September-October 1967 ANTARCTIC JOURNAL of the United States

77 Pages·2011·52.28 MB·English

September-October 1967
ANTARCTIC JOURNAL
of the United States
ANTARCTIC JOURNAL
States
of the United
Vol. II September-October 1967 No. 5
Prepared jointly by
Office of Antarctic Programs, National Science Foundation
and
U.S. Naval Support Force, Antarctica, Department of Defense
CONTENTS
A REVIEW OF YEAR-ROUND AND STATESIDE ACTIVITIES IN
THE U.S. ANTARCTIC RESEARCH PROGRAM, 1966-1967
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................... 155
METEOROLOGY
Dynamics of the Surface-Wind Regime Over the Interior
of Antarctica, by H. H. Lettau and W. Schwerdtfeger ...................155
Radiation Climatology at Plateau Station,
by Paul C. Dalrymple and Leander A. Stroschein ...................... 159
Meteorological Observations at Palmer Station,
1965-1966, by Arthur S. Rundle .................................................. 159
Meteorological Research in Antarctica,
by Charles L. Roberts, Jr. .............................................................. 161
Surface and Subsurface Micrometeorology at Plateau Station,
by R. Dingle, U. Radok, P. Schwerdtfeger, and G. Weller ............ 162
Seasonal Changes of Atmospheric Mass Over the
Antarctic Continent, by W. Schwerdtfeger ......................................162
Interdisciplinary Program in Antarctic Meteorology,
by William S. Weyant ..................................................................... 164
Meteorological Studies on the Antarctic Plateau,
by William S. Weyant ................................................................... 164
UPPER ATMOSPHERE PHYSICS
Kotzebue, Alaska—Macquarie Island Conjugate Point
Micropulsation Experiment, by John 0. Annexstad 165
Radiation from Atomic Hydrogen in Aurorae,
byM. H. Rees ................................................................................... 166
Twilight and Nightglow Spectrometry at South Pole
Station During the 1966 Winter, by M. Gadsden ............................166
Continued
Published bimonthly by the National Science Foundation with the assistance of the De-
partment of Defense. Use of funds for printing this publication approved by the Director
of the Bureau of the Budget, October 13, 1965.
Communications should be addressed to the Information Officer, Office of Antarctic
Programs, National Science Foundation, Washington, D. C. 20550.
1
The ITSA Antarctic Riometer Program,
by G. C. Reid, J. K. Hargreaves, and H. H. Sauer ........ 167
Auroral Studies at Plateau and Byrd Stations,
byRobert C. Faylor ........................................................ 168
Geomagnetic Studies at Byrd, South Pole, and
Plateau Stations, by James V. Hastings ........................ 168
Electron Content of the Antarctic Ionosphere, 1966,
by Craig P. Stephens and David L. Mott ......................... 169
Investigations of Cosmic Ray Intensity Variations in
Antarctica, by Martin A. Pomerantz ................................. 170
VLF Studies at Plateau Station, by J. H. Crary ................. 171
University of Washington's Antarctic Research Program,
1966-1967, by Donald K. Reynolds,
H. Myron Swarm, and I. C. Peden ................................. 172
Very-Low-Frequency Studies, by Robert A. Helliwell 173
Ionospheric Forward-Scatter Program in the Antarctic,
by Martin A. Pomerantz ................................................. 175
Solar Cosmic Ray Activity, by A. J. Masley ..................... 175
Antarctic Geophysical Research and Data Analysis,
by Samuel C. Coroniti and Rudolf B. Penndorf ........... 176
TERRESTRIAL GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS
The Hallett Volcanic Province, by Warren Hamilton 177
Pensacola Mountains Geologic Project,
by Dwight L. Schmidt and A. B. Ford ........................................ 179
Magnetic Signature of Rocks from Ellsworth Land,
by Peter J. Wasilewski ............................................................... 179
Seismology at Byrd and South Pole Stations,
byJ. F. Lander ......................................................................... 181
Geophysical Investigations, by John C. Behrendt ....................... 181
MARINE GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS
Paleomagnetic Studies of Deep-Sea Sediments from
Antarctic Seas, by N. D. Watkins and H. G. Goodell 182
Marine Geological Investigations,
by H. G. Goodell and I. K. Osmond . ...... 182
Surface Sediments of Drake Passage,
by Ronald L. Kolpack ................................................... 183
GLACIOLOGY
Studies of the Anvers Island Ice Cap, 1965-1966,
by Arthur S. Rundle .......................................... 183
Continued
11
OCEANOGRAPHY
Physiography and Bottom Currents in the Bellingshausen Sea,
by Bruce C. Heezen and Charles D. Hollister ....................... 184
Physical Oceanography Aboard Eltanin, 1966,
byArnold L. Gordon ............................................................. 185
Alkalinity and Strontium Profiles in Antarctic Waters,
by Karl K. Turekian, Donald F. Schutz,
Peter Bower, and David G. Johnson ....................................... 186
BIOLOGY
Zoogeography of Antarctic and Subantarctic Planktonic
Foraminifera in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean Sectors,
byAllan W. H. Be ........................................................ 188
Physiological and Biochemical Mechanisms of
Cold Adaptation in Fishes of McMurdo Sound,
by George Somero and Arthur C. Giese ......................... 189
Antarctic Phytoplankton Distribution,
by E. J. Ferguson Wood ........................................................ 190
Surviving Macromolecules in Antarctic Seal Mummies,
by M. A. Marini, M. F. Orr, and E. L. Coe ............ 190
Ecology of Articulate Brachiopods in Antarctic Regions,
by Helen M. McCammon. ...... ....................................... 191
A Summary of Harvard University's Brachiopod Studies
on Eltanin Cruise 27, by Merrill W. Foster.................... 192
Bacteriology of Antarctic Region Waters and Sediments,
by Nancy W. Walls 192
Distribution of Antarctic Marine Fungi,
by J. W. Fell and Christopher Martin ............................... 193
The Lipids of Antarctic Fish,
by Nestor R. Bottino, Lela M. Jeffrey, and Raymond Reiser 194
Research on Antarctic Isopods, 1966-1967,
by Robert J. Menzies and Robert Y. George ............................... 195
Studies of the Mite Alaskozetes antarcticus (Michael),
by Verne Peckham 196
Study of Sleeping, Dreaming, and Waking Patterns of
Antarctic Wintering-Over Personnel, by Jay T. Shurley ........... 197
Vertical and Horizontal Distribution of Pelagic and
Benthic Fauna in Antarctic Seas, by Jay M. Savage ................ 198
Endoparasites of Antarctic Vertebrates,
by Harry L. Holloway, Jr................................... 199
Ecology of Antarctic Pelagic Ostracoda,
by Norman S. Hillman ........... ................................... 199
Holoplanktonic Gastropoda in the Southern Oceans,
by Chin Chen and David B. Ericson ................. 200
Continued
111
Biological-Productivity Investigations of the Pacific
Sector of Antarctica, by Sayed Z. El-Sayed.................. 200
Botanical Studies in West Antarctica,
by I. Mackenzie Lamb ............................................. 202
Smithsonian Institution Participation in Eltanin Cruises,
byI. E. Wallen ........................................................ 202
Systematics and Distribution of Antarctic Cephalopods,
by Gilbert L. Voss ................................................ 202
Cooperative Systematic Studies in Antarctic Biology,
byI. E. Wallen ......................................................... 203
Anatomical Investigations of Weddell Seals,
by Barbara Lawrence ............................................ 203
CARTOGRAPHY
Cartographic Activities of the U.S. Geological
Survey in Antarctica, by Geo. D. Whitmore ......... 204
The American Geographical Society's Antarctic
Cartographic Activities, by 0. M. Miller .............. 204
Antarctic Geographic Names, by Meredith F. Burrill 204
Antarctic Map Folio Series, by Vivian C. Bushnell 205
SUPPORT SERVICES
Role of the Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center
in Antarctic Research, by H. A. Fehlmann 205
The Antarctic Records Program, 1966-1967,
by Betty J. Landrum..................................................... 206
Recent Activities of the Committee on Polar Research,
by Louis DeGoes ..................................................... 206
Translation of the Soviet Antarctic Expedition
Information Bulletin, by Waldo E. Smith .............. 207
Antarctic Research Series, by Waldo E. Smith ................. 208
Bibliography on Snow, Ice, and Permafrost,
byW. R. Floyd ............................................................ 208
Abstracting and Indexing Service for Current
Antarctic Literature, by John F. Splettstoesser ...... 209
Antarctic Bibliography, 1951-1961,
by John F. Splettstoesser 209
OTHER RESEARCH PROJECTS ACTIVE
DURING THE PAST YEAR......................... 210
210
WINTERING-OVER PERSONNEL, 1967
FRESH WATER FOR McMURDO STATION, by Richard D. Whitmer .... 213
Continued
iv
THE USE OF WEATHER SATELLITES IN ANTARCTICA,
byRalph W. Sallee ................................................................................... 216
OPERATIONAL HISTORY OF THE McMURDO STATION WATER-
DISTILLATION PLANT, by J?oseph B. Green, Jr. ............................... 220
SUMMARY OF RESEARCH AT U.S. ANTARCTIC STATIONS
DURING JUNE AND JULY 1967 ........................................................ 221
NOTES
Second Winter Flight Successful ...................................................... 216
Louis 0. Quam Appointed Chief Scientist,
Office of Antarctic Programs .................................................... 223
NewPublications .......................................................................... 223
Eltanin Enters Drydock .............................................................. 224
Grant Awarded for Design of Automatic Antarctic Station ...... 224
Translations in Preparation ......................................................... 224
Biological Symposium Planned ........................................................ 224
Greenwich Mean Time is used throughout the issue
except where otherwise indicated
V
A REVIEW OF YEAR-ROUND AND
STATESIDE ACTIVITIES IN
THE U. S. ANTARCTIC RESEARCH PROGRAM,
1966-1967
Introduction
The second part of a collection of articles on the scientists in all disciplines. (A third category of re-
activities of the U.S. Antarctic Research Program, search—involving international activities and coop-
1966-1967, is presented in this issue of the Ant- eration—will be the subject of the November-De-
arctic Journal. While the last issue dealt with the cember issue.)
field programs carried out during the 1966-1967 The projects described were proposed and carried
summer in Antarctica, this issue is devoted to the out by scientists of universities, private or commer-
year-round programs conducted on the Continent cial institutions, and government agencies. The fund-
and aboard the USA RP research vessel Eltanin, ing and overall administration of the U.S. Antarctic
studies made in the United States on the basis of data Research Program are the responsibility of the Na-
and specimens collected in the field during prior tional Science Foundation. Field support of the pro-
years, and the service programs that support USI4RP gram is provided by the U.S. Navy.
face wind frequently is stronger and significantly
METEOROLOGY
more persistent (measured by the vector-standard-
deviation, the directional constancy, or any other
suitable statistical parameter) than winds at and
Dynamics of the Surface-Wind Regime above the top of the inversion layer. Obviously, this
noteworthy decrease of constancy with height is con-
Over the Interior of Antarctica
trary to the behavior of the winds over most other
parts of the Earth's surface—wide land areas as well
H. H. LETTAU and W. SCHWERDTFEGER as oceans. This fact indicates that due to the spe-
cific temperature stratification in the surface air
Department of Meteorology
over Antarctica, a mass distribution exists which
University of Wisconsin (Madison) favors a systematic alignment of the winds from the
free atmosphere down to the surface level. In
Katabatic winds of impressive strength are fre- meteorological terms, this implies the effect of a
quently observed in the coastal regions of Antarctica. negative thermal wind.
However, in the interior of the Continent, with its In 1963, H. Lettau suggested that such a thermal
uniform, gently sloping surface and a shallow layer wind is caused by the pronounced horizontal tem-
of extremely cold air in the lower atmosphere, the perature gradient which must exist when cold air of
occurrence of a systematic downslope air drainage, approximately constant inversion depth lies over
or even true katabatic winds, is an exception rather sloping terrain (see the sketch at the bottom of the
than the rule. Generally, the surface wind tends to figure). Dalrymple, Lettau, and Wollaston (1963,
450
blow at angles of about to the fall line of the 1966) used the observations made at South Pole
terrain, so that lower elevations remain to the left of from March to September 1958 to show that the sur-
a man facing the wind. This is documented by face-wind regime at the Pole indeed can be ex-
many traverse-party reports and the inland-station plained by the "inclined surface-inversion" effect.
climatic records, which have been markedly im- In view of wider implications of the concept for the
proved in quantity and quality during the last 10 understanding of the surface-wind regime of a large
years. Furthermore, it is remarkable that the sur- part of the Continent, it appeared desirable to test
September-October 1967 155
the theory with data obtained at other stations. One levels, respectively, were as follows: 1.1 m/sec
such test has now been completed for Byrd Station, from 032° and 4.6 rn/sec from 141°. On the basis
employing the observations of five winter periods, of these determinations, the thermal wind in the
namely, April-September, 1961-1965. The station seven cases was approximately 6 rn/sec from 150°,
is located at about 80°S. 120°W. and is 1,530 in which can be due entirely to the sloping inversion.
above sea level, about 700 km from the coast of the Thermal-wind effects in the Byrd Station area are
Amundsen Sea, and 500 km from the nearest point illustrated in the figure. On the left side, the re-
on the Ross Ice Shelf. Within a radius of about sultant wind vector for all 138 days during which
100 km from this station, the terrain has an inversions of 15°C. or more occurred is indicated for
ascendent vector of about 2.5 rn/km towards the the 10-rn level by c, for the 750-mb level (ap-
geographical azimuth of about 57° when the South proximately 500 in ground) by c75, and for
Pole is at 180°. The rawinsonde observations the 700-mb level (approximately 1,000 m above
made at Byrd Station were analyzed by means of a ground) by c70. The thermal wind between the
new, graphical method which will be explained in surface and the 750-mb level is the vector CT,
more detail in another report. Here it may suffice which has a common terminal point with the 750-
to state that the speed and direction of the thermal mb wind vector. Thus, the thermal-wind vector
wind caused by the sloping inversion layer can be begins, by definition, at the end point of the geo-
determined if the following assumptions are valid: strophic surface-wind vector, Csg. The angle (a0)
(1) the orientation of the fall line of the inversion between the observed 10-m wind and geostrophic
layer does not depend upon the surface-wind direc- surface wind amounts to about 45°, a rather large
tion, and (2) the ratio of the speeds of the wind at value, and the ratio (r0) of the speeds is 0.68. Ac-
the 10-rn (anemometer) level to the geostrophic cording to results listed in Table 13 of Dalrymple,
wind at this level depends only on the intensity of Lettau, and Wollaston (1966), the corresponding
the inversion (the stability of the thermal stratifica- values for the South Pole (when averaged for azi-
tion) and not on surface-wind direction and speed. muths between 292° and 90°) are a0 = 50° and r0
The second assumption may appear to be restrictive; = 0.59; thus the values for the two stations are in
it can be eliminated by a separate analysis for reasonable agreement. At the present time, there is
groups of low, near average, and high surface-wind no generally accepted "spiral" solution available for
speeds; such an analysis proved to be unnecessary in the frictional-wind profile in a planetary boundary
cases in which strong inversions occurred over Byrd layer in the presence of both extremely strong in-
Station. "Strong," for Byrd Station, means an in- versional stratification of temperature and strong
crease of temperature of 15°C. or more from the geostrophic shear (or thermal wind). However,
surface to the 750-mb level (that is, over a height there are definite theoretical indications which sug-
in
interval of 500 the average); during the six gest that, for strong inversions, the angular spread,
winter months, such conditions exist about 19 per- a0, must greatly exceed its value for a neutral
cent of the time. (barotropic) boundary layer; in view of the excep-
The thermal wind caused by the sloping inver- tionally smooth snow cover over Antarctica, the lat-
sion layer is defined here as the vector difference of ter value should be only slightly in excess of about
the wind at 750 mb minus the geostrophic wind at 15°-20°.
the surface. For the above-mentioned cases of If one wants to consider the possibility that the
strong inversion, the thermal wind averages about wind at the 750-mb level may not fully represent the
8 rn/sec from 145°, which compares well with the free flow (the flow unaffected by surface friction)
approximate direction from 147° of the contour and that the resultant wind at 700 mb, rather than
lines at 1,500 and 1,550 in the Byrd Station area, at 750 mb, is representative of the geostrophic flow
as determined from a new topographic map kindly above the inversion at Byrd Station, one would find
supplied by M. Giovinetto. It is also interesting to that both values, a,, and r0, would increase slightly
note that surface winds are rarely weak when a but that the overall picture would not be changed
moderate or strong surface inversion exists. Only essentially.
seven occurrences of an inversion of at least 10°C. The importance of the thermal-wind effect on the
and a wind speed of 3 rn/sec or less at the 10-rn surface-wind regime in the Byrd Station area (and
level were noted, which is only two percent of all presumably over any gently sloped terrain where an
such inversions studied. In contrast, nine percent of inversion normally is found) becomes evident by a
all cases with lapse conditions were associated with comparison of average wind conditions for days
weak winds. For the seven cases of weak winds as- with and without a strong surface inversion. Such
sociated with moderate or strong inversions, the a comparison is presented in the figure. On the
speeds and directions at anemometer and 750-mb right side are shown the vector averages of the wind
156 ANTARCTIC JOURNAL
JFFACL INVE 4S1014 5C 1P.ECQNDJJ),
COLD-
1oi
Vector averages of the wind at Byrd Station, i
September /961-1965. The averages on the left a
strong surface inversions, and those on the righ
of lapse conditions. The notations are explained
the text.
at surface, 750-mb, and 700-mb levels for all 55 on the antarctic plateau, provided the general slope
cases (seven percent of the total number of analyzed of the surrounding terrain is known and the flow in
soundings) in which there was a decrease of tem- the free atmosphere above the inversion can be esti-
perature with height of at least 0.1 °C./100 m be- mated.
tween the surface and the 750-mb level; they are
It may be worthwhile to discuss briefly the im-
referred to as lapse cases. Here we see conditions
plication of this notion. It is generally well known
such as are normally found in middle latitudes,
that where the slope of the terrain is sufficiently
with the winds aloft being considerably stronger
steep and the inclined surface and the higher ground
than those near the surface. In essence, if there is
act as a cold source, kãtabatic winds, or at least
no inversion, the behavior of the wind profile is nor-
so-called "air drainage," will occur. (The basic
mal. This also is the gist of the following, more de-
theory of such direct gravitational circulations is
tailed statement by Dalrymple et a! (1963, 1966) reasonably well understood; for a list of references,
that is based on their wind analysis at South Pole: see Lettau (1966).) However, at least two im-
"The results do indicate that the air motion in the
portant limitations are imposed on the possible ex-
lower atmosphere is controlled by surface friction tent and occurrence of this type of flow. Observa-
and by geostrophic motion in the free atmosphere
tions indicate that the flow is restricted to occa-
above the inversion layer, modified by the thermal
sional bursts of high intensity or to localized hori-
wind due to horizontal temperature gradients which
zontal extent when it lasts for longer periods. These
result from the general slope of the terrain."
limitations are due mainly to the Coriolis force,
One can further conclude that the surface winds which invariably accompanies any fluid motion on
should be strongest where and when a strong tem- Earth, causing significant deflections of flow
perature inversion is present and the direction of the when the trajectory length approaches an order of
geostrophic flow above the inversion is approxi- about 10-100 km or when the time required to tra-
mately opposite to the direction of the thermal wind verse a region exceeds several hours. A second lim-
due to the slope effect. This general rule can be itation arises from the fact that even moderate
verified by the wind records of other antarctic katabatic flow rapidly exhausts an existing pool of
plateau stations, as, for example, with the aid of re- cold air, as, similarly, the bursting of a dam drains a
sults summarized by Dalrymple (1966). Obvi- water reservoir. Any persistent katabatic flow would
ously, such a rule has practical significance for the require either convergence of air currents fed by a
prediction of surface-wind conditions at any place drainage area of sufficiently steep inclination or a
September-October, 1967 157
highly intense cold source. A third limitation may evitably lead to the more realistic picture of a cold-
be the inherent instability of this type of flow, as core low-pressure system centered above the dome.
originally suggested by A. Defant in 1933. Thus, winds aloft would tend to circulate cyclonically
about the snow dome. It could well be that subse-
It now has become evident that where the slope
quent surface-friction effects would lead to cyclonic
of the terrain is gentle and a strong surface tem-
inflow of air, giving rise to clouds and precipitation.
perature inversion persists, as is the case in major
In short, it is a relatively straight-forward argument
parts of Antarctica, the thermal "inversion winds"
that a reversal of the concepts, from Hobbs' glacial
prevail instead of katabatic flow. These winds
high to a cold-core low, is in order and that the
blow at a considerable angle off the fall line because
latter concept represents the normal conditions.
they do not represent a direct, or exclusively gravi-
Under special circumstances, the buildup of a glacial
tationally driven, circulation of surface air, but a
ice dome could possibly occur under the processes
motion of thicker layers that is modified by the
related to a cold-core low until the accumulated
Coriolis force and, of course, by surface friction. Ob-
weight of the snow forced the continental crust to
viously, the inversion wind is less efficient for the
yield downward, thus reducing the slope of the
downslope transport of both snow and cold air than
flanks of the snow dome. Together with the di-
the katabatic flow. One may speculate that if the
vergent mass-discharge by glacier movements, these
surface-wind regime over the interior of Antarctica
secondary processes might reduce the causes which
were predominantly katabatic, the snow-and-ice
originally led to the formation of the cold-core low.
dome covering the Continent might not persist and
One could expect that snow accumulation would
might not have been built up in the first place. The
then stop and that the ice dome, after leveling out,
frequent presence of the surface inversion may be
would shrink and possibly disappear in about 104_
understood as a necessary condition for the main-
105 years, as is suggested by Pleistocene glacia-
tenance of a continental ice cap. Conversely, the
tion of various regions.
presence of the snow-and-ice surface favors the
formation and maintenance of the surface inversion. The preceding discussion concerns part of a con-
Thus, a mechanism of self-preservation of a polar tinuing investigation of details of atmospheric cir-
ice cap becomes evident. culation over Antarctica. Obviously, more research
and analyses will be necessary to provide a more
It may be added that emphasis on the importance
solid basis for discussion. With regard to the more
of a direct and purely gravity-driven circulation
specific problem of atmospheric or planetary bound-
led, several decades ago, to the concept of the
ary-layer structure under prevailing conditions of
"glacial anticyclone." As presented by W. H. Hobbs,
extreme surface inversion, unmarred by the diurnal
first more than 50 years ago and most strongly
changes at the Earth-air interface that occur in other
in 1926 (Hare, 1951), a semipermanent glacial
latitudes, Antarctica must be considered an impor-
high-pressure center was expected to overlie the ice
tant test ground for concepts and theories. Obtain-
caps of Greenland and Antarctica. Hobbs origi-
ing observations that are more representative and of
nally thought that such anticyclones played an im-
higher resolution throughout the entire atmospheric
portant part in the world atmospheric circulation.
However, modern theory, backed by observations boundary layer or surface inversion will greatly fa-
made in Greenland and Antarctica, leads to doubts cilitate further investigation. It may be mentioned
about the validity of the concept of a "glacial high." that the first results of analyses of wind-speed and
In fact, with regard to attempts to explain tempo- -direction profiles obtained from the 30-rn tower at
rary features, such as Pleistocene glaciation, it can Plateau Station are extremely challenging.
be argued that Hobbs' concept, quite paradoxically,
links together a series of processes which would
serve to reduce snow accumulation. If the concept References
were valid, the following conditions would prevail:
Dalrymple, P. C. 1966. A physical climatology of the ant-
Hardly any fresh snow would fall in anticyclonic
arctic plateau. Antarctic Research Series, 9: 195-231.
weather zones, katabatic flow strong enough to
Dalrymple, P. C., H. H. Lettau, and S. H. Wollaston. 1963.
cause central subsidence would move a certain
South Pole micrometeorology program, Part 11: Data
amount of snow across the horizontal boundary, or analysis. U.S. Quartermaster Research and Engineering
coastline, and lack of cloud cover in the summer Center. Technical Report ES-7. 94 p. Also: Antarctic
would permit plenty of insolation, with resulting Research Series, 9 (1966): 13-57.
evaporation of snow. Hare, F. K. 1951. Some climatological problems of the
Arctic and Sub-Arctic. In: American Meteorological So-
In significant contrast, the concept of thermal ciety. Compendium of Meteorology, p. 952-964.
wind being due to the cold air of a substantial in- Lettau, H. H. 1966. A case study of katabatic flow on the
version layer enveloping a snow dome would in- south polar plateau. Antarctic Research Series, 9: 1-11.
158 ANTARCTIC JOURNAL