antarctic El (MFZ UOFTHE J LJ u ©UT March 1980 National Science Foundation Volume XV—Number 1

p. That condition applied at Camp Century, Greenland, where the Army, ... also intent on developing a cheap, re- liable power source for remote stations, had just installed a portable nuclear - .. reactor. According to the Armys early cost analysis, the electricity generated by the nuclear plant cost about 0.564 cents per kilowatt hour. By the time diesel fuel, then selling at 12 cents a gallon, was transported to McMurdo, its cost had risen to 40 cents a gallon. As a result, each kilowatt hour produced at McMurdos diesel .1 plant cost about 0.975 cents.

r 7 Promise of nuclear power -. - - McMurdo Station, it seemed then,

US Navy photograph XAM.4234294 was one of the few places in the world Halfway up Observation Hill, the four buildings of the PM-3A nuclear power plant were a where, given the price of diesel fuel McMurdo Station landmark. For a decade, PM-3A supplied McMurdos fresh water and after it had reached Antarctica and given electrical power. In this southward-viewing September 1964 photograph, the station is the existing state of nuclear technology, in the foreground and the Ross Ice Shelf in the background. a nuclear power plant promised to be more economical than a fossil fuel plant. McMurdo Station reactor site Because the promise of nuclear power for remote regions seemed so great in released for unrestricted use the late 1950s, the U.S. Congress also showed considerable interest in devel- oping nuclear reactors for antarctic and The site of the nuclear reactor that The U.S. experiment with nuclear other remote operations. With Con- powered McMurdo Station from 1962 power in Antarctica began as an attempt gressional approval, the Navy com- to 1972 has been released for unre- to find a cheaper way to maintain Sta- missioned a reactor for McMurdo stricted use following a 6-year cleanup Station. At the time, both Congress and tions in remote locations. In the late and an independent radiological survey the Navy were confident that, if the 1950s, almost half the supplies hauled of the area. According to the final de- McMurdo reactor worked, more reactors commissioning report filed by the from the United States to Antarctica for South Pole and Byrd Station would U.S. Navy with the Department of consisted of fuel oil to provide heat and follow. Energy, the site has been decontami- power. Logistic costs could not be cut Martin Marietta Corporation of nated to levels as low as reasonably by reducing the amount of fuel shipped Baltimore, Maryland, developed the achievable. The Department of Energys because without a minimum fuel sup- reactor, called PM-3A. It was a pres- 25 May 1979 authorization to release ply antarctic stations could not survive the site marks the end of the only ex- surized-water reactor: one system of the austral winter. Other remote stations pipes circulated water under pressure periment ever attempted to power an faced the same dilemma: fuel costs had antarctic station with a nuclear reactor. near the core of the reactor. That water, to he absorbed without serious question. heated by the core, turned water in a second piping system into steam. The The reactor arrived at McMurdo on much diesel fuel it would have taken steam from the second piping system 12 December 1961 by ship. The first to produce the power supplied by the then drove a turbine which produced "criticality" in the core was achieved plant. electrical power for the station. on 3 March 1962, and the plant began producing power tor the station on 10 The record indicates that PM-3A was, This reactor was more powerful than July. Initially, the reactor was operated in fact, successful at powering McMurdo Station and at saving money by reduc- the previous portable, medium-power by Navy crews under the direction of ing the amount of diesel fuel required reactors that had been developed. Its the Martin Marietta Corporation and at McMurdo. But the plant never re- capacity was about 1.8 megawatts and the Atomic Energy Commission. On placed the diesel engines that had to be its life expectancy was about 20 years. 27 May 1964, under a memorandum of maintained as backup generators for PM-3A also could be loaded onto a C- agreement between the Atomic Energy 130 airplane and flown wherever it was Commission and the Department of use during scheduled or unscheduled shutdowns of the nuclear plant. needed. It was-designed so that pack- Defense, the Naval Nuclear Power Unit ing, transportation, assembly, and dis- took over the reactor and operated it until the plant was decommissioned in From 1962 to 1966, operating mal- assembly could be accomplished under functions and scheduled maintenance September 1972. all environmental conditions. shutdowns kept the reactor from be- coming a continuous source of power. Record for continuous operation The only serious problem occurred in 1962, when hydrogen produced by the By 1966, despite frequent temporary radiolytic decomposition of water under shutdowns, the plant had broken the high gamma radiation caught fire in the record for the longest continuous oper- containment vessel. Apparently hydro- ation of a military nuclear reactor. In gen decomposition had not been en- 1971 the Navy increased the reactors countered even theoretically at that power output by 10 percent through stage in nuclear technology, but it was new operating techniques, and so kept quickly mastered by installing a hydro- pace with McMurdos energy demand. gen recombiner. The problem never That same year the reactor set another recurred. Damage to the reactor was record for continuous operation: it pro- slig. There were no injuries and there duced 1600 kilowatts for 172 days was no release of radioactivity. The without a stoppage. reactor, however, was put out of com- Editor: Richard P. Muldoon mission for 8 weeks. Antarctic Journal of the United States, Never in the operation of the reactor established in 1966, reports on U.S. was there a release of radiation in excess activities in Antarctica and related ac- of the safety levels set by the Atomic Diesel powered backup plant tivities elsewhere, and on trends in the Energy Commission, nor was there a U.S. Antarctic Program. It is published single injury caused by or related to the During that time, McMurdo had to quarterly (March, June, September, reactor. PM-3A operated for 10 years fall back on its diesel plant for heat and December) with a fifth annual re- in complete compliance with all Atomic and power, but the diesel fuel supply view issue by the Division of Polar Pro- Energy Agency regulations. that year was low and the icebreakers, grams, National Science Foundation, which were to lead the tanker and cargo Washington, D.C. 20550. Telephone Over its 10-year life the reactor pro- ships through e sea ice in McMurdo 202/357-7817. duced approximately 78 million kilowatt Sound, were unable to clear a channel through the ice until late in the season. Subscription rates are $7.50 per five hours of electricity. From 1966 to 1972 Helicopters ferried diesel in 55 gallon issues, domestic, and $9.40 per five a water distillation plant, using steam issues, foreign; single copies are $1.00 from the nuclear reactor, produced 13 drums from the tanker, anchored beyond ($1.25 foreign) except for the annual million gallons of freshwater by evapora- the sea ice, to the station. The episode review issue, which is $5.50 ($6.90 tive distillation. Over its career the illustrated the need for a reliable source foreign). Address changes and sub- reactor ran at 78 percent availability; of heat and power for an antarctic sta- scription matters should be sent to the that is, power was produced over the tion. Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washing- life of the reactor about 4 days out of After 1966, when the reactor had ton, D.C. 20402. every 5. When the reactor was running, attained some reliability, it was still it produced enough electricity to satisfy subject to precautionary shutdowns, The Director of the National Science almost all of McMurdos heat and power inspections, and core changes, none of Foundation has determined that the needs. which ever indicated a serious or dan- publication of this periodical is neces- gerous problem. But it was becoming sary in the transaction of the public Throughout the life of the reactor, increasingly apparent that the costs in- business required by law of this agency. successive issues of the Antarctic Jour- Use of funds for printing this periodical volved in maintaining the plant were nal contained tables detailing how much making the reactor more expensive has been approved by the director of power the reactor produced, how much the Office of Management and Budget than had been expected. fresh water was distilled from seawater, through 30 September 1984. how many consecutive days of opera- In 1970, when the President con- tion were achieved, and, of course, how solidated the management of the United

Antarctic Journal States A ctiic Program under me National Science Foundation, the Office of Management and Budget also asked NSF to analyze the costs involved in maintaining an influential U.S. presence in Antarctica.

In May 2972 NSF published an analysis of the U.S. Antarctic Program, which includail a costethect veness study of the reactor Performed, by Bechtel incorrated. The report concluded that PM-3A should be decommissioned as coon as possible because operation of the facility was not economical. The report recommended that IUA3A he reniaced with an uptodata turbine or diesek electric generator to supply power and heat and an oihfired boiler to operate the water distillation plant. Not only won lid the diesel pliant be more reliable, but fewer personnel would be required to man it: The Navy and NSF never came to a conclusion based on the report. Instead, the decision to abandon the reactor was U.2. mm N X. L made after a scheduled routine inspec Nm PBP3z11 nuotoar ranotor mea M ueW in Am buizUirtui N tim mar, PM coon hanear eyatam hon in September 11972 revealed wet in the turagrouim vies Atm covecim 2y e simliar MiiUnp. thermal insulation around the reactor Pressure vessel. Since the shield water not primary coolant, but water in the the removal of the reactor, Article V shield surrounding the pressure vessel Of various radionuclides had been dm stated, "Any nuclear ex contained chlorides, and since all con- p losions in veNped for air and water, but not for Antarctica and the disposal there of ditions favorable to chloride stress cor soil. radioactive waste material shall be rosion cracking were present, the reactor The Navy turned to the guidelines and remained down. prohibited.-The United States felt that the spirit of the treaty made it proper regulations of the Antarctic Treaty Inspection of the visible components to remove not only the reactor, but also nations for a standard. The only exisA revealed that no cracking had occurred, soil at the site that received the normal ing standard for minimal radiation levels not even at the junction of the piping discharge of effluents from the reactor, in soil was an extremely conservative and the reactor vessel where tempera- The Navy and NSF also decided that Soviet ha minimus standard of 110 picm tures and stresses were greatest. But the after all the removal efforts had been curies per gram. That meant that any Navy inspection team refused to rule completed, a contractor would perform rock with a radiation level below 10 picocuries a gram would not be com out the possibility of cracking on sur- an independent radi .olugical survey of faces which could not be inspected the circa, sidened radioactive, The Navy set a he visually. They called for complete dim nriniims standard oil radioactivity for The effluents discharged during mantling of the reactor and inspection the principal contaminant in the antarctic operation never contained radioactivity of otherwise inaccessible surfaces rock, which was cesium-a,37, at 110 in excess of the applicable standards, before they could authorize a restart. picocuries per gram, but small quantities of artificial isotopes The cost of the inspection and the costs from the effluents had been reconcem possibly involved in repairing or re- trated in the rock surrounding the site, Disassembly and removal placing any reactor components were In addition, cracks in the shield con- the major factors in the decision to During the 1973-M season the Navy tainment walls were discovered and decommission the reactor and trust a dismantled all of the reactors secondary repaired three times; each time some of diesel plant to provide power. systems and most of the reactor vessel the (again nonradioactive) shield water itself. Those components and all of the had leaked out and frozen to the foun fuel were shipped to the Department of Antarctic Treaty pravisions daMn. But when the Navy tried to find Energys Savannah River Plant near a US. standard to apply to the soil, Barnwell, South Carolina, for disposal. Plans for the decommissioning were they found that standards for maximum In 11974-75 the rest of the reactor com- made in March 1973. While the Antarm permissible concentrations (below which ponents were shipped. In 1975Am the tic Treaty did not specifically require something is not considered radioactive) buildings that surrounded the reactor were shipped along with their founda- person would be extremely low, rather Meanwhile, McMurdo and all other tions. All of the backfill from the site than to apply a de minimus standard to U.S. antarctic stations continue to rely which contained more than 2000 radiation in the soil. upon diesel power plants for heat and electricity. During the 1979-80 season picocuries per gram of radioactivity According to the NUS study, the was boxed and shipped as low specific new diesel engines were installed at natural background radiation at the McMurdo. They are more powerful activity waste. All of this material reactor site would result in an average ended up at the Savannah River Plant. and more economical than the plants radiation exposure of 63 millirems per previously used but they still force the What remained after the 1975-76 year with a range from 25 to 149 mil- U.S. Antarctic Research Program to ex- season was rock which contained less lirems. Away from the site the average pend much of its logistic budget on fuel than 2000 picocuries per gram. Since exposure due to naturally occurring and its transportation. International Atomic Energy Agency radiation would average 105 millirems regulations cdrtsider material contain- a year with a range of 21 to 149 millirems. During the 1979-80 season diesel ing less than 2000 picocuries per gram The hazard analysis started with those fuel cost about 61 cents per gallon. nonradioactive for shipping purposes, figures and determined the risks to man During the 1980-81 season the cost will the rock was marked for bulk loading by calculating the amount of additional probably be about $1.29 per gallon at on the annual departing cargo ship. radioactivity caused by remaining arti- McMurdo. The rising cost of fuel will From 1976-77 to 1978-79, about 11,800 ficially induced isotopes. have severe impact upon the scope of cubic yards of this low-level contam- research conducted during the coming The NUS report shows that the con- inated rock were collected and shipped field season. Once again, as in the early centrations of manmade radionuclides to Port Hueneme, California. 1960s, those involved in maintaining remaining on the site would result in a an effective U.S. presence in Antarctica maximum additional radiation dose of must be alert to better, more economical Radiological survey less than 15 millirems per year. The ways to power antarctic stations. most probable value, according to the In January and February 1978, while study, is 6 millirems per year. The low the cleanup was still in progress, the dosages are the result of extremely low NUS Corporation of Rockville, Mary- References levels of radionuclides (an average of 8 land, conducted an independent radio- picocuries per gram of crushed rock for An examination of radioactivity in the logical survey of the area. Later that cesium-137 and even less for other crushed rock from the PM-3A nuclear year NUS tested samples in laboratories reactor site, McM urdo, Antarctica. nuclides such as cesium-134, cobalt-60, Herbert V. Weiss, Undersea Science Department, in the United States. The two-volume and strontium-90) and the lack in the NUS report appeared in June 1978. Naval Undersea Center. San Diego, Cali- antarctic environment of any significant fornia. January 1977. A thorough review and analysis of pathway to man. the NUS report, combined with Navy Radiological survey of the PM-3A site. NUS survey and sample data, made it clear Corporation. Rockville, Maryland. June Navy and Department of Energy reviews 1978. that the goal of removing all rock con- taining cesium-137 with more than 10 On the basis of the maximum figure, Removal plan for the PM-3A nuclear power picocuries per gram radioactivity was the Navy determined that there is plant, McMurdo Station. Naval Nuclear not reasonably achievable. Because the minimal risk to man from exposure to Power Unit. Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Septem- natural background concentrations of radioactivity remaining on the site. In ber 1973. radionuclides varied significantly and addition, these low doses of radio- Report of decommissioning of the PM-3A at the same order of magnitude as activity would normally be experienced nuclear power plant, McMurdo Station, cesium-137 concentrations, it had been only once in a lifetime by a very limited Antarctica. Naval Nuclear Power Unit, difficult both for the Navy and for NUS adult population. On that basis the Port Hueneme, California. February 1979. to determine actual cesium-137 con- final report submitted by the Navy to United States Antarctic Program study re- centrations in the field. Naturally the Department of Energy concludes port for Office of Management and Budget. occurring uranium and thorium and that the PM-3A decommissioning is National Science Foundation, Washing- their radioactive daughters are present complete and that the site has been ton, D.C. May 1972. in the rock at levels of 1 to 3 picocuries decontaminated to levels as low as rea- per gram; potassium-40 is present in sonably achievable. concentrations ranging from 20 to 40 The Department of Energy, after picocuries per gram. After the 1978-79 evaluating the Navys final report, deter- cleanup, the maximum concentration mined that the site could be released for of cesium-137 on the site was 29 pic- unrestricted use in accordance with the ocuries per gram. The average concen- Radiation Protection Guidance for tration was 8.1 picocuries per gram. Federal Agencies developed by the The review prompted the Navy to Federal Radiation Council, and with abandon the de min imus limit and sub- all other guidelines for release of sites stitute a hazard analysis based on the for unrestricted use. All conditions of contaminants remaining and an evalu- the memorandum of agreement between ation of the potential exposure path- the Department of Defense and the ways to man. The goal was to ensure Atomic Energy Commission were that the potential radiation dose to a declared fulfilled. 31 Antarctic Journal • , . .p., -, atu W Ubb section or a centrai portion of the Greenland ice sheet was based on radio echo sounding data collected by USARP LC-130 airplanes. The diagram shows the relation between the ice surface and bedrock. Such ice thickness data, combined with ice flow studies and other measurements, will enable Greenland Ice Sheet Project investigators to determine the history ice core drilled from the surface to bedrock at a single point on the ice sheet. of an

Greenland research team plans Century core convinced researchers that polar ice cores, like deep-sea sedi- ice core drilling to bedrock ments and tree rings, could be used as natural climatic indicators. In June and July 1980, if the Danish Commission on Scientific Research approves their application, researchers from Denmark, Switzerland, and the Atmospheric record United States will attempt to drill an ice core from the surface of the Greenland Precipitation in the dry snow zone ice sheet to bedrock at site Dye-3 in southern Greenland. By comparing the Green- of a high polar glacier buries previous land core with cores from Antarctica, researchers hope to improve understanding accumulations. As the density of under- of global climate over the last 100,000 years. lying snow increases by compaction, The Greenland Ice Sheet Program, while not an extension of the U.S. Antarctic the annual layers of snowfall gradually Research Program, is complementary to it. The Greenland program uses the sup- are transformed into glacier ice. The port capability of the antarctic program (including ski-equipped airplanes) at a time layers or stratigraphic sequences that when winter scales down antarctic operations. The scientific results of the Green- result from compaction are aggregates land investigations also are relevant to of snow and ice crystals. antarctic studies of climate and glacial and Engineering Laboratory, Hanover, history and dynamics. Trapped within these aggregates is New Hampshire, recovered an ice core atmospheric air plus all of the foreign The deep drilling constitutes the final 1,387 meters in length completely material that fell with precipitation or phase of the Greenland Ice Sheet Pro- through the ice sheet at Camp Century in was otherwise deposited on the surface gram, which itself is the culmination northern Greenland. The ice at the base during a given year. When researchers of research begun 14 years ago. of the column was about 120,000 years examine a deep ice core, therefore, they old, older than the onset of the last are examining a unique record of the In 1966 scientists and engineers from advance of the ice age (the Wisconsin physical and chemical nature of the the U.S. Armys Cold Regions Research stage). Their studies of the Camp atmosphere as it changed year by year. March 1980 Determining differences in cores from an off-the-shelf technology. Ice coring site. Such projects include surface Greenland and from Antarctica enables drills usually must he designed to meet measurements to provide data on snow scientists to discern local from global environmental conditions that exist at accumulation, ice velocity and strain, atmospheric changes in climate. a particular site. Even then, low tempera- and deep sounding measurements tures within an ice sheet can cause cirills (seismic shooting, radio-echo sounding, Scientists seeking a Greenland core to freeze in; hole closure because of ice gravity mapping, and electrical resis- to bedrock this summer, then, could flow also can grip the drill and prevent tivity profiles) to characterize the inter- provide a continuous record of several the retrieval not only of ice core but of nal structure of the ice sheet in the drill climatic parameters extending from the the drill itself. On-site experimentation hole vicinity. present into the Pleistocene. Using usually leads to improvements in drill techniques refined since the analysis technology, but those improvements Ice dynamics model of the Camp Century core, they could may be limited to drilling in a specific the composi- To achieve its goal, GISP researchers reconstruct variations in location. tion of the atmosphere, the influx of need to refine current understanding soluble and insoluble cosmic particles, Because drill technology in many of the parameters that govern the be- the levels of airborne radioactivity and ways determines what can be accom- havior of ice sheets, their interrelation- atmospheric pollution, and the distri- plished scientifically in the glaciological ships, and their relation to changing bution of volcanic dust. investigation of an ice sheet, a subsidiary environments and climates. This requires goal of the Greenland ice Sheet Pro- development of an ice dynamics model Plan conceived in 1970 gram has been to develop the specialized and analysis of various ice core time equipment, such as ice drills and ice series to determine their relationships The drilling planned for this summer sounding radars, needed to obtain or with present and past world climatic was conceived in 1970 when scientists interpret such a core. variations. The ice-dynamics model and engineers from Denmark, Switzer- will be used to separate dynamical During the summer of 1979, GISP land, and the United States met to dis- effects from climatic information in the investigators tested a new Danish deep cuss efficient and economical ways to ice core time series. This information ice drill, developed after years of exper- determine the dynamics and history of will in turn be used to analyze present imentation with a unique shallow drill. the Greenland ice sheet. Out of that and past world climates as they are The deep drill is a lightweight, battery- meeting came the Greenland Ice Sheet evidenced in deep ice cores. Program (GISP) planning document powered electromechanical mechanism that was presented to the National which takes an ice core 10 centimeters The ice dynamics model eventually Science Foundation in February 1972. in diameter at about 2 meters of ice per will define the mechanical and thermal run. characteristics of an ice sheet (such as GISP was a plan to study the nature, deformation, flow rates, accumulation The Greenland drill test was conducted composition, and behavior of the Green- rates, vertical temperature profiles, and during August 1979 at Dye-3, the site land ice sheet by examining its glaci- isotopic diffusion rates). To produce in south Greenland selected by GISP ological regimes, its geophysical and the model, a set of ice surface, bed topog- participants for drilling to bedrock, thermal dynamics, its paleoclirnatic raphy, surface accumulation, and 2100 meters below the surface at Dye-3. history, and its geochemical constituents. temperature data was acquired using The objective of the Greenland Ice Testing began 2 August and ended the airborne radio echo sounding tech- Sheet Program ever since has been to 20 days later when the main shaft of the niques developed during a similar sur- select one or more sites in a glaciologic- drill was damaged. The final hole depth vey of the antarctic ice sheet. Radio ally simple area where it would be pos- of 224.86 meters was attained in 141 echo sounding provided detailed mor- sible to obtain a deep ice core to bed- drilling runs. The average" round trip" phological information on the upper and rock. The bottom of the ice core ideally to bring up an ice core took 35 to 40 lower surfaces of the ice sheet and the would be over 100,000 years old. At minutes. Portions of the core were reflections from within the ice mass, the same time, field and laboratory flown to the State University of New which at this time are not completely projects would address the surface, York at Buffalo for analysis primarily understood. by Chester C. Langway of that univer- near surface, inner structure, and sub- The Greenland data were obtained sity. Willi Dansgaard of the University surface character of the ice sheet. by a U.S. Antarctic Research Program of Copenhagen, and Hans Oeschger of Cores from other locations would pro- LC-130 airplane equipped with the the University of Bern also acquired vide checks on acquired data and provide necessary special antennas. Dr. Gudman- samples. more information on distortions caused sen of the Technical University of by movement of ice within the ice sheet. Any deep ice core from Greenland Denmark is preparing an ice thickness Eventually enough knowledge about will provide data only at a single point map based on the soundings. the physical and chemical characteristics on an ice sheet that is approximately 2 To determine whether the past changes of the Greenland ice sheet would be million square kilometers in area. in climate studied in Greenland deep ice amassed to enable a proper interpreta- Although some extrapolation is possi- cores are of global or more regional tion of the climatic record contained ble on the basis of internal radar reflec- in a deep ice core. character, scientists will compare deep tion, additional fundamental measure- cores from Greenland with deep cores ments extending over a greater area are Drill development from Antarctica. needed to determine the dynamic be- Obtaining a deep ice core, however, havior of the ice sheet, particularly An additional benefit of the Greenland is a difficult task since ice drilling is not within 50 to 150 kilometers of the drill drilling will be the technical and opera-

Antarctic Journal tional knowledge gained by developing and penguins on Anvers Island and on ice sheets; the radiation regimes in a successful deep drill. Such expertise- Litchfield Island (a Specially Protected space in the geologic past; and the dis- eventually could be applied to antarc- area) and to import specimens into the tribution of meteorite types over time. tic coring projects. United States. Recent field and laboratory studies • Robert E. Ricklefs, University of indicate that meteorite accumulations Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsyl- on the antarctic ice sheet occur where 1979-1980 Antarctic vania, received a permit to take pen- certain rare sets of conditions are met. Conservation Act guins, giant fulmars, blue-eyed shags, These conditions also may occur outside south polar skuas, and antarctic terns polar regions. permits granted on and near Anvers Island and to import specimens into the United States. The meteorite agreement enlists the continued support of the best available The following investigators were • Robert V. Risebrough, Bodega scientific, technical, and laboratory granted permits during the 1979-80 field Marine Laboratory of the University of resources in the United States for the season under regulations which imple- California, Bodega Bay, California, re- discovery, collection, preservation, and ment the Antarctic Conservation Act ceived a permit to take specimens of study of these relatively uncontaminated of 1978. This was the first season that eggs and of adult Wilson Petrels and extraterrestrial materials. the regulations have been in effect. The Adelie penguins and import them into regulations appeared in full in the the United States. A permit was also The antarctic meteorite agreement June 1979 Antarctic Journal. granted for entry into Litchfield Island provides a formal statement of thegoals C 1 \ 1 of the three participating agencies. Their a 1aJI\ uLLt rta) o ai.e a • David C. Ainley, Point Reyes Bird goals are: Observatory, Stinson Beach, California, census of Adelie penguins. received a permit to take Adelie and • Donald B. Siniff, University of • to collect antarctic meteorites and emperor penguins, petrels, albatross, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, re- preserve portions of them under con- fulmars, prions, and skuas in the Ross ceived a permit to tag and release and/or trolled conditions so that the scientific Sea area and to import specimens into to collect dead specimens of leopard, information they may contain is not the United States. Weddell, crabeater, and Ross seals in compromised; • John C. Baust, University of the Antarctic Peninsula and McMurdo • to distribute loan samples for re- Houston, Houston, Texas, received a Sound areas and to import specimens search and exhibit to scientists and permit to enter and to collect moss and into the United States. museums as generously as possible; algae samples from Litchfield Island (a Jona than Ward, CBS Evening News, to process and document a portion Specially Protected Area) and from New York, New York, received a per- of the samples for scientific study in a Byers Peninsula (a Site of Special Sci- mit to enter and photograph penguins noncontaminating environment; and entific Interest). at Cape Royds (a Specially Protected • to facilitate international scientific • Charlene J. Denys, DePaul Univer- Area) and/or at the Cape Bird rookery, investigations of the meteorite collection. sity, Chicago, Illinois, received a permit both on Ross Island. to collect adolescent Adélie penguins in Under the agreement, the National the Antarctic Peninsula area and to im- Science Foundation will continue to port retinal and liver samples into the NSF, NASA, support the recovery of meteorites from United States. Smithsonian sign Antarctica. These meteorites will be stored at the NASA Johnson Space • Arthur L. DeVries, University of meteorite agreement Center in Houston, Texas, where they Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, received a permit to introduce a nonindigenous will be kept in a sterile, cold environ- The National Science Foundation, ment or in other appropriate conditions species (Notothenia angustata) into the National Aeronautics and Space to preserve their original geochemical Antarctica for laboratory studies at Administration, and the Smithsonian McMurdo Station. characteristics. Gradually, portions of Institution signed an interagency each meteorite which no longer need • David H. Elliot, Ohio State Univer- agreement in January 1980 that will storage in sterile conditions will be sity, Columbus, Ohio, received a per- ensure the proper collection, curation, transferred to the Smithsonian Institu- mit to enter and to collect geological and analysis of meteorites found in tion and accessioned into the Smith- samples at Cape Shiireff (a Specially Antarctica. sonian collections for curation and Protected Area) and Byers Peninsula (a Meteorites found in Antarctica since further distribution to the scientific Site of Special Scientific Interest). 1969 represent an accumulation span community. • David E. Murrish, State University of several million years. Searches since Information about the meteorites of New York, Binghamton, New York, 1976 have yielded hundreds of speci- will continue to be disseminated to sci- received a permit to take giant petrels mens—more than a third of all meteorites entists in more than 20 countries through and penguins on Anvers Island. known to science (see articles by W. A. the Antarctic Meteorite Newsletter, Cassidy in the Antarctic Journalannual published by the Johnson Space Center. • David F. Parmelee, University of review issues for 1977, 1978, and 1979). Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, For more information write Code 5N2, These meteorites have unique sig- Johnson Space Center, National Aero- received a permit to take skuas, gulls, nificance for determining the age, sta- sheathbills, terns, shags, storm-petrels, nautics and Space Administration, bility, and flow pattern of the antarctic Houston, Texas 77058. March 1980 Federal Electric Francis S. Johnson Casey A. Jones Companj !1 "°i new named Assistant Casey A. Jones, the Holmes & Narver support contractor Director AAEO Inc. cook assigned to Amundsen-Scott South Pole station, died 9 January 1980 when he was caught under a collapsing Antarctic Services Inc, a newly Francis S. Johnson, a professor of column of snow. Mr. Jones was remov- formed subsidiary of the Federal Electric natural sciences at the University of ing snow that had plugged a vertical Corporation, has been selected as the Texas at Dallas, became Assistant air intake shaft when the column gave new support contractor for the United Director for the Astronomical, Atmos- way. States Antarctic Research Program. pheric, Earth, and Ocean Sciences The company will assume full respon- Directorate (AAEO) at the National This was Mr. Joness second tour in sibility for contracted support of the Science Foundation on 16 November Antarctica. He wintered at Palmer in program beginning 1 April 1980. 1979 when he was sworn in before the 1979. National Science Board. His appoint- ment had been confirmed by the U.S. At the request of his family, Mr. Antarctic Services Inc. replaces Joness body was cremated in New Senate on 31 October 1979. Holmes & Narver Inc. of Orange, Cali- Zealand. His ashes were committed to fornia, as the major support contractor Dr. Iohncon was named President of the Antarctic from an LC-130 airplane for the U.S. Antarctic Research Program. the University of Texas at Dallas in in flight over the Beardmore Glacier Holmes & Narver provided support for 1969 and served in that capacity until on 25 January. the program from early in 1968 through 1971. In 1974 he was named the Cecil Flags of the United States, the U.S. the end of the 1979-80 field1season. H. and Ida M. Green Honors Professor Antarctic Research Program, and Holmes of Natural Sciences as well as graduate & Narver were presented to Mr. Joness dean at the University of Texas. His The contract calls for the new com- family along with a posthumous Ant- main research interests are upper pany to provide procurement and arctica Service Medal. supply services, to manage seasonal atmosphere and space physics, plane- construction activities and provide tary science, and solar radiation. Holmes & Narver employees in Ant- arctica prepared a memorial plaque that maintenance and operational support The Division of Polar Programs is was mounted at South Pole Station in at Palmer, Siple, South Pole, and part of the AAEO Directorate at the honor of Casey Joness service to the McMurdo Stations, and to operate R/V Foundation. The Assistant Director for U.S. Antarctic Research Program. Hero. The contractor will manage AAEO is responsible for ensuring the warehousing and staging facilities at proper management of DPP and there- Port Hueneme, California, Christchurch, fore of .. U.S. Antarctic Research New Zealand, and Ushuaia, Argentina, Program. Finn Ronne and provide technical and administra- tive support to USARP year-round. Dr. Johnson replaces John B. Slaughter as Assistant Director for AAEO. Dr. Captain Finn Ronne, U.S. Navy, the Slaughter left NSF in June 1979 to explorer who traveled nearly 3,600 The Federal Electric Company, become Academic Vice President and miles across Antarctica by ski and dog through another subsidiary, has had Provost at Washington State University sled, died at his home in Bethesda, 20 years experience in the Arctic, fur- in Pullman, Washington. Dr. Slaughter Maryland, 12 January. He was 80 years nishing operational and maintenance served as Assistant Director of AAEO old. services to the U.S. Air Forces Distant from September 1977 until his departure. Finn Ronne first went to Antarctica Early Warning and Ballistic Missile in 1923 as a ski expert, dog driver, and Early Warning systems. Obituaries radio operator with Richard E. Byrds second antarctic expedition. He returned Rodney E. Gray, previously the project eight more times, wintering on four director for Federal Electrics arctic in- Pete Demas occasions. volvement, has been named project Captain Ronne led his own 22- Epaminondas James Demas, a native director for the antarctic support con- member Ronne Antarctic Research Ex- of Allisos, Greece, died at age 74 on tract. Other officials are Art Brown, pedition to the Antarctic Peninsula in 17 November 1979 in Granada Hills, deputy director; E. (Mickey) Finn, con- 1947-1948. Durings its 15-month stay, California. Mr. Demas was a close and struction manager; John Ojariit, logistics the expedition performed extensive long-time associate of Admiral Richard E. manager; and James Straut, adminis- geographic surveys. The expedition Byrd throughout his explorations. trative supervisor. Headquarters for produced about 14,000 aerial photo- Antarctic Services Inc. are in Paramus, Mr. Demas had accompanied Richard graphs, including some photographs of New Jersey. E. Byrd on his North Pole Expedition parts of the Weddell Sea that had never in 1926 and was with Byrd as he pre- before been visited. The team investi- Federal Electric Company is a wholly pared for his Trans-Atlantic flight in gated the geology, meteorology, seis- owned subsidiary of the International 1927. He went south with Byrd on both mology, terrestrial magnetism, and solar Telephone and Telegraph Corporation the 1928-1930 and 1933-1935 expedi- radiation of the Peninsula region. (ITT). tions.

Antarctic Journal -

New translations from Information Center, Springfield, Virginia Translations in 22161. Cite TI numbers when ordering. the Soviet Union progress The National Science Foundation arranged for the translations under a Investigations of The following foreign polar litera- the POLEX-South- rnTnm 75 Pro grtn (1976, 176 p, TT 77-52006, th.t mploys overseas con- ture is being translated into English for $9 hard copy, $3 microfiche), edited by tractors using foreign currencies held the National Science Foundation under A. F. Treshnikov, was translated into by the United States. Scientists are the Special Foreign Currency Program invited to recommend candidates for English and published in 1979. The (Public Law 480). Photocopies of mi- translations to the Division of Polar volume contains 18 papers discussing crofiche of these typescripts will be Programs. the first full-scale experiments of the available from the NatiOnal Technical POLEX-South-75 program in the Drake Information Service, Springfield, Vir- Passage. The joint Soviet—U.S. research ginia 22161. Cite TT numbers when was performed aboard the Soviet ship DPP/NSF publications ordering. Professor Zubov from December 1974 Treshnikov, A. F., ed. Problems of through February 1975. available from GPO the Arctic and the Antarctic, Vol. 54, The papers discuss processes in the Four National Science Foundation 1978. 104 pp. TI 79-52026. free atmosphere, the use of satellite publications dealing with Antarctica Ravich, M. C., D. S. Solovev, and data to obtain trajectories of cyclonic are now available from the Govern- L. V. Fedorov. Geological Structure of formations, the variability of processes ment Printing Office. Mac. Robertson Land (East Antarctica). in the near-water layer of the atmosphere, Survival in Antarctica, a 99-page Hydrometeorological Publishing House, booklet, is distributed free to participants the structure and monthly variability Leningrad, 1978. 232 pp. TI 79-52027. of ocean currents, the classification of in the United States Antarctic Research water masses, and some hydrochemical Program. The 1979 revision includes Soviet Committee of Antarctic Re- characteristics of the Drake Passage new material on the treatment of hypo- search. The Antarctic: Main Results of region. thermia and a completely revised chapter the 20 Years Investigations in the Ant- on crevasse detection and rescue tech- arctic. Committee Report No. 17, Problems of the Arctic and the Ant- niques. It is available for $3.50. Cite Moscow, 1978. 276 pp. TI 79-52012. arctic 45 (1974, 172 p. TT 75-52083, stock number 038-000-00424-7. $12 hard copy, $3.50 microfiche), edited Korotkevich, S., D. Morev, and P. by A. F. Treshnikov, was translated Antarctic Program (Program Report, Vostretsov. "Drilling through the ice into English and published in 1979. vol. 3, no. 6, September 1979) and shelf in the vicinity of Novolazarevskaya The volume contains 16 papers devoted Arctic Research Programs (Program Station," and "Deformation of the to arctic and antarctic climatology. Report, vol. 3, no. 9, January 1980) deep borehole walls in the antarctic ice are edited transcripts of reviews of U.S. sheet at Vostok Station" in Soviet The papers treat glacial water reserve antarctic and arctic research activities Antarctic Expedition Information Bul- and discharge in the Arctic, large-scale presented by the Division of Polar Pro- letin No. 98, 1978. pp. 49-52 and 53- sea level and cyclic oscillations, the con- grams to the Director of the National 57. TI 79-59003. junction of certain centers of atmospheric Science Foundation. Included are sec- action, and changes in wind speed and tions on program management, logistics direction during geomagnetic disturb- and support operations, and the results ances. Other papers treat the ionosphere of selected science programs. The 48- Antarctic film wins and various aspects of sea ice. page antarctic book (stock number 038- 000-00425-5) is available for $2.50. top prize Problems of the Arctic and the Ant- The arctic review (52 pages, stock arctic 46 (1975, 166 p, TT 76-52023, number 038-000-00434-4), which covers Antarctica: Laboratory for Science $11 hard copy, $3.50 microfiche), edited arctic research supported throughout was awarded the Great Prize (first by A. F. Treshnikov, was translated the Foundation, costs $3.50. place) at the 17th International Festival into English and published in 1979. of Films on Scientific and Technolog- The volume contains 17 papers devoted Flight to the South Pole, a 12-page ical Progress (FECHFILM 79). The to hydrometeorological investigations illustrated brochure, tells the story of festival was held in Pardubice, Czecho- in the northern and southern hemi- Richard E. Byrds 29 November 1929 slovakia, 21-26 October 1979. About spheres. flight over the South Pole. The brochure 200 films from 36 countries were entered also describes the role that airplanes in the competition. Included are papers on hydrodynamic now play in the support and conduct forecasting for high latitudes, winter of research in Antarctica. It is available The 27-minute color film describes meridional air circulation, the vertical for $1. Cite stock number 038-000- selected aspects of U.S. antarctic re- structure of the troposphere, and pack 00420-4. search. It was produced in 1978 for the ice formation as an index of climatic National Science Foundation by Image cooling. All four publications are available Associates. The film is available on from the Superintendent of Documents, loan from Modern Talking Pictures, Copies of these books can be pur- Government Printing Office, Wash- 1145 N. McCadden Place, Los Angeles, chased from the National Technical ington, D.C. 20402. California 90038.

March 1980 Foundation awards of-funds for antarctic Support and services Gray, Rodney F., Antarctic Services projects 1 October 1979 to 31 December 1979 Inc., Paramus, New Jersey. Support of the U.S. Antarctic Research Pro- Following is a list of National Science Foundation antarctic awards made from gram. DPP 80-03801. 6 months. $1. 1 October to 31 December 1979. Each item contains the name of the principal investigator or project manager, his or her institution, a shortened title of the proj- Johnson, James R., Holmes & Narver ect, the award number, its duration, and the amount awarded. If an investigator Inc., Orange, California. Station received a joint award from more than one Foundation program, the antarctic operation and other support. DPP program funds are listed first, and the total amount of the award is listed in parentheses. 73-07187. 6 months. $3,000,000. Amounts followed by an asterisk are funding increments. International Southern Ocean Studies awards were made by the Division of Ocean Sciences. All other Johnson, James R., Holmes & Narver awards were made by the Division of Polar Programs. Inc., Orange, California. Operation of Palmer Station and research ship Hero. DPP 74-03237. 6 months. $1,035,000. Thuronyi, Geza T., Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Abstracting and Richard P. Muldoon, who joined Staff changes at DPP indexing services for current antarc- DPP in June 1978 as writer-editor in tic literature. DPP 70-01013. 12 the Polar Information Service, left DPP John Brennan, Jr., U.S. Navy, served months. $147,493. as staff associate for policy and plans in February 1980 for the Office of Gov- in the Division of Polar Programs (DPP), ernment and Public Programs at the Westbrook, Darrel E., Department of National Science Foundation, from Foundation. Defense, Washington, D.C. Logis- October 1977 to March 1979. Com- Luther D. Pullen, U.S. Navy, joined tics and support. DPP 76-10886. 6 mander Brennan now is assigned to the DPP as aviation projects manager in months. $25,000,000. Navys Discharge Review Board. June 1979. Commander Pullen was officer in charge of the student brigade, David M. Bresnahan was promoted Naval Air Technical Training Center, Glaciology from field projects manager to special Memphis, Tennessee. Bentley, Charles R., University of Wis- projects manager within the Opera- consin, Madison, Wisconsin. Analy- tions section of DPP in October 1978. Richard H. Schaus, U.S. Navy, was with DPP from April 1979 to March sis of Ross Ice Shelf geophysical and 1980 as polar oceanography consultant glaciological data. DPP79-20736. 12 Erick Chiang joined DPP in May months. $63,400. 1979 as field projects manager in the (DOD). Commander Schaus had been Operations section. Mr. Chiang was commander of the Naval Arctic Research Hughes, Terence J., University of associated with the ice core storage Laboratory, Barrow, Alaska. He is now Maine, Orono, Maine. Interaction facility at the State University of New deputy director of research programs of the Ross Ice Shelf and Byrd Glacier. York at Buffalo. at the Office of Naval Research. DIP 77-22204. 12 months. $96,390. D. Christopher Shephard, special Gisela Dreschhoff, who joined DPP projects manager in the Operations as program associate for polar earth section from July 1970 to October Meteorology sciences in March 1978, left the Foun- 1978, left NSF to join Rockwell Indus- dation in June 1979 at the end of her tries in Denver, Colorado. Wendler, Gerd, University of Alaska, Intergovernmental Personnel Act assign- Fairbanks, Alaska. Katahatic winds. ment. Dr. Dreschhoff returned to her Francis S. L. Williamson was named DPP 77-26379. 12 months. $59,700. position at the University of Kansas chief scientist of DPP in November as deputy director of the Radiation 1979. Dr. Williamson replaces Duwayne Physics Laboratory. Anderson, who left the Foundation in January 1979 to become dean of the Ocean sciences Jerry W. Huffman, station projects Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathe- Gordon, Arnold L., Lamont-Doherty manager in the Operations section, re- matics at the State University of New Geological Observatory, Columbia turned to his position in October 1979. York at Buffalo. Dr. Williamson joined University, Palisades, New York. Mr. Huffman had been seriously burned DPP in April 1978 as program manager Processing of ARA Islas Orcadas in April 1979 in an automobile fire. for polar biology and medicine. Before hydrographic circumpolar data set. he joined the Foundation, Dr. William- DPP 78-24832. 12 months. $106,717. Bernhard Lettau, program manager son was commissioner of the Alaska for ocean sciences, who joined DPP in Department of Health and Social Serv- Kellogg, Thomas B., University of Maine, August 1976 under the Intergovern- ices. Prior to that he had been director Orono, Maine. Quantitative paleo- mental Personnel Act, was named a of the Chesapeake Bay Center for En- climatic analysis of Ross Sea conti- permanent member of the staff in vironmental Studies of the Smithsonian nental shelf sediments. DPP 79-20112. August 1979. Institution. 12 months. $39,942.

10 Antarctic Journal Monthly climate summary

November 1979 December 1979 January 1980 - Feature McMurdo Palmer Siple South Pole McMurdo Palmer Siple South Pole McMurdo Palmer Si (date) (date) (date) (date) (date) (date) (date) (date) (date) (date) (d Average temperature -9.6 0.0 -18.6 -37.7 -3.9 1.7 -12.8 -27.0 -3.7 1.9 -1 (°C)

Temperature maximum 1.2 6.0 2.4 -27.8 2.3 6.0 -1.8 -19.6 2.8 5.0 1 C) (27,30) (26) (29) (27) (24) (17,19) (13,24) (23) (6,8) (14,16, 17,19) Temperature minimum -23.5 -9.0 -33.5 -52.1 -10.6 -3.0 -21.7 -32.8 -11.7 -2.0 -2 (°C) (2) (12,13) (2) (4) (31) (14) (3) (5,6,10,11) (11) (22,24) ( Average station 984.5 992.5 864.5 684.7 992.7 - 994.4 870.1 688.7 989.8 988.7 8 pressure (mh) Pressure maximum 1001.2 1020.8 877.5 697.2 1005.0 1012.3 881.0 702.0 997.8 1003.3 87 (mh) (5) (23) (24) (23) (6) (16) (10) (18) (18) (31) Pressure minimum 963.7 968.8 849.0 671.3 980.2 982.2 857.8 678.1 982.1 973.8 85 (mb) (17) (4) (19) (10) (23) (26) (4) (24) (3) (19) (15 Snowfall (mm) 38.1 299.7 Trace 38.1 119.4 Trace 167.6 14 Prevailing wind 0900 3300 1550 0450 0450 1500 1800 0450 0200 3500 1 direction Average wind speed 4.1 2.6 5.3 4.6 3.8 2.6 4.3 3.3 3.9 2.7 4 (m/sec) 30.0 13.0 16.1 14.8 14.8 18.0 18.8 14.4 16.5 14.4 1 Fastest wind speed 1350 0300 0900 0200 0450 0300 1600 0100 0700 3600 2 (m/sec) (16) (26) (23) (20) (22) (20) (27) (25) (10) (7) Average sky cover 6.3 9.0/10 8.0 5.3 6.6 9.0/10 64 5.0 6.2 8/10 6 Number clear days 2 .3 3.5 10 0 .7 3 9 8 .3 4 Number partly cloudy 9 7.7 3.25 10 12 9.0 10 12 6 13.7 5 days Number cloudy days 19 22.0 23.5 10 19 21.3 18 10 17 17.0 2( Number days with visibility less 0 0 6.9 .8 0 0 3.6 0 .1 1.0 4 than 0.4 km

Prepared from information received by teletype from the stations. Locations: McMurdo 77 051S, 166 040E. Palmer 64046S, 64 0 03W. Siple 75 0 55S, 83 0 55W. Amundsen-Scott South Pole 90 0 S. Elevations: McMurdo sea level. Palmer sea level. Siple 1000m. Amundsen-Scott South Pole. 2850m. For prior data and daily logs contact National Climatic Center, Asheville, North - Carolina 28801. National Science Foundation

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Laclavere appointed National Science Foundation exercizes Proposals due overall management responsibility for vice president of the United States Antarctic Research 1 June 1980 Program. SCAR Proposals for scientific research projects in the U.S. Antarctic Research Ing-Gen C. R. Laclavere of France Final reports required Program that are received by 1 June was appointed Vice President of the 1980 will he considered for performance Scientific Committee on Antarctic Re- of NSF grantees periods as follows: search (SCAR) on 12 September 1979. He replaces Peter Welkner of Chile NSF grantees must submit two • for research in Antarctica during who served as Vice President from reports—a federal cash transactions re- the 1981-82 austral summer season October 1976 to September 1979. port and a final project report—within (September 1981 through March 1982) 90 days of the expiration of a grant. and extending, if appropriate, through Dr. Laclavere was elected the first the antarctic winter of 1982; President of SCAR at its inception in The federal cash transactions report 1958. He acted in that capacity until includes information related to the dis- • for research or data analysis in the 1963, when he was elected an honorary bursement of grant money by the grantee Lliiited States beginning approximately member of SCAR. He has served as a and his or her institution. January 1981. SCAR delegate since 1964. The final project report calls for a In some cases an additional year of SCAR is a nongovernmental organi- brief summary of the completed project. lead time is necessary if projects require zation created in 1958 as a committee The summary is supplied to Congress substantial preparation of facilities, of the International Council of Scientific and the public in response to requests extensive use of vehicles, transporation Unions to further "the coordination of for information. The summaries also of large amounts of cargo or equip- scientific activity in Antarctica with a are published annually by the Foun- ment, and so forth. Some researchers view to framing a scientific program of dation. may have to allow time in advance of the season in which fieldwork will take circumpolar scope and significance." The final project report requests place for the procurement and trans- technical information which may not The members of SCAR are Argentina, port of supplies to Antarctica via the be available at the time the final report Australia, Belgium; Chile, the Federal annual cargo ship. Republic of Germany, France, Japan, is submitted. Technical information New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South need not, therefore, be filed with the Scientists who wish to perform ant- Africa, the United Kingdom, the final project report. arctic research should investigate eligi- bility requirements and submit proposals U.S.S.R., and the United States. The The Division of Grants and Contracts in collaboration with their institutions Polar Research Board serves as the U.S. at the Foundation monitors the status as specified in the National Science National Committee for SCAR on behalf of report submissions.. If these two Foundation booklet Grants of the National Academy of Sciences. final reports have not been submitted for Scientific Research (NSF 78-41 or NSF 78-41A). for an expired grant, no new award SCAR recommendations, resolutions, A proposal preparation kit, which will be made on behalf of the grantee. reports, and other related materials are includes copies of this booklet, a descrip- entirely of an advisory nature. They are Copies of forms on which to submit tion of antarctic research opportunities, forwarded by the Polar Research Board these reports normally are provided to and other necessary forms and instruc- to the Consultative Parties for con- the grantee institution by the Founda- tions is available from the Division of sideration, possible support, or such tion. Extra forms may be obtained by Polar Programs (telephone 202/357- other actions as may benefit the U.S. writing Forr, National Science Foun- 7817), National Science Foundation, Antarctic Research program. The dation % shington, D.C. 20550. Washington, D.C. 20550.