This document has been archived. Volume XXX Numbers 1–4 Contents... 3 NSF dedicates Martin Pomerantz 21 A description of the snow cover on Editor, Winifred Reuning Observatory at South Pole the winter sea ice of the Antarctic Journal of the United States, 3 The Antarctic Journal, past and Amundsen and Ross Seas established in 1966, reports on U.S. activi- ties in Antarctica, related activities else- future 24 C-band radar backscatter from where, and trends in the U.S. Antarctic 4 Science news from The Ice: antarctic first-year sea ice: I. In situ Program. The Office of Polar Programs Highlights from the 1994–1995 scatterometer measurements (National Science Foundation, Room 755, 26 C-band radar backscatter from 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia austral summer 22230; telephone 703/306-1031) publishes 6 A note to recipients of the Antarctic antarctic first-year sea ice: the journal five times a year (March, June, Journal of the United States II. ERS-1 SAR measurements September, December, and an annual 7 Pegasus: A glacial-ice runway for 28 U.S. support and science review issue). personnel winter at three stations The Antarctic Journal is sold by the wheeled flight operations at copy or on subscription through the U.S. McMurdo Station 29 President’s Midwinter’s Day Government Printing Office. Requests for 10 The Arctic and Antarctic Research message 1995 prices of individual issues and subscrip- Center: Support for research 30 Sailor dies from fall at Castle Rock tions, address changes, and information about subscription matters should be sent during 1994–1995 31 A new committee for the oversight to the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. 13 Microbial ecosystems in of antarctic research vessels Government Printing Office, Washington, Antarctica: Is protection 33 Antarctic explorer and geologist DC 20402. necessary? Laurence M. Gould dies at age 98 The National Science Foundation (NSF) provides awards for research in the 16 Sea-ice development in the Ross, 35 Office of Polar Programs sciences and engineering. The awardee is Amundsen, and Bellingshausen reorganizes wholly responsible for the conduct of such Seas revealed by analysis of ice 37 Foundation awards of funds for research and preparation of results for pub- antarctic projects, 1 September lication. The Foundation, therefore, does cores in late winter 1993 and 1994 not assume responsibility for such findings 18 Sea-ice– and snow–thickness 1994 to 31 August 1995 or their interpretation. distributions in late winter 1993 45 Errata The Foundation welcomes proposals and 1994 in the Ross, Amundsen, 46 Weather at U.S. stations, November on behalf of all qualified scientists and engineers and strongly encourages women, and Bellingshausen Seas 1994 through October 1995 minorities, and persons with disabilities to compete fully in any of the research and Cover:The seasons of the Antarctic (clockwise from upper left) research-related programs described in this Spring: Since 1985 researchers have mon- become a center for astrophysical document. In accordance with Federal statutes and regulations and NSF policies, itored annual decrease in the abundance research, including such projects as the no person on grounds of race, color, age, of ozone in the stratosphere above Ant- Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector sex, national origin, or physical disability arctica. Beginning at onset of the austral Array shown in this photograph. shall be excluded from participation in, spring, the decrease—also known as the Credit: NSF photo by Lynn Simarski. denied the benefits of, or be subject to dis- “ozone hole”—is brought about primarily crimination under any program or activity by chemical reactions that occur on the receiving financial assistance from the Fall: The arrival at McMurdo Station of surfaces of ice crystals in polar stratos- Foundation. the cargo ship, which brings supplies and pheric clouds as sunlight returns to the The National Science Foundation has equipment for the next austral summer, TDD (Telephonic Device for the Deaf) Southern Hemisphere. capability, which enables individuals with heralds the coming winter. The ship also hearing impairments to communicate with Credit: National Oceanic and carries waste materials for recycling or the Foundation about NSF programs, em- Atmospheric Administration. disposal back to the United States at the ployment, or general information. This end of each austral summer operating number is (703)306-0090. Summer: During the austral summer, season. Facilitation Awards for Scientists and the National Science Foundation sup- Engineers With Disabilities (FASED) pro- Credit: NSF photo. vide funding for special assistance or ports, as part of the U.S. Antarctic Pro- gram, approximately 120 research pro- equipment to enable persons with disabili- Winter: Improved satellite communica- ties (investigators and other staff, including jects, conducted by more than 600 tions for tracking ice have extended the student research assistants) to work on NSF researchers and technicians, at the three ability of Polar Duke and Nathaniel B. projects. See the program announcement U.S. research stations (McMurdo, Palmer to operate during the austral win- (NSF 91-54), or contact the Facilitation Amundsen–Scott South Pole, and Awards Coordinator at the National Science ter. While Polar Duke operates primarily Palmer), at field camps in the McMurdo Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arling- in the Antarctic Peninsula region, Dry Valleys and in remote areas of the ton, Virginia (703)306-1636. Nathaniel B. Palmer regulars conducts continent, aboard the Polar Duke or The Director of the National Science winter cruises in the Ross and Weddell Sea Foundation has determined that the publi- Nathaniel B. Palmer, and in cooperation regions, as well as along the Peninsula. cation of this periodical is necessary in the with other national antarctic programs. transaction of the public business required Recently, Amundsen–Scott South Pole Credit: NSF photo by Kevin Wood, by law of this agency. Station at the geographic South Pole has Antarctic Support Associates. ANTARCTIC JOURNAL — VOLUME 30—NUMBERS 1–4 2 NSF dedicates Martin A. Pomerantz Observatory at South Pole strophysicist Martin A. Pomerantz Sc.D from Swarthmore, and an honorary radiation anisotropy experiment (COBRA), Ahas been honored in Antarctica with doctorate from the University of Uppsala and the Advanced Telescope Project (ATP). the dedication of an observatory bearing in Sweden. The latter three projects are part of the his name at the U.S. Amundsen–Scott In addition to serving as a research fel- Center for Astrophysical Research in South Pole Station. Pomerantz, who has low, professor, visiting professor, and lec- Antarctica (CARA). worked in antarctic research since 1959 turer both here and abroad, Pomerantz has Construction of the observatory took and conducted experiments at the South led a number of National Geographic less than a year. During the 1993–1994 aus- Pole since 1964, currently is involved in a Expeditions; worked on eight national and tral summer, the observatory was framed helioseismology project to probe the Sun’s international scientific committees; served up and closed in, and the interior work was interior. on the board of trustees for the Franklin completed during the 1994 winter. Located Now president-emeritus at the Uni- Institute; edited the Journal of the Franklin about 1 kilometer from the main South versity of Delaware’s Bartol Research Insti- Institute; served on the editorial board for Pole Station, the observatory sits in a tute, Pomerantz has also led research in Space Science Reviews; and participated in region known as the “dark sector,” where the fields of submillimeter astronomy, five professional associations. electromagnetic noise, including light and cosmic and gamma rays, and measure- The observatory named in his honor radio waves, is minimized. Two nearby ment of cosmic background radiation. is a two-story elevated structure having telescopes, SPIREX and PYTHON, can be Pomerantz came to Bartol in 1938 as a 270 square meters of interior space and controlled from inside the observatory. research assistant after receiving his A.B. housing equipment for four projects: the National Science Foundation Director from Syracuse University and M.S. from antarctic muon and neutrino detector Neal Lane conducted the ceremony to the University of Pennsylvania. He also array (AMANDA), the South Pole Infrared name the observatory on 3 December holds a Ph.D. from Temple University, an Explorer (SPIREX), the cosmic background 1995. The Antarctic Journal, past and future n January 1966 the National Science tics community caused NSF to again mod- Over the last 15 years, the U.S. Antarc- IFoundation (NSF) and the U.S. Naval ify the journal’s frequency and length, and tic Program (USAP) has grown in size and Support Force, Antarctica, (NSFA) distrib- the journal took on its present appear- complexity. This growth has had an impact uted the first issue of the Antarctic Journal. ance—short quarterly issues and a sub- on the Antarctic Journal, particularly the This “new” publication combined two ear- stantially longer fifth issue that reviewed annual review issue. As the figure accom- lier publications—the Antarctic Report the preliminary results of research pro- panying this article indicates, the growth (NSF) and the Bulletin of the U.S. Antarctic jects conducted as part of the U.S. nation- of the review issue parallels the increase in Projects Officer (NSFA)—that had been al program in Antarctica. the number of science projects supported published independently by the two agen- cies since the International Geophysical Year. The goal of the journal was to pro- vide a common outlet for information on the scientific and logistic aspects of the U.S. effort in Antarctica to a broad audi- ence that includes program participants and interested observers. Although the content of the journal has remained consistent with the original goals set by NSF, format and frequency have changed a great deal over the last three decades. During its first decade, the journal was published six times a year and had a page count ranging from about 260 to 360 pages per year.