United States Antarctic Activities 2002-2003
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United States Antarctic Activities 2002-2003 This site fulfills the annual obligation of the United States of America as an Antarctic Treaty signatory to report its activities taking place in Antarctica. This portion details planned activities for July 2002 through June 2003. Modifications to these plans will be published elsewhere on this site upon conclusion of the 2002-2003 season. National Science Foundation Arlington, Virginia 22230 November 30, 2002 Information Exchange Under United States Antarctic Activities Articles III and VII(5) of the ANTARCTIC TREATY Introduction Organization and content of this site respond to articles III(1) and VII(5) of the Antarctic Treaty. Format is as prescribed in the Annex to Antarctic Treaty Recommendation VIII-6, as amended by Recommendation XIII-3. The National Science Foundation, an agency of the U.S. Government, manages and funds the United States Antarctic Program. This program comprises almost the totality of publicly supported U.S. antarctic activities—performed mainly by scientists (often in collaboration with scientists from other Antarctic Treaty nations) based at U.S. universities and other Federal agencies; operations performed by firms under contract to the Foundation; and military logistics by units of the Department of Defense. Activities such as tourism sponsored by private U.S. groups or individuals are included. In the past, some private U.S. groups have arranged their activities with groups in another Treaty nation; to the extent that these activities are known to NSF, they are included. Visits to U.S. Antarctic stations by non-governmental groups are described in Section XVI. This document is intended primarily for use as a Web-based file, but can be printed using the PDF option. Its internal cross links and links to other sites present more information than in the print publications of past years. These links also are intended to facilitate easy use of the site. National Science Foundation ii Arlington, Virginia 22230 November 30, 2002 Information Exchange Under United States Antarctic Activities Articles III and VII(5) of the ANTARCTIC TREATY Contents Introduction ii Tamesis Camp 8 Odell Glacier 9 Contents iii Copacabana, King George Island 9 Cape Shirreff Field Station, Livingston Island 9 I. SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT 1 Ships 1 IV. PERSONNEL 10 Aircraft 2 Oversight 10 Air Mobility Command 2 Other Aircraft 2 Officers in Charge of Bases 10 McMurdo Station 11 Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station 11 II. EXPEDITION DATES 3 Palmer Station 11 Winfly Activities 3 Officers in Charge of Ships 11 Mainbody Activities 3 Numbers, Occupations and Specialization of Personnel 12 Significant Dates 4 McMurdo 12 South Pole 12 Ship Movements 5 Palmer Station 13 Resupply Vessel 5 Siple Dome Field Camp 13 R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer 5 Byrd Camp 13 R/V Laurence M. Gould 6 Onset D 14 Tamesis Camp 14 III. STATIONS 7 Odell Glacier 14 SHIPS 15 Year Round Stations 7 Names and Professional Affiliation of McMurdo Station 7 Personnel Engaged in Scientific Activities 16 Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station 7 MCMURDO STATION ONLY Palmer Station 7 (391 Scientists) 16 MCMURDO AND SOUTH POLE Austral Summer Camps 8 STATIONS (15 Personnel) 19 Siple Dome Camp 8 MCMURDO STATION Byrd Camp 8 AND USCGC (53 Scientists) 20 Onset D Camp 8 OTHER ANTARCTIC LOCATIONS (14 Scientists) 20 PALMER STATION ONLY (54 Scientist) 21 National Science Foundation iii Arlington, Virginia 22230 November 30, 2002 Information Exchange Under United States Antarctic Activities Articles III and VII(5) of the ANTARCTIC TREATY R/V Laurence M. Gould ONLY (7 Scientists) 21 Description of Airfields 48 R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer ONLY McMurdo Station 48 (93 Scientists) 22 Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station 49 R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer and Palmer Station 50 R/V Laurence M. Gould (14 Scientists) 23 Marble Point Camp 50 SOUTH POLE STATION ONLY (144 Scientists) 23 SOUTH POLE and IX. ASSISTANCE FACILITIES 52 PALMER STATIONS (5 Scientists) 24 McMurdo Station 52 Medical Facilities 52 V. ARMAMENTS 25 Transport Services 52 Available Shelter 52 McMurdo Station 25 Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station 53 Palmer Station 25 Medical Facilities 53 Transport Services 53 South Pole Station 25 Available Shelter 53 R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer 25 Palmer Station 53 Medical Facilities 53 R/V Laurence M. Gould 26 Transport Services 53 Available Shelter 54 VI. PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS 27 Marble Point Camp 54 Medical Facilities 54 VII. SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT 28 Transport Services 54 Available Shelter 54 VIII. TRANSPORTATION X. TOURISM 55 & COMMS 46 Abercrombie & Kent International, Inc. 55 Surface, Marine, M/S Explorer 55 and Air Transportation Vehicles 46 McMurdo Station 46 Quark Expeditions 59 Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station 47 Professor Molchanov 59 Palmer Station 47 M/V Kapitan Khlebnikov 63 Professor Multanovskiy 65 Description of Communications Facilities 47 Lubov Orlova 69 McMurdo and South Pole stations 48 South Pole Station 48 Orient Lines, Inc. 72 Palmer Station 48 Marco Polo 72 Clipper Cruise Lines 75 Clipper Adventurer 75 National Science Foundation iv Arlington, Virginia 22230 November 30, 2002 Information Exchange Under United States Antarctic Activities Articles III and VII(5) of the ANTARCTIC TREATY Lindblad Expeditions 79 Roosevelt Island Hut 88 M/V Endeavor 79 Hallett Station 88 Brockton Station 89 Other 81 Marie Byrd Land Camp 89 SHIP BORNE 81 Ellsworth Mountains Camp 89 LAND BASED 82 McGregor Glacier Hut 89 Dome C Camp 89 Beardmore South Camp 89 XI. REFUGES 83 Siple Station 90 Upstream Bravo 90 McMurdo Area Antarctic Refuges and Survival Caches 83 Mt. Erebus Hut and Cache 83 XII. PERMITS, SPECIES Cape Crozier Hut and Cache 83 KILLED, CAPTURED 91 Lake Bonney Hut and Cache 84 Lake Vida Cache 84 Lake Hoare Hut 84 XIII. RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS 92 Lake Fryxell Hut 84 New Harbor Hut 84 XIV. RESEARCH ROCKETS 95 McMurdo Supported Remote Locations 85 Tamseis Camp 85 XV. OCEANOGRAPHY - Onset D Camp 85 Siple Dome Camp 85 GOVERNMENT 96 Byrd Surface Camp 85 R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer 96 Research Capabilities 96 Deactivated USAP Stations and Camps 86 Byrd Aurora Substation 86 Scientific Programs in the Camp Neptune 86 Antarctic Treaty Area 97 Patuxent Camp 86 Intended Tracks and Schedule 97 Prebble Glacier Camp 86 Camp Gould 87 R/V Laurence M. Gould 97 Amundsen Glacier Camp 87 Research Capabilities 98 Byrd Coast Camp 87 Scientific Programs in the Camp Ohio 87 Antarctic Treaty Area 98 Camp Minnesota 87 Intended Tracks and Schedule 98 Little Rockford 88 Plateau Station 88 XVI. VISITING EXPEDITIONS 99 Camp Ohio II 88 National Science Foundation v Arlington, Virginia 22230 November 30, 2002 Information Exchange Under United States Antarctic Activities Articles III and VII(5) of the ANTARCTIC TREATY National Science Foundation vi Arlington, Virginia 22230 November 30, 2002 Information Exchange Under United States Antarctic Activities Articles III and VII(5) of the Activities Planned for 2002-2003 ANTARCTIC TREATY I. Ships and Aircraft I. Ships and Aircraft Section I of the 2002-2003 season plans lists the names, types, numbers, descriptions, and armament of ships, aircraft, and other vehicles introduced to the Antarctic Treaty area and information on military equipment, if any, and its location in the area. Ships � Icebreakers Ship: USCGC Polar Sea (WAGB-11) Aircraft: 2 each HH-65A helicopters Armament: Small arms only � Supply/Tankers Ship: Resupply Vessel (TBA) - dry cargo Armament: None Ship: TBA - Champion Class T-5 Tanker Armament: None � Research Vessels Ship: R/V Laurence M. Gould Armament: None Ship: R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer Armament: None National Science Foundation 1 Arlington, Virginia 22230 November 30, 2002 Information Exchange Under United States Antarctic Activities Articles III and VII(5) of the Activities Planned for 2002-2003 ANTARCTIC TREATY I. Ships and Aircraft Aircraft Six LC-130 transport aircraft operated by the 109th Air Wing. Two Bell 212 helicopter based at McMurdo Station. Two Aerospatiale AS-350B-2 helicopters based at McMurdo Station Note: No armament Air Mobility Command Between October and November 2002, C-141B and C-17 aircraft of the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command (AMC) will transport cargo and personnel to and from Christchurch, New Zealand, and McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Additionally, during January and February 2003, C-141 aircraft of the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command (AMC) will transport cargo and personnel to and from Christchurch, New Zealand and McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Note: No armament Other Aircraft Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 aircraft will transport cargo and personnel on intercontinental flights between Christchurch, New Zealand, and McMurdo Station, Antarctica, during November and December 2002 in support of the U.S. and New Zealand Antarctic Programs. Note: Two DeHavilland DHC-6/300 Twin Otters will be used; both aircraft will arrive at McMurdo in early November 2002, and depart early February 2003. Note: No armament National Science Foundation 2 Arlington, Virginia 22230 November 30, 2002 Information Exchange Under United States Antarctic Activities Articles III and VII(5) of the Activities Planned for 2002- 2003 ANTARCTIC TREATY II. Expedition Dates II. Expedition Dates Section II of the 2002-2003 season plan includes information concerning vessel and aircraft operations along with estimated dates of expeditions and other significant events. Winfly Activities Annual augmentation of the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) begins with austral winter flights (WINFLY), departing Christchurch, New Zealand, and arriving McMurdo Station, Antarctica, about 19 August 2002. The aircraft will carry scientists and support personnel to start early pre-summer projects, to augment maintenance personnel, and to prepare skiways and ice runways at McMurdo Station. This will involve 5 U.S. Air Force C-141B flights and will increase station population from the winter-over level of about 154 to a transition level of about 426 (275 personnel expected to deploy at WINFLY).