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Ntarctic Journat L of the United States L NTARCTIC JOURNAT L OF THE UNITED STATES L. 11 Ua Qe t)i \ /. In this issue... • North Base site documented • Record low ozone levels recorded • Jurassic-age dinosaur remains found • Petersen named Deputy - Director Submitting manuscripts to the Antarctic Journal quarterly issues MWA Editor, Winifred Reuning he editor of the Antarctic Journal will Articles: Feature articles should be no Tconsider unsolicited manuscripts for longer than 1,500 words, but there is no Antarctic Journal of the United States, established in 1966, reports on U.S. activi- publication in the Antarctic Journal. limit on the number of illustrations (fig- ties in Antarctica, related activities else- Format and content requirements for arti- ures, tables, or photographs). Appropriate where, and trends in the U.S. Antarctic cles are summarized below. Interested topics include recent or significant science Program. The Office of Polar Programs authors should review previous issues for discoveries or advancements, cold-regions (National Science Foundation, Room 755, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia style and content or contact the editor engineering, special support activities or 22230; telephone 703/306-1031) publishes directly. issues, history, environmental topics, and the journal five times a year (March, June, policy issues. September, December, and an annual Style Notes: Shorter articles, 500 to 800 review issue). he audience for the quarterly issues is words, will also be considered. Illustrations The Antarctic Journal is sold by the Tbroad in background and interests, so copy or on subscription through the U.S. may be submitted with these articles, but authors should make sure that their arti- Government Printing Office. Requests for notes should not include more than three prices of individual issues and subscrip- cles will be intelligible to readers outside of figures. Appropriate topics for notes tions, address changes, and information their scientific discipline or other area of about subscription matters should be sent include meeting reports or announce- expertise. Avoid specialized jargon and to the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. ments, new or improved technology, polar Government Printing Office, Washington, abbreviations, but use technical terms as publications, and support or related activi- L)C 20402. necessary. Define terms likely to be known ties. The National Science Foundation only by readers who are familiar with sub- (NSF) provides awards for research in the sciences and engineering. The awardee is ject. Spell out acronyms when they first Manuscript format wholly responsible for the conduct of such appear, including standard scientific terms anuscripts may be submitted in vari- research and preparation of results for pub- and chemical abbreviations, as well as M ous formats. For additional informa- lication. The Foundation, therefore, does not assume responsibility for such findings names of organizations. tion, contact Winifred Reuning, Editor; or their interpretation. Papers will be edited to improve style, Antarctic Journal; National Science The Foundation welcomes proposals clarity, and grammar. Authors will have the Foundation; Office of Polar Programs; oil of all qualified scientists and opportunity to review their edited manu- Room 755; 4201 Wilson Blvd.; Arlington, engineers and strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to scripts before publication, but galley Virginia 22230 (telephone, 703/306-1031; compete fully in any of the research and proofs are not furnished. Internet, WReuning@NSEgov). research-related programs described in this document. in accordance with Federal statutes and regulations and NSF policies, no person oil of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or physical disability shall he excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subject to dis- Contents... crimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from the Foundation. 3 A archaeological survey of Cover: In the McMurdo Dry Valleys, The National Science Foundation has Marble Point, Antarctica researchers check monitoring equip- Ti)i) (Telephonic Device for the Deaf) 7 Ozone depletion continues at ment used in their study capability, which enables individuals with of lichen and bearing impairments to communicate with record levels—Satellite data con- cyanobacteria that grow in the spaces the Foundation about NSF programs, firm CFCs as cause between the rock crystals of the regions employment, or general information. This 8 A winter perspective sandstone. The system records tern per- number is (703)306-0090. 10 Applied Environmental Research Facilitation Awards for Scientists and ature, humidity, and light levels, pro- Engineers With Disabilities (FASED) pro- Program begins viding year-round information about vide funding for special assistance or 10 Anne C. Petersen appointed ninth how changes in the regions climate equipment to enable persons with disabili- NSF Deputy Director affect the environment in the rocks. ties (investigators and other staff, including student research assistants) to work on NSF 11 When dinosaurs roamed These data help scientists understand projects. See the program announcement Gondwanaland how these cryptoendolithic microor- NSF 91-54), or contact the Facilitation 12 Science news from The Ice ganisms are affected by climatic Awards Coordinator at the National Science 14 Foundation awards of funds for Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, change. These microorganisms, which Arlington, Virginia (703)306-1636, antarctic projects, 1 June to 31 are estimated to be as much as 10,000 The Director of the National Science August 1994 years old, may also be a terrestrial Foundation has determined that the publi- 18 Weather at U.S. stations, analog for extraterrestrial life. cation of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business required November 1993 through October (N//F ,)i,oto) by law of this agency. 1994 ANTARCTIC JOURNAL DECEMBER 1994 2 An archaeological survey of Marble Point, Antarctica fforts by national programs to clean up Archaeological work can be defined as North Base E old stations in Antarctica are increas- a systematic form of site clean-up with the n 8 January 1994, Jane Dionne, Acting ing. In 1992, the U.S. Congress allocated goal of documenting past human activi- Q Environmental Officer of the U.S. 30 million dollars for this purpose. Using ties. Prehistoric archaeology is well known Antarctic Program, forwarded a message these funds, the U.S. Antarctic Program to the public, but historic, industrial, and to me regarding her recent visit to Marble (USAP) began to clean up and retrograde conservation archaeology have rapidly Point, a small helicopter refueling station accumulated trash at McMurdo Station on grown in significance since the passage of located 43 nautical miles northwest of Ross Island, Amundsen-Scott South Pole the National Environmental Protection Act McMurdo Station: Station, and Palmer Station on the (NEPA) in 1969, which contains provisions for cultural resource protection (Schiffer About one-half mile north of the pre- Antarctic Peninsula. sent station there appears to have been a This effort also resulted in the clean- and Gummerman 1977; South 1977). fairly large camp or small station. There up of the oldest surviving U.S. station in According to a court decision in 1992, is a concrete plaque in the ground that Antarctica, East Base on Stonington Island NEPA now applies to all government-spon- says "North Base-1957." It appears as off the Antarctic Peninsula, which was last sored activities, including those outside of though a huge ditch were dug around the U.S. national territory. With the environ- main site and the camp so that the camp occupied in 1948. As a historic monument should be bulldozed into it. Near the recognized by the Antarctic Treaty, East mental emphasis in Antarctica today, every ditch, the outlines of the "foundations" of Base was carefully documented archaeo- effort must be put into protecting this frag- several smaller buildings remain from logically, and a small museum was estab- ile continent—but not at the expense of windblown sand, which must have been lished in the old Science Building sweeping away over 200 years of history blown against the buildings. Debris is and individual, national, and international now exposed from the ditch. Debris con- (Broadbent, Holdar, and Spude 1992; sists of pieces of canvas and frames of Parfit and Kendrick 1993). This station, like endeavor. This article offers an example of Jamesways, old spice cans still filled with the well-known Scott and Shackelton huts, a simple archaeological documentation spices, beer cans, pieces of crates (one is protected as a historic monument to sci- effort at a former U.S. base. Although the says "Washington" on it) etc., etc. ence and exploration and has become a historic value of such tourist attraction. sites is emphasized, Unlike this site, most sites, once doc- their scientific value is NORTH BASE MARBLE POINT umented, can be "cleaned up" and the also worth noting. Ar- ANTARCTICA PEC.1957) debris removed. To some, it must seem chaeological documen- NORTH BASE UB.M. odd that archaeological documentation tation of defunct sites C. 5.B.RUJ R. would be of value in this context, especial- can provide a baseline ly considering the young ages of these sta- for interpreting the effects of human impact L E0 tions. Others argue that archaeological— LAKE and photo documentation, however mini- on the environment
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