerlenghi, A.; Cooper, A. K.; Davey, F.J.; Domack, E.W.; Escutia, C.; Kristoffersen, Y.; O'Brien, P.E.

1998-01-01

The Antarctic Ice Sheet is today an important part of the global climate engine, and probably has been so for most of its long existence. However, the details of its history are poorly known, despite the measurement and use, over two decades, of low-latitude proxies of ice sheet volume. An additional way of determining ice sheet history is now available, based on understanding terrigenous sediment transport and deposition under a glacial regime. It requires direct sampling of the prograded wedge of glacial sediments deposited at the Antarctic continental margin (and of derived sediments on the continental rise) at a small number of key sites, and combines the resulting data using numerical models of ice sheet development. The new phase of sampling is embodied mainly in a suite of proposals to the Ocean Drilling Program, generated by separate regional proponent groups co-ordinated through ANTOSTRAT (the Antarctic Offshore Acoustic Stratigraphy initiative). The first set of margin sites has now been drilled as ODP Leg 178 to the Antarctic Peninsula margin, and a first, short season of inshore drilling at Cape Roberts, Ross Sea, has been completed. Leg 178 and Cape Roberts drilling results are described briefly here, together with an outline of key elements of the overall strategy for determining glacial history, and of the potential contributions of drilling other Antarctic margins investigated by ANTOSTRAT. ODP Leg 178 also recovered continuous ultra-high-resolution Holocene biogenic sections at two sites within a protected, glacially-overdeepened basin (Palmer Deep) on the inner continental shelf of the Antarctic Peninsula. These and similar sites from around the Antarctic margin are a valuable resource when linked with ice cores and equivalent sections at lower latitude sites for studies of decadal and millenial-scale climate variation.

Quantitative and Qualitative Analyzes of the Explosive Cyclones that Reached the Antarctic Coast in the First Half of 2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pires, L. B. M.; Romao, M.; Freitas, A. C. V.

2017-12-01

An explosive cyclone is a kind of extratropical cyclone which shows a drop in pressure of at least 24 hPa in 24 hours. These are usually intense and they have rapid displacement which hinders their predictability. It is likely that climate change is causing an increase in this type of event in the Antarctic coast and, if this increase is confirmed, the regime of winds and temperatures may be changing. If there are more incidences of explosive cyclones, probably the Antarctic winds are becoming more intense and the temperatures in some places are becoming lower and in others are becoming higher. In the northern portion of the Antarctic Peninsula a decrease in temperature already has been recorded over the last 15 years, while a higher incidence of explosive cyclones over the region also has been found during this period. Studies also have suggested that the drop in temperatures in the Antarctic may be associated with the changes in wind direction, but the cause of these wind direction changes is unknown. Explosive cyclones, which change the wind patterns when they reach certain areas therefore may be contributing to this change in the Antarctic climate. This study is part of the "Explosive Cyclones on the Antarctic Coast" (EXCANC) Project conducted by the World Environmental Conservancy organization. This project analyzes data from meteorological stations strategically scattered throughout the coast and operated by various international Antarctic programs, and also utilizes satellite images. Results show that during the first half of 2017 the highest number of events were recorded at the Australian Casey station with 10 cases, followed by the French station of Dumont D'Urville with 7 cases. Halley's English station recorded its first explosive cyclone this year. Intensity analyzes also are shown.

Antarctic Crabs: Invasion or Endurance?

PubMed Central

Griffiths, Huw J.; Whittle, Rowan J.; Roberts, Stephen J.; Belchier, Mark; Linse, Katrin

2013-01-01

Recent scientific interest following the “discovery” of lithodid crabs around Antarctica has centred on a hypothesis that these crabs might be poised to invade the Antarctic shelf if the recent warming trend continues, potentially decimating its native fauna. This “invasion hypothesis” suggests that decapod crabs were driven out of Antarctica 40–15 million years ago and are only now returning as “warm” enough habitats become available. The hypothesis is based on a geographically and spatially poor fossil record of a different group of crabs (Brachyura), and examination of relatively few Recent lithodid samples from the Antarctic slope. In this paper, we examine the existing lithodid fossil record and present the distribution and biogeographic patterns derived from over 16,000 records of Recent Southern Hemisphere crabs and lobsters. Globally, the lithodid fossil record consists of only two known specimens, neither of which comes from the Antarctic. Recent records show that 22 species of crabs and lobsters have been reported from the Southern Ocean, with 12 species found south of 60°S. All are restricted to waters warmer than 0°C, with their Antarctic distribution limited to the areas of seafloor dominated by Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW). Currently, CDW extends further and shallower onto the West Antarctic shelf than the known distribution ranges of most lithodid species examined. Geological evidence suggests that West Antarctic shelf could have been available for colonisation during the last 9,000 years. Distribution patterns, species richness, and levels of endemism all suggest that, rather than becoming extinct and recently re-invading from outside Antarctica, the lithodid crabs have likely persisted, and even radiated, on or near to Antarctic slope. We conclude there is no evidence for a modern-day “crab invasion”. We recommend a repeated targeted lithodid sampling program along the West Antarctic shelf to fully test the validity of the “invasion hypothesis”. PMID:23843974

BURECS: An Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Climate Science Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennis, D. P.; Marchant, D. R.; Christ, A. J.; Ehrenfeucht, S.

2017-12-01

The current structure of many undergraduate programs, particularly those at large research universities, requires students to engage with a major or academic emphasis early in their university careers. This oftentimes curbs exploration outside the major and can inhibit interdisciplinary collaboration. The Boston University Research Education and Communication of Science (BURECS) program seeks to bridge this institutional divide by fostering interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration on climate change-related issues by students from across Boston University (B.U.). Every year, approximately fifteen first-year students from B.U.'s College of Arts and Sciences, College of Communication, and School of Education are selected to join BURECS, which includes a climate science seminar, a hands-on lab course, a supported summer internship with Boston-area researchers, and the opportunity to participate in Antarctic field work during subsequent B.U. Antarctic Research Group expeditions. Currently in its third year, BURECS is funded through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Professors Program.

Planetary Analogs in Antarctica: Icy Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, M. C.

1985-01-01

As part of a study to provide semi-quantitative techniques to date past Antarctic glaciations, sponsored by the Antarctic Research Program, field observations pertinent to other planets were also acquired. The extremely diverse surface conditions, marked by extreme cold and large amounts of ice, provide potential terrain and process analogs to the icy satellites of Jupiter and Saturn. Thin ice tectonic features and explosion craters (on sea ice) and deformation features on thicker ice (glaciers) are specifically addressed.

Quantarctica: A Unique, Open, Standalone GIS Package for Antarctic Research and Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, George; Matsuoka, Kenichi; Skoglund, Anders; Melvær, Yngve; Tronstad, Stein

2017-04-01

The Norwegian Polar Institute has developed Quantarctica (http://quantarctica.npolar.no), an open GIS package for use by the international Antarctic community. Quantarctica includes a wide range of cartographic basemap layers, geophysical and glaciological datasets, and satellite imagery in standardized open file formats with a consistent Antarctic map projection and customized layer and labeling styles for quick, effective cartography. Quantarctica's strengths as an open science platform lie in 1) The complete, ready-to-use data package which includes full-resolution, original-quality vector and raster data, 2) A policy for freely-redistributable and modifiable data including all metadata and citations, and 3) QGIS, a free, full-featured, modular, offline-capable open-source GIS suite with a rapid and active development and support community. The Quantarctica team is actively incorporating more up-to-date, peer-reviewed, freely distributable pan-Antarctic geospatial datasets for the next version release in 2017. As part of this ongoing development, we are investigating the best approaches for quickly and seamlessly distributing new and updated data to users, storing datasets in efficient, open file formats while maintaining full data integrity, and coexisting with numerous online data portals in a way that most actively benefits the Antarctic community. A recent survey of Quantarctica users showed broad geographical adoption among Antarctic Treaty countries, including those outside the large US and UK Antarctic programs. Maps and figures produced by Quantarctica have also appeared in open-access journals and outside of the formal scientific community on popular science and GIS blogs. Our experience with the Quantarctica project has shown the tremendous value of education and outreach, not only in promoting open software, data formats, and practices, but in empowering Antarctic science groups to more effectively use GIS and geospatial data. Open practices are making a huge impact in Antarctic GIS, where individual countries have historically maintained their own restricted Antarctic geodatabases and where the next generation of scientists are entering the field with experience in using geospatial thinking for planning, visualization, and problem solving.

The Future of the United States Antarctic Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thom, J. E.; Weidner, G. A.; Lazzara, M. A.; Knuth, S. L.; Cassano, J. J.

2009-04-01

The last three decades have seen Antarctic surface meteorological observations augmented by an increasing number of automated weather stations (AWS). Since 1980, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has managed an expanding array of AWS in Antarctica that are funded through the United States' National Science Foundation. The AWS network began with six stations and has grown to approximately 60 stations. The majority of the AWS use a custom electronics package designed in the 1970s and modified over approximately 20 years. However, dramatic changes in the electronics industry have led the UW-Madison to transition its AWS to commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components capable of integrating on-station storage, varied sensors, multiple data telemetry options, and a flexible operating system. Among the important technical issues arising from adopting a COTS-based AWS system are limited temperature certification for Antarctic conditions; non-standard integration of the varied telecommunications equipment; potentially inflexible data acquisition schemes; and frequent product upgrades, changes, and obsolescence. The UW-Madison presents the current status of its AWS system; its recent experience with new data loggers, sensors, and communication options; and its attempts to obtain a standardized AWS. The intent is to encourage the development of a forum where groups can document their experiences with varied AWS systems in the extreme polar climate. Recent events have added another challenge within the United States Antarctic Program, as it has become clear that budgetary and logistic limitations will drastically impact the AWS program. With logistical costs playing a bigger factor in funding AWS operations, international coordination and cooperation will be important in deploying and maintaining the AWS networks (such as GCOS) that are critical to monitoring the world's climate.

A chemical definition of the boundary of the Antarctic ozone hole

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Proffitt, M. H.; Powell, J. A.; Tuck, A. F.; Fahey, D. W.; Kelly, K. K.; Krueger, A. J.; Schoeberl, M. R.; Gary, B. L.; Margitan, J. J.; Chan, K. R.

1989-01-01

A program designed to study the Antarctic ozone hole using ER-2 high-altitude and DC-8 aircraft was conducted out of Punta Arenas, Chile during August 17-September 22, 1987. Graphs are presented of ozone and chlorine monoxide when crossing the boundary of the chemically perturbed region on August 23 and on September 21. Interpretations of ClO, H2O, and N2O measurements are presented, indicating ongoing diabetic cooling and advective poleward transport across the boundary.

Late Cenozoic Climate History of the Ross Embayment from the AND-1B Drill Hole: Culmination of Three Decades of Antarctic Margin Drilling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naish, T.R.; Powell, R.D.; Barrett, P.J.; Levy, R.H.; Henrys, S.; Wilson, G.S.; Krissek, L.A.; Niessen, F.; Pompilio, M.; Ross, J.; Scherer, R.; Talarico, F.; Pyne, A.; ,

2007-01-01

Because of the paucity of exposed rock, the direct physical record of Antarctic Cenozoic glacial history has become known only recently and then largely from offshore shelf basins through seismic surveys and drilling. The number of holes on the continental shelf has been small and largely confined to three areas (McMurdo Sound, Prydz Bay, and Antarctic Peninsula), but even in McMurdo Sound, where Oligocene and early Miocene strata are well cored, the late Cenozoic is poorly known and dated. The latest Antarctic geological drilling program, ANDRILL, successfully cored a 1285-m-long record of climate history spanning the last 13 m.y. from subsea-floor sediment beneath the McMurdo Ice Shelf (MIS), using drilling systems specially developed for operating through ice shelves. The cores provide the most complete Antarctic record to date of ice-sheet and climate fluctuations for this period of Earth’s history. The >60 cycles of advance and retreat of the grounded ice margin preserved in the AND-1B record the evolution of the Antarctic ice sheet since a profound global cooling step in deep-sea oxygen isotope records ~14 m.y.a. A feature of particular interest is a ~90-m-thick interval of diatomite deposited during the warm Pliocene and representing an extended period (~200,000 years) of locally open water, high phytoplankton productivity, and retreat of the glaciers on land.

Productivity and linkages of the food web of the southern region of the western Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ballerini, Tosca; Hofmann, Eileen E.; Ainley, David G.; Daly, Kendra L.; Marrari, Marina; Ribic, Christine A.; Smith, Walker O.; Steele, John H.

2014-01-01

The productivity and linkages in the food web of the southern region of the west Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf were investigated using a multi-trophic level mass balance model. Data collected during the Southern Ocean Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics field program were combined with data from the literature on the abundance and diet composition of zooplankton, fish, seabirds and marine mammals to calculate energy flows in the food web and to infer the overall food web structure at the annual level. Sensitivity analyses investigated the effects of variability in growth and biomass of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and in the biomass of Antarctic krill predators on the structure and energy fluxes in the food web. Scenario simulations provided insights into the potential responses of the food web to a reduced contribution of large phytoplankton (diatom) production to total primary production, and to reduced consumption of primary production by Antarctic krill and mesozooplankton coincident with increased consumption by microzooplankton and salps. Model-derived estimates of primary production were 187–207 g C m−2 y−1, which are consistent with observed values (47–351 g C m−2 y−1). Simulations showed that Antarctic krill provide the majority of energy needed to sustain seabird and marine mammal production, thereby exerting a bottom-up control on higher trophic level predators. Energy transfer to top predators via mesozooplanton was a less efficient pathway, and salps were a production loss pathway because little of the primary production they consumed was passed to higher trophic levels. Increased predominance of small phytoplankton (nanoflagellates and cryptophytes) reduced the production of Antarctic krill and of its predators, including seabirds and seals.

Productivity and linkages of the food web of the southern region of the western Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballerini, Tosca; Hofmann, Eileen E.; Ainley, David G.; Daly, Kendra; Marrari, Marina; Ribic, Christine A.; Smith, Walker O.; Steele, John H.

2014-03-01

The productivity and linkages in the food web of the southern region of the west Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf were investigated using a multi-trophic level mass balance model. Data collected during the Southern Ocean Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics field program were combined with data from the literature on the abundance and diet composition of zooplankton, fish, seabirds and marine mammals to calculate energy flows in the food web and to infer the overall food web structure at the annual level. Sensitivity analyses investigated the effects of variability in growth and biomass of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and in the biomass of Antarctic krill predators on the structure and energy fluxes in the food web. Scenario simulations provided insights into the potential responses of the food web to a reduced contribution of large phytoplankton (diatom) production to total primary production, and to reduced consumption of primary production by Antarctic krill and mesozooplankton coincident with increased consumption by microzooplankton and salps. Model-derived estimates of primary production were 187-207 g C m-2 y-1, which are consistent with observed values (47-351 g C m-2 y-1). Simulations showed that Antarctic krill provide the majority of energy needed to sustain seabird and marine mammal production, thereby exerting a bottom-up control on higher trophic level predators. Energy transfer to top predators via mesozooplanton was a less efficient pathway, and salps were a production loss pathway because little of the primary production they consumed was passed to higher trophic levels. Increased predominance of small phytoplankton (nanoflagellates and cryptophytes) reduced the production of Antarctic krill and of its predators, including seabirds and seals.

On the Antarctic Slope Front and Current crossing of the South Scotia Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orsi, A. H.; Palmer, M.; Gomis, D.; Flexas, M. M.; Kim, Y.-S.; Jordà, G.; Wiederwohl, C.; Álvarez, M.

2012-04-01

To unveil the contorted path followed by the Antarctic Slope Current connecting the Weddell and Scotia Seas, hydrographic stations with unprecedented spatial resolution were occupied on a series of sections across the slope and multiple channels in the double-pronged western portion of the South Scotia Ridge. Fieldwork consisted of two cruises from the ESASSI (January 2008) and ACROSS (February 2009) programs, the Spanish and USA/Argentina components of the International Polar Year core project SASSI (Synoptic Antarctic Shelf-Slope Interaction study). In this region the Antarctic Slope Current can be located by the pronounced in-shore deepening of isopycnals over the continental slope, rendering the strong subsurface temperature and salinity gradients characteristic of the Antarctic Slope Front. Before reaching the gaps in the southern Ridge near 51°W and 50°W, the ASC carries about 3 Sv of upper layer waters, but it splits into shallow and deep branches upon turning north through these two gaps. The shallower branch enters the Hesperides Trough at 51°W, then shows a tight cyclonic loop back to that longitude roughly following the slope's 700-m isobath, and turns again westward through a similar gap in the northern Ridge. In the Scotia Sea the westward-flowing Antarctic Slope Current is found as far west as the Elephant Island along slightly deeper levels of slope (1100 m) before it is blocked by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current south of the Shackleton Fracture Zone (56°W). The deeper branch of the ASC in the Powell Basin crosses the southern Ridge near 50°W and roughly follows the 1600-m isobath before entering the Scotia Sea through the Hesperides Gap farther to the east (49°W). Thereafter the deeper waters carried westward by this branch become undistinguishable from those circulating farther offshore. Repeat cross-slope sections at both southern and northern flanks of the South Scotia Ridge showed significant temporal variability in the characteristics of the Antarctic Slope Front/Current system.

Gas hydrates and active mud volcanism on the South Shetland continental margin, Antarctic Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinivella, U.; Accaino, F.; Della Vedova, B.

2008-04-01

During the Antarctic summer of 2003 2004, new geophysical data were acquired from aboard the R/V OGS Explora in the BSR-rich area discovered in 1996 1997 along the South Shetland continental margin off the Antarctic Peninsula. The objective of the research program, supported by the Italian National Antarctic Program (PNRA), was to verify the existence of a potential gas hydrate reservoir and to reconstruct the tectonic setting of the margin, which probably controls the extent and character of the diffused and discontinuous bottom simulating reflections. The new dataset, i.e. multibeam bathymetry, seismic profiles (airgun and chirp), and two gravity cores analysed by computer-aided tomography as well as for gas composition and content, clearly shows active mud volcanism sustained by hydrocarbon venting in the region: several vents, located mainly close to mud volcanoes, were imaged during the cruise and their occurrence identified in the sediment samples. Mud volcanoes, vents and recent slides border the gas hydrate reservoir discovered in 1996 1997. The cores are composed of stiff silty mud. In core GC01, collected in the proximity of a mud volcano ridge, the following gases were identified (maximum contents in brackets): methane (46 μg/kg), pentane (45), ethane (35), propane (34), hexane (29) and butane (28). In core GC02, collected on the flank of the Vualt mud volcano, the corresponding data are methane (0 μg/kg), pentane (45), ethane (22), propane (0), hexane (27) and butane (25).

Applicability of NASA Polar Technologies to British Antarctic Survey Halley VI Research Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flynn, Michael

2005-01-01

From 1993 through 1997 NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF), developed a variety of environmental infrastructure technologies for use at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. The objective of this program was to reduce the cost of operating the South Pole Station, reduce the environmental impact of the Station, and to increase the quality of life for Station inhabitants. The result of this program was the development of a set of sustainability technologies designed specifically for Polar applications. In the intervening eight years many of the technologies developed through this program have been commercialized and tested in extreme environments and are now available for use throughout Antarctica and circumpolar north. The objective of this document is to provide information covering technologies that might also be applicable to the British Antarctic Survey s (BAS) proposed new Halley VI Research Station. All technologies described are commercially available.

Investigating the crustal elements of the central Antarctic Plate (ICECAP): How long-range aerogeophysics is critical to understanding the evolution of the East Antarctic ice sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blankenship, D. D.; Brozena, J. M.; Siegert, M. J.; Morse, D. L.; Dalziel, I. W.; Lawver, L. A.; Holt, J. W.; Childers, V. A.; Bamber, J. L.; Payne, A. J.

2004-12-01

The highlands of the central Antarctic Plate have been the nursery for East Antarctic ice sheets since at least the early Oligocene separation of Antarctica and Australia. Significant strides have been made in deciphering the marine geological, geophysical, and geochemical record of the deposits left by these sheets and the Pleistocene paleoclimate record from ice cores taken from the central reaches of the contemporary ice sheet. Most recently, the scientific community has realized the importance of the isolated biome represented by the subglacial lakes that characterize the domes of the central East Antarctic ice sheet and evolve in concert with them. Understanding the evolution of the East Antarctic ice sheet and its sub-glacial environment would be a major contribution to the IPY 2007-2008 international effort. Critical to understanding offshore and ice core records of paleoclimate, as well as the distribution/isolation of any subglacial lake systems, is developing a comprehensive understanding of the crustal elements of the central Antarctic Plate. A complete understanding of the evolution of East Antarctic ice sheets throughout the Cenozoic requires knowledge of the boundaries, elevation and paleolatitude of these crustal elements through time as well as evidence of their morphological, sedimentological and tectono-thermal history. The basic impediments to gaining this understanding are the subcontinental scale of the central Antarctic Plate and the one to four kilometers of ice cover that inhibits direct access. It is possible however to provide a substantial framework for understanding these crustal elements through a comprehensive program of long-range airborne geophysical observations. We have proposed a plan to measure gravity, magnetics, ice-penetrating radar, and laser/radar altimetry over the Gamburtsev, Vostok and Belgica subglacial highlands beneath Domes A - C of the contemporary East Antarctic ice sheet using a Navy P-3 aircraft based in McMurdo. Such measurements would help characterize crustal boundaries, establish absolute bedrock elevation and contemporary basal melt distribution (for boundary conditions of ice sheet and lake evolution), and reveal detailed subglacial geomorphology. A P-3 aircraft based in McMurdo would provide access to more than half of the continent without the difficult logistic support of remote field camps and fuel caches.

Italian polar data center for capacity building associated with the IHY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damiani, A.; Bendetti, E.; Storini, M.; Rafanelli, C.

The International Heliophysical Year IHY offers a good opportunity to develop and coordinate studies on the Sun-Earth system by using a large variety of simultaneous data obtained by satellite spacecraft and ground based instruments Among these data we recall the ones coming from solar and interplanetary medium observations auroral neutron monitor geomagnetic field ionospheric meteorological and other atmospheric observatories In this context an Information System for the Italian Research in Antarctica SIRIA has started during 2003 aiming to collect information on the scientific research projects funded by the National Antarctic Research Program PNRA of Italy since its birth 1985 It belongs to the Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management JCADM of SCAR Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research as the Italian Antarctic Data Center SIRIA being the Italian Polar Database gathers also information on research activities conducted in North Pole regions This Information System can be a relevant resource for capacity building associated with the IHY particularly for people involved in interdisciplinary researches We describe the present status of the Italian Polar Data Center and its potential use

Molecular Isotopic Characterization of the ALH 85013.50 Meteorite: Defining the Extraterrestrial Organic Compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuller, M.; Huang, Y.

2003-01-01

The Antarctic Meteorite Program has returned over 16,000 meteorites from the ice sheets of the Antarctic. This more than doubles the number of preexisting meteorite collection and adds important and rare specimens to the assemblage. The CM carbonaceous chondrites are of particular interest because of their high organic component. The Antarctic carbonaceous chondrites provide a large, previously uninvestigated suite of meteorites. Of the 161 CM chondrites listed in the Catalogue of Meteorites 138 of them have been recovered from the Antarctic ice sheets,. However, these meteorites have typically been exposed to Earth s conditions for long periods of time. The extent of terrestrial organic contamination and weathering that has taken place on these carbonaceous chondrites is unknown. In the past, stable isotope analysis was used to identify bulk organics that were extraterrestrial in origin. Although useful, this method could not exclude the possibility of terrestrial contamination contributing to the isotopic measurement. Compound specific isotope analysis of organic meteorite material has provided the opportunity to discern the terrestrial contamination from extraterrestrial organic compounds on the molecular level.

Preface and brief synthesis for the FOODBANCS volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Craig R.; DeMaster, David J.

2008-11-01

In this volume we present results from the FOODBANCS Project, which examined the fate and benthic community impact of summer bloom material on the West Antarctic Peninsula shelf floor. The project involved a 5-cruise, 15-month time-series program in which sediment-trap moorings, core sampling, radiochemical profiling, sediment respirometry, bottom photography, and bottom trawling were used to evaluate: (1) seafloor deposition and lability of POC, (2) patterns of labile POC consumption and sediment mixing by benthos, and (3) seasonal and inter-annual variations in biotic abundance, biomass, reproductive condition, recruitment, and sediment community respiration. We find that the seafloor flux and accumulation of particulate organic carbon on the West Antarctic Peninsula shelf exhibit intense seasonal and interannual variability. Nonetheless, many key benthic processes, including organic-matter degradation, bioturbation, deposit feeding, and faunal abundance, reproduction and recruitment, show relatively muted response to this intense seasonal and inter-annual variability in export flux. We thus hypothesize that benthic ecosystems on the Antarctic shelf act as "low-pass" filters, and may be extremely useful in resolving the impacts of climatic change over periods of years to decades in Antarctic Peninsula region.

Numerical Taxonomy of Some Bacteria Isolated from Antarctic and Tropical Seawaters1

PubMed Central

Pfister, Robert M.; Burkholder, Paul R.

1965-01-01

Pfister, Robert M. (Lamont Geological Observatory, Palisades, N.Y.), and Paul R. Burkholder. Numerical taxonomy of some bacteria isolated from Antarctic and tropical seawaters. J. Bacteriol. 90:863–872. 1965.—Microorganisms from Antarctic seas and from tropical waters near Puerto Rico were examined with a series of morphological, physiological, and biochemical tests. The results of these analyses were coded on punch cards, and similarity matrices were computed with a program for an IBM 1620 computer. When the matrix was reordered by use of the single-linkage technique, and the results were plotted with four symbols for different per cent similarity ranges, nine groups of microorganisms were revealed. The data suggest that organisms occurring in different areas of the open ocean may be profitably studied with standardized computer techniques. PMID:5847807

ANSMET 2013

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Mitzi L.

2014-01-01

From December 2013 to January 2014, MSFC Planetary Scientist Dr. Barbara Cohen participated in the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) 2013-2014 season. With a team of eight, a systematic search of the Antarctic ice in the South Miller Range turned up 333 samples; one of the largest is seen here with Dr. Cohen for scale. Since 1976, ANSMET has recovered more than 25,000 specimens from the ice along the Transantarctic Mountains. The icy surfaces of this area are particularly well suited for meteorite searches because of surface stranding: the surfaces must have bare ice, must be composed of large volumes, and the ice must flow out of the area more slowly than new ice arrives. The ANSMET specimens are currently the only reliable, continuous source of new, nonmicroscopic extraterrestrial material, and will continue to be until planetary sample-return missions are successful. The ANSMET program is supported by grants from the Solar System Exploration Division of NASA. Polar logistics are provided by the Office of Polar Programs of the U.S. National Science Foundation. The Principal Investigator of the current grant is Dr. Ralph P. Harvey at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Barbara Cohen is seen with a large meteorite from the Antarctic's Miller Range

Constraining the Antarctic contribution to global sea-level change: ANDRILL and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naish, Timothy

2016-04-01

Observations, models and paleoclimate reconstructions suggest that Antarctica's marine-based ice sheets behave in an unstable manner with episodes of rapid retreat in response to warming climate. Understanding the processes involved in this "marine ice sheet instability" is key for improving estimates of Antarctic ice sheet contribution to future sea-level rise. Another motivating factor is that far-field sea-level reconstructions and ice sheet models imply global mean sea level (GMSL) was up to 20m and 10m higher, respectively, compared with present day, during the interglacials of the warm Pliocene (~4-3Ma) and Late Pleistocene (at ~400ka and 125ka). This was when atmospheric CO2 was between 280 and 400ppm and global average surface temperatures were 1 to 3°C warmer, suggesting polar ice sheets are highly sensitive to relatively modest increases in climate forcing. Such magnitudes of GMSL rise not only require near complete melt of the Greenland Ice Sheet and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, but a substantial retreat of marine-based sectors of East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Recent geological drilling initiatives on the continental margin of Antarctica from both ship- (e.g. IODP; International Ocean Discovery Program) and ice-based (e.g. ANDRILL/Antarctic Geological Drilling) platforms have provided evidence supporting retreat of marine-based ice. However, without direct access through the ice sheet to archives preserved within sub-glacial sedimentary basins, the volume and extent of ice sheet retreat during past interglacials cannot be directly constrained. Sediment cores have been successfully recovered from beneath ice shelves by the ANDRILL Program and ice streams by the WISSARD (Whillans Ice Stream Sub-glacial Access Research Drilling) Project. Together with the potential of the new RAID (Rapid Access Ice Drill) initiative, these demonstrate the technological feasibility of accessing the subglacial bed and deeper sedimentary archives. In this talk I will outline the scientific challenges, some potential sub-glacial sedimentary targets, and a strategy for future drilling of sub-glacial sedimentary basins.

Constraining the Antarctic contribution to interglacial sea-level rise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naish, T.; Mckay, R. M.; Barrett, P. J.; Levy, R. H.; Golledge, N. R.; Deconto, R. M.; Horgan, H. J.; Dunbar, G. B.

2015-12-01

Observations, models and paleoclimate reconstructions suggest that Antarctica's marine-based ice sheets behave in an unstable manner with episodes of rapid retreat in response to warming climate. Understanding the processes involved in this "marine ice sheet instability" is key for improving estimates of Antarctic ice sheet contribution to future sea-level rise. Another motivating factor is that far-field sea-level reconstructions and ice sheet models imply global mean sea level (GMSL) was up to 20m and 10m higher, respectively, compared with present day, during the interglacials of the warm Pliocene (~4-3Ma) and Late Pleistocene (at ~400ka and 125ka). This was when atmospheric CO2 was between 280 and 400ppm and global average surface temperatures were 1- 3°C warmer, suggesting polar ice sheets are highly sensitive to relatively modest increases in climate forcing. Such magnitudes of GMSL rise not only require near complete melt of the Greenland Ice Sheet and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, but a substantial retreat of marine-based sectors of East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Recent geological drilling initiatives on the continental margin of Antarctica from both ship- (e.g. IODP; International Ocean Discovery Program) and ice-based (e.g. ANDRILL/Antarctic Geological Drilling) platforms have provided evidence supporting retreat of marine-based ice. However, without direct access through the ice sheet to archives preserved within sub-glacial sedimentary basins, the volume and extent of ice sheet retreat during past interglacials cannot be directly constrained. Sediment cores have been successfully recovered from beneath ice shelves by the ANDRILL Program and ice streams by the WISSARD (Whillans Ice Stream Sub-glacial Access Research Drilling) Project. Together with the potential of the new RAID (Rapid Access Ice Drill) initiative, these demonstrate the technological feasibility of accessing the subglacial bed and deeper sedimentary archives. In this talk I will outline the scientific challenges, some potential sub-glacial sedimentary targets, and a strategy for future drilling of sub-glacial sedimentary basins.

IPY: Engaging Antarctica: Bringing Antarctic Geoscience to the Public Through a NOVA Documentary and an Innovative Flexible Exhibit for Informal Science Education Venues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rack, F.; Diamond, J.; Levy, R.; Berg, M.; Dahlman, L.; Jackson, J.

2006-12-01

IPY: Engaging Antarctica is an informal science education project designed to increase the general public's understanding of scientific research conducted in Antarctica. The project focuses specifically on the multi- national, NSF-funded Antarctic Drilling Project (ANDRILL). The ANDRILL project is the newest geological drilling program in an ongoing effort to recover stratigraphic records from Antarctica. ANDRILL's primary objectives are to investigate Antarctica's role in global environmental change over the past 65 million years and to better understand its future response to global changes. Additionally, through ANDRILL's Research Immersion for Science Educators program (ARISE), 12 science educators from four countries will work on science research teams in Antarctica and produce educational materials that feature Antarctic geoscience. The Engaging Antarctica project will produce both a NOVA television documentary and an innovative informal learning exhibit. The documentary, Antarctica's Icy Secrets, will provide a geological perspective on how Antarctica continues to play a major role in affecting global climate by altering ocean currents and sea levels. The learning exhibit, one that blends standards- and inquiry-based learning with the latest information technologies, is coined the Flexhibit. The Engaging Antarctica Flexhibit will provide a digital package of high resolution images for banners as well as learning activities and ideas for exhibit stations that can be implemented by youth groups. Flexhibit images will feature ANDRILL scientists at work, and audio files, available as podcasts, will tell scientists' stories in their own words, speaking directly to the public about the joys and challenges of Antarctic geological research.

Antarctic Glaciological Data at NSIDC: field data, temperature, and ice velocity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, R.; Bohlander, J.; Scambos, T.; Berthier, E.; Raup, B.; Scharfen, G.

2003-12-01

An extensive collection of many Antarctic glaciological parameters is available for the polar science community upon request. The National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs funds the Antarctic Glaciological Data Center (AGDC) at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) to archive and distribute Antarctic glaciological and cryospheric system data collected by the U.S. Antarctic Program. AGDC facilitates data exchange among Principal Investigators, preserves recently collected data useful to future research, gathers data sets from past research, and compiles continent-wide information useful for modeling and field work planning. Data sets are available via our web site, http://nsidc.org/agdc/. From here, users can access extensive documentation, citation information, locator maps, derived images and references, and the numerical data. More than 50 Antarctic scientists have contributed data to the archive. Among the compiled products distributed by AGDC are VELMAP and THERMAP. THERMAP is a compilation of over 600 shallow firn temperature measurements ('10-meter temperatures') collected since 1950. These data provide a record of mean annual temperature, and potentially hold a record of climate change on the continent. The data are represented with maps showing the traverse route, and include data sources, measurement technique, and additional measurements made at each site, i.e., snow density and accumulation. VELMAP is an archive of surface ice velocity measurements for the Antarctic Ice Sheet. The primary objective of VELMAP is to assemble a historic record of outlet glaciers and ice shelf ice motion over the Antarctic. The collection includes both PI-contributed measurements and data generated at NSIDC using Landsat and SPOT satellite imagery. Tabular data contain position, speed, bearing, and data quality information, and related references. Two new VELMAP data sets are highlighted: the Mertz Glacier and the Institute Ice Stream. Mertz Glacier ice velocity provides an upper limit for change in velocity for this glacier over the past decade. Two pairs of Landsat images were used to compare velocities from 2000-2001 to 1989-2000. No significant change in velocity is observed. A new ice discharge flux of 17.8 km3a-1 was determined, and basal melting at the grounding line was re-calculated at 11 m per year (Berthier et al., 2003, in press). Velocity data for the Institute Ice Stream was compiled at NSIDC using a Landsat images from 1986, 1989, and 1997. The data were recently used in a study outlining the velocity, mass balance, and morphology of the Institute ice stream and nearby Ronne ice shelf area. (Scambos et al., 2003, in review). The study indicates the Institute has regions with flow and morphology characteristics similar to the Ross Embayment ice streams. Ice velocity research contributes to understanding the mass balance and overall stability of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. The archiving of velocity data has proven to be a useful tool to the Antarctic science community, and VELMAP continues to grow as a valuable resource through PI contributions. If you have velocity data that you would like to contribute to the VELMAP archive please contact agdc@nsidc.org. The velocity data used in the two studies presented here can be accessed on the VELMAP web site at http://nsidc.org/data/velmap.

Synoptic aspects of Antarctic mesocyclones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carleton, Andrew M.; Fitch, Mark

1993-07-01

The characteristic regimes (formation and dissipation areas, tracks) and synoptic environments of cold air mesocyclones over Antarctic and Subantarctic latitudes are determined for the contrasting winters (June, July, and August) of 1988 and 1989. Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) thermal infrared (IR) imagery is used in conjunction with southern hemisphere pressure/height analyses. Outbreaks of mesocyclones ("active periods") are frequent in the Ross Sea sector in 1988. They are associated most often with areas of maximum horizontal gradient of the 1000- to 500-mbar thickness. Over higher latitudes of the Southeast Pacific in 1989, mesocyclones develop in association with a "cold pool" that migrates equatorward. The between-winter differences in mesocyclone frequencies are examined for associations with sea ice conditions and the continental katabatic winds using correlation and "superposed epoch" analysis of temperature data from selected automatic weather stations (AWSs). The results support a katabatic wind-sea ice extent-mesocyclone link for key sectors of the Antarctic.

Iceberg B-15, Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Iceberg B-15 broke from the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica in late March. Among the largest ever observed, the new iceberg is approximately 170 miles long x 25 miles wide. Its 4,250 square-mile area is nearly as large as the state of Connecticut. The iceberg was formed from glacial ice moving off the Antarctic continent and calved along pre-existing cracks in the Ross Ice Shelf near Roosevelt Island. The calving of the iceberg essentially moves the northern boundary of the ice shelf about 25 miles to the south, a loss that would normally take the ice shelf as long as 50-100 years to replace. This infrared image was acquired by the DMSP (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program) F-13 satellite on April 13, 2000. For more images see Antarctic Meteorological Research Center Image courtesy of the University of Wisconsin - Madison, Space Science and Engineering Center, Antarctic Meteorological Research Center

Edwardsiella andrillae, a new species of sea anemone from Antarctic ice.

PubMed

Daly, Marymegan; Rack, Frank; Zook, Robert

2013-01-01

Exploration of the lower surface of the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica by the Submersible Capable of under-Ice Navigation and Imaging (SCINI) remotely operated vehicle discovered a new species of sea anemone living in this previously undocumented ecosystem. This discovery was a significant outcome of the Coulman High Project's geophysical and environmental fieldwork in 2010-2011 as part of the ANDRILL (ANtarctic geologic DRILLing) program. Edwardsiella andrillae n. sp., lives with most of its column in the ice shelf, with only the tentacle crown extending into the seawater below. In addition to being the only Antarctic representative of the genus, Edwardsiella andrillae is distinguished from all other species of the genus in the number of tentacles and in the size and distribution of cnidae. The anatomy and histology of Edwardsiella andrillae present no features that explain how this animal withstands the challenges of life in such an unusual habitat.

Edwardsiella andrillae, a New Species of Sea Anemone from Antarctic Ice

PubMed Central

Daly, Marymegan; Rack, Frank; Zook, Robert

2013-01-01

Exploration of the lower surface of the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica by the Submersible Capable of under-Ice Navigation and Imaging (SCINI) remotely operated vehicle discovered a new species of sea anemone living in this previously undocumented ecosystem. This discovery was a significant outcome of the Coulman High Project’s geophysical and environmental fieldwork in 2010-2011 as part of the ANDRILL (ANtarctic geologic DRILLing) program. Edwardsiella andrillae n. sp., lives with most of its column in the ice shelf, with only the tentacle crown extending into the seawater below. In addition to being the only Antarctic representative of the genus, Edwardsiella andrillae is distinguished from all other species of the genus in the number of tentacles and in the size and distribution of cnidae. The anatomy and histology of Edwardsiella andrillae present no features that explain how this animal withstands the challenges of life in such an unusual habitat. PMID:24349517

Retrieving Mesoscale Vertical Velocities along the Antarctic Circumpolar Current from a Combination of Satellite and In Situ Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buongiorno Nardelli, B.; Iudicone, D.; Cotroneo, Y.; Zambianchi, E.; Rio, M. H.

2016-02-01

In the framework of the Italian National Program on Antarctic Research (PNRA), an analysis of the mesoscale dynamics along the Antarctic Circumpolar Current has been carried out starting from a combination of satellite and in situ observations. More specifically, state-of-the-art statistical techniques have been used to combine remotely-sensed sea surface temperature, salinity and absolute dynamical topography with in situ Argo data, providing mesoscale-resolving 3D tracers and geostrophic velocity fields. The 3D reconstruction has been validated with independent data collected during PNRA surveys. These data are then used to diagnose the vertical exchanges in the Southern Ocean through a generalized version of the Omega equation. Intense vertical motion (O(100 m/day)) is found along the ACC, upstream/downstream of its meanders, and within mesoscale eddies, where multipolar vertical velocity patterns are generally observed.

40 Years of Processing Pieces of Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Satterwhite, C. E.; Funk, R. C.; Righter, K.; Harrington, R. H.

2016-01-01

This year marks the 40th year anniversary for the Antarctic Search for Meteorite (ANSMET) program. In 1976, the ANSMET program led the first expedition to Antarctica. The ANSMET program is a US-led field-based science project that recovers meteorite samples from Antarctica. Once a year from late November to late January, a field team consisting of 8 to 12 people, spends 6-8 weeks camping on the ice and collecting meteorites. Since 1976, more than 22,000 meteorite samples have been recovered. These meteorites come from asteroids, planets and other bodies of the solar system. Once collected, the Antarctic meteorites are shipped to NASA/Johnson Space Center (JSC) Houston, TX. in a refrigerated truck and are kept frozen to minimize oxidation until they are ready for initial processing. In Antarctica each meteorite is given a field tag which consists of numbers, once in the lab, this is replaced by an official tag, consisting of the Antarctic field location and year collected. The types and numbers of meteorites that have been classified include 849 carbonaceous chondrites, 135 enstatites, 512 achondrites, 64 stony, 115 irons, 48 others (27 R chondrites, 7 ungrouped), 6,161 H chondrites, 7,668 L chondrites, and 4,589 LL chondrites. Although 80-85 percent of the collected meteorites fall in the ordinary chondrite group, the other approximately 15 percent represent rare types of achondrites and carbonaceous chondrites. These rare meteorites include 25 lunar meteorites, 15 Martian meteorites, scores of various types of carbonaceous chondrites, and unique achondrites. The Antarctic meteorites that have been collected are processed in the Meteorite Processing Lab at JSC in Houston, TX. Initial processing of the meteorites begins with thawing/drying the meteorites in a nitrogen glove box for 24 to 48 hours. The meteorites are then photographed, measured, weighed and a description of the interior and exterior of each meteorite is written. The meteorite is broken and a representative sample, either a 1-3 gram chip or thin section is sent to the Smithsonian Institution for classification. After Antarctic meteorites have been classified and approved by the Nomenclature Committee of the Meteoritical Society, they are announced in the Antarctic Meteorite Newsletter, which is published twice per year (fall and spring) so that scientists may review which meteorites are available to study. Requests for Antarctic Meteorite samples are welcomed from research scientists, regardless of their current state of funding for meteorite studies. Since its inception over 3,300 requests have been made for pieces of these meteorites and over 400 investigators worldwide are active in the study of meteorites.. Research on these samples has been published in more than1500 peer reviewed articles; a listing of papers for any meteorite sample can be generated by accessing http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/antmet/referencesearch.cfm. Antarctic meteorite samples requested by scientists are prepared several different ways. Most samples are prepared as chips, either using a rock splitter or using a chisel and chipping bowl. In special situations, a researcher may request a meteorite slab in which case the samples are cut using a diamond-bladed bandsaw inside of a dry nitrogen glove box. The meteorites are always cut in a 100 percent liquid-free environment. Additionally, thin/thick sections of Antarctic meteorites are also prepared at JSC. The meteorite thin section lab at JSC can prepare standard 30-micron thin sections, thick sections of variable thickness (100 to 200 microns), or demountable sections using superglue, all section are prepared without using water. Although many of the techniques used back in the '70's are still used today, advances in computers, software, databases, available tools and instrumentation have helped to streamline and shorten the duration of the classification process. In conjunction with present day missions to asteroids and other planets, meteorite studies have not only led to a better understanding of the complex histories of these bodies but have also tied certain meteorite groups to particular asteroid bodies. New meteorite discoveries by the ANSMET program provide a cost effective method for obtaining samples of previously unsampled bodies, allowing scientists to learn more about the origin, composition, and evolution of the solar system. Preservation in our cleanrooms at NASA allows material to be archived for future generations and advances in instrumentation and analysis.

New Sedimentary Records from Contourite Drifts on the West Antarctic Continental Margin: Reconstruction of Palaeoenvironmental Changes during the Late Quaternary by Combining an Integrated Chronostratigraphic Approach with Multi-Proxy Investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hillenbrand, C. D.; Crowhurst, S.; Channell, J. E. T.; Williams, M.; Hodell, D. A.; Xuan, C.; Allen, C. S.; Ehrmann, W. U.; Graham, A. G. C.; Larter, R. D.

2016-12-01

Giant sediment drifts located on the continental rise west of the Antarctic Peninsula and in the Bellingshausen Sea contain a high-resolution archive of ice sheet history in West Antarctica and of palaeoceanographic changes in the Southern Ocean. However, previous studies on sediment cores recovered from these contourite drifts, including Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 178, were compromised by lack of reliable high-resolution chronological control. This shortcoming is mainly caused by the very low abundance of calcareous microfossils in the sediments that are required for applying radiocarbon dating and stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) stratigraphy. Moreover, sediments assumed to have been deposited during glacial periods consist almost entirely of terrigenous detritus, i.e. they lack even siliceous microfossils that could be utilised for biostratigraphic purposes. International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) proposal 732-Full2 aims to obtain continuous, high-resolution records from sites on the West Antarctic sediment drifts and to develop reliable age models for them. The strategy for achieving the second objective is to use a range of chronostratigraphic techniques, including relative geomagnetic palaeointensity (RPI) and δ18O stratigraphy, on sedimentary sequences recovered from the shallowest parts of the drift crests, where the preservation of calcareous microfossils is expected be higher than in deeper water. Here we present preliminary results of multi-proxy investigations on new piston and box cores recovered from the proposed drill sites during site survey investigation cruise JR298 of the RRS James Clark Ross in 2015. Apart from the integrated chronological approach, the new cores augment previous assessments of palaeoenvironmental change on the West Antarctic continental margin during glacial-interglacial cycles of the Late Quaternary.

The East Antarctic Ice Sheet and the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, R. E.; Studinger, M.; Ferraccioli, F.; Damaske, D.; Finn, C.; Braaten, D. A.; Fahnestock, M. A.; Jordan, T. A.; Corr, H.; Elieff, S.; Frearson, N.; Block, A. E.; Rose, K.

2009-12-01

Models of the onset of glaciation in Antarctica routinely document the early growth of the ice sheet on the summit of the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains in the center of the East Antarctic Craton. While ice sheet models replicate the formation of the East Antarctic ice sheet 35 million years ago, the age, evolution and structure of the Gamburtsev Mountains remain completely unresolved. During the International Polar Year scientists from seven nations have launched a major collaborative program (AGAP) to explore the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains buried by the East Antarctic ice sheet and bounded by numerous subglacial lakes. The AGAP umbrella is a multi-national, multi-disciplinary effort and includes aerogeophysics, passive seismology, traverse programs and will be complimented by future ice core and bedrock drilling. A major new airborne data set including gravity; magnetics; ice thickness; SAR images of the ice-bed interface; near-surface and deep internal layers; and ice surface elevation is providing insights into a more dynamic East Antarctica. More than 120,000 km of aerogeophysical data have been acquired from two remote field camps during the 2008/09 field season. AGAP effort was designed to address several fundamental questions including: 1) What role does topography play in the nucleation of continental ice sheets? 2) How do tectonic processes control the formation, distribution, and stability of subglacial lakes? The preliminary analysis of this major new data set indicated these 3000m high mountains are deeply dissected by a dendritic system. The northern margin of the mountain range terminates against the inland extent of the Lambert Graben. Evidence of the onset of glaciation is preserved as cirques and U shaped valleys along the axis of the uplifted massifs. The geomorphology reflects the interaction between the ice sheet and the Gamburtsev Mountains. Bright reflectors in the radar data in the deep valleys indicate the presence of water that has the potential to influence ice sheet flow. Crevassing and disrupted internal layers are present in the deep ice found in the inland extent of the Lambert Graben. Preliminary analysis indicates both a more dynamic East Antarctic ice sheet and a more complex tectonic evolution for East Antarctica.

Balloons on Ice: Launch # 2 takes flight in Antarctica

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

The second of three missions as part of NASA’s Antarctica Long Duration Balloon Flight Campaign was successfully launched at 8:10 a.m. EDT, Dec. 2. The Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) from the University of Hawaii at Manoa was launched from Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf near McMurdo Station with support from the National Science Foundation’s United States Antarctic Program. Scientists will use ANITA’s instruments to study the reactions in the core of stars and as they explode via the release of neutrinos that travel to Earth and interact with the Antarctica ice. More: go.nasa.gov/2ghR6Le

Spectral and fractal analyses of geomagnetic and riometric antarctic observations and a multidimensional index of activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Santis, A.; de Franceschi, G.; Perrone, L.

1997-06-01

The Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica under the P.N.R.A. (National Program of Research in Antarctica) has the responsibility of acquiring geophysical observations at the Italian Antarctic Base of Terra Nova Bay. Among others, geomagnetic and riometric data can provide some new insights into local and global activity of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. This article investigates some properties of these kinds of data by means of spectral and fractal analyses. In addition, a multidimensional index is derived from this single-point dataset to represent not only the local but also the global state of the magnetospheric activity.

Understanding Ice Shelf Basal Melting Using Convergent ICEPOD Data Sets: ROSETTA-Ice Study of Ross Ice Shelf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, R. E.; Frearson, N.; Tinto, K. J.; Das, I.; Fricker, H. A.; Siddoway, C. S.; Padman, L.

2017-12-01

The future stability of the ice shelves surrounding Antarctica will be susceptible to increases in both surface and basal melt as the atmosphere and ocean warm. The ROSETTA-Ice program is targeted at using the ICEPOD airborne technology to produce new constraints on Ross Ice Shelf, the underlying ocean, bathymetry, and geologic setting, using radar sounding, gravimetry and laser altimetry. This convergent approach to studying the ice-shelf and basal processes enables us to develop an understanding of the fundamental controls on ice-shelf evolution. This work leverages the stratigraphy of the ice shelf, which is detected as individual reflectors by the shallow-ice radar and is often associated with surface scour, form close to the grounding line or pinning points on the ice shelf. Surface accumulation on the ice shelf buries these reflectors as the ice flows towards the calving front. This distinctive stratigraphy can be traced across the ice shelf for the major East Antarctic outlet glaciers and West Antarctic ice streams. Changes in the ice thickness below these reflectors are a result of strain and basal melting and freezing. Correcting the estimated thickness changes for strain using RIGGS strain measurements, we can develop decadal-resolution flowline distributions of basal melt. Close to East Antarctica elevated melt-rates (>1 m/yr) are found 60-100 km from the calving front. On the West Antarctic side high melt rates primarily develop within 10 km of the calving front. The East Antarctic side of Ross Ice Shelf is dominated by melt driven by saline water masses that develop in Ross Sea polynyas, while the melting on the West Antarctic side next to Hayes Bank is associated with modified Continental Deep Water transported along the continental shelf. The two sides of Ross Ice Shelf experience differing basal melt in part due to the duality in the underlying geologic structure: the East Antarctic side consists of relatively dense crust, with low amplitude magnetic anomalies, and deep bathymetry. The West Antarctic side displays high amplitude magnetic anomalies, lower densities and shallower water depths. The geologically-controlled bathymetry influences the access of water masses capable of basal melting into the ice shelf cavity with the deep troughs on the East Antarctic side facilitating melting.

Personnel and Cargo Transport in Antarctica: Analysis of Current U.S. Transport System

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

George L. Blaisdell March 1991 ,i . . 1 U - I I Prepared for DIVISION OF DOLAR PROGRAMS NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Approved for public release...Engineering Division, U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory. Funding was provided by the Division of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation . A...Current U.S. Transport System GEORGE L. BLAISDELL INTRODUCTION The National Science Foundation (NSF), operator of the U.S. Antarctic program, has

Neogene sea surface temperature reconstructions from the Southern McMurdo Sound and the McMurdo Ice Shelf (ANDRILL Program, Antarctica)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sangiorgi, Francesca; Willmott, Veronica; Kim, Jung-Hyun; Schouten, Stefan; Brinkhuis, Henk; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.; Florindo, Fabio; Harwood, David; Naish, Tim; Powell, Ross

2010-05-01

During the austral summers 2006 and 2007 the ANtarctic DRILLing Program (ANDRILL) drilled two cores, each recovering more than 1000m of sediment from below the McMurdo Ice-Shelf (MIS, AND-1B), and sea-ice in Southern McMurdo Sound (SMS, AND-2A), respectively, revealing new information about Neogene Antarctic cryosphere evolution. Core AND-1B was drilled in a more distal location than core AND-2A. With the aim of obtaining important information for the understanding of the history of Antarctic climate and environment during selected interval of the Neogene, we applied novel organic geochemistry proxies such as TEX86 (Tetra Ether IndeX of lipids with 86 carbon atoms) using a new calibration equation specifically developed for polar areas and based on 116 surface sediment samples collected from polar oceans (Kim et al., subm.), and BIT (Branched and Isoprenoid Tetraether), to derive absolute (sea surface) temperature values and to evaluate the relative contribution of soil organic matter versus marine organic matter, respectively. We will present the state-of-the-art of the methodology applied, discussing its advantages and limitations, and the results so far obtained from the analysis of 60 samples from core AND-2A covering the Miocene Climatic Optimum (and the Mid-late Miocene transition) and of 20 pilot samples from core AND-1B covering the late Pliocene.

An Antarctic stratigraphic record of step-wise ice-sheet growth through the Eocene-Oligocene transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Passchier, S.; Ciarletta, D. J.; Miriagos, T.; Bijl, P.; Bohaty, S. M.

2016-12-01

The Antarctic cryosphere plays a critical role in the ocean-atmosphere system, but its early evolution is still poorly known. With a near-field record from Prydz Bay, Antarctica, we conclude that Antarctic continental ice-sheet growth commenced with the EOT-1 "precursor" glaciation, during a time of Subantarctic surface ocean cooling and a decline in atmospheric pCO2. Prydz Bay lies downstream of a major East Antarctic ice-sheet drainage system and the Gamburtsev Mountains, a likely nucleation point for the first ice sheets. Its sedimentary records uniquely constrain the timing of ice-sheet advance onto the continental shelf. We investigate a detrital record extracted from three Ocean Drilling Program drill holes in Prydz Bay within a new depositional and chronological framework spanning the late Eocene to early Oligocene ( 36-33 Ma). The chemical index of alteration (CIA) and the S-index, calculated from the major element geochemistry of bulk samples, yield estimates of chemical weathering intensities and mean annual temperature (MAT) on the East Antarctic continent. We document evidence for late Eocene mountain glaciation along with transient warm events at 35.8-34.8 Ma. These data and our sedimentological analyses confirm the presence of ephemeral mountain glaciers on East Antarctica during the late Eocene between 35.9 and 34.4 Ma. Furthermore, we document the stepwise climate cooling of the Antarctic hinterland from 34.4 Ma as the ice sheet advanced towards the edges of the continent during EOT-1. The youngest part of our data set correlates to the time interval of the Oi-1 glaciation, when the ice-sheet in Prydz Bay extended to the outer shelf. Cooling and ice growth on Antarctica was spatially variable and ice sheets formed under declining pCO2. These results point to complex ice sheet - atmosphere - ocean - solid-earth feedbacks.

Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Bakutis Coast, Antarctica: 1972-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swithinbank, Charles; Williams, Richard S.; Ferrigno, Jane G.; Foley, Kevin M.; Rosanova, Christine E.

2003-01-01

Changes in the area and volume of the polar ice sheets are intricately linked to changes in global climate, and the resulting changes in sea level may severely impact the densely populated coastal regions on Earth. Loss of the West Antarctic part of the Antarctic ice sheet alone could cause a sea-level rise of approximately 6 m. The potential sea-level rise after melting of the entire Antarctic ice sheet is estimated to be 65 m to 73 m. In spite of its importance, the mass balance (the net volumetric gain or loss) of the Antarctic ice sheet is poorly known; it is not known whether the ice sheet is growing or shrinking. As a result, measurement of changes in the Antarctic ice sheet was given a very high priority in recommendations by the Polar Research Board of the National Research Council (1986), by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) (1989), and by the National Science Foundation's (1990) Division of Polar Programs. An archive of early 1970's Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images of Antarctica and the fact that the repeat coverage with satellite images provided an excellent means of documenting changes in the coastline of Antarctica provided the impetus for carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the glaciological features of the coastal regions and changes in ice fronts of Antarctica. The project was later modified to include Landsat 4 and 5 MSS and Thematic Mapper (TM) and RADARSAT images to compare changes over a 20- to 25- year time interval and to prepare a series of 24 1:1,000,000-scale and 1 1:5,000,000-scale U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Investigations Series Maps ('I-Maps') (Williams and others, 1995; Williams and Ferrigno, 1998; and Ferrigno and others, 2002) in both paper and digital format.

Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Bakutis Coast, Antarctica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swithinbank, Charles; Williams, Richard S.; Ferrigno, Jane G.; Seekins, B.A.; Lucchita, B.K.; Rosanova, Christine E.

1997-01-01

Changes in the area and volume of the polar ice sheets are intricately linked to changes in global climate, and the resulting changes in sea level may severely impact the densely populated coastal regions on Earth. Loss of the West Antarctic part of the Antarctic ice sheet alone could cause a sea-level rise of approximately 6 m. The potential sea-level rise after melting of the entire Antarctic ice sheet is estimated to be 65 m to 73 m. In spite of its importance, the mass balance (the net volumetric gain or loss) of the Antarctic ice sheet is poorly known; it is not known whether the ice sheet is growing or shrinking. As a result, measurement of changes in the Antarctic ice sheet was given a very high priority in recommendations by the Polar Research Board of the National Research Council (1986), by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) (1989), and by the National Science Foundation's (1990) Division of Polar Programs. An archive of early 1970's Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images of Antarctica and the fact that the repeat coverage with satellite images provided an excellent means of documenting changes in the coastline of Antarctica provided the impetus for carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the glaciological features of the coastal regions and changes in ice fronts of Antarctica. The project was later modified to include Landsat 4 and 5 MSS and Thematic Mapper (TM) and RADARSAT images to compare changes over a 20- to 25- year time interval and to prepare a series of 24 1:1,000,000-scale and 1 1:5,000,000-scale U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Investigations Series Maps ('I-Maps') (Williams and others, 1995; Williams and Ferrigno, 1998; and Ferrigno and others, 2002) in both paper and digital format.

Middle Atmosphere Program. Handbook for MAP. Volume 18: Extended abstracts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kato, S. (Editor)

1985-01-01

Various topics related to middle atmosphere research are discussed. Variability of the middle atmosphere during winter, climatology, gravity waves, atmospheric turbulence, transport processes of trace species and aerosols, and research in the Antarctic are among the topics covered.

Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Saunders Coast area, Antarctica; 1972-1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swithinbank, Charles; Williams, Richard S.; Ferrigno, Jane G.; Foley, Kevin M.; Hallam, Cheryl A.; Rosanova, Christine E.

2003-01-01

Changes in the area and volume of polar ice sheets are intricately linked to changes in global climate, and the resulting changes in sea level may severely impact the densely populated coastal regions on Earth. Melting of the West Antarctic part alone of the Antarctic ice sheet could cause a sea-level rise of approximately 6 meters (m). The potential sea-level rise after melting of the entire Antarctic ice sheet is estimated to be 65 m (Lythe and others, 2001) to 73 m (Williams and Hall, 1993). In spite of its importance, the mass balance (the net volumetric gain or loss) of the Antarctic ice sheet is poorly known; it is not known for certain whether the ice sheet is growing or shrinking. In a review paper, Rignot and Thomas (2002) concluded that the West Antarctic part of the Antarctic ice sheet is probably becoming thinner overall; although the western part is thickening, the northern part is thinning. Joughin and Tulaczyk (2002), based on analysis of ice-flow velocities derived from synthetic aperture radar, concluded that most of the Ross ice streams (ice streams on the east side of the Ross Ice Shelf) have a positive mass balance. The mass balance of the East Antarctic is unknown, but thought to be in near equilibrium. Measurement of changes in area and mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet was given a very high priority in recommendations by the Polar Research Board of the National Research Council (1986), in subsequent recommendations by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) (1989, 1993), and by the National Science Foundation?s (1990) Division of Polar Programs. On the basis of these recommendations, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) decided that the archive of early 1970s Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images of Antarctica and the subsequent repeat coverage made possible with Landsat and other satellite images provided an excellent means of documenting changes in the coastline of Antarctica (Ferrigno and Gould, 1987). The availability of this information provided the impetus for carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the glaciological features of the coastal regions and changes in ice fronts of Antarctica (Swithinbank, 1988; Williams and Ferrigno, 1988). The project was later modified to include Landsat 4 and 5 MSS and Thematic Mapper (TM) (and in some areas Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+)), RADARSAT images, and other data where available, to compare changes over a 20- to 25- or 30-year time interval (or longer where data were available, as in the Antarctic Peninsula). The results of the analysis are being used to produce a digital database and a series of USGS Geologic Investigations Series Maps consisting of 24 maps at 1:1,000,000 scale and 1 map at 1:5,000,000 scale, in both paper and digital format (Williams and others, 1995; Williams and Ferrigno, 1998; and Ferrigno and others, 2002).

Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Eights Coast area, Antarctica, 1972-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swithinbank, Charles; Williams, Richard S.; Ferrigno, Jane G.; Foley, Kevin M.; Rosanova, Christine E.; Dailide, Lina M.

2004-01-01

Changes in the area and volume of polar ice sheets are intricately linked to changes in global climate, and the resulting changes in sea level may severely impact the densely populated coastal regions on Earth. Melting of the West Antarctic part alone of the Antarctic ice sheet could cause a sea-level rise of approximately 6 meters (m). The potential sea-level rise after melting of the entire Antarctic ice sheet is estimated to be 65 m (Lythe and others, 2001) to 73 m (Williams and Hall, 1993). In spite of its importance, the mass balance (the net volumetric gain or loss) of the Antarctic ice sheet is poorly known; it is not known for certain whether the ice sheet is growing or shrinking. In a review paper, Rignot and Thomas (2002) concluded that the West Antarctic part of the Antarctic ice sheet is probably becoming thinner overall; although the western part is thickening, the northern part is thinning. Joughin and Tulaczyk (2002), based on analysis of ice-flow velocities derived from synthetic aperture radar, concluded that most of the Ross ice streams (ice streams on the east side of the Ross Ice Shelf) have a positive mass balance. The mass balance of the East Antarctic is unknown, but thought to be in near equilibrium. Measurement of changes in area and mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet was given a very high priority in recommendations by the Polar Research Board of the National Research Council (1986), in subsequent recommendations by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) (1989, 1993), and by the National Science Foundation's (1990) Division of Polar Programs. On the basis of these recommendations, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) decided that the archive of early 1970s Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images of Antarctica and the subsequent repeat coverage made possible with Landsat and other satellite images provided an excellent means of documenting changes in the coastline of Antarctica (Ferrigno and Gould, 1987). The availability of this information provided the impetus for carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the glaciological features of the coastal regions and changes in ice fronts of Antarctica (Swithinbank, 1988; Williams and Ferrigno, 1988). The project was later modified to include Landsat 4 and 5 MSS and Thematic Mapper (TM) (and in some areas Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+)), RADARSAT images, and other data where available, to compare changes over a 20- to 25- or 30-year time interval (or longer where data were available, as in the Antarctic Peninsula). The results of the analysis are being used to produce a digital database and a series of USGS Geologic Investigations Series Maps consisting of 24 maps at 1:1,000,000 scale and 1 map at 1:5,000,000 scale, in both paper and digital format (Williams and others, 1995; Williams and Ferrigno, 1998; and Ferrigno and others, 2002).

Coastal-change and glaciological maps of Antarctica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, Richard S.

2004-01-01

Changes in the area and volume of polar ice sheets are intricately linked to changes in global climate, and the resulting changes in sea level may severely impact the densely populated coastal regions on Earth. Melting of the West Antarctic part alone of the Antarctic ice sheet could cause a sea-level rise of approximately 6 meters (m). The potential sea-level rise after melting of the entire Antarctic ice sheet is estimated to be 65 m (Lythe and others, 2001) to 73 m (Williams and Hall, 1993). In spite of its importance, the mass balance (the net volumetric gain or loss) of the Antarctic ice sheet is poorly known; it is not known for certain whether the ice sheet is growing or shrinking. In a review paper, Rignot and Thomas (2002) concluded that the West Antarctic part of the Antarctic ice sheet is probably becoming thinner overall; although the western part is thickening, the northern part is thinning. Joughin and Tulaczyk (2002), based on analysis of ice-flow velocities derived from synthetic aperture radar, concluded that most of the Ross ice streams (ice streams on the east side of the Ross Ice Shelf) have a positive mass balance. The mass balance of the East Antarctic is unknown, but thought to be in near equilibrium. Measurement of changes in area and mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet was given a very high priority in recommendations by the Polar Research Board of the National Research Council (1986), in subsequent recommendations by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) (1989, 1993), and by the National Science Foundation's (1990) Division of Polar Programs. On the basis of these recommendations, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) decided that the archive of early 1970s Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images of Antarctica and the subsequent repeat coverage made possible with Landsat and other satellite images provided an excellent means of documenting changes in the coastline of Antarctica (Ferrigno and Gould, 1987). The availability of this information provided the impetus for carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the glaciological features of the coastal regions and changes in ice fronts of Antarctica (Swithinbank, 1988; Williams and Ferrigno, 1988). The project was later modified to include Landsat 4 and 5 MSS and Thematic Mapper (TM) (and in some areas Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+)), RADARSAT images, and other data where available, to compare changes over a 20- to 25- or 30-year time interval (or longer where data were available, as in the Antarctic Peninsula). The results of the analysis are being used to produce a digital database and a series of USGS Geologic Investigations Series Maps consisting of 24 maps at 1:1,000,000 scale and 1 map at 1:5,000,000 scale, in both paper and digital format (Williams and others, 1995; Williams and Ferrigno, 1998; and Ferrigno and others, 2002).

Prevalence of obesity and acanthosis nigricans among young children in the children's healthy living program in the United States Affiliated Pacific

PubMed Central

Novotny, Rachel; Li, Fenfang; Fialkowski, Marie Kainoa; Bersamin, Andrea; Tufa, Aifili; Deenik, Jonathan; Coleman, Patricia; Guerrero, Rachael Leon; Wilkens, Lynne R.

2016-01-01

Abstract Estimate prevalence of obesity and acanthosis nigricans (AN) among children in United States Affiliated Pacific (USAP) jurisdictions. Cross-sectional measurement of weight, height, and AN in 5775, 2 to 8 years old in 51 communities—Hawai‘i, Alaska, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), 4 Federated States of Micronesia (Pohnpei, Yap, Kosrae, Chuuk). Analyses weighted to jurisdiction-specific sex and age distributions accounting for clustering of communities within jurisdictions. Prevalence of obesity was 14.0%, overweight 14.4%, healthy weight 68.9%, and underweight 2.6%, higher in males (16.3%) than females (11.6%), higher among 6 to 8 years old (16.3%) than 2 to 5 years old (12.9%), highest in American Samoa (21.7%), and absent in RMI. In total, 4.7% of children had AN, with no sex difference, higher in 6 to 8 years old (6.8%) than 2 to 5 years old (3.5%) and highest in Pohnpei (11.9%), and absent in Alaska. Obesity was highly associated with AN (odds ratio = 9.25, 95% confidence interval = 6.69–12.80), with the strongest relationships among Asians, followed by Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI). Obesity, age, and Asian and NHPI race were positively associated with AN. PMID:27631218

Prevalence of obesity and acanthosis nigricans among young children in the children's healthy living program in the United States Affiliated Pacific.

PubMed

Novotny, Rachel; Li, Fenfang; Fialkowski, Marie Kainoa; Bersamin, Andrea; Tufa, Aifili; Deenik, Jonathan; Coleman, Patricia; Guerrero, Rachael Leon; Wilkens, Lynne R

2016-09-01

Estimate prevalence of obesity and acanthosis nigricans (AN) among children in United States Affiliated Pacific (USAP) jurisdictions.Cross-sectional measurement of weight, height, and AN in 5775, 2 to 8 years old in 51 communities-Hawai'i, Alaska, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), 4 Federated States of Micronesia (Pohnpei, Yap, Kosrae, Chuuk). Analyses weighted to jurisdiction-specific sex and age distributions accounting for clustering of communities within jurisdictions.Prevalence of obesity was 14.0%, overweight 14.4%, healthy weight 68.9%, and underweight 2.6%, higher in males (16.3%) than females (11.6%), higher among 6 to 8 years old (16.3%) than 2 to 5 years old (12.9%), highest in American Samoa (21.7%), and absent in RMI. In total, 4.7% of children had AN, with no sex difference, higher in 6 to 8 years old (6.8%) than 2 to 5 years old (3.5%) and highest in Pohnpei (11.9%), and absent in Alaska. Obesity was highly associated with AN (odds ratio = 9.25, 95% confidence interval = 6.69-12.80), with the strongest relationships among Asians, followed by Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI).Obesity, age, and Asian and NHPI race were positively associated with AN.

Updates on Pairing Issues with the US Antarctic Meteorite Collection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Righter, K.; Satterwhite, C.; Schutt, J.

2015-01-01

The US Antarctic meteorite program has re-covered >21,000 meteorites since 1976, with thousands of those recovered from several icefields over multiple seasons, some-times spanning over a decade [1]. Pairing is assigned as best as possible at the time of classification, based on information from the field team, macro-scale hand sample features in the lab, and petrography, but later focused studies can reveal details that suggest re-evaluation of pairing groups. As a result, pairing groups are revealed over time, and must be continuously updated. Here we examine a few groups with known issues and give an update on some of the larger or more significant pairing groups.

Data Report: A Search for Deposits of the Late Pliocene Impact of the Eltanin Asteroid in Rise Sediments from the Antarctic Peninsula, Site 1096

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kyte, Frank T.

2003-01-01

Concentrations of Ir have been measured in 87 sediment samples from Ocean Drilling Program Site 1096 in search of evidence of fallout from the impact of the Eltanin asteroid, which occurred at 2.15 Ma, approx. 1300 km northwest of the site. An additional six samples were measured from a unique sand layer and adjacent sediments that are dated at approx. 1.6 Ma. These 93 sediment samples are all silts and muds that were deposited on a continental rise drift of the Antarctic Peninsula. No evidence of the Eltanin impact deposit was found in this study.

The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 96, September 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weisberg, M.K.; Smith, C.; Benedix, G.; Herd, C.D.K.; Righter, K.; Haack, H.; Yamaguchi, A.; Chennaoui, Aoudjehane H.; Grossman, J.N.

2009-01-01

The Meteoritical Bulletin No. 96 contains a total of 1590 newly approved meteorite names with their relevant data. These include 12 from specific locations within Africa, 76 from northwest Africa, 9 from the Americas, 13 from Asia, 1 from Australia, 2 from Europe, 950 from Antarctica recovered by the Chinese Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE), and 527 from the American Antarctic program (ANSMET). Among these meteorites are 4 falls, Almahata Sitta (Sudan), Sulagiri (India), Ash Creek (United States), and Maribo (Denmark). Almahata Sitta is an anomalous ureilite and is debris from asteroid 2008 TC3 and Maribo is a CM2 chondrite. Other highlights include a lunar meteorite, a CM1 chondrite, and an anomalous IVA iron. ?? The Meteoritical Society, 2009.

Evidence for a heavily glaciated Antarctica during the late Oligocene "warming" (27.8-24.5 Ma): Stable isotope records from ODP Site 690

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauptvogel, D. W.; Pekar, S. F.; Pincay, V.

2017-04-01

High δ18O values (> 3.0‰) from a 9 kyr resolution benthic foraminiferal stable isotope record from the Ocean Drilling Program hole 690B located on the Maud Rise, Antarctica, indicate a heavily glaciated Antarctic continent during late Oligocene (27.8-24.5 Ma). Values ranging 2.5-3.0‰ during interglacial periods and 3.0-3.6‰ during glacial intervals are consistent with an ice sheet near or larger than modern size. In addition, this record does not exhibit the long-term late Oligocene warming trend seen in records from low-latitude drill sites. Oxygen isotope values from 26.0 to 24.5 Ma are comparable (ranging between 2.5 and 3.3‰) to values that preceded the δ18O event Oi2b at 26.7 Ma, indicating no significant glacial collapse occurred during the late Oligocene. A gradient between ocean basins during the Oligocene has already been linked to the development of a modern, multilayered ocean and worked to bathe the low latitude to midlatitude, deep-sea records with a warmer water mass. We suggest that this masked the significant Antarctic glaciation in low-latitude paleoceanographic records. Additionally, we propose a resolution for conflicting lines of evidence from some Antarctic proximal records suggesting significant glaciation and others suggesting reduced glaciation during the late Oligocene by allowing a modern-sized ice sheet to grow on an Antarctic continent as more land surface area existed above sea level during this time. This could allow at least some portions of the Antarctic coastline to remain ice-free during glacial minima while still maintaining modern or near-modern ice volume.

Preliminary Study of Methods for Upgrading USGS Antarctic Seismological Capability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Holcomb, L. Gary

1982-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate potential methods for obtaining higher quality seismic data from Antarctica. Currently, USGS-sponsored WWSSN stations are located at Scott Base, Sanae Base, and at South Pole Station. Scott and Sanae Stations are located near the coast; data obtained from coastal installations are normally degraded by noise generated by ocean wave action on the coast. Operations at South Pole are rather difficult because of the severe environmental characteristics and the extended logistics which are required to provide supplies and operating personnel to its remote location. Short-period data quality from Pole Station has been moderately high with a short-period magnification of 100K at 1Hz. Long-period magnifications have been rather low (<1K @ 15 s period). Recent relocation of the seismic recording facilities at South Pole Station as a result of the construction of a completely new station facility has caused serious degradation of the data quality due to faulty installation techniques. Repairs have been implemented to remedy these deficiencies and to regain the data quality which existed before the move to new facilities. However, the technology being used at South Pole Station is of WWSSN vintage; as a result it is about 20 years old. Much has been learned about achieving higher magnifications since the WWSSN was designed. This study will evaluate the feasibility of applying recent technological advances to Antarctic seismology. Seismological data from the Antarctic Continent is important to the world's seismological community because of the Antarctic's unique geographic position on the globe. Land masses are scarce in that part of the world; the Antarctic sits right in the middle of the void. Therefore, its data are important for completing the data set for the southern hemisphere. Upgrading the USGS seismic capability in the Antarctic should also prove to be a wise investment from another point of view. Although the initial costs of the Antarctic upgrade program would be high, and the cost of routine maintenance and support would be greater than in other parts of the world, the ease of upgrading is aided by the unique nonpolitical aspect of the continent. In addition, the danger of losing our investment due to political unrest or change is almost zero. In the past, political complications have severely impacted operations at several SRO stations. Therefore, an effort to improve data quality from the Antarctic would be a prudent long-term investment.

What's Cooler Than Being Cool? Icefin: Robotic Exploration Beneath Antarctic Ice Shelves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrence, J.; Schmidt, B. E.; Meister, M. R.; Glass, J. B.; Bowman, J. S.; Stockton, A. M.; Dichek, D.; Hurwitz, B.; Ramey, C.; Spears, A.; Walker, C. C.

2017-12-01

The 2017-18 Antarctic field season marks the first of three under the RISEUP project (Ross Ice Shelf & Europa Underwater Probe, NASA PSTAR program grant NNX16AL07G, PI B. E. Schmidt). RISEUP expands our efforts to understand the physical processes governing ice-ocean interactions from beneath the McMurdo Ice Shelf (MIS) to the Ross Ice Shelf (RIS), utilizing the modular autonomous or remotely operable submersible vehicle (AUV/ROV) Icefin. The remote, aphotic regions below Antarctic shelves present a unique opportunity- they are both poorly understood terrestrial environments and analogs for similar systems hypothesized to be present on other bodies in our solar system, such as Europa and Enceladus. By developing new robotic technologies to access and explore ice shelf cavities we are advancing our understanding of how temperature, pressure, and salinity influence the ice-ocean interface, the limits of habitable environments on Earth, and what biological processes and adaptations enable the life discovered by the RISP and WISSARD programs during initial exploration beneath the RIS. These investigations further our understanding of ocean world habitability and support planned and proposed planetary missions (e.g. Europa Clipper, Europa Lander) via improved constraint of marine ice accretion processes, organic entrainment, and interface habitability. Custom built at Georgia Tech and first deployed during the 2014/15 Antarctic season, Icefin is 3.5 m, 125 kg modular vehicle that now carries a full suite of oceanographic sensors (including conductivity, temperature, depth, dissolved O2, dissolved organic matter, turbidity, pH, eH, and sonar) that can be deployed through boreholes as small as 25 cm in diameter. Here we present continued analysis of basal ice and oceanographic observations in the McMurdo Sound region from 2012-2015 with, pending anticipated field work, comparisons to preliminary data from the 2017/18 field season beneath both the McMurdo and Ross Ice Shelves.

The Middle Atmosphere Program: A special project for the Antarctic Middle Atmosphere (AMA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hirasawa, T.

1982-01-01

Areas of concern are: dynamics, structure, and atmospheric composition of the middle atmosphere in Antarctica; particle precipitation and interaction of the middle atmosphere with the lower ionosphere; atmospheric pollution; and the difference between the northern and southern polar middle atmosphere.

33 CFR 151.63 - Shipboard control of garbage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) POLLUTION VESSELS CARRYING OIL, NOXIOUS LIQUID SUBSTANCES, GARBAGE, MUNICIPAL OR COMMERCIAL WASTE... Antarctic Treaty as it Pertains to Pollution from Ships Garbage Pollution and Sewage § 151.63 Shipboard... plastics in ship stores. (6) Ongoing educational programs to train shipboard personnel of garbage handling...

Classroom Antarctica

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gozzard, David

2017-01-01

Australian company Antarctica Flights runs summer sightseeing trips out of Australian capital cities to tour the Antarctic coast. The Laby Foundation of the University of Melbourne, through its "Classroom Antarctica" program, sponsored Kent Street High School science teacher, Ms Suzy Urbaniak and 18 of her students to take the trip, to…

Pollutant Concentration in Runoff at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-25

Antarctic Support Contract 7400 S. Tucson Way Centennial , CO 08112 Margaret Knuth National Science Foundation Division of Polar Programs...basin 2 has the largest area and encompasses the majority of the snowfield and the depression above Gasoline Alley. Sub-basin 3 includes the area

Pollutant Concentration in Runoff at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

Antarctic Support Contract 7400 S. Tucson Way Centennial , CO 08112 Margaret Knuth National Science Foundation Division of Polar Programs...basin 2 has the largest area and encompasses the majority of the snowfield and the depression above Gasoline Alley. Sub-basin 3 includes the area

33 CFR 151.63 - Shipboard control of garbage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) POLLUTION VESSELS CARRYING OIL, NOXIOUS LIQUID SUBSTANCES, GARBAGE, MUNICIPAL OR COMMERCIAL WASTE... Antarctic Treaty as it Pertains to Pollution from Ships Garbage Pollution and Sewage § 151.63 Shipboard... plastics in ship stores. (6) Ongoing educational programs to train shipboard personnel of garbage handling...

33 CFR 151.63 - Shipboard control of garbage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (CONTINUED) POLLUTION VESSELS CARRYING OIL, NOXIOUS LIQUID SUBSTANCES, GARBAGE, MUNICIPAL OR COMMERCIAL WASTE... Antarctic Treaty as it Pertains to Pollution from Ships Garbage Pollution and Sewage § 151.63 Shipboard... plastics in ship stores. (6) Ongoing educational programs to train shipboard personnel of garbage handling...

76 FR 5407 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-31

... Antarctica and to certain regions of the Arctic under the auspices of the United States Antarctic Program are.... National Science Foundation--Polar Physical Examination (Antarctica/Arctic/Official Visitors) Medical... disqualified, the reasons. 2. Polar Physical Examination--Antarctica/Arctic, will be used by the individual's...

33 CFR 151.63 - Shipboard control of garbage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) POLLUTION VESSELS CARRYING OIL, NOXIOUS LIQUID SUBSTANCES, GARBAGE, MUNICIPAL OR COMMERCIAL WASTE... Antarctic Treaty as it Pertains to Pollution from Ships Garbage Pollution and Sewage § 151.63 Shipboard... plastics in ship stores. (6) Ongoing educational programs to train shipboard personnel of garbage handling...

33 CFR 151.63 - Shipboard control of garbage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... (CONTINUED) POLLUTION VESSELS CARRYING OIL, NOXIOUS LIQUID SUBSTANCES, GARBAGE, MUNICIPAL OR COMMERCIAL WASTE... Antarctic Treaty as it Pertains to Pollution from Ships Garbage Pollution and Sewage § 151.63 Shipboard... plastics in ship stores. (6) Ongoing educational programs to train shipboard personnel of garbage handling...

77 FR 13155 - Waste Regulation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-05

... address or (703) 292-8030. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Lockheed Martin Corporation is in the phase- in... Antarctic Program. As part of that support, Lockheed Martin personnel will be assuming responsibility for... Martin has requested that the permit be transferred to them. The transfer would be effective on or about...

PERSPECTIVE How committed are we to monitoring human impacts in Antarctica?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Kevin A.

2010-12-01

Under the Antarctic Treaty System, environmental monitoring is a legal obligation for signatory nations and an essential tool for managers attempting to minimize local human impacts, but is it given the importance it merits? Antarctica is a vast frozen continent with an area around 1.5 times that of Europe (14 000 000 km2), but the majority of its terrestrial life is found on multiple outcrops or 'islands' of ice-free coastal ground, with a combined area of ~6000 km2, equivalent to four times that of Greater London (Tin et al 2009). The biological communities of these ice-free terrestrial habitats are dominated by a small number of biological groups, primarily mosses, lichens, microinvertebrates and microorganisms. They include many endemic species, while birds and marine mammals use coastal areas as breeding sites (Chown and Convey 2007). Figure 1 Figure 1. Map of the Antarctic Treaty area (south of latitude 60°S) showing the locations of year-round and seasonal stations built on rock or permanent ice (i.e. ice sheets or ice shelves). Data on station locations were taken from the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs website (COMNAP 2010). There is evidence to suggest that although these stations are registered on the COMNAP list, a number of stations are not regularly occupied or in use (see United Kingdom et al 2006, p 9). Since the influx of national scientific research programmes and infrastructure that accompanied the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958), Antarctica's habitats have been encroached upon increasingly by human activities. Over 120 research stations have been built (~75 currently operational) with the great majority located on ice-free coastal ground to allow ease of access by ship. (Headland 2009, COMNAP 2010). Construction of cargo and personnel landing and handling facilities, station buildings, airport infrastructure, roads and fuel storage areas have, to varying degrees, destroyed native vegetation and terrestrial fauna and displaced bird and marine mammals from breeding sites in their immediate environment. An early history of poor environmental management and waste disposal practices around many stations has left a legacy of fuel-contaminated ground and abandoned waste sites in adjacent marine and terrestrial environments (Tin et al 2009). Construction of research stations and other infrastructure fulfils two national objectives: (1) supporting geopolitical aspirations of claimant nations and (2) demonstrating a significant commitment to undertaking science in Antarctica, which is a prerequisite for attaining consultative status at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. However, these objectives may not be supported equally, with little or no science performed routinely at some stations (United Kingdom et al 2006). In addition, co-ordination of science activities between nations—another aspiration under the Antarctic Treaty—is often lacking, leading to duplication of research between national programmes, and even that undertaken at nearby stations. In some cases, components of national research programmes lack any international, open or objective assessment of quality. Nevertheless, new nations continue to become involved in Antarctic affairs, and almost inevitably seek to establish their own infrastructure, while some established Treaty Parties continue to further expand their existing logistic and infrastructure footprints. Despite calls for nations to share existing infrastructure or reuse abandoned stations (ATCM 2006), new stations continue to be constructed on pristine sites, with the Antarctic terrestrial environment in particular coming under increased pressure. The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (commonly known as the Environmental Protocol), which came into force in 1998, sets out common minimum standards for environmental management by all Antarctic Treaty Parties. Under the Protocol, it is mandatory to regularly monitor the environmental impacts caused by any new infrastructure that requires the completion of a Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation during the planning, as would be required for research stations or other large building projects. Ideally, monitoring should include assessment of levels of physical disruption of marine and terrestrial habitats, and should record levels of pollutants and also their impacts upon the full range of biological groups within local ecosystems. Biodiversity surveys should also be undertaken, in order that introduced non-native species can be identified at an early stage and eradicated (Hughes and Convey 2010). But where can the scientific data describing national Antarctic programme impacts be found? Some nations have a good track record of publishing environmental monitoring data, but the large majority do not. With around 75 active stations, monitoring research should be well represented in the scientific literature, but data for most stations are not available. Furthermore, Antarctic Treaty signatory nations are required to supply details of their monitoring work through the Antarctic Treaty System's Electronic Information Exchange System (see www.ats.aq/e/ie.htm), yet only three out of 28 Treaty nations did so for 2008/2009. In their recent synthesis paper, Kennicutt et al (2010) describe the results of a long-term monitoring programme at the United States' McMurdo Station, giving us a comprehensive picture of human impacts at this location. The high quality and breadth of this research makes it one of the best-documented and longest-running monitoring programmes within Antarctica to date. Yet, why is this work so exceptional, when the USA have simply fulfilled their obligations under the Environmental Protocol? Monitoring programmes of this standard should be undertaken for all stations and large infrastructure. Factors preventing this may include (1) a lack of monitoring expertise or access to sophisticated techniques, particularly by smaller or less well-funded Antarctic programmes, and (2) the lack of importance or prestige attributed to 'routine' monitoring or survey programmes by science funding bodies, compared to other 'forefront' science areas. With little formal international scrutiny other than occasional station inspections, a lack of enforcement mechanisms in place to penalize contravention of the provisions of the Antarctic Treaty and its related legal instruments, and a need to maintain good diplomatic relations between Antarctic Treaty Parties, nations are under little pressure to prioritize human impact monitoring. Despite the efforts of the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research and COMNAP, most Antarctic nations still act individually, with little co-ordination of monitoring effort or use of standardized techniques. Close examination of the Environmental Protocol even casts some doubt over whether monitoring of infrastructure constructed before its implementation in 1998 is a formal obligation, although many would maintain that failure to do so would be contrary to the spirit of the Protocol. While it can be hoped that most signatory nations take their Antarctic environmental responsibilities seriously, recent reports of poor environmental practice show that not all national programmes adhere fully to even the minimum requirements of the Environmental Protocol (Braun et al 2010). If basic environmental practice is poor, then standards of environmental monitoring may also be poor or non-existent. In stark contrast, researchers from Antarctic programmes who willingly disseminate their results through the scientific literature deserve credit as they allow other nations to learn from their efforts. Until all Antarctic Treaty nations engage with their monitoring obligations and develop together a co-ordinated continent-wide view of human impacts, Antarctica's environmental values will remain under threat of continued degradation and the principles of the Antarctic Treaty brought into disrepute. References ATCM 2006 Final Report of the 29th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting paragraph 73, available online at www.ats.aq/documents/ATCM29/fr/ATCM29_fr001_e.pdf Braun C et al 2010 Environmental situation and management proposals for the Fildes region (Antarctic) Int. Polar Year Conf., 8-12 June 2010 Abstract no EA8.4-6.8, available online at http://ipy-osc.no/event/8917 Chown S L and Convey P 2007 Spatial and temporal variability across life's hierarchies in the terrestrial Antarctic Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 362 2307-31 Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP) 2010 Antarctic Facilities available online at www.comnap.aq/facilities Headland R 2009 A Chronology of Antarctic Exploration (London: Quaritch) p 722 Hughes K A and Convey P 2010 The protection of Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems from inter- and intra-continental transfer of non-indigenous species by human activities: a review of current systems and practices Glob. Environ. Change 20 96-112 Kennicutt M C II, Klein A, Montagna P, Sweet S, Wade T, Palmer T, Sericano J and Denoux G 2010 Temporal and spatial patterns of anthropogenic disturbance at McMurdo Station, Antarctica Environ. Res. Lett. 5 034010 Tin T et al 2009 Impacts of local human activities on the Antarctic environment Antarct. Sci. 21 3-33 United Kingdom et al 2006 Report of joint inspections under Article VII of the Antarctic Treaty and Article 14 of the Environmental Protocol ATCM XXVIII 2006 Working paper 32, available online at www.ats.aq/documents/ATCM28/att/ATCM28_att270_e.pdf

Widespread Antarctic glaciation during the Late Eocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Andrew; Riley, Teal R.; Hillenbrand, Claus-Dieter; Rittner, Martin

2017-01-01

Marine sedimentary rocks drilled on the southeastern margin of the South Orkney microcontinent in Antarctica (Ocean Drilling Program Leg 113 Site 696) were deposited between ∼36.5 Ma to 33.6 Ma, across the Eocene-Oligocene climate transition. The recovered rocks contain abundant grains exhibiting mechanical features diagnostic of iceberg-rafted debris. Sand provenance based on a multi-proxy approach that included petrographic analysis of over 275,000 grains, detrital zircon geochronology and apatite thermochronometry rule out local sources (Antarctic Peninsula or the South Orkney Islands) for the material. Instead the ice-transported grains show a clear provenance from the southern Weddell Sea region, extending from the Ellsworth-Whitmore Mountains of West Antarctica to the coastal region of Dronning Maud Land in East Antarctica. This study provides the first evidence for a continuity of widespread glacier calving along the coastline of the southern Weddell Sea embayment at least 2.5 million yrs before the prominent oxygen isotope event at 34-33.5 Ma that is considered to mark the onset of widespread glaciation of the Antarctic continent.

Sea-level response to ice sheet evolution: An ocean perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, Stanley S.

1991-01-01

The ocean's influence upon and response to Antarctic ice sheet changes is considered in relation to sea level rise over recent and future decades. Assuming present day ice fronts are in approximate equilibrium, a preliminary budget for the ice sheet is estimated from accumulation vs. iceberg calving and the basal melting that occurs beneath floating ice shelves. Iceberg calving is derived from the volume of large bergs identified and tracked by the Navy/NOAA Joint Ice Center and from shipboard observations. Basal melting exceeds 600 cu km/yr and is concentrated near the ice fronts and ice shelf grounding lines. An apparent negative mass balance for the Antarctic ice sheet may result from an anomalous calving rate during the past decade, but there are large uncertainties associated with all components of the ice budget. The results from general circulation models are noted in the context of projected precipitation increases and ocean temperature changes on and near the continent. An ocean research program that could help refine budget estimates is consistent with goals of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Initiative.

Water masses, ocean fronts, and the structure of Antarctic seabird communities: putting the eastern Bellingshausen Sea in perspective

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ribic, Christine A.; Ainley, David G.; Ford, R. Glenn; Fraser, William R.; Tynan, Cynthia T.; Woehler, Eric J.

2015-01-01

Waters off the western Antarctic Peninsula (i.e., the eastern Bellingshausen Sea) are unusually complex owing to the convergence of several major fronts. Determining the relative influence of fronts on occurrence patterns of top-trophic species in that area, therefore, has been challenging. In one of the few ocean-wide seabird data syntheses, in this case for the Southern Ocean, we analyzed ample, previously collected cruise data, Antarctic-wide, to determine seabird species assemblages and quantitative relationships to fronts as a way to provide context to the long-term Palmer LTER and the winter Southern Ocean GLOBEC studies in the eastern Bellingshausen Sea. Fronts investigated during both winter (April–September) and summer (October–March) were the southern boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), which separates the High Antarctic from the Low Antarctic water mass, and within which are embedded the marginal ice zone and Antarctic Shelf Break Front; and the Antarctic Polar Front, which separates the Low Antarctic and the Subantarctic water masses. We used clustering to determine species' groupings with water masses, and generalized additive models to relate species' densities, biomass and diversity to distance to respective fronts. Antarctic-wide, in both periods, highest seabird densities and lowest species diversity were found in the High Antarctic water mass. In the eastern Bellingshausen, seabird density in the High Antarctic water mass was lower (as low as half that of winter) than found in other Antarctic regions. During winter, Antarctic-wide, two significant species groups were evident: one dominated by Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) (High Antarctic water mass) and the other by petrels and prions (no differentiation among water masses); in eastern Bellingshausen waters during winter, the one significant species group was composed of species from both Antarctic-wide groups. In summer, Antarctic-wide, a High Antarctic group dominated by Adélie penguins, a Low Antarctic group dominated by petrels, and a Subantarctic group dominated by albatross were evident. In eastern Bellingshausen waters during summer, groups were inconsistent. With regard to frontal features, Antarctic-wide in winter, distance to the ice edge was an important explanatory factor for nine of 14 species, distance to the Antarctic Polar Front for six species and distance to the Shelf Break Front for six species; however, these Antarctic-wide models could not successfully predict spatial relationships of winter seabird density (individual species or total) and biomass in the eastern Bellingshausen. Antarctic-wide in summer, distance to land/Antarctic continent was important for 10 of 18 species, not a surprising result for these summer-time Antarctic breeders, as colonies are associated with ice-free areas of coastal land. Distance to the Shelf Break Front was important for 8 and distance to the southern boundary of the ACC was important for 7 species. These summer models were more successful in predicting eastern Bellingshausen species density and species diversity but failed to predict total seabird density or biomass. Antarctic seabirds appear to respond to fronts in a way similar to that observed along the well-studied upwelling front of the California Current. To understand fully the seabird patterns found in this synthesis, multi-disciplinary at-sea investigations, including a quantified prey field, are needed.

Holocene records of geomagnetic field behavior from a north-south transect along the western Antarctic Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brachfeld, S. A.; Shah, D. P.; St-Onge, M.; St-Onge, G.

2013-12-01

Geochronology is inherently difficult when working with Antarctic margin sediments. Radiocarbon dating and oxygen isotope stratigraphy are challenging or impossible in sites with poor preservation of biogenic calcite. Radiocarbon dating of the acid insoluble organic matter (AIOM) is further complicated by organically lean sediment and the presence of reworked organic carbon or detrital carbon from sedimentary rocks. These complications limit the ability to interpret a paleoclimate record. Geomagnetic paleointensity dating is a proven 'tuning' technique that has been successfully applied in several studies around the Antarctic margin. However, the reference curves to which these sites were tuned were constructed primarily from Northern Hemisphere data. Here we present paleomagnetic secular variation (PSV) and relative paleointensity (RPI) data from three Antarctic Peninsula sites that possess independent chronologies and which have moderate to ultra-high sedimentation rates (40 - 700 cm/ka). Maxwell Bay, located in the volcanic South Shetland Islands, is an ultra-high-resolution site with strongly magnetic sediments from which the Shallow Drilling (SHALDRIL) program recovered a 108-m record spanning the last 14 ka. Outer Barilari Bay and Hugo Island Trough, which lie to the South along the western Antarctic Peninsula, are moderate resolution sites with a high proportion of biogenic silica. Maxwell Bay and Bariliari Bay are unique in that they possess homogenous sediment and uniform magnetic mineral assemblages, while also preserving biogenic calcite, a rare combination on the Antarctic margin. All three sites preserve strong, stable remanent magnetizations with an easily isolated characteristic component and MAD values generally < 2°, with the exception of turbidites, intervals with abundant dropstones, and biosiliceous ooze intervals. Inclination values fluctuate between the present-day value at the cores sites (-58°) and the geomagnetic axial dipole inclination (-77°) values for each site, with a temporal wavelength of approximately 1000 years. The Holocene intensity of the geomagnetic field in this region was highest during the last 3000 years, broadly similar to patterns observed in the Northern Hemisphere. The records will be stacked in order to generate a regional reference curve for the Antarctic Peninsula. Moreover, these sites have the potential to fill a spatial gap in the distribution of paleomagnetic records that are used in geomagnetic field models.

The CELSS Antarctic Analog Project: an advanced life support testbed at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica.

PubMed

Straight, C L; Bubenheim, D L; Bates, M E; Flynn, M T

1994-01-01

The Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) Antarctic Analog Project (CAAP) is a joint endeavor between the National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs (NSF-OPP) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Its fundamental objective is to develop, deploy and operate a testbed of NASA CELSS technologies and life support approaches at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, located at latitude 90 degrees S, longitude 0 degrees. The goal of NASA's CELSS Program is to develop technologies and systems that will allow spacefaring scientists and explorers to carry out long duration extraterrestrial missions, leading ultimately to permanent habitation of the Solar System, without total dependence on a costly resupply system. A CELSS would do this by providing regenerated life support materials (air, food and water) and by processing "waste" materials into useful resources. This will be accomplished using biological and physical/chemical techniques in a nearly closed environmental habitation system. CELSS technologies also have great implications for application to terrestrial systems with intrinsic transferability to society at large. The CELSS Program intends to provide opportunities for the transfer of these systems and technologies outside the US Space Program, to applications within the American economy as space technology spin-offs.

Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Ronne Ice Shelf area, Antarctica, 1974-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferrigno, Jane G.; Foley, K.M.; Swithinbank, C.; Williams, R.S.; Dalide, L.M.

2005-01-01

Changes in the area and volume of polar ice sheets are intricately linked to changes in global climate, and the resulting changes in sea level may severely impact the densely populated coastal regions on Earth. Melting of the West Antarctic part alone of the Antarctic ice sheet could cause a sea-level rise of approximately 6 meters (m). The potential sea-level rise after melting of the entire Antarctic ice sheet is estimated to be 65 m (Lythe and others, 2001) to 73 m (Williams and Hall, 1993). In spite of its importance, the mass balance (the net volumetric gain or loss) of the Antarctic ice sheet is poorly known; it is not known for certain whether the ice sheet is growing or shrinking. In a review paper, Rignot and Thomas (2002) concluded that the West Antarctic part of the Antarctic ice sheet is probably becoming thinner overall; although it is thickening in the west, it is thinning in the north. Joughin and Tulaczyk (2002), on the basis of analysis of ice-flow velocities derived from synthetic aperture radar, concluded that most of the Ross ice streams (ice streams on the east side of the Ross Ice Shelf) have a positive mass balance, whereas Rignot and others (in press) infer even larger negative mass balance for glaciers flowing northward into the Amundsen Sea, a trend suggested by Swithinbank and others (2003a,b, 2004). The mass balance of the East Antarctic part of the Antarctic ice sheet is unknown, but thought to be in near equilibrium. Measurement of changes in area and mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet was given a very high priority in recommendations by the Polar Research Board of the National Research Council (1986), in subsequent recommendations by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) (1989, 1993), and by the National Science Foundation's (1990) Division of Polar Pro-grams. On the basis of these recommendations, the U.S. Geo-logical Survey (USGS) decided that the archive of early 1970s Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images of Ant-arctica and the subsequent repeat coverage made possible with Landsat and other satellite images provided an excellent means of documenting changes in the coastline of Antarctica (Ferrigno and Gould, 1987). The availability of this information provided the impetus for carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the glaciological features of the coastal regions and changes in ice fronts of Antarctica (Swithinbank, 1988; Williams and Ferrigno, 1988). The project was later modified to include Landsat 4 and 5 MSS and Thematic Mapper (TM) (and in some areas Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+)), RADARSAT images, and other data where available, to compare changes during a 20- to 25- or 30-year time interval (or longer where data were available, as in the Antarctic Peninsula). The results of the analysis are being used to produce a digital database and a series of USGS Geologic Investigations Series Maps (I-2600) consisting of 23 maps at 1:1,000,000 scale and 1 map at 1:5,000,000 scale, in both paper and digital format (Williams and others, 1995; Williams and Ferrigno, 1998; Ferrigno and others, 2002) (available online at http://www.glaciers.er.usgs.gov).

Controls and variability of solute and sedimentary fluxes in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwolinski, Zbigniew

2015-04-01

The currently prepared SEDIBUD Book on "Source-to-Sink Fluxes in Undisturbed Cold Environments" (edited by Achim A. Beylich, John C. Dixon and Zbigniew Zwolinski and published by Cambridge University Press) is summarizing and synthesizing the achievements of the International Association of Geomorphologists` (I.A.G./A.I.G.) Working Group SEDIBUD (Sediment Budgets in Cold Environments), which has been active since 2005 (http://www.geomorph.org/wg/wgsb.html). The book comprises five parts. One of them is part about sub-Antarctic and Antarctic Environments. This part "Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic Environments" describes two different environments, namely oceanic and continental ones. Each part contains results of research on environmental drivers and rates of contemporary solute and sedimentary fluxes in selected sites. Apart from describing the environmental conditions of the whole continent of Antarctica and sub-Antarctic islands (Zb.Zwolinski, M.Kejna, A.N.Lastochkin, A.Zhirov, S.Boltramovich) this part of the book characterizes terrestrial polar oases free from multi-year ice and snow covers (Zb.Zwolinski). The detailed results of geoecological and sedimentological research come from different parts of Antarctica. Antarctic continental shelf (E.Isla) is an example of sub-Antarctic oceanic environment. South Shetlands, especially King George Island (Zb.Zwolinski, M.Kejna, G.Rachlewicz, I.Sobota, J.Szpikowski), is an example of sub-Antarctic terrestrial environment. Antarctic Peninsula (G.Vieira, M.Francelino, J.C.Fernandes) and surroundings of McMurdo Dry Valleys (W.B.Lyons, K.A.Welch, J.Levy, A.Fountain, D.McKnight) are examples of Antarctic continental environments. The key goals of the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic book chapters are following: (i) identify the main environmental drivers and rates of contemporary solute and sedimentary fluxes, and (ii) model possible effects of projected climate change on solute and sedimentary fluxes in cold climate environments. Solute and sediment transport in the streams of analyzed environments are constrained by the relatively short water runoff season that typically lasts from a few weeks to maximum of four months during the austral summer, for Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions respectively. Because of high intensity of mechanical and chemical weathering processes solute and sediment transport are rather high within Antarctic environments. Weathering rates on slopes and magnitude of fluvial transport in relatively short streams control the intensity of denudational processes. Both mechanical and chemical denudation varies highly through sub-Antarctic and Antarctic environments. To generate accurate predictions of fluvial and denudational processes we must fully understand the actual geoecological processes, which in some places are under rapid change, e.g., the Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic islands.

76 FR 5405 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-31

... Antarctica and to certain regions of the Arctic under the auspices of the United States Antarctic Program are... Science Foundation--Polar Physical Examination (Antarctica/Arctic/Official Visitors) Medical History, will... disqualified, the reasons. 2. Polar Physical Examination--Antarctica/Arctic, will be used by the individual's...

At-Sea Distribution and Prey Selection of Antarctic Petrels and Commercial Krill Fisheries.

PubMed

Descamps, Sébastien; Tarroux, Arnaud; Cherel, Yves; Delord, Karine; Godø, Olaf Rune; Kato, Akiko; Krafft, Bjørn A; Lorentsen, Svein-Håkon; Ropert-Coudert, Yan; Skaret, Georg; Varpe, Øystein

2016-01-01

Commercial fisheries may impact marine ecosystems and affect populations of predators like seabirds. In the Southern Ocean, there is an extensive fishery for Antarctic krill Euphausia superba that is projected to increase further. Comparing distribution and prey selection of fishing operations versus predators is needed to predict fishery-related impacts on krill-dependent predators. In this context, it is important to consider not only predators breeding near the fishing grounds but also the ones breeding far away and that disperse during the non-breeding season where they may interact with fisheries. In this study, we first quantified the overlap between the distribution of the Antarctic krill fisheries and the distribution of a krill dependent seabird, the Antarctic petrel Thalassoica antarctica, during both the breeding and non-breeding season. We tracked birds from the world biggest Antarctic petrel colony (Svarthamaren, Dronning Maud Land), located >1000 km from the main fishing areas, during three consecutive seasons. The overall spatial overlap between krill fisheries and Antarctic petrels was limited but varied greatly among and within years, and was high in some periods during the non-breeding season. In a second step, we described the length frequency distribution of Antarctic krill consumed by Antarctic petrels, and compared this with results from fisheries, as well as from diet studies in other krill predators. Krill taken by Antarctic petrels did not differ in size from that taken by trawls or from krill taken by most Antarctic krill predators. Selectivity for specific Antarctic krill stages seems generally low in Antarctic predators. Overall, our results show that competition between Antarctic petrels and krill fisheries is currently likely negligible. However, if krill fisheries are to increase in the future, competition with the Antarctic petrel may occur, even with birds breeding thousands of kilometers away.

At-Sea Distribution and Prey Selection of Antarctic Petrels and Commercial Krill Fisheries

PubMed Central

Descamps, Sébastien; Tarroux, Arnaud; Cherel, Yves; Delord, Karine; Godø, Olaf Rune; Kato, Akiko; Krafft, Bjørn A.; Lorentsen, Svein-Håkon; Ropert-Coudert, Yan; Skaret, Georg; Varpe, Øystein

2016-01-01

Commercial fisheries may impact marine ecosystems and affect populations of predators like seabirds. In the Southern Ocean, there is an extensive fishery for Antarctic krill Euphausia superba that is projected to increase further. Comparing distribution and prey selection of fishing operations versus predators is needed to predict fishery-related impacts on krill-dependent predators. In this context, it is important to consider not only predators breeding near the fishing grounds but also the ones breeding far away and that disperse during the non-breeding season where they may interact with fisheries. In this study, we first quantified the overlap between the distribution of the Antarctic krill fisheries and the distribution of a krill dependent seabird, the Antarctic petrel Thalassoica antarctica, during both the breeding and non-breeding season. We tracked birds from the world biggest Antarctic petrel colony (Svarthamaren, Dronning Maud Land), located >1000 km from the main fishing areas, during three consecutive seasons. The overall spatial overlap between krill fisheries and Antarctic petrels was limited but varied greatly among and within years, and was high in some periods during the non-breeding season. In a second step, we described the length frequency distribution of Antarctic krill consumed by Antarctic petrels, and compared this with results from fisheries, as well as from diet studies in other krill predators. Krill taken by Antarctic petrels did not differ in size from that taken by trawls or from krill taken by most Antarctic krill predators. Selectivity for specific Antarctic krill stages seems generally low in Antarctic predators. Overall, our results show that competition between Antarctic petrels and krill fisheries is currently likely negligible. However, if krill fisheries are to increase in the future, competition with the Antarctic petrel may occur, even with birds breeding thousands of kilometers away. PMID:27533327

Basin-scale heterogeneity in Antarctic precipitation and its impact on surface mass variability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fyke, Jeremy; Lenaerts, Jan T. M.; Wang, Hailong

Annually averaged precipitation in the form of snow, the dominant term of the Antarctic Ice Sheet surface mass balance, displays large spatial and temporal variability. Here we present an analysis of spatial patterns of regional Antarctic precipitation variability and their impact on integrated Antarctic surface mass balance variability simulated as part of a preindustrial 1800-year global, fully coupled Community Earth System Model simulation. Correlation and composite analyses based on this output allow for a robust exploration of Antarctic precipitation variability. We identify statistically significant relationships between precipitation patterns across Antarctica that are corroborated by climate reanalyses, regional modeling and icemore » core records. These patterns are driven by variability in large-scale atmospheric moisture transport, which itself is characterized by decadal- to centennial-scale oscillations around the long-term mean. We suggest that this heterogeneity in Antarctic precipitation variability has a dampening effect on overall Antarctic surface mass balance variability, with implications for regulation of Antarctic-sourced sea level variability, detection of an emergent anthropogenic signal in Antarctic mass trends and identification of Antarctic mass loss accelerations.« less

Basin-scale heterogeneity in Antarctic precipitation and its impact on surface mass variability

DOE PAGES

Fyke, Jeremy; Lenaerts, Jan T. M.; Wang, Hailong

2017-11-15

Annually averaged precipitation in the form of snow, the dominant term of the Antarctic Ice Sheet surface mass balance, displays large spatial and temporal variability. Here we present an analysis of spatial patterns of regional Antarctic precipitation variability and their impact on integrated Antarctic surface mass balance variability simulated as part of a preindustrial 1800-year global, fully coupled Community Earth System Model simulation. Correlation and composite analyses based on this output allow for a robust exploration of Antarctic precipitation variability. We identify statistically significant relationships between precipitation patterns across Antarctica that are corroborated by climate reanalyses, regional modeling and icemore » core records. These patterns are driven by variability in large-scale atmospheric moisture transport, which itself is characterized by decadal- to centennial-scale oscillations around the long-term mean. We suggest that this heterogeneity in Antarctic precipitation variability has a dampening effect on overall Antarctic surface mass balance variability, with implications for regulation of Antarctic-sourced sea level variability, detection of an emergent anthropogenic signal in Antarctic mass trends and identification of Antarctic mass loss accelerations.« less

Microbial biomass and basal respiration in Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic soils in the areas of some Russian polar stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abakumov, E.; Mukhametova, N.

2014-03-01

Antarctica is the unique place for pedological investigations. Soils of Antarctica have been studied intensively during the last century. Antarctic logistic provides the possibility to scientists access the terrestrial landscapes mainly in the places of polar stations. That is why the main and most detailed pedological investigations were conducted in Mc Murdo Valleys, Transantarctic Mountains, South Shetland Islands, Larsemann hills and Schirmacher Oasis. Investigations were conducted during the 53rd and 55th Russian Antarctic expeditions on the base of soil pits and samples collected in Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic regions. Soils of diverse Antarctic landscapes were studied with aim to assess the microbial biomass level, basal respiration rates and metabolic activity of microbial communities. The investigation conducted shows that soils of Antarctic are quite different in profile organization and carbon content. In general, Sub-Antarctic soils are characterized by more developed humus (sod) organo-mineral horizons as well as the upper organic layer. The most developed organic layers were revealed in peat soils of King-George Island, where its thickness reach even 80 cm. These soils as well as soils under guano are characterized by the highest amount of total organic carbon (TOC) 7.22-33.70%. Coastal and continental soils of Antarctic are presented by less developed Leptosols, Gleysols, Regolith and rare Ornhitosol with TOC levels about 0.37-4.67%. The metabolic ratios and basal respiration were higher in Sub-Antarctic soils than in Antarctic ones which can be interpreted as result of higher amounts of fresh organic remnants in organic and organo-mineral horizons. Also the soils of King-George island have higher portion of microbial biomass (max 1.54 mg g-1) than coastal (max 0.26 mg g-1) and continental (max 0.22 mg g-1) Antarctic soils. Sub-Antarctic soils mainly differ from Antarctic ones in increased organic layers thickness and total organic carbon content, higher microbial biomass carbon content, basal respiration and metabolic activity levels.

The U.S. Antarctic Oversnow and Airborne Geophysical-Glaciological Research Program of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) 1957-58 Period from the View of a Research Scientist Participant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behrendt, J. C.

2005-12-01

When 12 countries established scientific stations in Antarctica for the 1957-58 International Geophysical Year (IGY), the Cold War was at its height, seven countries had made claims in Antarctica, and the Antarctic Treaty was a few years in the future. The U.S. program was operated by the Navy and territorial claims were secretly made at several locations during the IGY; these were never officially announced and the U.S. remains a non-claimant state. I was a graduate student geophysicist (assistant seismologist) on the unexplored Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf as part of the only large scale field project of the U.S. program. Starting in 1956, the U.S. began a series of oversnow traverses making seismic reflection ice soundings (and other geophysical measurements) and glaciological studies to determine the thickness and budget of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. The USSR and France made similar traverses coordinated through the IGY. Although geology and topographic mapping were not part of the IGY program because of the claims issue, and the possibility of mineral resources discoveries, the oversnow traverse parties did geologic work where unknown mountains were discovered. The oversnow traverses continued through 1966, and resulted in an excellent first approximation of the snow surface elevation, ice thickness and bed topography of Antarctica, as well as mean annual temperature of that era and snow accumulation. The vacuum tube dictated the logistics of the oversnow traverse program. Seismic equipment including heavy batteries weighed about 500 kg. Therefore a Sno-Cat tracked vehicle was needed to carry this load. Usually three such vehicles were needed for safety. Because about 3-4 l/km of Sno-Cat fuel was consumed, as much as 120 kg/day of fuel was required. A resupply flight could only carry only about 600 kg/flight (varying greatly as to range and type of aircraft), the major air logistic program of the U.S. IGY program were the three oversnow traverses (other than the resupply of the seven U.S. stations in Antarctica). The Filchner Ice Traverse, on which I participated, encountered many crevasses. Vehicles broke through thin snow bridges and one man fell deep into a crevasse. Fortunately there were no deaths and only one serious injury resulting from crevasse accidents on the U.S. Program. Because of hidden agenda related to the Cold War, U.S. (and possibly Soviet) scientists felt that Antarctic research was a duty rather than a privilege as today. The U.S. air program averaged 3.8 deaths/year from 1955-1961 in contrast to 0.1 death/year since about 1970. At least three U.S. scientists died in the early period of the U.S. program. When, if ever, do the ends justify the means? It is one thing if mature individual researchers, professional technicians, aviators, and others take risks with full awareness of the hazards. But it is quite another thing if relatively naive graduate students and new Ph.D.s looking for adventure, such as my colleagues and I in the 1956-1962 period, are sent into harm's way without knowing specifically what they will face, by ambitious senior researchers pursuing their personal scientific objectives, even though these may be of vital national and international importance. I have worked both sides of this street in the past 50 years.

Chemical studies of differentiated meteorites. I - Labile trace elements in Antarctic and non-Antarctic eucrites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paul, Rick L.; Lipschutz, Michael E.

1990-01-01

Element contents of Ag, Au, Bi, Cd, Co, Cs, Ga, In, Rb, Sb, Se, Te, Tl, U, and Zn were analyzed, using RNAA, in 25 Antarctic and nine non-Antarctic eucrites to determine whether these two populations differ significantly in thermal history and derive from the same or different eucrite parent body. Data for these 15 elements indicate that basaltic Antarctic and non-Antarctic eucrite populations reflect the same genetic processes and, hence, come from the same parent asteroid.

Coastal-Change and Glaciological Map of the Larsen Ice Shelf Area, Antarctica, 1940-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferrigno, Jane G.; Cook, Alison J.; Mathie, Amy M.; Williams, Richard S.; Swithinbank, Charles; Foley, Kevin M.; Fox, Adrian J.; Thomson, Janet W.; Sievers, Jorn

2008-01-01

Changes in the area and volume of polar ice sheets are intricately linked to changes in global climate, and the resulting changes in sea level could severely impact the densely populated coastal regions on Earth. Antarctica is Earth's largest reservoir of glacial ice. Melting of the West Antarctic part alone of the Antarctic ice sheet would cause a sea-level rise of approximately 6 meters (m), and the potential sea-level rise after melting of the entire Antarctic ice sheet is estimated to be 65 m (Lythe and others, 2001) to 73 m (Williams and Hall, 1993). The mass balance (the net volumetric gain or loss) of the Antarctic ice sheet is highly complex, responding differently to different climatic and other conditions in each region (Vaughan, 2005). In a review paper, Rignot and Thomas (2002) concluded that the West Antarctic ice sheet is probably becoming thinner overall; although it is known to be thickening in the west, it is thinning in the north. The mass balance of the East Antarctic ice sheet is thought by Davis and others (2005) to be positive on the basis of the change in satellite-altimetry measurements made between 1992 and 2003. Measurement of changes in area and mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet was given a very high priority in recommendations by the Polar Research Board of the National Research Council (1986), in subsequent recommendations by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) (1989, 1993), and by the National Science Foundation's (1990) Division of Polar Programs. On the basis of these recommendations, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) decided that the archive of early 1970s Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images of Antarctica and the subsequent repeat coverage made possible with Landsat and other satellite images provided an excellent means of documenting changes in the cryospheric coastline of Antarctica (Ferrigno and Gould, 1987). The availability of this information provided the impetus for carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the glaciological features of the coastal regions and changes in ice fronts of Antarctica (Swithinbank, 1988; Williams and Ferrigno, 1988). The project was later modified to include Landsat 4 and 5 MSS and Thematic Mapper (TM) images [and in some areas Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images], RADARSAT images, aerial photography, and other data where available, to compare changes that occurred during a 20- to 25- or 30-year time interval (or longer where data were available, as in the Antarctic Peninsula). The results of the analysis are being used to produce a digital database and a series of USGS Geologic Investigations Series Maps (I-2600) (Williams and others, 1995; Ferrigno and others, 2002; and Williams and Ferrigno, 2005) (available online at http://www.glaciers.er.usgs.gov).

Coastal-Change and Glaciological Map of the Palmer Land Area, Antarctica: 1947-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferrigno, Jane G.; Cook, Alison J.; Mathie, Amy M.; Williams, Richard S.; Swithinbank, Charles; Foley, Kevin M.; Fox, Adrian J.; Thomson, Janet W.; Sievers, Jorn

2009-01-01

Reduction in the area and volume of the two polar ice sheets is intricately linked to changes in global climate, and the resulting rise in sea level could severely impact the densely populated coastal regions on Earth. Antarctica is Earth's largest reservoir of glacial ice. Melting of the West Antarctic part alone of the Antarctic ice sheet would cause a sea-level rise of approximately 6 meters (m), and the potential sea-level rise after melting of the entire Antarctic ice sheet is estimated to be 65 m (Lythe and others, 2001) to 73 m (Williams and Hall, 1993). The mass balance (the net volumetric gain or loss) of the Antarctic ice sheet is highly complex, responding differently to different climatic and other conditions in each region (Vaughan, 2005). In a review paper, Rignot and Thomas (2002) concluded that the West Antarctic ice sheet is probably becoming thinner overall; although it is known to be thickening in the west, it is thinning in the north. The mass balance of the East Antarctic ice sheet is thought by Davis and others (2005) to be positive on the basis of the change in satellite-altimetry measurements made between 1992 and 2003. Measurement of changes in area and mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet was given a very high priority in recommendations by the Polar Research Board of the National Research Council (1986), in subsequent recommendations by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) (1989, 1993), and by the National Science Foundation's (1990) Division of Polar Programs. On the basis of these recommendations, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) decided that the archive of early 1970s Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images of Antarctica and the subsequent repeat coverage made possible with Landsat and other satellite images provided an excellent means of documenting changes in the cryospheric coastline of Antarctica (Ferrigno and Gould, 1987). The availability of this information provided the impetus for carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the glaciological features of the coastal regions and changes in ice fronts of Antarctica (Swithinbank, 1988; Williams and Ferrigno, 1988). The project was later modified to include Landsat 4 and 5 MSS and Thematic Mapper (TM) images (and in some areas Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images), RADARSAT images, aerial photography, and other data where available, to compare changes that occurred during a 20- to 25- or 30-year time interval (or longer where data were available, as in the Antarctic Peninsula). The results of the analysis are being used to produce a digital database and a series of USGS Geologic Investigations Series Maps (I-2600) (Williams and others, 1995; Swithinbank and others, 2003a,b, 2004; Ferrigno and others, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and in press; and Williams and Ferrigno, 2005) (available online at http://www.glaciers.er.usgs.gov).

Oligocene to Miocene terrestrial climate change and the demise of forests on Wilkes Land, East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salzmann, Ulrich; Strother, Stephanie; Sangiorgi, Francesca; Bijl, Peter; Pross, Joerg; Woodward, John; Escutia, Carlota; Brinkhuis, Henk

2016-04-01

The question whether Cenozoic climate was warm enough to support a substantial vegetation cover on the Antarctic continent is of great significance to the ongoing controversial debate on the dynamic behaviour of Antarctic land ice during the transition from a greenhouse to an icehouse world. Here we present palynological results from an Oligocene to Miocene sediment record provided by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 318 to the Wilkes Land margin (East Antarctica). The Oligocene assemblages (33.9-23 Ma) are dominated by pollen and spores from temperate forest and sub-Antarctic shrub vegetation inhabiting different altitudinal zones. These include a lowland cold temperate forest with Dacrydium and Lagarostrobos (both common in southern forests of New Zealand and Tasmania today) and a high altitude tundra shrubland comprising Microcachrys, Nothofagus (southern beech) and Podocarpaceae conifers. A decline in pollen percentages of Dacrydium and Lagarostrobos and absence of Proteaceae indicate climate cooling during the late Oligocene (~25-23 Ma). However, the continuous presence of Lagarostrobos suggests that the full transition to a tundra environment had not yet occurred and climate on Wilkes Land during the late Oligocene was still warm enough to support forest vegetation in sheltered areas. Temperature reconstructions derived from the fossil pollen assemblages using the Coexistence Approach suggest mean annual temperatures (MATs) between 6.7-13.7°C during the early Oligocene and a drop of minimum MATs to 5.8°C in the late Oligocene. Pollen of "unambiguous" forest indicators, such as Lagarostrobos, are absent in the Miocene sediment record (16.2 -12.5 Ma) but temperatures were still high enough (minimum MATs > 5°C) to sustain a woody sub-Antarctic vegetation under partially ice-free conditions. Wilkes Land provides a unique record of Antarctic vegetation change from a subtropical, highly diverse Eocene rainforest to an Oligocene cold temperate forest and an impoverished Miocene sub-Antarctic shrubland. The pollen record suggests that temperatures were higher than in the Ross Sea region (i.e. Andrill, Cape Roberts) and the Wilkes Land margins were possibly one of the last refugia for temperate forest taxa on Antarctica during the Late Oligocene.

Sequence stratigraphy of the ANDRILL Southern McMurdo Sound (SMS) project drillcore, Antarctica: an expanded, near-field record of Antarctic Early to Middle Miocene climate and relative sea-level change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fielding, C. R.; Browne, G. H.; Field, B.; Florindo, F.; Harwood, D. M.; Krissek, L. A.; Levy, R. H.; Panter, K.; Passchier, S.; Pekar, S. F.; SMS Science Team

2008-12-01

Present understanding of Antarctic climate change during the Early to Middle Miocene, including definition of major cycles of glacial expansion and contraction, relies in large part on stable isotope proxy records from Ocean Drilling Program cores. Here, we present a sequence stratigraphic analysis of the Southern McMurdo Sound drillcore (AND-2A), which was acquired during the Austral Spring of 2007. This core offers a hitherto unavailable ice-proximal stratigraphic archive of the Early to Middle Miocene from a high-accommodation Antarctic continental margin setting, and provides clear evidence of repeated fluctuations in climate, ice expansion/contraction and attendant sea-level change over the period 20-14 Ma, with a more fragmentary record of the post-14 Ma period. A succession of seventy sequences is recognized, each bounded by a significant facies dislocation (sequence boundary), composed internally of deposits of glacimarine to open shallow marine environments, and each typically dominated by the transgressive systems tract. From changes in facies abundances and sequence character, a series of long-term (m.y.) changes in climate and relative sea-level is identified. The lithostratigraphy can be correlated confidently to glacial events Mi1b and Mi2, to the Miocene Climatic Optimum, and to the global eustatic sea-level curve. SMS provides a detailed, direct, ice-proximal reference point from which to evaluate stable isotope proxy records for Neogene Antarctic paleoclimate.

Microbial biomass and basal respiration of selected Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic soils in the areas of some Russian polar stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abakumov, E.; Mukhametova, N.

2014-07-01

Antarctica is a unique place for soil, biological, and ecological investigations. Soils of Antarctica have been studied intensively during the last century, when different national Antarctic expeditions visited the sixth continent with the aim of investigating nature and the environment. Antarctic investigations are comprised of field surveys mainly in the terrestrial landscapes, where the polar stations of different countries are situated. That is why the main and most detailed soil surveys were conducted in the McMurdo Valleys, Transantarctic Mountains, South Shetland Islands, Larsemann Hills and the Schirmacher Oasis. Our investigations were conducted during the 53rd and 55th Russian Antarctic expeditions in the base of soil pits, and samples were collected in Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic regions. Sub-Antarctic or maritime landscapes are considered to be very different from Antarctic landscapes due to differing climatic and geogenic conditions. Soils of diverse zonal landscapes were studied with the aim of assessing the microbial biomass level, basal respiration rates and metabolic activity of microbial communities. This investigation shows that Antarctic soils are quite diverse in profile organization and carbon content. In general, Sub-Antarctic soils are characterized by more developed humus (sod) organo-mineral horizons as well as by an upper organic layer. The most developed organic layers were revealed in peat soils of King George Island, where its thickness reach, in some cases, was 80 cm. These soils as well as soils formed under guano are characterized by the highest amount of total organic carbon (TOC), between 7.22 and 33.70%. Coastal and continental Antarctic soils exhibit less developed Leptosols, Gleysols, Regolith and rare Ornhitosol, with TOC levels between 0.37 and 4.67%. The metabolic ratios and basal respiration were higher in Sub-Antarctic soils than in Antarctic ones, which can be interpreted as a result of higher amounts of fresh organic remnants in organic and organo-mineral horizons. The soils of King George Island also have higher portions of microbial biomass (max 1.54 mg g-1) compared to coastal (max 0.26 mg g-1) and continental (max 0.22 mg g-1) Antarctic soils. Sub-Antarctic soils differ from Antarctic ones mainly by having increased organic layer thickness and total organic carbon content, higher microbial biomass carbon content, basal respiration, and metabolic activity levels.

Trace elements in Antarctic meteorites: Weathering and genetic information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lipschutz, M. E.

1986-01-01

Antarctic meteorite discoveries have created great scientific interest due to the large number of specimens recovered (approximately 7000) and because included are representatives of hitherto rare or unknown types. Antarctic meteorites are abundant because they have fallen over long periods and were preserved, transported, and concentrated by the ice sheets. The weathering effects on the Antarctic meteorites are described. Weathering effects of trace element contents of H5 chondrites were studied in detail. The results are examined. The properties of Antarctic finds and non-Antarctic falls are discussed.

Largest-ever Ozone Hole over Antarctica

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

A NASA instrument has detected an Antarctic ozone 'hole' (what scientists call an 'ozone depletion area') that is three times larger than the entire land mass of the United States-the largest such area ever observed. The 'hole' expanded to a record size of approximately 11 million square miles (28.3 million square kilometers) on Sept. 3, 2000. The previous record was approximately 10.5 million square miles (27.2 million square km) on Sept. 19, 1998. The ozone hole's size currently has stabilized, but the low levels in its interior continue to fall. The lowest readings in the ozone hole are typically observed in late September or early October each year. 'These observations reinforce concerns about the frailty of Earth's ozone layer. Although production of ozone-destroying gases has been curtailed under international agreements, concentrations of the gases in the stratosphere are only now reaching their peak. Due to their long persistence in the atmosphere, it will be many decades before the ozone hole is no longer an annual occurrence,' said Dr. Michael J. Kurylo, manager of the Upper Atmosphere Research Program, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. Ozone molecules, made up of three atoms of oxygen, comprise a thin layer of the atmosphere that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Most atmospheric ozone is found between approximately six miles (9.5 km) and 18 miles (29 km) above the Earth's surface. Scientists continuing to investigate this enormous hole are somewhat surprised by its size. The reasons behind the dimensions involve both early-spring conditions, and an extremely intense Antarctic vortex. The Antarctic vortex is an upper-altitude stratospheric air current that sweeps around the Antarctic continent, confining the Antarctic ozone hole. 'Variations in the size of the ozone hole and of ozone depletion accompanying it from one year to the next are not unexpected,' said Dr. Jack Kaye, Office of Earth Sciences Research Director, NASA Headquarters. 'At this point we can only wait to see how the ozone hole will evolve in the coming few months and see how the year's hole compares in all respects to those of previous years.' 'Discoveries like these demonstrate the value of our long-term commitment to providing key observations to the scientific community,' said Dr. Ghassem Asrar, Associate Administrator for NASA's Office of Earth Sciences at Headquarters. 'We will soon launch QuickTOMS and Aura, two spacecraft that will continue to gather these important data.' The measurements released today were obtained using the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument aboard NASA's Earth Probe (TOMS-EP) satellite. NASA instruments have been measuring Antarctic ozone levels since the early 1970s. Since the discovery of the ozone 'hole' in 1985, TOMS has been a key instrument for monitoring ozone levels over the Earth. TOMS ozone data and more pictures are available at: http://toms.gsfc.nasa.gov/ TOMS-EP and other ozone-measurement programs are important parts of a global environmental effort of NASA's Earth Science enterprise, a long-term research program designed to study Earth's land, oceans, atmosphere, ice and life as a total integrated system. For more information about ozone and ozone loss, visit: Ozone in the Stratosphere. Image courtesy the TOMS science team and and the Scientific Visualization Studio, NASA GSFC

Antarctic hydrology during mid-Miocene warmth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feakins, S. J.; Warny, S.; Lee, J.

2011-12-01

The Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO) represents a period of global warmth 17-15 million years ago which resulted in the regrowth of vegetation on regions of Antarctica that were ice-covered since the Oligocene. A recent drilling campaign on the Antarctic ice shelf (ANDRILL SMS program) recovered middle Miocene sediments provided a first glimpse of a vegetated Antarctica at this time (Warny et al., 2009). However the hydrological regimes of Middle Miocene climate that enabled this vegetation expansion are not yet precisely known. Here we report leaf wax hydrogen isotope values of -170 to -120% indicate dD values for precipitation of -80 to -20% during the Middle Miocene. These values are significantly less negative than modern precipitation and together with microfossil evidence for warm, sea ice-free conditions, suggest an enhanced moisture flux. Experiments with isotopic tracers in idealized models under warm, ice free conditions indicate physical and dynamical support for 'heavy' polar precipitation isotopes reconstructed here. Pollen and biomarker abundances indicate peak conditions at 16.4 and 15.7Ma coeval with global anomalies of the MMCO (Zachos et al., 2001). Our results indicate increased moisture delivery to the Antarctic continent and an invigoration of meridional circulation and poleward latent heat flux during global warmth.

Mapping Application for Penguin Populations and Projected Dynamics (MAPPPD): Data and Tools for Dynamic Management and Decision Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Humphries, G. R. W.; Naveen, R.; Schwaller, M.; Che-Castaldo, C.; McDowall, P.; Schrimpf, M.; Schrimpf, Michael; Lynch, H. J.

2017-01-01

The Mapping Application for Penguin Populations and Projected Dynamics (MAPPPD) is a web-based, open access, decision-support tool designed to assist scientists, non-governmental organizations and policy-makers working to meet the management objectives as set forth by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and other components of the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) (that is, Consultative Meetings and the ATS Committee on Environmental Protection). MAPPPD was designed specifically to complement existing efforts such as the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP) and the ATS site guidelines for visitors. The database underlying MAPPPD includes all publicly available (published and unpublished) count data on emperor, gentoo, Adelie) and chinstrap penguins in Antarctica. Penguin population models are used to assimilate available data into estimates of abundance for each site and year.Results are easily aggregated across multiple sites to obtain abundance estimates over any user-defined area of interest. A front end web interface located at www.penguinmap.com provides free and ready access to the most recent count and modelled data, and can act as a facilitator for data transfer between scientists and Antarctic stakeholders to help inform management decisions for the continent.

Metal complexation capacity of Antarctic lacustrine sediments.

PubMed

Alberti, Giancarla; Mussi, Matteo; Quattrini, Federico; Pesavento, Maria; Biesuz, Raffaela

2018-04-01

The purpose of this study is to implement a work that is a part of a project funded by the Italian National Antarctic Research Program (PNRA, Piano Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide) within the main thematic focus "Chemical Contamination-Global Change". This research was devoted to detect and characterize micro and nano components with strong complexing capability towards metal ions at trace level in sea water, lakes and lacustrine sediments, sampled during the XXII expedition of PNRA. In particular, in the present work, the sorption complexation capacity of an Antarctic lacustrine sediments toward Cu(II) and Pb(II) is described. The characterization of the sorption was undertaken, studying kinetics and isotherm profiles. The lake here considered is Tarn Flat in the area of Terra Nova Bay. The sorption equilibria of Cu(II) and Pb(II) on the lacustrine sediments were reached in about 10 h, and they were best modelled by the Langmuir equation. Preliminary, to establish if the data here obtained were consistent with those reported for the same area in other expeditions, a common multivariate techniques, namely the principal component analysis (PCA), was applied and finally the consistency of the data has been confirmed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modelling Antarctic sea-level data to explore the possibility of a dominant Antarctic contribution to meltwater pulse IA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassett, S. E.; Milne, G. A.; Bentley, M. J.; Huybrechts, P.

2007-09-01

We compare numerical predictions of glaciation-induced sea-level change to data from 8 locations around the Antarctic coast in order to test if the available data preclude the possibility of a dominant Antarctic contribution to meltwater pulse IA (mwp-IA). Results based on a subset of 7 spherically symmetric earth viscosity models and 6 different Antarctic deglaciation histories indicate that the sea-level data do not rule out a large Antarctic source for this event. Our preliminary analysis indicates that the Weddell Sea is the most likely source region for a large (˜9 m) Antarctic contribution to mwp-IA. The Ross Sea is also plausible as a significant contributor (˜5 m) from a sea-level perspective, but glacio-geological field observations are not compatible with such a large and rapid melt from this region. Our results suggest that the Lambert Glacier component of the East Antarctic ice sheet experienced significant retreat at the time of mwp-IA, but only contributed ˜0.15 m (eustatic sea-level change). All of the ice models considered under-predicted the isostatic component of the sea-level response in the Antarctic Peninsula and the Sôya Coast region of the East Antarctic ice sheet, indicating that the maximum ice thickness in these regions is underestimated. It is therefore plausible that ice melt from these areas, the Antarctic Peninsula in particular, could have made a significant contribution to mwp-IA.

Investigation of Antarctic Sea Ice Concentration by Means of Selected Algorithms

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-08

Changes in areal extent and concentration of sea ice around Antarctica may serve as sensitive indicators of global warming . A comparison study was...occurred from July, 1987 through June, 1990. Antarctic Ocean, Antarctic regions, Global warming , Sea ice-Antarctic regions.

Synchronous change of atmospheric CO2 and Antarctic temperature during the last deglacial warming.

PubMed

Parrenin, F; Masson-Delmotte, V; Köhler, P; Raynaud, D; Paillard, D; Schwander, J; Barbante, C; Landais, A; Wegner, A; Jouzel, J

2013-03-01

Understanding the role of atmospheric CO2 during past climate changes requires clear knowledge of how it varies in time relative to temperature. Antarctic ice cores preserve highly resolved records of atmospheric CO2 and Antarctic temperature for the past 800,000 years. Here we propose a revised relative age scale for the concentration of atmospheric CO2 and Antarctic temperature for the last deglacial warming, using data from five Antarctic ice cores. We infer the phasing between CO2 concentration and Antarctic temperature at four times when their trends change abruptly. We find no significant asynchrony between them, indicating that Antarctic temperature did not begin to rise hundreds of years before the concentration of atmospheric CO2, as has been suggested by earlier studies.

Antarctic climate cooling and response of diatoms in glacial meltwater streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Esposito, R.M.M.; Horn, S.L.; McKnight, Diane M.; Cox, M.J.; Grant, M.C.; Spaulding, S.A.; Doran, P.T.; Cozzetto, K.D.

2006-01-01

To understand biotic responses to an Antarctic cooling trend diatom samples from glacial meltwater streams in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, the largest ice-free area in Antarctica. Diatoms are abundant in these streams, and 24 of 40 species have only been found in the Antarctic. The percentage of these Antarctic diatom species increased with decreasing annual stream flow and increasing harshness of the stream habitat. The species diversity of assemblages reached a maximum when the Antarctic species accounted for 40-60% of relative diatom abundance. Decreased solar radiation and air-temperatures reduce annual stream flow, raising the dominance of these Antarctic species to levels above 60%. Thus, cooling favors the Antarctic species, and lowers diatom species diversity in this region. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.

Response of the Antarctic ice sheet to ocean forcing using the POPSICLES coupled ice sheet-ocean model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, D. F.; Asay-Davis, X.; Price, S. F.; Cornford, S. L.; Maltrud, M. E.; Ng, E. G.; Collins, W.

2014-12-01

We present the response of the continental Antarctic ice sheet to sub-shelf-melt forcing derived from POPSICLES simulation results covering the full Antarctic Ice Sheet and the Southern Ocean spanning the period 1990 to 2010. Simulations are performed at 0.1 degree (~5 km) ocean resolution and ice sheet resolution as fine as 500 m using adaptive mesh refinement. A comparison of fully-coupled and comparable standalone ice-sheet model results demonstrates the importance of two-way coupling between the ice sheet and the ocean. The POPSICLES model couples the POP2x ocean model, a modified version of the Parallel Ocean Program (Smith and Gent, 2002), and the BISICLES ice-sheet model (Cornford et al., 2012). BISICLES makes use of adaptive mesh refinement to fully resolve dynamically-important regions like grounding lines and employs a momentum balance similar to the vertically-integrated formulation of Schoof and Hindmarsh (2009). Results of BISICLES simulations have compared favorably to comparable simulations with a Stokes momentum balance in both idealized tests like MISMIP3D (Pattyn et al., 2013) and realistic configurations (Favier et al. 2014). POP2x includes sub-ice-shelf circulation using partial top cells (Losch, 2008) and boundary layer physics following Holland and Jenkins (1999), Jenkins (2001), and Jenkins et al. (2010). Standalone POP2x output compares well with standard ice-ocean test cases (e.g., ISOMIP; Losch, 2008) and other continental-scale simulations and melt-rate observations (Kimura et al., 2013; Rignot et al., 2013). A companion presentation, "Present-day circum-Antarctic simulations using the POPSICLES coupled land ice-ocean model" in session C027 describes the ocean-model perspective of this work, while we focus on the response of the ice sheet and on details of the model. The figure shows the BISICLES-computed vertically-integrated ice velocity field about 1 month into a 20-year coupled Antarctic run. Groundling lines are shown in green.

Draft genome of the Antarctic dragonfish, Parachaenichthys charcoti.

PubMed

Ahn, Do-Hwan; Shin, Seung Chul; Kim, Bo-Mi; Kang, Seunghyun; Kim, Jin-Hyoung; Ahn, Inhye; Park, Joonho; Park, Hyun

2017-08-01

The Antarctic bathydraconid dragonfish, Parachaenichthys charcoti, is an Antarctic notothenioid teleost endemic to the Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean has cooled to -1.8ºC over the past 30 million years, and the seawater had retained this cold temperature and isolated oceanic environment because of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Notothenioids dominate Antarctic fish, making up 90% of the biomass, and all notothenioids have undergone molecular and ecological diversification to survive in this cold environment. Therefore, they are considered an attractive Antarctic fish model for evolutionary and ancestral genomic studies. Bathydraconidae is a speciose family of the Notothenioidei, the dominant taxonomic component of Antarctic teleosts. To understand the process of evolution of Antarctic fish, we select a typical Antarctic bathydraconid dragonfish, P. charcoti. Here, we have sequenced, de novo assembled, and annotated a comprehensive genome from P. charcoti. The draft genome of P. charcoti is 709 Mb in size. The N50 contig length is 6145 bp, and its N50 scaffold length 178 362 kb. The genome of P. charcoti is predicted to contain 32 712 genes, 18 455 of which have been assigned preliminary functions. A total of 8951 orthologous groups common to 7 species of fish were identified, while 333 genes were identified in P. charcoti only; 2519 orthologous groups were also identified in both P. charcoti and N. coriiceps, another Antarctic fish. Four gene ontology terms were statistically overrepresented among the 333 genes unique to P. charcoti, according to gene ontology enrichment analysis. The draft P. charcoti genome will broaden our understanding of the evolution of Antarctic fish in their extreme environment. It will provide a basis for further investigating the unusual characteristics of Antarctic fishes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

78 FR 68479 - Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Renew an Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-14

... implementing Arctic research policy, and the Director of the National Science Foundation shall ensure that the... certain regions of the Arctic sponsored by the NSF/GEO/Division of Polar Programs. The information is used... imposed by the Arctic and Antarctic continents, while also performing specific duties as specified by...

77 FR 5403 - Conservation of Antarctic Animals and Plants

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-03

... Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA), Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMA) and Historical Sites or... managed area (ASMA 7) and five historical sites and monuments in Antarctica (HSM 83-87). Public... Antarctic Specially Managed Areas (ASMA). Detailed maps and descriptions of the sites and complete...

Dynamic constraints on CO2 uptake by an iron-fertilized Antarctic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peng, Tsung-Hung; Broecker, Wallace S.; Oestlund, H. G.

1992-01-01

The topics covered include the following: tracer distribution and dynamics in the Antarctic Ocean; a model of Antarctic and Non-Antarctic Oceans; effects on an anthropogenically affected atmosphere; effects of seasonal iron fertilization; and implications of the South Atlantic Ventilation Experiment C-14 results.

The Pleistocene evolution of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet in the Prydz bay region: Stable isotopic evidence from ODP Site 1167

USGS Publications Warehouse

Theissen, K.M.; Dunbar, R.B.; Cooper, A. K.; Mucciarone, D.A.; Hoffmann, D.

2003-01-01

Ocean Drilling Program Leg 188, Prydz Bay, East Antarctica is part of a larger initiative to explore the Cenozoic history of the Antarctic Ice Sheet through direct drilling and sampling of the continental margins. In this paper, we present stable isotopic results from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1167 located on the Prydz Channel Trough Mouth Fan (TMF), the first Antarctic TMF to be drilled. The foraminifer-based ??18O record is interpreted along with sedimentary and downhole logging evidence to reconstruct the Quaternary glacial history of Prydz Bay and the adjacent Lambert Glacier Amery Ice Shelf System (LGAISS). We report an electron spin resonance age date of 36. 9 ?? 3.3 ka at 0.45 m below sea floor and correlate suspected glacial-interglacial cycles with the global isotopic stratigraphy to improve the chronology for Site 1167. The ??18O record based on planktonic (Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (s.)) and limited benthic results (Globocassidulina crassa), indicates a trend of ice sheet expansion that was interrupted by a period of reduced ice volume and possibly warmer conditions during the early-mid-Pleistocene (0.9-1.38 Ma). An increase in ?? 18O values after ??? 900 ka appears to coincide with the mid-Pleistocene climate transition and the expansion of the northern hemisphere ice sheet. The ??18O record in the upper 50 m of the stratigraphic section indicates as few as three glacial-interglacial cycles, tentatively assigned as marine isotopic stages (MIS) 16-21, are preserved since the Brunhes/Matuyama paleomagnetic reversal (780 ka). This suggests that there is a large unconformity near the top of the section and/or that there may have been few extreme advances of the ice sheet since the mid-Pleistocene climate transition resulting in lowered sedimentation rates on the Prydz Channel TMF. The stable isotopic record from Site 1167 is one of the few available from the area south of the Antarctic Polar Front that has been linked with the global isotopic stratigraphy. Our results suggest the potential for the recovery of useful stable isotopic records in other TMFs. ?? 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extreme late chronotypes and social jetlag challenged by Antarctic conditions in a population of university students from Uruguay.

PubMed

Tassino, Bettina; Horta, Stefany; Santana, Noelia; Levandovski, Rosa; Silva, Ana

2016-01-01

In humans, a person's chronotype depends on environmental cues and on individual characteristics, with late chronotypes prevailing in youth. Social jetlag (SJL), the misalignment between an individual׳s biological clock and social time, is higher in late chronotypes. Strong SJL is expected in Uruguayan university students with morning class schedules and very late entertainment activities. Sleep disorders have been reported in Antarctic inhabitants, that might be a response to the extreme environment or to the strictness of Antarctic life. We evaluated, for the first time in Uruguay, the chronotypes and SJL of 17 undergraduate students of the First Uruguayan Summer School on Antarctic Research, using Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ) and sleep logs (SL) recorded during 3 phases: pre-Antarctic, Antarctic, and post-Antarctic. The midsleep point of free days corrected for sleep debt on work days (MSFsc,) was used as proxy of individuals' chronotype, whose values (around 6 a.m.) are the latest ever reported. We found a SJL of around 2 h in average, which correlated positively with MSFsc, confirming that late chronotypes generate a higher sleep debt during weekdays. Midsleep point and sleep duration significantly decreased between pre-Antarctic and Antarctic phases, and sleep duration rebounded to significant higher values in the post-Antarctic phase. Waking time, but not sleep onset time, significantly varied among phases. This evidence suggests that sleep schedules more likely depended on the social agenda than on the environmental light-dark shifts. High motivation of students towards Antarctic activities likely induced a subjective perception of welfare non-dependent on sleep duration.

45 CFR 670.9 - Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... FOUNDATION CONSERVATION OF ANTARCTIC ANIMALS AND PLANTS Prohibited Acts, Exceptions § 670.9 Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception. Paragraphs (a) through (d) of § 670.4 shall not apply to acts carried... 45 Public Welfare 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception...

45 CFR 670.9 - Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... FOUNDATION CONSERVATION OF ANTARCTIC ANIMALS AND PLANTS Prohibited Acts, Exceptions § 670.9 Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception. Paragraphs (a) through (d) of § 670.4 shall not apply to acts carried... 45 Public Welfare 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception...

45 CFR 670.9 - Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... FOUNDATION CONSERVATION OF ANTARCTIC ANIMALS AND PLANTS Prohibited Acts, Exceptions § 670.9 Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception. Paragraphs (a) through (d) of § 670.4 shall not apply to acts carried... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception...

45 CFR 670.9 - Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... FOUNDATION CONSERVATION OF ANTARCTIC ANIMALS AND PLANTS Prohibited Acts, Exceptions § 670.9 Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception. Paragraphs (a) through (d) of § 670.4 shall not apply to acts carried... 45 Public Welfare 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception...

78 FR 28000 - Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-13

... Conservation Act of 1978 AGENCY: National Science Foundation. ACTION: Notice of Permit Applications Received under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541. SUMMARY: The National Science... regulated under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published regulations under the Antarctic...

77 FR 67407 - Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-09

... Conservation Act of 1978 AGENCY: National Science Foundation. ACTION: Notice of Permit Applications Received under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, Public Law 95-541. SUMMARY: The National Science... regulated under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published regulations under the Antarctic...

77 FR 38834 - Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-29

... Conservation Act of 1978 AGENCY: National Science Foundation. ACTION: Notice of permit applications received under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required... Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act. This...

45 CFR 670.9 - Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... FOUNDATION CONSERVATION OF ANTARCTIC ANIMALS AND PLANTS Prohibited Acts, Exceptions § 670.9 Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception. Paragraphs (a) through (d) of § 670.4 shall not apply to acts carried... 45 Public Welfare 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Antarctic Conservation Act enforcement exception...

Solutions to problems of weathering in Antarctic eucrites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strait, Melissa M.

1990-01-01

Neutron activation analysis was performed for major and trace elements on a suite of eucrites from both Antarctic and non-Antarctic sources. The chemistry was examined to see if there was an easy way to distinguish Antarctic eucrites that had been disturbed in their trace elements systematics from those that had normal abundances relative to non-Antarctic eucrites. There was no simple correlation found, and identifying the disturbed meteorites still remains a problem. In addition, a set of mineral separates from an eucrite were analyzed. The results showed no abnormalities in the chemistry and provides a possible way to use Antarctic eucrites that were disturbed in modelling of the eucrite parent body.

78 FR 48200 - Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-07

... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic... Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, Pub. L. 95-541. SUMMARY: The National... activities regulated under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published regulations under the...

77 FR 41809 - Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-16

..., Lockheed Martin IS&GS, Antarctic Support Contract, 7400 S. Tucson Way, Centennial, CO 80112-3938. Activity..., Antarctic Support Contract, 7400 S. Tucson Way, Centennial, CO 80112-3938. Activity for Which Permit Is.... Applicant: Celia Lang, Lockheed Martin IS&GS, Antarctic Support Contract, 7400 S. Tucson Way, Centennial, CO...

Escherichia coli out in the cold: Dissemination of human-derived bacteria into the Antarctic microbiome.

PubMed

Power, Michelle L; Samuel, Angelingifta; Smith, James J; Stark, Jonathon S; Gillings, Michael R; Gordon, David M

2016-08-01

Discharge of untreated sewage into Antarctic environments presents a risk of introducing non-native microorganisms, but until now, adverse consequences have not been conclusively identified. Here we show that sewage disposal introduces human derived Escherichia coli carrying mobile genetic elements and virulence traits with the potential to affect the diversity and evolution of native Antarctic microbial communities. We compared E. coli recovered from environmental and animal sources in Antarctica to a reference collection of E. coli from humans and non-Antarctic animals. The distribution of phylogenetic groups and frequency of 11 virulence factors amongst the Antarctic isolates were characteristic of E. coli strains more commonly associated with humans. The rapidly emerging E. coli ST131 and ST95 clones were found amongst the Antarctic isolates, and ST95 was the predominant E. coli recovered from Weddell seals. Class 1 integrons were found in 15% of the Antarctic E. coli with 4 of 5 identified gene cassette arrays containing antibiotic resistance genes matching those common in clinical contexts. Disposing untreated sewage into the Antarctic environment does disseminate non-native microorganisms, but the extent of this impact and implications for Antarctic ecosystem health are, as yet, poorly understood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-disciplinarity in the advance of Antarctic ecosystem research.

PubMed

Gutt, J; Isla, E; Bertler, A N; Bodeker, G E; Bracegirdle, T J; Cavanagh, R D; Comiso, J C; Convey, P; Cummings, V; De Conto, R; De Master, D; di Prisco, G; d'Ovidio, F; Griffiths, H J; Khan, A L; López-Martínez, J; Murray, A E; Nielsen, U N; Ott, S; Post, A; Ropert-Coudert, Y; Saucède, T; Scherer, R; Schiaparelli, S; Schloss, I R; Smith, C R; Stefels, J; Stevens, C; Strugnell, J M; Trimborn, S; Verde, C; Verleyen, E; Wall, D H; Wilson, N G; Xavier, J C

2018-02-01

The biodiversity, ecosystem services and climate variability of the Antarctic continent and the Southern Ocean are major components of the whole Earth system. Antarctic ecosystems are driven more strongly by the physical environment than many other marine and terrestrial ecosystems. As a consequence, to understand ecological functioning, cross-disciplinary studies are especially important in Antarctic research. The conceptual study presented here is based on a workshop initiated by the Research Programme Antarctic Thresholds - Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, which focussed on challenges in identifying and applying cross-disciplinary approaches in the Antarctic. Novel ideas and first steps in their implementation were clustered into eight themes. These ranged from scale problems, through risk maps, and organism/ecosystem responses to multiple environmental changes and evolutionary processes. Scaling models and data across different spatial and temporal scales were identified as an overarching challenge. Approaches to bridge gaps in Antarctic research programmes included multi-disciplinary monitoring, linking biomolecular findings and simulated physical environments, as well as integrative ecological modelling. The results of advanced cross-disciplinary approaches can contribute significantly to our knowledge of Antarctic and global ecosystem functioning, the consequences of climate change, and to global assessments that ultimately benefit humankind. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Nature of Antarctic Temperature Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markle, B. R.; Steig, E. J.

2017-12-01

The Antarctic is an important component of global climate. While the Arctic has warmed significantly in the last century, the Antarctic as a whole has shown considerably less variability. There is, however, a pronounced spatial pattern to modern Antarctic temperature change. The high East Antarctic Ice Sheet shows little to no warming over recent decades while West Antarctica and the Peninsula shows some of the largest rates of warming on the globe. Examining past climate variability can help reveal the physical processes governing this spatial pattern of Antarctic temperature change. Modern Antarctic temperature variability is known from satellite and weather station observations. Understanding changes in the past, however, requires paleoclimate-proxies such as ice-core water-isotope records. Here we assess the spatial pattern of Antarctic temperature changes across a range of timescales, from modern decadal changes to millennial and orbital-scale variability. We reconstruct past changes in absolute temperatures from a suite of deep ice core records and an improved isotope-temperature reconstruction method. We use δ18O and deuterium excess records to reconstruct both evaporation source and condensation site temperatures. In contrast to previous studies we use a novel method that accounts for nonlinearities in the water-isotope distillation process. We quantify past temperature changes over the Southern Ocean and Antarctic Continent and the magnitude of polar amplification. We identify patterns of Antarctic temperature change that are common across a wide range of timescales and independent of the source of forcing. We examine the nature of these changes and their relationship to atmospheric thermodynamics.

Examining Differences in Arctic and Antarctic Sea Ice Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nghiem, S. V.; Rigor, I. G.; Clemente-Colon, P.; Neumann, G.; Li, P.

2015-12-01

The paradox of the rapid reduction of Arctic sea ice versus the stability (or slight increase) of Antarctic sea ice remains a challenge in the cryospheric science research community. Here we start by reviewing a number of explanations that have been suggested by different researchers and authors. One suggestion is that stratospheric ozone depletion may affect atmospheric circulation and wind patterns such as the Southern Annular Mode, and thereby sustaining the Antarctic sea ice cover. The reduction of salinity and density in the near-surface layer may weaken the convective mixing of cold and warmer waters, and thus maintaining regions of no warming around the Antarctic. A decrease in sea ice growth may reduce salt rejection and upper-ocean density to enhance thermohalocline stratification, and thus supporting Antarctic sea ice production. Melt water from Antarctic ice shelves collects in a cool and fresh surface layer to shield the surface ocean from the warmer deeper waters, and thus leading to an expansion of Antarctic sea ice. Also, wind effects may positively contribute to Antarctic sea ice growth. Moreover, Antarctica lacks of additional heat sources such as warm river discharge to melt sea ice as opposed to the case in the Arctic. Despite of these suggested explanations, factors that can consistently and persistently maintains the stability of sea ice still need to be identified for the Antarctic, which are opposed to factors that help accelerate sea ice loss in the Arctic. In this respect, using decadal observations from multiple satellite datasets, we examine differences in sea ice properties and distributions, together with dynamic and thermodynamic processes and interactions with land, ocean, and atmosphere, causing differences in Arctic and Antarctic sea ice change to contribute to resolving the Arctic-Antarctic sea ice paradox.

Extreme late chronotypes and social jetlag challenged by Antarctic conditions in a population of university students from Uruguay

PubMed Central

Tassino, Bettina; Horta, Stefany; Santana, Noelia; Levandovski, Rosa; Silva, Ana

2016-01-01

In humans, a person’s chronotype depends on environmental cues and on individual characteristics, with late chronotypes prevailing in youth. Social jetlag (SJL), the misalignment between an individual׳s biological clock and social time, is higher in late chronotypes. Strong SJL is expected in Uruguayan university students with morning class schedules and very late entertainment activities. Sleep disorders have been reported in Antarctic inhabitants, that might be a response to the extreme environment or to the strictness of Antarctic life. We evaluated, for the first time in Uruguay, the chronotypes and SJL of 17 undergraduate students of the First Uruguayan Summer School on Antarctic Research, using Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ) and sleep logs (SL) recorded during 3 phases: pre-Antarctic, Antarctic, and post-Antarctic. The midsleep point of free days corrected for sleep debt on work days (MSFsc,) was used as proxy of individuals’ chronotype, whose values (around 6 a.m.) are the latest ever reported. We found a SJL of around 2 h in average, which correlated positively with MSFsc, confirming that late chronotypes generate a higher sleep debt during weekdays. Midsleep point and sleep duration significantly decreased between pre-Antarctic and Antarctic phases, and sleep duration rebounded to significant higher values in the post-Antarctic phase. Waking time, but not sleep onset time, significantly varied among phases. This evidence suggests that sleep schedules more likely depended on the social agenda than on the environmental light–dark shifts. High motivation of students towards Antarctic activities likely induced a subjective perception of welfare non-dependent on sleep duration. PMID:27226819

West Antarctic Ice Sheet Initiative. Volume 1: Science and Implementation Plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bindschadler, Robert A. (Editor)

1990-01-01

The Science and Implementation Plan of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Initiative (WAIS) is described. The goal of this initiative is the prediction of the future behavior of this ice sheet and an assessment of its potential to collapse, rapidly raising global sea level. The multidisciplinary nature of WAIS reflects the complexity of the polar ice sheet environment. The project builds upon past and current polar studies in many fields and meshes with future programs of both the U.S. and other countries. Important tasks in each discipline are described and a coordinated schedule by which the majority of these tasks can be accomplished in 5 years is presented. The companion report (Volume 2) contains seven discipline review papers on the state of knowledge of Antarctica and opinions on how that knowledge must be increased to attain the WAIS goal.

Development of a highly sensitive screen for influenza A in guano and its application in the search for ancient RNA preserved under Antarctic Adelie penguin colonies.

PubMed

Briggs, L C; Ashton, R M; Metcalf, P

2003-01-01

We have developed a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based assay to detect influenza A in guano samples as part of our program to investigate ancient viral RNA from under Antarctic Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) colonies. Of five extraction protocols tested (RNeasy, GTC TRIZOL, GTC Silica, Rnaid, and AGPC), AGPC proved to be the most consistent and sensitive to low concentrations of influenza, but further purification with commercial viral nucleic acid spin filter system was still required to remove remaining PCR inhibitors. RT-PCR was then performed on the eluent and 650 bases of the M1 gene were amplified. The assay was found to be able to detect as little as 100 microl of 0.1 hemagglutination units (HU)/ml influenza.

The 1994 to 2008 concentration variations of atmospheric CO2 observed at Jubany Station (Antarctica)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallo, Veronica; de Simone, Sara; Ciattaglia, Luigi; Rafanelli, Claudio; Diego, Piero

2010-05-01

Since 1994 the Italian PNRA (National Research Program in Antarctica) and the Argentina DNA (Direction National de Antartico) have been collecting continuous atmospheric carbon dioxide measurements at Jubany. The Antarctic station at Jubany (62° 14'S, 58° 40'W) is located in King George Island, in the South Shetland archipelago, north of the Antarctic Peninsula. The laboratory is situated at an elevation of 15 m.s.l. on the SE slope of Potter Bay. The measurements are taken by using a Siemens U5 analyzer based on NDIR (Non Dispersive InfraRed) absorption method. Details are given on the station environment, meteorological conditions, instrumentation, and data selection strategy. The paper presents the first 14 years (1994-2008) of continuous atmospheric CO2 measurements; the interannual and seasonal variations of CO2 data are described

Metrically preserving the USGS aerial film archive

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moe, Donald; Longhenry, Ryan

2013-01-01

Since 1972, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has provided fi lm-based products to the public. EROS is home to an archive of 12 million frames of analog photography ranging from 1937 to the present. The archive contains collections from both aerial and satellite platforms including programs such as the National High Altitude Program (NHAP), National Aerial Photography Program (NAPP), U.S. Antarctic Resource Center (USARC), Declass 1(CORONA, ARGON, and LANYARD), Declass 2 (KH-7 and KH-9), and Landsat (1972 – 1992, Landsat 1–5).

75 FR 57299 - Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-20

... Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541), as amended by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, has developed regulations for the establishment of a permit system for various... protection. The regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic Specially Protected Areas...

76 FR 61117 - Notice of Permit Applications Received Under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-03

... Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-541), as amended by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, has developed regulations for the establishment of a permit system for various... protection. The regulations establish such a permit system to designate Antarctic Specially Protected Areas...

Maintenance and Drainage Guidance for the Scott Base Transition, Antarctica

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

Way Centennial , CO 80112-3938 Final Report Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Prepared for National Science Foundation...References Antarctic Support Contract (ASC). 2014. Scott Base Transition Construction and Maintenance Manual. IO-MAN-0003. Centennial , CO: Antarctic...Support Contract. Antarctic Support Contract (ASC). Forthcoming. Snow Road Construction and Maintenance Manual. IO-MAN-xx. Centennial , CO: Antarctic

Medical supplies for the expeditions of the heroic age of Antarctic exploration: introduction.

PubMed

Guly, H R

2012-06-01

During the heroic age of Antarctic exploration (1895-1922) there were at least 18 expeditions to the Antarctic lasting between 18 and 30 months. This is an introduction to a series of articles about the drugs taken and used in the Antarctic at this time. Most of the information relates to the expeditions of Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton and the main supplier of medical equipment was Burroughs Wellcome and Co. This article also describes the medical cases that were taken to the Antarctic.

Antarctic and non-Antarctic meteorites form different populations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dennison, J. E.; Lingner, D. W.; Lipschutz, M. E.

1986-01-01

The trace element differences between Victoria Land H5 chondrites and non-Antarctic H5 chondrites are studied. The focus on common meteorites was stimulated by Antarctic and non-Antarctic differences in meteorite types and in the trace element contents of congeners of rare type. Thirteen elements were analyzed by neutron activation analysis with radiochemical separation, and eight differed significantly. Eliminating test biasing and the possibility of compositional difference due to Antarctic weathering of the 300,000 year-old (on the average) Victoria Land falls, it is concluded that the two sets of chondrites differ due to extraterrestrial causes. The three possibilities discussed, differences in sample population, physical properties, orbital characteristics, and meteoroid flux with time, are all seen as problematic.

Antarctic Martian Meteorites at Johnson Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Funk, R. C.; Satterwhite, C. E.; Righter, K.; Harrington, R.

2018-01-01

This past year marked the 40th anniversary of the first Martian meteorite found in Antarctica by the ANSMET Antarctic Search for Meteorites) program, ALH 77005. Since then, an additional 14 Martian meteorites have been found by the ANSMET program making for a total of 15 Martian meteorites in the U. S. Antarctic meteorite collection at Johnson Space Center (JSC). Of the 15 meteorites, some have been paired so the 15 meteorites actually represent a total of approximately 9 separate samples. The first Martian meteorite found by ANSMET was ALH 77005 (482.500 g), a lherzolitic shergottite. When collected, this meteorite was split as a part of the joint expedition with the National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) Japan. Originally classified as an "achondrite-unique", it was re-classified as a Martian lherzolitic shergottite in 1982. This meteorite has been allocated to 137 scientists for research and there are 180.934 g remaining at JSC. Two years later, one of the most significant Martian meteorites of the collection at JSC was found at Elephant Moraine, EET 79001 (7942.000 g), a shergottite. This meteorite is the largest in the Martian collection at JSC and was the largest stony meteorite sample collected during the 1979 season. In addition to its size, this meteorite is of particular interest because it contains a linear contact separating two different igneous lithologies, basaltic and olivine-phyric. EET 79001 has glass inclusions that contain noble gas and nitrogen compositions that are proportionally identical to the Martian atmosphere, as measured by the Viking spacecraft. This discovery helped scientists to identify where the "SNC" meteorite suite had originated, and that we actually possessed Martian samples. This meteorite has been allocated to 205 scientists for research and 5,298.435 g of sample is available.

Long-term monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) at the Norwegian Troll station in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kallenborn, R.; Breivik, K.; Eckhardt, S.; Lunder, C. R.; Manø, S.; Schlabach, M.; Stohl, A.

2013-03-01

A first long-term monitoring of selected persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Antarctic air has been conducted at the Norwegian Research station Troll (Dronning Maud Land). As target contaminants 32 PCB congeners, a- and g-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), trans- and cis-chlordane, trans- and cis-nonachlor, p,p'- and o,p-DDT, DDD, DDE as well as hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were selected. The monitoring program with weekly samples taken during the period 2007-2010 was coordinated with the parallel program at the Norwegian Arctic monitoring site (Zeppelin mountain, Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard) in terms of priority compounds, sampling schedule as well as analytical methods. The POP concentration levels found in Antarctica were considerably lower than Arctic atmospheric background concentrations. Similar as observed for Arctic samples, HCB is the predominant POP compound with levels of around 22 pg m-3 throughout the entire monitoring period. In general, the following concentration distribution was found for the Troll samples analyzed: HCB > Sum HCH > Sum PCB > Sum DDT > Sum chlordanes. Atmospheric long-range transport was identified as a major contamination source for POPs in Antarctic environments. Several long-range transport events with elevated levels of pesticides and/or compounds with industrial sources were identified based on retroplume calculations with a Lagrangian particle dispersion model (FLEXPART). The POP levels determined in Troll air were compared with 1 concentrations found in earlier measurement campaigns at other Antarctic research stations from the past 18 yr. Except for HCB for which similar concentration distributions were observed in all sampling campaigns, concentrations in the recent Troll samples were lower than in samples collected during the early 1990s. These concentration reductions are obviously a direct consequence of international regulations restricting the usage of POP-like chemicals on a worldwide scale.

Unstable Space: Mapping the Antarctic for Children in "Heroic Era" Antarctic Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moriarty, Sinead

2017-01-01

This article examines the Antarctic landscape as one of the last places in the world to be explored and mapped, and as one of the most changeable landscapes in the world. The mapping exercises involved in the early, heroic-era Antarctic expeditions, helped to reduce a once mysterious and unknown landscape into a known entity, something that could…

Isolation and characterization of Campylobacter spp. from Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) at Deception Island, Antarctica.

PubMed

García-Peña, F J; Pérez-Boto, D; Jiménez, C; San Miguel, E; Echeita, A; Rengifo-Herrera, C; García-Párraga, D; Ortega-Mora, L M; Pedraza-Díaz, S

2010-09-01

The presence of Campylobacter spp. was investigated in 41 Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) and 9 Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) at Deception Island, Antarctica. Infections were encountered in six Antarctic fur seals. The isolates, the first reported from marine mammals in the Antarctic region, were identified as Campylobacter insulaenigrae and Campylobacter lari.

Widespread Ice across the South Weddell Sea Region prior to the Late Eocene Transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, A.; Riley, T. R.; Hillenbrand, C. D.; Rittner, M.

2016-12-01

The extent of ice sheets across East Antarctica, and Antarctica in general during the high CO2 world of the late Eocene is not well understood due to a paucity of direct evidence. Examination of late Eocene-Oligocene marine sands from Ocean Drilling Program Leg 113 Site 696 located on the southeastern margin of the South Orkney Microcontinent (SOM) has revealed abundant sand grains with mechanical features diagnostic of iceberg-rafted debris (IBRD). Using a multi-proxy approach that included petrographic analysis of over 250,000 grains, detrital zircon geochronology and apatite thermochronometry we found that the IBRD sources ranged from the Ellsworth-Whitmore Mountains of West Antarctica to the coastal region of Dronning Maud Land in East Antarctica. This evidence requires that glaciers quite possibly draining mountainous regions calved at sea level across the southern Weddell Sea coast at least 2.5 million years before the oxygen isotope event Oi-1 (34-33.5 Ma), a time when atmospheric CO2 was declining. Icebergs from East Antarctic sources were transported to the SOM by the Antarctic Coastal Current and thereby mixed with icebergs from West Antarctic sources in the cyclonic Weddell Gyre, which then transported the icebergs northwards towards the Scotia Sea.

Coastal-Change and Glaciological Map of the Northern Ross Ice Shelf Area, Antarctica: 1962-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferrigno, Jane G.; Foley, Kevin M.; Swithinbank, Charles; Williams, Richard S.

2007-01-01

Changes in the area and volume of polar ice sheets are intricately linked to changes in global climate, and the resulting changes in sea level could severely impact the densely populated coastal regions on Earth. Melting of the West Antarctic part alone of the Antarctic ice sheet would cause a sea-level rise of approximately 6 meters (m). The potential sea-level rise after melting of the entire Antarctic ice sheet is estimated to be 65 m (Lythe and others, 2001) to 73 m (Williams and Hall, 1993). The mass balance (the net volumetric gain or loss) of the Antarctic ice sheet is highly complex, responding differently to different conditions in each region (Vaughan, 2005). In a review paper, Rignot and Thomas (2002) concluded that the West Antarctic ice sheet is probably becoming thinner overall; although it is thickening in the west, it is thinning in the north. Thomas and others (2004), on the basis of aircraft and satellite laser altimetry surveys, believe the thinning may be accelerating. Joughin and Tulaczyk (2002), on the basis of analysis of ice-flow velocities derived from synthetic aperture radar, concluded that most of the Ross ice streams (ice streams on the east side of the Ross Ice Shelf) have a positive mass balance, whereas Rignot and others (2004) infer even larger negative mass balance for glaciers flowing northward into the Amundsen Sea, a trend suggested by Swithinbank and others (2003a,b; 2004). The mass balance of the East Antarctic ice sheet is thought by Davis and others (2005) to be strongly positive on the basis of the change in satellite altimetry measurements made between 1992 and 2003. Measurement of changes in area and mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet was given a very high priority in recommendations by the Polar Research Board of the National Research Council (1986), in subsequent recommendations by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) (1989, 1993), and by the National Science Foundation?s (1990) Division of Polar Programs. On the basis of these recommendations, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) decided that the archive of early 1970s Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images of Antarctica and the subsequent repeat coverage made possible with Landsat and other satellite images provided an excellent means of documenting changes in the coastline of Antarctica (Ferrigno and Gould, 1987). The availability of this information provided the impetus for carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the glaciological features of the coastal regions and changes in ice fronts of Antarctica (Swithinbank, 1988; Williams and Ferrigno, 1988). The project was later modified to include Landsat 4 and 5 MSS and Thematic Mapper (TM) images (and in some areas Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus [ETM+] images), RADARSAT images, and other data where available, in order to compare changes that occurred during a 20- to 25- or 30-year time interval (or longer where data were available, as in the Antarctic Peninsula). The results of the analysis are being used to produce a digital database and a series of USGS Geologic Investigations Series Maps (I?2600) (Williams and others, 1995; Williams and Ferrigno, 1998; Ferrigno and others, 2002) (available online at http://www.glaciers.er.usgs.gov).

Coastal-change and glaciological map of the Trinity Peninsula area and south Shetland Islands, Antarctica: 1843-2001: Chapter A in Coastal-change and glaciological maps of Antarctica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferrigno, Jane G.; Cook, Alison J.; Foley, Kevin M.; Williams, Richard S.; Swithinbank, Charles; Fox, Adrian J.; Thomson, Janet W.; Sievers, Jorn

2006-01-01

Changes in the area and volume of polar ice sheets are intricately linked to changes in global climate, and the resulting changes in sea level could severely impact the densely populated coastal regions on Earth. Melting of the West Antarctic part alone of the Antarctic ice sheet would cause a sea-level rise of approximately 6 meters (m). The potential sea-level rise after melting of the entire Antarctic ice sheet is estimated to be 65 m (Lythe and others, 2001) to 73 m (Williams and Hall, 1993). In addition to its importance, the mass balance (the net volumetric gain or loss) of the Antarctic ice sheet is highly complex, responding differently to different conditions in each region (Vaughan, 2005). In a review paper, Rignot and Thomas (2002) concluded that the West Antarctic ice sheet is probably becoming thinner overall; although it is thickening in the west, it is thinning in the north. Thomas and others (2004), on the basis of aircraft and satellite laser altimetry surveys, believe the thinning may be accelerating. Joughin and Tulaczyk (2002), on the basis of analysis of ice-flow velocities derived from synthetic aperture radar, concluded that most of the Ross ice streams (ice streams on the east side of the Ross Ice Shelf) have a positive mass balance, whereas Rignot and others (2004) infer even larger negative mass balance for glaciers flowing northward into the Amundsen Sea, a trend suggested by Swithinbank and others (2003a,b, 2004). The mass balance of the East Antarctic ice sheet is thought by Davis and others (2005) to be strongly positive on the basis of the change in satellite altimetry measurements made between 1992 and 2003. Measurement of changes in area and mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet was given a very high priority in recommendations by the Polar Research Board of the National Research Council (1986), in subsequent recommendations by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) (1989, 1993), and by the National Science Foundation's (1990) Division of Polar Programs. On the basis of these recommendations, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) decided that the archive of early 1970s Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) images of Antarctica and the subsequent repeat coverage made possible with Landsat and other satellite images provided an excellent means of documenting changes in the coastline of Antarctica (Ferrigno and Gould, 1987). The availability of this information provided the impetus for carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the glaciological features of the coastal regions and changes in ice fronts of Antarctica (Swithinbank, 1988; Williams and Ferrigno, 1988). The project was later modified to include Landsat 4 and 5 MSS and Thematic Mapper (TM) [and in some areas Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+)], RADARSAT images, and other data where available, to compare changes that occurred during a 20- to 25- or 30-year time interval (or longer where data were available, as in the Antarctic Peninsula). The results of the analysis are being used to produce a digital database and a series of USGS Geologic Investigations Series Maps (I–2600) consisting of 23 maps at 1:1,000,000 scale and 1 map at 1:5,000,000 scale, in both paper and digital format (Williams and others, 1995; Williams and Ferrigno, 1998; Ferrigno and others, 2002).

Ordinary chondrites - Multivariate statistical analysis of trace element contents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lipschutz, Michael E.; Samuels, Stephen M.

1991-01-01

The contents of mobile trace elements (Co, Au, Sb, Ga, Se, Rb, Cs, Te, Bi, Ag, In, Tl, Zn, and Cd) in Antarctic and non-Antarctic populations of H4-6 and L4-6 chondrites, were compared using standard multivariate discriminant functions borrowed from linear discriminant analysis and logistic regression. A nonstandard randomization-simulation method was developed, making it possible to carry out probability assignments on a distribution-free basis. Compositional differences were found both between the Antarctic and non-Antarctic H4-6 chondrite populations and between two L4-6 chondrite populations. It is shown that, for various types of meteorites (in particular, for the H4-6 chondrites), the Antarctic/non-Antarctic compositional difference is due to preterrestrial differences in the genesis of their parent materials.

Air-sea interaction regimes in the sub-Antarctic Southern Ocean and Antarctic marginal ice zone revealed by icebreaker measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Lisan; Jin, Xiangze; Schulz, Eric W.; Josey, Simon A.

2017-08-01

This study analyzed shipboard air-sea measurements acquired by the icebreaker Aurora Australis during its off-winter operation in December 2010 to May 2012. Mean conditions over 7 months (October-April) were compiled from a total of 22 ship tracks. The icebreaker traversed the water between Hobart, Tasmania, and the Antarctic continent, providing valuable in situ insight into two dynamically important, yet poorly sampled, regimes: the sub-Antarctic Southern Ocean and the Antarctic marginal ice zone (MIZ) in the Indian Ocean sector. The transition from the open water to the ice-covered surface creates sharp changes in albedo, surface roughness, and air temperature, leading to consequential effects on air-sea variables and fluxes. Major effort was made to estimate the air-sea fluxes in the MIZ using the bulk flux algorithms that are tuned specifically for the sea-ice effects, while computing the fluxes over the sub-Antarctic section using the COARE3.0 algorithm. The study evidenced strong sea-ice modulations on winds, with the southerly airflow showing deceleration (convergence) in the MIZ and acceleration (divergence) when moving away from the MIZ. Marked seasonal variations in heat exchanges between the atmosphere and the ice margin were noted. The monotonic increase in turbulent latent and sensible heat fluxes after summer turned the MIZ quickly into a heat loss regime, while at the same time the sub-Antarctic surface water continued to receive heat from the atmosphere. The drastic increase in turbulent heat loss in the MIZ contrasted sharply to the nonsignificant and seasonally invariant turbulent heat loss over the sub-Antarctic open water.