[{"awards": "2332418 Zappa, Christopher", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((163 -71,164.2 -71,165.4 -71,166.6 -71,167.8 -71,169 -71,170.2 -71,171.4 -71,172.6 -71,173.8 -71,175 -71,175 -71.5,175 -72,175 -72.5,175 -73,175 -73.5,175 -74,175 -74.5,175 -75,175 -75.5,175 -76,173.8 -76,172.6 -76,171.4 -76,170.2 -76,169 -76,167.8 -76,166.6 -76,165.4 -76,164.2 -76,163 -76,163 -75.5,163 -75,163 -74.5,163 -74,163 -73.5,163 -73,163 -72.5,163 -72,163 -71.5,163 -71))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Non-Technical Abstract The deep world ocean is flooded with near 0\u00b0C water, drawn from the margins of Antarctica. Antarctic Bottom Water, as it is referred to, is mainly derived from cold water formed the over the continental shelves of the Weddell and Ross Seas, where the coastal water is exposed to frigid polar air masses spreading off the Antarctic ice sheet. Antarctic Bottom Water is a key component of the global ocean overturning system, which is fundamental to the global ocean heat, carbon and nutrient inventories, and hence the climate and marine ecosystem. The processes producing the dense shelf waters involve small scale factors associated with ocean/atmosphere/sea and glacial ice interaction. What is lacking from previous work is a coordinated, synchronous observational study of the seaward spreading, from formation, to export across the continental shelf edge, to its descent into the deep ocean. This work fills the gap, by investigating the characteristics of dense shelf water formed within Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea, its transformation, modification and northward spreading within the Drygalski Trough in the western Ross Sea, feeding into the spill-over at the continental slope into the deep boundary current adjacent to Cape Adare. The sequence of events will be observed with a series of instrumented moorings along the pathway from Terra Nova Bay, along the Drygalski Trough and onto the boundary current adjacent to Cape Adare. The project is an international collaboration that involves the USA (this proposal), S. Korea, New Zealand and Italy. Technical Abstract The lower kilometer or two of the world ocean is flooded with near 0\u00b0C water derived from the Southern Ocean, the Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW). The cold end-member of AABW is formed over various sectors of the continental shelf of Antarctica, notable in the Weddell and Ross Seas. The governing processes producing the dense shelf waters involve small scale spatial and temporal factors associated with ocean/sea ice interaction, often related to coastal polynyas and katabatic winds, along with further modification by ocean-glacial ice interaction. There have been studies of the formation of dense shelf water, of export of shelf water over the shelf/slope, the descent of gravity currents into the AABW realm, and of flow paths of AABW spreading across the deep ocean well into the northern hemisphere. What is lacking is a coordinated, synchronous observational study of the seaward spreading, from formation of the dense shelf water to its spreading to the shelf/slope break and descent into the deep ocean. This program fills the gap, by investigating the characteristics of dense shelf water formed within Terra Nova Bay (TNB), Ross Sea, its transformation, modification and northward spreading within the Drygalski Trough in the western Ross Sea, feeding into the spill-over at the continental slope and the deep boundary current adjacent to Cape Adare. The team will deploy a series of moorings \u2013 two heavily instrumented full water column moorings within TNB to capture high-salinity shelf water (HSSW) production and a series of bottom-focused moorings to evaluate the transformation and northward spreading of the dense saline water. The broad science goals of the project will be addressed by this program through a coordinated analysis of these mooring measurements. The project is an international collaboration that involves the USA (this proposal), S. Korea, New Zealand and Italy. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 175.0, "geometry": "POINT(169 -73.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Terra Nova Bay; SALINITY/DENSITY; OCEAN CURRENTS; Ross Sea; POLYNYAS; TURBULENCE; OCEAN TEMPERATURE; WATER MASSES; OCEAN MIXED LAYER", "locations": "Ross Sea; Terra Nova Bay", "north": -71.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Zappa, Christopher; Gordon, Arnold", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -76.0, "title": "Formation, Transformation, and Northward Spreading of Dense Saline Water Derived from Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea, Antarctica", "uid": "p0010506", "west": 163.0}, {"awards": "1744961 Olesik, John", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((161.711586 -77.75758,161.71322740000002 -77.75758,161.7148688 -77.75758,161.71651020000002 -77.75758,161.7181516 -77.75758,161.719793 -77.75758,161.72143440000002 -77.75758,161.7230758 -77.75758,161.72471720000001 -77.75758,161.7263586 -77.75758,161.728 -77.75758,161.728 -77.75784200000001,161.728 -77.758104,161.728 -77.758366,161.728 -77.758628,161.728 -77.75889000000001,161.728 -77.759152,161.728 -77.75941399999999,161.728 -77.759676,161.728 -77.759938,161.728 -77.7602,161.7263586 -77.7602,161.72471720000001 -77.7602,161.7230758 -77.7602,161.72143440000002 -77.7602,161.719793 -77.7602,161.7181516 -77.7602,161.71651020000002 -77.7602,161.7148688 -77.7602,161.71322740000002 -77.7602,161.711586 -77.7602,161.711586 -77.759938,161.711586 -77.759676,161.711586 -77.75941399999999,161.711586 -77.759152,161.711586 -77.75889000000001,161.711586 -77.758628,161.711586 -77.758366,161.711586 -77.758104,161.711586 -77.75784200000001,161.711586 -77.75758))", "dataset_titles": "Elemental composition of individual nanoparticles and fine particles in 28 Taylor Glacier ice core samples 9000 to 44000 yrs BP; Taylor Glacier Atmospheric Mineral Nanoparticles and Microparticles in Antarctic Ice during the last Climatic Cycle", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200426", "doi": "https://doi.org/10.25921/bd1k-mv46", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NOAA\u0027s National Centers for Environmental Information World Data Service Paleo archive", "science_program": null, "title": "Taylor Glacier Atmospheric Mineral Nanoparticles and Microparticles in Antarctic Ice during the last Climatic Cycle", "url": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/paleo-search/study/40380"}, {"dataset_uid": "601879", "doi": "10.15784/601879", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; Particle Size; Taylor Glacier", "people": "Kutuzov, Stanislav; Gabrielli, Paolo; Olesik, John; Lowry, Greg; Sullivan, Ryan; Carter, Lucas; Lomax-Vogt, Madeleine", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Elemental composition of individual nanoparticles and fine particles in 28 Taylor Glacier ice core samples 9000 to 44000 yrs BP", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601879"}], "date_created": "Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The main goal of this project is to identify and geochemically characterize atmospheric mineral nanoparticles in pre-industrial Antarctic ice during the last climatic cycle. Recent technological and industrial development is introducing a large number of natural and engineered nanoparticles into Earth\u0027s atmosphere. These constitute a concern for human health, mainly due to their high chemical reactivity. While many atmospheric nanoparticle studies have been performed in modern urban environments, there is essentially no information about their occurrence in a pristine pre-industrial atmosphere. This information is critical, as it constitutes an important benchmark for comparison to the modern atmosphere. Information on nanoparticles from the pre-industrial atmosphere can be obtained from atmospheric mineral nanoparticles that are entrapped in remote pre-industrial Antarctic ice covering the last climatic cycles. Mineral nanoparticles can also affect several climatic processes. First, they directly influence the global energy balance by reflecting solar radiation and indirectly influence through changes in cloud formation (and clouds also reflect solar radiation). Second, atmospheric mineral nanoparticles such as iron oxides could have fertilized the oceans, causing blooms of marine phytoplankton that may have drawn part of the atmospheric carbon dioxide into the oceans during glacial ages (the \"biological pump\"). Third, a significant amount of extraterrestrial material entering the Earth atmosphere is thought to be transported to the poles as nanoparticles called \"meteoric smoke\" that form polar stratospheric clouds implicated in changes of the ozone hole. This project aims to establish the natural background of unknown classes of glacial particles whose size is below the detection limit of the conventional dust analyzers. The team will take advantage of ice samples from the \"horizontal ice core\", already extracted from the remote Taylor Glacier (coastal East Antarctica) covering the last ~44,000 years. These ancient samples are particularly suited to project scope because i) a large ice volume is available ii) the team expects to find a markedly different geochemistry between nanoparticles deposited during the last glacial age and during the current interglacial. A set of advanced techniques including Transmission Electron Microscopy, Single Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (spICP-MS), spICP-Time of Flight MS, and Field Flow Fractionation will be employed to determine mineral nanoparticle sizes, number/volume, and chemical composition. So far, the elemental composition of dust entrapped in polar ice has been mainly determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Sector Field Mass Spectrometry and it is generally assumed to be descriptive of the coarse aeolian dust fraction. However, project will test whether or not the determined elemental composition is instead mainly linked to the previously unobserved smaller mineral nanoparticle content. Results on nanoparticles will be compared with a set of new experiments of total dust composition measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Sector Field Mass Spectrometry, using the same ice samples from Taylor Glacier. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 161.728, "geometry": "POINT(161.719793 -77.75889000000001)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "MICROPARTICLE CONCENTRATION; Taylor Glacier", "locations": "Taylor Glacier", "north": -77.75758, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Olesik, John", "platforms": null, "repo": "NOAA\u0027s National Centers for Environmental Information World Data Service Paleo archive", "repositories": "NOAA\u0027s National Centers for Environmental Information World Data Service Paleo archive; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.7602, "title": "Atmospheric Mineral Nanoparticles in Antarctic Ice during the last Climatic Cycle", "uid": "p0010492", "west": 161.711586}, {"awards": "2317997 Keogh, Molly", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Thu, 17 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Climate change is disproportionately affecting polar regions, with the Arctic now warming nearly four times faster than the global average. Polar warming drives coastal erosion and increases sediment delivery to the coastal ocean, affecting ecosystem processes ranging from primary productivity to carbon sequestration. Tracking changes in sedimentation rate is urgently needed to determine current conditions and measure further change. In polar regions, however, two of the most globally reliable sediment tracers, the radioisotopes lead-210 (210Pb) and cesium-137 (137Cs), have yielded mixed results. To understand the distribution and usefulness of these radioisotopes at high latitudes, this research makes use of a wealth of polar sediment cores archived at the Oregon State University Marine and Geology Repository combined with data synthesized from the literature. Results provide the first systematic study of Arctic and Antarctic sediment accretion. Improving the tools we use to track changes in sedimentation will help coastal managers and decisionmakers understand how climate change is impacting polar coastlines and marine environments, and what local communities should expect in the future. Sediment cores will be subsampled and analyzed for the activities of 210Pb (half-life = 22.3 years) and 137Cs (half-life = 30.1 years) using alpha and gamma spectroscopy, respectively. To provide context related to depositional environment, select subsamples will also be analyzed for sediment bulk density, grain size distribution, and organic content. A subset of samples with no measurable 210Pb or 137Cs activity will be analyzed for 14C to determine whether the lack of radioisotopes in a sample is because the core is simply too old, the true surface layer is missing, or because the shorter-lived radioisotopes did not accumulate. By undertaking comprehensive spatial analysis of the distribution of 210Pb and 137Cs in Arctic and Antarctic sediments, this research will achieve three goals: first, measure the activity of short-lived radioisotopes in archived sediment cores, a service to the science community that is urgently needed before the isotopes decay beyond detection; second, produce a comprehensive pole-wide atlas of sediment accretion rates; and finally, conduct a temporal analysis of sedimentation rate changes over the last ~60 to 125 years along the Beaufort Sea coast of northern Alaska, an ecologically and economically important region experiencing environmental transformation due to climate warming. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Alpha Spectrometry; Sediment Dynamics; Polar; SEDIMENTATION; MARINE SEDIMENTS; Pb-210; Geochronology; SEDIMENTS", "locations": "Polar", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Post Doc/Travel; Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Keogh, Molly", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Postdoctoral Fellowship: OPP-PRF: Tracing Polar Sediments with Short-lived Radioisotopes in 75 years of Arctic and Antarctic Sediment Cores", "uid": "p0010484", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "1841228 Lyons, W. Berry", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((163.37428 -77.558627,163.3922735 -77.558627,163.410267 -77.558627,163.4282605 -77.558627,163.446254 -77.558627,163.4642475 -77.558627,163.482241 -77.558627,163.5002345 -77.558627,163.518228 -77.558627,163.5362215 -77.558627,163.554215 -77.558627,163.554215 -77.56397510000001,163.554215 -77.5693232,163.554215 -77.5746713,163.554215 -77.5800194,163.554215 -77.5853675,163.554215 -77.59071560000001,163.554215 -77.5960637,163.554215 -77.60141180000001,163.554215 -77.6067599,163.554215 -77.612108,163.5362215 -77.612108,163.518228 -77.612108,163.5002345 -77.612108,163.482241 -77.612108,163.4642475 -77.612108,163.446254 -77.612108,163.4282605 -77.612108,163.410267 -77.612108,163.3922735 -77.612108,163.37428 -77.612108,163.37428 -77.6067599,163.37428 -77.60141180000001,163.37428 -77.5960637,163.37428 -77.59071560000001,163.37428 -77.5853675,163.37428 -77.5800194,163.37428 -77.5746713,163.37428 -77.5693232,163.37428 -77.56397510000001,163.37428 -77.558627))", "dataset_titles": "Commonwealth Stream Diel Water Chemistry; Hyporheic zone geochemistry of Wales Stream, Taylor Valley, Antarctica; isotopic signature of massive buried ice, eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601848", "doi": "10.15784/601848", "keywords": "Antarctica; Buried Ice; Cryosphere; Stable Isotopes; Stable Water Isotopes; Taylor Valley", "people": "Gardner, Christopher B.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "isotopic signature of massive buried ice, eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601848"}, {"dataset_uid": "601844", "doi": "10.15784/601844", "keywords": "Antarctica; Commonwealth Stream; Cryosphere; Diel; Inlandwaters; McMurdo Dry Valleys; Stream Chemistry; Water Chemisty", "people": "Gardner, Christopher B.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Commonwealth Stream Diel Water Chemistry", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601844"}, {"dataset_uid": "601847", "doi": "10.15784/601847", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; Nutrients; Stable Isotopes; Taylor Valley; Trace Elements", "people": "Gardner, Christopher B.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Hyporheic zone geochemistry of Wales Stream, Taylor Valley, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601847"}], "date_created": "Wed, 16 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Phytoplankton, or microscopic marine algae, are an important part of the carbon cycle and can lower the rates of atmospheric carbon dioxide by transferring the atmospheric carbon into the oceans. The concentration of phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean is regularly limited by the availability of marine iron. This in turn influences the rate of carbon transfer from the atmosphere to the ocean. The primary source of iron in the Southern Ocean is eroded continental rock. Understanding the current and future sources of iron to the Southern Ocean as a result of increased melting of terrestrial glaciers is necessary for predicting future concentrations of Southern Ocean phytoplankton and the subsequent influence on the carbon cycle. A poorly understood source of iron to the Southern Ocean is stream input from ice-free regions such as the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica. This source of iron is likely to become larger if glaciers retreat. This study investigates the sources and amount of iron transported by McMurdo Dry Valley streams directly into the Southern Ocean. Because not all forms of iron can be used by phytoplankton, experiments will be performed to determine how available iron is to phytoplankton and how iron mixes with seawater. Immersive 360-degree video, infographics, and educational videos of findings from this project will be shared on social media, at schools and science events, and in an urban science center. In the Southern Ocean (SO) there is an excess of macronutrients but regional primary production is limited or co-limited due to iron. An addition of iron to the ocean will affect biochemical cycles, increase primary production, and affect the structure and composition of phytoplankton communities in the SO. Iron flux to the SO is globally significant, as increased Fe fertilization leads to increased carbon sequestration which acts as a negative feedback to increased atmospheric pCO2. One source of potentially bioavailable iron to the coastal regions of the SO is from direct sub-aerial stream discharge in ice-free areas of Antarctica, a source that may become more important if terrestrial glaciers retreat. It is imperative to understand the source, nature, potential fate, and flux of iron to the SO if better predictive models for the carbon cycle and atmospheric chemistry are to be developed. This project will investigate in-stream processes and characteristics controlling dissolved iron draining into the Ross Sea including photoreduction, temperature, and complexation with organic matter. The novel study will quantify bioavailability of particulate iron and bioavailability of dissolved iron in Antarctic in streams draining into the SO. On-site speciation measurements will be performed on dissolved iron species, particulate iron speciation will be determined using high-resolution spectroscopy, mixing experiments will be performed with coastal marine water, and the bioavailability of Fe will be determined through marine bioassays. This project will provide two students with valuable Antarctic field experience and reach thousands of individuals through existing partnerships with K-12 schools, public STEM events, an urban science center, and a strong social media presence. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 163.554215, "geometry": "POINT(163.4642475 -77.5853675)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "SURFACE WATER CHEMISTRY; Iron Fertilization; McMurdo Dry Valleys; Weathering", "locations": "McMurdo Dry Valleys", "north": -77.558627, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Lyons, W. Berry; Gardner, Christopher B.", "platforms": null, "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.612108, "title": "Fe Behavior and Bioavailability in Sub-aerial Runoff into the Ross Sea", "uid": "p0010483", "west": 163.37428}, {"awards": "2031121 Junge, Karen", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The ozone hole that develops over the Antarctic continent every spring is one of the features attributed to human activity, in particular production of the CFC (chlorofluorocarbons in refrigerants) released to the atmosphere. In spite of the CFC ban from the Montreal Protocol established in the year 1987, the recovery has been slower than predicted. Bromocarbons, known to produce the stratospheric ozone depletion, have recently been estimated to contribute to the pool of bromines in the lower atmosphere. What is the origin of the bromocarbons in Antarctic sea ice? Is this an additional source of chemicals creating the ozone hole? This project will test if bromocarbons in sea ice are produced and degraded by microalgae and bacteria found in sea ice, in snow and the interface between the two. The project will collect a suite of chemical and biological measurements of sea ice and snow to determine bromocarbon concentrations, microbial activity associated with them, and intra-cellular genes and proteins involved in bromocarbon metabolism. This project benefits NSF\u2019s goals of expanding fundamental knowledge of Antarctic systems, biota, and processes, and improving the understanding of interactions among the Antarctic systems, cryosphere and organisms. The work will be carried out at McMurdo Station in late austral spring, including sampling of snow and ice that will be concentrated in the laboratory, and 24-hour experiments to measure algal and bacterial activity. Genes controlling synthesis of enzymes involved in bromocarbon metabolism are of interest in biotechnology and bioremediation, including products that repair damaged skin from UltraViolet Radiation. The project will train undergraduate students on chemical and biological techniques. The Principal Investigators will be involved in the Pacific Science Center in Seattle with ~10,000 visitors per weekend where they will develop a project-specific exhibit. The microbial processes in snow and ice associated with bromocarbon synthesis and degradation have not been studied in Antarctica during winter and spring. This study will inform about microbial activity in relation to the release of bromocarbons compounds from the snow and ice surfaces, compounds known to degrade stratospheric ozone. The estimation of chemical bromocarbons will be combined with metagenomics and metaproteomics approaches for understanding the potential role of microbes in snow and sea ice. The environmental, chemical and biological data will be synthesized with multivariate analysis and significant differences between sites and experimental treatments with ANOVA. A collaborator from the University of Goteborg in Sweden will collaborate on bromocarbon analyses. The study will also address \u201csaline snow\u201d a new environment not previously studied for microbial life. In addition, this is the first study of meta-proteomics in snow and ice. The Principal Investigators expect their results will help inform ozone hole recovery in the 21st century. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "McMurdo Sound; COASTAL; BACTERIA/ARCHAEA; SEA ICE; SNOW/ICE", "locations": "McMurdo Sound", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Junge, Karen; Nunn, Brook L", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Sea-ice Snow Microbial Communities\u2019 Impact on Antarctic Bromocarbon Budgets and Processes", "uid": "p0010472", "west": null}, {"awards": null, "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The Amundsen Sea, near the fastest melting Antarctic glaciers, hosts one of the most productive polar ecosystems in the world. Phytoplankton serve as the base of the food chain, and their growth also removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Phytoplankton growth is fertilized in this area by nutrient iron, which is only present at low concentrations in seawater. Prior studies have shown the seabed sediments may provide iron to the Amundsen Sea ecosystem. However, sediment sources of iron have never been studied here directly. This project fills this gap by analyzing sediments from the Amundsen Sea and investigating whether sediment iron fertilizes plankton growth. The results will help scientists understand the basic ecosystem drivers and predict the effects of climate change on this vibrant, vulnerable region. This project also emphasizes inclusivity and openness to the public. The researchers will establish a mentoring network for diverse polar scientists through the Polar Impact Network and communicate their results to the public through the website CryoConnect.org. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis project leverages samples already collected from the Amundsen Sea (NBP22-02) to investigate sediment iron (Fe) cycling and fluxes. The broad questions driving this research are 1) does benthic Fe fertilize Antarctic coastal primary productivity, and 2) what are the feedbacks between benthic Fe release and carbon cycling in the coastal Antarctic? To answer these questions, the researchers will analyze pore water Fe content and speciation and calculate fluxes of Fe across the sediment-water interface. These results will be compared to sediment characteristics (e.g., organic carbon content, reactive Fe content, proximity to glacial sources) to identify controls on benthic Fe release. This research dovetails with and expands on the science goals of the ?Accelerating Thwaites Ecosystem Impacts for the Southern Ocean? (ARTEMIS) project through which the field samples were collected. In turn, the findings of ARTEMIS regarding modeled and observed trace metal dynamics, surface water productivity, and carbon cycling will inform the conclusions of this project, allowing insight into the impact of benthic Fe in the whole system. This project represents a unique opportunity for combined study of the water column and sediment biogeochemistry which will be of great value to the marine biogeochemistry community and will inform future sediment-ocean studies in polar oceanography and beyond.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "SEDIMENT CHEMISTRY; TRACE ELEMENTS", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": null, "paleo_time": null, "persons": null, "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Benthic Iron Fluxes and Cycling in the Amundsen Sea", "uid": "p0010463", "west": null}, {"awards": "2301026 Amsler, Charles", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Thu, 16 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "General abstract Most organisms alternate between life stages that vary in the number and arrangement of their chromosomes, in the number of cells they possess, and in the environmental conditions in which they are best adapted to live. Much of what we understand about these alternations comes from organisms like animals and land plants in which one of the two stages dominates the life cycle with the other small and short-lived. However, across the tree of life there are countless examples of organisms in which both stages are of long duration, multicellular, or both. These life cycles challenge common ideas used to explain ecological and evolutionary patterns we see in nature. Macroalgae (seaweeds) display a wide range of life cycle types and consequently are excellent models to test and expand ideas about how life cycles evolve. Undersea forests of seaweeds with a variety of life cycle types dominate the shallow waters of the western Antarctic Peninsula where they are ecologically important and, for most of the species, at the southern end of their geographic range. Using existing samples from previous expeditions to Antarctica, the investigators are uniquely positioned to test and expand knowledge of life cycle evolution and how this intersects with reproductive mode variation. This project will also further the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists and of making scientific discoveries available to the public. The project will support a postdoctoral scholar as well as a faculty member new to US Antarctic research. The investigators will take advantage of an existing program to include high school or undergraduate students in the work which will also expand mentorship experience for the postdoc. All team members will contribute by writing for blogs produced by professional societies for the public. Technical abstract Existing macroalgal taxa samples from across a latitudinal gradient in the western Antarctic Peninsula will be used to explore patterns of genetic diversity from the center to the southern latitudinal limits of their range. Not only will genetic diversity be documented for an understudied and critical group of Antarctic organisms, but how it changes with latitude, compounded by high levels of endemism, will be explored. This will be accomplished by (i) characterization of latitudinal gradients in genetic diversity of many species and (ii) determination of the reproductive system of five focal foundation species. At present, there are few genetic data for macroalgae, dominant primary producers in coastal ecosystems around the world. This gap is particularly acute along Antarctic coastlines that are experiencing rapid climate change. Furthermore, Antarctica is isolated by the Southern Ocean, decreasing the likelihood of regular migration from other land masses. Latitudinal reproductive system patterns are predicted to be largely driven by recolonization events that increase with latitude due to changes in iceberg scour and sea ice coverage. Thus, Antarctica is the best place to understand what processes underlie reproductive mode variation in populations that are isolated, including many endemic taxa, while simultaneously extending our knowledge about how marginal environments converge with complex life cycles. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS); Antarctic Peninsula", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Amsler, Charles; Krueger-Hadfield, Stacy", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Historical and Contemporary Drivers of Macroalgal Reproductive System Variation along the Western Antarctic Peninsula", "uid": "p0010460", "west": null}, {"awards": "2200448 Simms, Alexander", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Constraining the Radiocarbon Reservoir Age for the Southern Ocean Using Whale Bones Salvaged from Early 20th Century Whaling Stations", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601784", "doi": "10.15784/601784", "keywords": "Antarctica; C-14; Cryosphere; Radiocarbon Dates; Whale Bone; Whales", "people": "Baker, C. Scott; Southon, John; Divola, Claire; Simms, Alexander; Sremba, Angela; Friedlaender, Ari", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Constraining the Radiocarbon Reservoir Age for the Southern Ocean Using Whale Bones Salvaged from Early 20th Century Whaling Stations", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601784"}], "date_created": "Thu, 09 May 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Much of our understanding of ice sheet behavior due to warming temperatures is based on how past ice sheets responded to warming associated with the end of the last ice age, 20,000 years ago. These studies rely on accurate dating of features left behind by the past ice sheets. The most commonly used method for determining the age of these features over the last ~40,000 years is radiocarbon dating. However, radiocarbon dating is not without its nuances, which are particularly pronounced around Antarctica. One of these nuances is determining the offset between the materials measured radiocarbon age and its true age. The purpose of this research is to use historically harvested whale bones from the Antarctic Peninsula, whose age is independently known, to determine that offset. A better understanding of that offset will allow more accurate estimates of past rates of ice sheet and sea-level changes across the Antarctic Peninsula over the last ~40,000 years. Much of our understanding of how the Antarctic Ice Sheet will respond to future climate changes is based on studies of its past behavior. Those studies often rely on reconstructing its evolution since the Last Glacial Maximum, 20,000 years ago. Radiocarbon dating is the most commonly used method of dating Quaternary deposits for these reconstructions. However, the use of radiocarbon in Antarctica is hampered by some of the largest and least constrained radiocarbon reservoirs on the planet. The purpose of this research is to determine the radiocarbon reservoir for whale bones. This research will leverage an existing collection of 25 whale bones used for prior DNA research to determine the late Holocene radiocarbon reservoir for the Antarctic Peninsula. The whale bones are from specimens harvested at the turn of the 20th century prior to nuclear testing in the 1950s. Thus, their radiocarbon age will provide valuable new constraints on the radiocarbon reservoir for shallow waters around Antarctica. An added benefit of this approach is that given the DNA determination, we will also be able to determine if that radiocarbon reservoir varies across three species of whales, thus testing the common assumption that the radiocarbon reservoir does not vary significantly across different species. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ORGANIC CARBON; West Antarctica", "locations": "West Antarctica", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Simms, Alexander", "platforms": null, "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "New constraints on 14C reservoirs around the Antarctic Peninsula and the Southern Ocean based on historically-harvested whale bones", "uid": "p0010457", "west": null}, {"awards": "2231230 Joughin, Ian", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((90 -65,93.5 -65,97 -65,100.5 -65,104 -65,107.5 -65,111 -65,114.5 -65,118 -65,121.5 -65,125 -65,125 -65.2,125 -65.4,125 -65.6,125 -65.8,125 -66,125 -66.2,125 -66.4,125 -66.6,125 -66.8,125 -67,121.5 -67,118 -67,114.5 -67,111 -67,107.5 -67,104 -67,100.5 -67,97 -67,93.5 -67,90 -67,90 -66.8,90 -66.6,90 -66.4,90 -66.2,90 -66,90 -65.8,90 -65.6,90 -65.4,90 -65.2,90 -65))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The snow that falls on Antarctica compresses to ice that flows toward the coast as a large sheet, returning it to the ocean over periods of centuries to millennia. In many places around Antarctica, the ice sheet extends from the land to over the ocean, forming floating ice shelves on the periphery. If this cycle is in balance, the ice sheets help maintain a stable sea level. When the climate cools or warms, however, sea level falls or rises as the ice sheet gains or loses ice. The peripheral ice shelves are important for regulating sea level because they help hold back the flow of ice to the ocean. Warming ocean waters thin ice shelves by melting their undersides, allowing ice to flow faster to the ocean, and raising sea level globally. Thus, an important question is how much sea level will rise in response to warming ocean temperatures over the next century(s) that further thin Antarctica\u2019s ice shelves. Currently, West Antarctica produces the majority of the continent\u2019s contribution to sea level. Albeit with large uncertainty, ice-sheet models indicate that Totten and Denman glaciers in East Antarctica could also produce substantial sea-level rise in the next century(s). This international study will focus on improving understanding of how much these glaciers will contribute to sea level under various warming scenarios. The project will use numerical models constrained by oceanographic and remote sensing observations to determine how Totten and Denman glaciers will respond to increased melting. Remote sensing data will provide updated and improved estimates of the melt rate for each ice shelf. Two float profilers will be deployed from aircraft by British and Australian partners in front of each ice shelf to repeatedly measure the temperature and salinity of the water column, with the results telemetered back via satellite link. The melt and oceanographic data will be used to constrain parameterized transfer functions for ice-shelf cavity melting in response to ocean temperature, improving on current parameterizations based on limited data. These melt functions will be used with ocean temperatures from climate models to force an open-source ice-flow numerical model for each glacier to determine the century-scale response for a variety of scenarios, helping to reduce uncertainty in sea level contributions from this part of Antarctica. Processes other than melt that might further alter the contribution to sea level over the next few centuries will also be examined. On the observational side, the demonstrated deployment of float profilers from a sonobuoy launch tube in polar settings would help raise the technology readiness of operational in-situ monitoring of the rapidly changing polar shelf seas, paving the way for an expansion of observations of ocean hydrographic properties from remote areas that currently are poorly understood. In addition to being of scientific value, reduced uncertainty in sea-level rise projections has strong societal benefit to coastal communities struggling with long-range planning to mitigate the effects of sea-level rise over the coming decades to centuries. Outreach activities by team members will help raise public awareness of Antarctica\u0027s dramatic changes and the resulting consequences. This is a project jointly funded by the National Science Foundation\u2019s Directorate for Geosciences (NSF/GEO) and the National Environment Research Council (NERC) of the United Kingdom (UK) via the NSF/GEO-NERC Lead Agency Agreement. This Agreement allows a single joint US/UK proposal to be submitted and peer-reviewed by the Agency whose investigator has the largest proportion of the budget. Upon successful joint determination of an award recommendation, each Agency funds the proportion of the budget that supports scientists at institutions in their respective countries. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 125.0, "geometry": "POINT(107.5 -66)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Antarctica; ICE SHEETS", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -65.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Joughin, Ian; Shapero, Daniel; Smith, Benjamin E", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -67.0, "title": "NSFGEO-NERC: Understanding the Response to Ocean Melting for Two of East Antarctica\u0027s Most Vulnerable Glaciers: Totten and Denman", "uid": "p0010454", "west": 90.0}, {"awards": "2233187 Stammerjohn, Sharon", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -70,-177 -70,-174 -70,-171 -70,-168 -70,-165 -70,-162 -70,-159 -70,-156 -70,-153 -70,-150 -70,-150 -71,-150 -72,-150 -73,-150 -74,-150 -75,-150 -76,-150 -77,-150 -78,-150 -79,-150 -80,-153 -80,-156 -80,-159 -80,-162 -80,-165 -80,-168 -80,-171 -80,-174 -80,-177 -80,180 -80,178 -80,176 -80,174 -80,172 -80,170 -80,168 -80,166 -80,164 -80,162 -80,160 -80,160 -79,160 -78,160 -77,160 -76,160 -75,160 -74,160 -73,160 -72,160 -71,160 -70,162 -70,164 -70,166 -70,168 -70,170 -70,172 -70,174 -70,176 -70,178 -70,-180 -70))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area (RSRMPA), one of the world\u2019s largest MPAs, encompasses one of the healthiest marine ecosystems remaining on this planet; however, it is exposed to increasing stress from ongoing climate change and fishing pressure. Numerous gaps in our understanding of the highly coupled nature of the Ross Sea marine ecosystem need to be addressed to support conservation efforts in the Ross Sea region, including informing the efficacy and management of the RSRMPA into the coming decades. The overarching goal of this research is to formulate an innovative and sustainable world-class research program aimed at better understanding, conserving, and managing the RSRMPA through the coordination of multi-faceted system-level approaches. There will be a coordinated effort to facilitate international collaboration; create education, outreach, and Diverse Equitable and Inclusive (DEI) opportunities; and increase conservation awareness. Coordinating Ross Sea marine ecosystem research will contribute to enhancing system-level global research, sustainable data networks, DEI, and climate equity. This program will also provide opportunity to develop similar frameworks for other large-scale, globally important systems. The trans-disciplinary aspiration can also serve to guide the NSF in sustaining or initiating new funding opportunities while addressing several of the 10 NSF BIG IDEAS and engaging multiple NSF Directorates. The project will help maintain NSF\u2019s mission of scientific leadership by networking the Antarctic community by providing science-based conservation plans to help mitigate environmental changes in this pristine region of the Southern Ocean. The researchers will convene a workshop to strategize the implementation of an internationally networked, world class program that is based on inter- and trans-disciplinary approaches (including bridging science, cyberinfrastructure, policy, management, and conservation), while also providing opportunities for STEM education, early career development, and core DEI principles. To effectively facilitate the prioritization of research related to the regional and global interconnectedness of the Ross Sea marine ecosystem, the workshop will involve leading experts in Ross Sea marine research and other researchers, stakeholders, and policy experts involved in the greater oceanographic, climate and ecosystem/food web modeling communities. The workshop will determine a long-term decadal plan comprising the following phases: (1) initial data synthesis and ecosystem/food web model development; (2) field observations and modeling, networked through an internationally coordinated Ross Sea Observing System; and (3) data synthesis and modeling, including a \u201csunset\u201d plan to support ongoing RSRMPA management and preservation of the Ross Sea marine ecosystem. Outcomes will include a workshop report detailing the long-term research plan, a peer-reviewed article, educational and outreach materials, and a list of proposed research topics for implementing a world class research program and Principal Investigators who will help coordinate the multiple efforts aimed at addressing major gaps in our knowledge of the Ross Sea system. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 160.0, "geometry": "POINT(-175 -75)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS; PELAGIC; COASTAL; United States Of America", "locations": "United States Of America", "north": -70.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Stammerjohn, Sharon; Brooks, Cassandra", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -80.0, "title": "Planning: Formulating and Sustaining a System-Level Understanding of a Large Marine Ecosystem in the Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area to Better Conserve and Guide Policy", "uid": "p0010452", "west": -150.0}, {"awards": "1939139 Scherer, Reed; 1939146 Siddoway, Christine", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-120 -66,-117.5 -66,-115 -66,-112.5 -66,-110 -66,-107.5 -66,-105 -66,-102.5 -66,-100 -66,-97.5 -66,-95 -66,-95 -67.1,-95 -68.2,-95 -69.3,-95 -70.4,-95 -71.5,-95 -72.6,-95 -73.7,-95 -74.8,-95 -75.9,-95 -77,-97.5 -77,-100 -77,-102.5 -77,-105 -77,-107.5 -77,-110 -77,-112.5 -77,-115 -77,-117.5 -77,-120 -77,-120 -75.9,-120 -74.8,-120 -73.7,-120 -72.6,-120 -71.5,-120 -70.4,-120 -69.3,-120 -68.2,-120 -67.1,-120 -66))", "dataset_titles": "Pliocene diatom abundance, IODP 379-U1532; Population morphometrics of the Southern Ocean diatom Fragilariopsis kerguelensis related to Sea Surface Temperature; U-Pb zircon and apatite fission track dates for IRD (ice-rafted cobbles and mineral grains) from IODP379 drill sites", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601769", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Biogenic Silica; Diatom", "people": "Furlong, Heather; Scherer, Reed Paul", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Pliocene diatom abundance, IODP 379-U1532", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601769"}, {"dataset_uid": "601828", "doi": "10.15784/601828", "keywords": "Amundsen Sea; Antarctica; Cryosphere; Geochronology; Marie Byrd Land; Subglacial Bedrock; Thermochronology", "people": "Siddoway, Christine", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "U-Pb zircon and apatite fission track dates for IRD (ice-rafted cobbles and mineral grains) from IODP379 drill sites", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601828"}, {"dataset_uid": "601804", "doi": "10.15784/601804", "keywords": "Amundsen Sea; Antarctica; Cryosphere; Oceanography; Sabrina Coast; Sea Surface Temperature; Southern Ocean", "people": "Ruggiero, Joseph", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Population morphometrics of the Southern Ocean diatom Fragilariopsis kerguelensis related to Sea Surface Temperature", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601804"}], "date_created": "Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Part I, Non-technical Abstract Concerns that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) might be susceptible to releasing its ice as giant icebergs into the Southern Ocean due to a warming climate, raising global sea level, were first expressed more than 40 years ago. To best-assess this threat, scientists need to know whether such events occurred in the geologically recent past, during warm intervals of past glacial-interglacial cycles. Ocean drilling near the most vulnerable sector of the WAIS, in 2019, yielded seafloor geologic records demonstrating times when icebergs dropped large volumes of sands and pebbles, called ice-rafted detritus (IRD) in deep water of the Amundsen Sea. Occurring together with IRD that was eroded from bedrock beneath the ice sheets, there are abundant microfossils of diatoms (algal plankton), which indicate high biological productivity in the open ocean. The new sediment cores provide a complete, uninterrupted record of a time of dramatic fluctuations of ice sheet extent that occurred over the last 3 million years. Therefore, they provide the means to obtain clear answers to the question whether ice sheet collapse occurred in the past and offering clues to its potential future. This project will investigate sediment intervals where IRD coincides with evidence of high diatom production, to test whether these two criteria indicate rapid ice sheet collapse. Geochemical analysis of IRD pebbles will help trace the source of the icebergs to likely on-land sites. By analyzing conditions of high diatom and IRD accumulation in deep ocean sediment, where local coastal influences can be avoided, we will assess oceanographic and climatic conditions associated with past ice sheet collapse events. Diatoms provide powerful evidence of temperature and ocean productivity changes in the past, that, when linked to time, can translate into rates of ice sheet drawdown. These results will provide critical data for designing, constraining and testing the next suite computer models that can determine the likelihood and timing of future ice sheet collapse in a warming world. The project will include training of undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds, and the public will be introduced to Antarctic science and engaged through several different outreach efforts. Part 2, Technical Abstract New drillcores from the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica (IODP Expedition 379) contain a continuous record of oceanographic changes and iceberg rafted debris (IRD) spanning the last 5 million years. This study aims to identify the signature of retreat/collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) in these continental margin, deep-sea sediments by quantitatively analyzing, in detail, diatom and IRD records across glacial-interglacial lithostratigraphic transitions to establish the timing and frequency of Late Pliocene and Pleistocene WAIS collapse events. The investigators will secure age constraints and diagnostic observations of marine paleoenvironmental conditions for selected interglacial intervals of cores from sites U1532 and U1533, using high resolution micropaleontology of diatom assemblages coupled with microstratigraphic analysis of IRD depositional events, while petrography, geochronology and thermochronology of iceberg rafted clasts will provide evidence of iceberg sources and pathways. Depositional paleotemperatures will be assessed via a new paleotemperature proxy based on quantitative assessment of morphologic changes in the dominant Southern Ocean diatom Fragilariopsis kerguelensis. Their results will contribute to parameterization of new ice sheet models that seek to reconstruct and forecast West Antarctic Ice Sheet behavior. This project will directly contribute to undergraduate education at an undergraduate-only college and at a public university that serves a demographic typified by first generation university students and underrepresented groups. Spanning geology, geochemistry, sedimentology, paleontology and paleoceanography, the proposed work will allow undergraduate students to develop diverse skills through hands-on research within a collaborative team that is dedicated to societally relevant research. The two graduate students will conduct original research and work alongside/mentor undergraduates, making for a well-rounded research experience that prepares them for success in future academic or employment sectors. The discoveries that come from this deep-sea record from West Antarctica will be communicated by students and investigators at national and international conferences and an array of public science outreach events. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -95.0, "geometry": "POINT(-107.5 -71.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ICEBERGS; SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE; Amundsen Sea; MICROFOSSILS", "locations": "Amundsen Sea", "north": -66.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences; Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": "PHANEROZOIC \u003e CENOZOIC \u003e QUATERNARY; PHANEROZOIC \u003e CENOZOIC \u003e NEOGENE \u003e PLIOCENE", "persons": "Scherer, Reed Paul; Siddoway, Christine", "platforms": null, "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Testing the Linchpin of WAIS Collapse with Diatoms and IRD in Pleistocene and Late Pliocene Strata of the Resolution Drift, Amundsen Sea, Antarctica", "uid": "p0010451", "west": -120.0}, {"awards": null, "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Undersea canyons play disproportionately important roles as oceanic biological hotspots and are critical for our understanding of many coastal ecosystems. Canyon-associated biological hotspots have persisted for thousands of years Along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, despite significant climate variability. Observations of currents over Palmer Deep canyon, a representative hotspot along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, indicate that surface phytoplankton blooms enter and exit the local hotspot on scales of ~1-2 days. This time of residence is in conflict with the prevailing idea that canyon associated hotspots are primarily maintained by phytoplankton that are locally grown in association with these features by the upwelling of deep waters rich with nutrients that fuel the phytoplankton growth. Instead, the implication is that horizontal ocean circulation is likely more important to maintaining these biological hotspots than local upwelling through its physical concentrating effects. This project seeks to better resolve the factors that create and maintain focused areas of biological activity at canyons along the Western Antarctic Peninsula and create local foraging areas for marine mammals and birds. The project focus is in the analysis of the ocean transport and concentration mechanisms that sustain these biological hotspots, connecting oceanography to phytoplankton and krill, up through the food web to one of the resident predators, penguins. In addition, the research will engage with teachers from school districts serving underrepresented and underserved students by integrating the instructors and their students completely with the science team. Students will conduct their own research with the same data over the same time as researchers on the project. Revealing the fundamental mechanisms that sustain these known hotspots will significantly advance our understanding of the observed connection between submarine canyons and persistent penguin population hotspots over ecological time, and provide a new model for how Antarctic hotspots function.\u003cbr/\u003e \u003cbr/\u003e \u003cbr/\u003eTo understand the physical mechanisms that support persistent hotspots along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), this project will integrate a modeling and field program that will target the processes responsible for transporting and concentrating phytoplankton and krill biomass to known penguin foraging locations. Within the Palmer Deep canyon, a representative hotspot, the team will deploy a High Frequency Radar (HFR) coastal surface current mapping network, uniquely equipped to identify the eddies and frontal regions that concentrate phytoplankton and krill. The field program, centered on surface features identified by the HFR, will include (i) a coordinated fleet of gliders to survey hydrography, chlorophyll fluorescence, optical backscatter, and active acoustics at the scale of the targeted convergent features; (ii) precise penguin tracking with GPS-linked satellite telemetry and time-depth recorders (TDRs); (iii) and weekly small boat surveys that adaptively target and track convergent features to measure phytoplankton, krill, and hydrography. A high resolution physical model will generalize our field measurements to other known hotspots along the WAP through simulation and determine which physical mechanisms lead to the maintenance of these hotspots. The project will also engage educators, students, and members of the general public in Antarctic research and data analysis with an education program that will advance teaching and learning as well as broadening participation of under-represented groups. This engagement includes professional development workshops, live connections to the public and classrooms, student research symposia, and program evaluation. Together the integrated research and engagement will advance our understanding of the role regional transport pathways and local depth dependent concentrating physical mechanisms play in sustaining these biological hotspots.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Palmer Station; BENTHIC; PENGUINS; FLUORESCENCE; PHYTOPLANKTON", "locations": "Palmer Station", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": null, "paleo_time": null, "persons": null, "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Collaborative Research: Physical Mechanisms Driving Food Web Focusing in Antarctic Biological Hotspots", "uid": "p0010448", "west": null}, {"awards": "2053169 Kingslake, Jonathan", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Fri, 15 Sep 2023 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "When ice sheets and glaciers lose ice faster than it accumulates from snowfall, they shrink and contribute to sea-level rise. This has consequences for coastal communities around the globe by, for example, increasing the frequency of damaging storm surges. Sea-level rise is already underway and a major challenge for the geoscience community is improving predictions of how this will evolve. The Antarctic Ice Sheet is the largest potential contributor to sea-level rise and its future is highly uncertain. It loses ice through two main mechanisms: the formation of icebergs and melting at the base of floating ice shelves on its periphery. Ice flows under gravity towards the ocean and the rate of ice flow controls how fast ice sheets and glaciers shrink. In Greenland and Antarctica, ice flow is focused into outlet glaciers and ice streams, which flow much faster than surrounding areas. Moreover, parts of the Greenland Ice Sheet speed up and slow down substantially on hourly to seasonal time scales, particularly where meltwater from the surface reaches the base of the ice. Meltwater reaching the base changes ice flow by altering basal water pressure and consequently the friction exerted on the ice by the rock and sediment beneath. This phenomenon has been observed frequently in Greenland but not in Antarctica. Recent satellite observations suggest this phenomenon also occurs on outlet glaciers in the Antarctic Peninsula. Meltwater reaching the base of the Antarctic Ice Sheet is likely to become more common as air temperature and surface melting are predicted to increase around Antarctica this century. This project aims to confirm the recent satellite observations, establish a baseline against which to compare future changes, and improve understanding of the direct influence of meltwater on Antarctic Ice Sheet dynamics. This is a project jointly funded by the National Science Foundation\u2019s Directorate for Geosciences (NSF/GEO) and the National Environment Research Council (NERC) of the United Kingdom (UK) via the NSF/GEO-NERC Lead Agency Agreement. This Agreement allows a single joint US/UK proposal to be submitted and peer-reviewed by the Agency whose investigator has the largest proportion of the budget. Upon successful joint determination of an award recommendation, each Agency funds the proportion of the budget that supports scientists at institutions in their respective countries. This project will include a field campaign on Flask Glacier, an Antarctic Peninsula outlet glacier, and a continent-wide remote sensing survey. These activities will allow the team to test three hypotheses related to the Antarctic Ice Sheet\u2019s dynamic response to surface meltwater: (1) short-term changes in ice velocity indicated by satellite data result from surface meltwater reaching the bed, (2) this is widespread in Antarctica today, and (3) this results in a measurable increase in mean annual ice discharge. The project is a collaboration between US- and UK-based researchers and will be supported logistically by the British Antarctic Survey. The project aims to provide insights into both the drivers and implications of short-term changes in ice flow velocity caused by surface melting. For example, showing conclusively that meltwater directly influences Antarctic ice dynamics would have significant implications for understanding the response of Antarctica to atmospheric warming, as it did in Greenland when the phenomenon was first detected there twenty years ago. This work will also potentially influence other fields, as surface meltwater reaching the bed of the Antarctic Ice Sheet may affect ice rheology, subglacial hydrology, submarine melting, calving, ocean circulation, and ocean biogeochemistry. The project aims to have broader impacts on science and society by supporting early-career scientists, UK-US collaboration, education and outreach, and adoption of open data science approaches within the glaciological community. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ICE SHEETS; GLACIER MOTION/ICE SHEET MOTION; Antarctic Peninsula; BASAL SHEAR STRESS", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Kingslake, Jonathan; Sole, Andrew; Livingstone, Stephen; Winter, Kate; Ely, Jeremy", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "NSFGEO-NERC: Investigating the Direct Influence of Meltwater on Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics", "uid": "p0010436", "west": null}, {"awards": "2142491 Young, Jodi", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Wed, 26 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Sea ice in Antarctic coastal waters shape ecosystems, both in the surface waters and at the bottom of the ocean, environments that depend on algae living in sea ice for their productivity. With high variability in sea ice formation and melt between years and as a response to climate change, it is of importance to obtain better understanding of the interaction of sea ice with algae, as well as provide better data for global climate models. This project will accomplish those goals by measuring phytoplankton growth and cellular properties in sea ice with experiments performed using an ice tank. Laboratory experiments will be based on previous observations in the Antarctic Peninsula coastal waters, providing realistic conditions to emulate. The scientific importance of the proposed work aligns with the National Science Foundation goals to understand the biological and chemical properties of sea ice bio-geo-chemistry and its feedbacks with seasonal sea ice dynamics and climate. The finding from this project will be of interest to a broad scientific community, including oceanographers, biologists, chemists, and ecosystem and ocean modelers. To address the scarcity of data on sea ice microbes that limits our ability to predict future Antarctic climate with accuracy, the principal investigator will develop an Antarctic Science Minor in order to train future scientists with an environmental perspective and prepare the future US workforce with a strong scientific background on Earth and Biological Sciences. There is a paucity of data to understand the processes underlying observed patters in sea ice quality and their interaction with the sea-ice microbial community. This project will provide a mechanistic understanding of primary production and physiology of sympagic algae over the seasonal cycle of formation and melt of Antarctic sea ice. Although sea ice is central to the Antarctic coastal ecosystems, little is known of how they affect, and are in turn affected, by sea-ice algae. This project concentrates on first-year sea ice, forming and melting each year, creating unique and very dynamic habitats. The study will be structured by 4 main objectives: 1) how different algal species adapt to the seasonal changes in sea ice conditions, 2) how different methods to measure primary production (carbon dioxide drawdown, oxygen production and variable fluorescence) relate in sea ice and differ from sea water measurements, 3) how sympagic algae influence the physical structure of sea ice, 4) how sympagic algae contribute to organic matter cycling during ice melt. Due to expected changes in sea ice due to climate change, this study is uniquely positioned to provide needed data on short-term and seasonal processes. Results from this study will be useful to refine models of algal production in Antarctic and Arctic ecosystems, data not available to date as sea ice and its biogeochemistry are often poorly represented in earth system models. This project will also provide education for graduate and undergraduate students as well as material to develop class curriculum for middle-school students. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "MARINE ECOSYSTEMS", "locations": null, "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Young, Jodi", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "CAREER: Experimentally Testing the Role of Sympagic Algae in Sea-ice Environments using a Laboratory Scale Ice-tank.", "uid": "p0010425", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "2326960 Doddi, Abhiram", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((36 -68,36.9 -68,37.8 -68,38.7 -68,39.6 -68,40.5 -68,41.4 -68,42.3 -68,43.2 -68,44.1 -68,45 -68,45 -68.2,45 -68.4,45 -68.6,45 -68.8,45 -69,45 -69.2,45 -69.4,45 -69.6,45 -69.8,45 -70,44.1 -70,43.2 -70,42.3 -70,41.4 -70,40.5 -70,39.6 -70,38.7 -70,37.8 -70,36.9 -70,36 -70,36 -69.8,36 -69.6,36 -69.4,36 -69.2,36 -69,36 -68.8,36 -68.6,36 -68.4,36 -68.2,36 -68))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Sat, 20 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This international collaboration between the University of Colorado, the University of Kyoto, and the National Institute of Polar Research in Tokyo, will investigate the sources of atmospheric turbulence in coastal Antarctica. Strong winds forced against terrain produce waves called atmospheric gravity waves, which can grow in amplitude as they propagate to higher altitudes, becoming unstable, breaking, and causing turbulence. Another source of turbulence is shear layers in the atmosphere, where one layer of air slides over another, resulting in Kelvin-Helmholtz Instabilities. Collectively, both play important roles in accurately representing the Antarctic climate in weather prediction models. Collecting new turbulence observations in these remote southern high latitudes will improve wind and temperature forecasts of the Antarctic climate. This project will observe gravity wave and shear-induced turbulence dynamics by deploying custom high-altitude balloon systems in coordination and collaboration with a powerful remote sensing radar and multiple long-duration balloons during an observational field campaign at the Japanese Antarctic Syowa station. This research is motivated by the fact that the sources representing realistic multi-scale gravity wave (GW) drag, and Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability (KHI) dynamics, along with their contributions to momentum and energy budgets due to turbulent transport/mixing, are largely missing in the current General Circulation Model (GCM) parameterization schemes, resulting in degraded synoptic-scale forecasts at southern high latitudes. This project utilizes high-resolution in-situ turbulence instruments to characterize the large-scale dynamics of 1) orographic GWs produced by katabatic forcing, 2) non-orographic GWs produced by low-pressure synoptic-scale events, and 3) KHI instabilities emerging in a wide range of scales and background environments in the coastal Antarctic region. The project will deploy dozens of low-cost balloon systems equipped with custom in-situ turbulence and radiosonde instruments at the Japanese Syowa station in Eastern Antarctica. Balloon payloads descend slowly from an apogee of 20 km to provide high- resolution, wake-free turbulence observations, with deployment guidance from the PANSY radar at Syowa, in coordination with the LODEWAVE long duration balloon experiment. The combination of in-situ and remote sensing turbulence observations will quantify the structure and dynamics of small-scale turbulent atmospheric processes associated with GWs and KHI, thought to be ubiquitous in polar environments but rarely observed. Momentum fluxes and turbulence dissipation rates measured over a wide range of scales and background environments will provide datasets to validate current GCM parameterizations for atmospheric GW drag and turbulence diffusion coefficients in the lower and middle atmospheres at southern high latitudes, increasing our understanding of these processes and their contribution to Antarctic circulation and climate. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 45.0, "geometry": "POINT(40.5 -69)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "TURBULENCE; ATMOSPHERIC WINDS; VERTICAL PROFILES; ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE; HUMIDITY; Syowa Station", "locations": "Syowa Station", "north": -68.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Doddi, Abhiram; Lawrence, Dale", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -70.0, "title": "RAPID: In-situ Observations to Characterize Multi-Scale Turbulent Atmospheric Processes Impacting Climate at Southern High Latitudes", "uid": "p0010420", "west": 36.0}, {"awards": "2232737 Glickson, Deborah", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Fri, 07 Oct 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will conduct a consensus study to provide guidance on future science research and technology directions needed to ensure continued U.S. science abilities and leadership in the Southern Ocean and Antarctic nearshore and coastal zone. The study will identify the highest-priority science directions for Southern Ocean and Antarctic nearshore and coastal research, determine research vessel capabilities needed to support these science directions, assess technologies and tools that can extend ship capabilities and/or directly support new science directions, and note gaps between the science directions, ship capabilities, and tools. The study will gather input from a broad and diverse group of oceanographers and coastal scientists, which will enhance community engagement and optimize the future use of Antarctic research vessels. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will conduct a consensus study that identifies high-priority science research directions for Southern Ocean and Antarctic nearshore and coastal research, as well as the tools, technologies, and ship capabilities needed to ensure continued U.S. science abilities and leadership in the region. An ad hoc committee of carefully selected volunteers will provide disciplinary expertise and will gather information from a base of published literature, public meetings, and a workshop with invited scientific community members. This workshop is envisioned as a main information-gathering aspect to identify science directions and the ship and technological capabilities needed to support them. The committee members will deliberate on information provided throughout the information-gathering process and will produce a written report, which undergoes a rigorous peer review. The report is publicly released after approval from the National Academies and is available as a free pdf. This consensus study approach has previously been successfully used by federal agencies to obtain strategic guidance on research priorities and future needs, thereby enabling limited resources to be used most effectively. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Southern Ocean; SEA ICE", "locations": "Southern Ocean", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Bell, Caroline", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Future Directions for Southern Ocean and Antarctic Nearshore and Coastal Research", "uid": "p0010383", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "1644118 Dunbar, Robert", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-108 -73,-107.3 -73,-106.6 -73,-105.9 -73,-105.2 -73,-104.5 -73,-103.8 -73,-103.1 -73,-102.4 -73,-101.7 -73,-101 -73,-101 -73.3,-101 -73.6,-101 -73.9,-101 -74.2,-101 -74.5,-101 -74.8,-101 -75.1,-101 -75.4,-101 -75.7,-101 -76,-101.7 -76,-102.4 -76,-103.1 -76,-103.8 -76,-104.5 -76,-105.2 -76,-105.9 -76,-106.6 -76,-107.3 -76,-108 -76,-108 -75.7,-108 -75.4,-108 -75.1,-108 -74.8,-108 -74.5,-108 -74.2,-108 -73.9,-108 -73.6,-108 -73.3,-108 -73))", "dataset_titles": "Antarctic Seawater d18O isotope data from SE Amundsen Sea: 2000, 2007, 2009, 2019, 2020", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601611", "doi": "10.15784/601611", "keywords": "Amundsen Sea; Antarctica; Chemistry:Water; CTD; D18O; NBP0001; NBP0702; NBP0901; NBP1901; NBP2002; Oceans; Oxygen Isotope; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Seawater Isotope; Southern Ocean", "people": "Hennig, Andrew", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Antarctic Seawater d18O isotope data from SE Amundsen Sea: 2000, 2007, 2009, 2019, 2020", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601611"}], "date_created": "Wed, 21 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Estimating Antarctic ice sheet growth or loss is important to predicting future sea level rise. Such estimates rely on field measurements or remotely sensed based observations of the ice sheet surface, ice margins, and or ice shelves. This work examines the introduction of freshwater into the ocean to surrounding Antarctica to track meltwater from continental ice. Polar ice is depleted in two stable isotopes, 18O and D, deuterium, relative to Southern Ocean seawater and precipitation. Measurements of seawater isotopic composition in conjunction with precise observations of seawater temperature and salinity, will permit discrimination of freshwater derived from melting glacial ice from that derived from regional precipitation or sea ice melt. This research describes an accepted method for determining rates and locations of meltwater entering the oceans from polar ice sheets. As isotopic and salinity perturbations are cumulative in many Antarctic coastal seas, the method allows for the detection of any marked acceleration in meltwater introduction in specific regions, using samples collected and analyzed over a period of years to decades. Impact of the project derives from use of an independent method capable of constraining knowledge about current ice sheet melt rates, their stability and potential impact on sea level rise. The project allows for sample collection taken from foreign vessels of opportunity sailing in Antarctic waters, and subsequent sharing and interpretation of data. Research partners include the U.S., Korea, China, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Participating collaborators will collect seawater samples for isotopic and salinity analysis at Stanford University. USAP cruises will concentrate on sampling the Ross Sea, and the West Antarctic. The work plan includes interpretation of isotopic data using box model and mixing curve analyses as well as using isotope enabled ROMS (Regional Ocean Modeling System) models. The broader impacts of the research will include development of an educational module that illustrates the scientific method and how ocean observations help society understand how Earth is changing.", "east": -101.0, "geometry": "POINT(-104.5 -74.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Stable Isotopes; WATER TEMPERATURE; SALINITY; Oxygen Isotope; Meltwater Inventory; Pine Island Bay; OCEAN CHEMISTRY", "locations": "Pine Island Bay", "north": -73.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Dunbar, Robert", "platforms": null, "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -76.0, "title": "Estimation of Antarctic Ice Melt using Stable Isotopic Analyses of Seawater", "uid": "p0010380", "west": -108.0}, {"awards": "1744562 Loose, Brice", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -71,-179.9 -71,-179.8 -71,-179.7 -71,-179.6 -71,-179.5 -71,-179.4 -71,-179.3 -71,-179.2 -71,-179.1 -71,-179 -71,-179 -71.7,-179 -72.4,-179 -73.1,-179 -73.8,-179 -74.5,-179 -75.2,-179 -75.9,-179 -76.6,-179 -77.3,-179 -78,-179.1 -78,-179.2 -78,-179.3 -78,-179.4 -78,-179.5 -78,-179.6 -78,-179.7 -78,-179.8 -78,-179.9 -78,180 -78,177.5 -78,175 -78,172.5 -78,170 -78,167.5 -78,165 -78,162.5 -78,160 -78,157.5 -78,155 -78,155 -77.3,155 -76.6,155 -75.9,155 -75.2,155 -74.5,155 -73.8,155 -73.1,155 -72.4,155 -71.7,155 -71,157.5 -71,160 -71,162.5 -71,165 -71,167.5 -71,170 -71,172.5 -71,175 -71,177.5 -71,-180 -71))", "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data of NBP1704; NBP1704 Expedition Data; PIPERS Noble Gases", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200329", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "MGDS", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of NBP1704", "url": "https://www.marine-geo.org/tools/entry/NBP1704"}, {"dataset_uid": "001363", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1704 Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1704"}, {"dataset_uid": "601609", "doi": "10.15784/601609", "keywords": "Antarctica; Chemistry:fluid; Chemistry:Fluid; Mass Spectrometer; NBP1704; Noble Gas; Oceans; Ross Sea; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer", "people": "Loose, Brice", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "PIPERS Noble Gases", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601609"}], "date_created": "Wed, 14 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Near the Antarctic coast, polynyas are open-water regions where extreme heat loss in winter causes seawater to become cold, salty, and dense enough to sink into the deep sea. The formation of this dense water has regional and global importance because it influences the ocean current system. Polynya processes are also tied to the amount of sea ice formed, ocean heat lost to atmosphere, and atmospheric CO2 absorbed by the Southern Ocean. Unfortunately, the ocean-atmosphere interactions that influence the deep ocean water properties are difficult to observe directly during the Antarctic winter. This project will combine field measurements and laboratory experiments to investigate whether differences in the concentration of noble gasses (helium, neon, argon, xenon, and krypton) dissolved in ocean waters can be linked to environmental conditions at the time of their formation. If so, noble gas concentrations could provide insight into the mechanisms controlling shelf and bottom-water properties, and be used to reconstruct past climate conditions. Project results will contribute to the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) theme of The Future and Consequences of Carbon Uptake in the Southern Ocean. The project will also train undergraduate and graduate students in environmental monitoring, and earth and ocean sciences methods. Understanding the causal links between Antarctic coastal processes and changes in the deep ocean system requires study of winter polynya processes. The winter period of intense ocean heat loss and sea ice production impacts two important Antarctic water masses: High-Salinity Shelf Water (HSSW), and Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), which then influence the strength of the ocean solubility pump and meridional overturning circulation. To better characterize how sea ice cover, ocean-atmosphere exchange, brine rejection, and glacial melt influence the physical properties of AABW and HSSW, this project will analyze samples and data collected from two Ross Sea polynyas during the 2017 PIPERS winter cruise. Gas concentrations will be measured in seawater samples collected by a CTD rosette, from an underwater mass-spectrometer, and from a benchtop Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometer. Noble gas concentrations will reveal the ocean-atmosphere (dis)equilibrium that exists at the time that surface water is transformed into HSSW and AABW, and provide a fingerprint of past conditions. In addition, nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), argon, and CO2 concentration will be used to determine the net metabolic balance, and to evaluate the efficacy of N2 as an alternative to O2 as glacial meltwater tracer. Laboratory experiments will determine the gas partitioning ratios during sea ice formation. Findings will be synthesized with PIPERS and related projects, and so provide an integrated view of the role of the wintertime Antarctic coastal system on deep water composition. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -179.0, "geometry": "POINT(168 -74.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Helium Isotopes; R/V NBP; DISSOLVED GASES; POLYNYAS; Ross Sea", "locations": "Ross Sea", "north": -71.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Loose, Brice", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "MGDS", "repositories": "MGDS; R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "Measuring Dissolved Gases to Reveal the Processes that Drive the Solubility Pump and Determine Gas Concentration in Antarctic Bottom Water", "uid": "p0010376", "west": 155.0}, {"awards": "2123491 John, Seth; 2123333 Fitzsimmons, Jessica; 2123354 Conway, Timothy", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-135 -66,-131.5 -66,-128 -66,-124.5 -66,-121 -66,-117.5 -66,-114 -66,-110.5 -66,-107 -66,-103.5 -66,-100 -66,-100 -67,-100 -68,-100 -69,-100 -70,-100 -71,-100 -72,-100 -73,-100 -74,-100 -75,-100 -76,-103.5 -76,-107 -76,-110.5 -76,-114 -76,-117.5 -76,-121 -76,-124.5 -76,-128 -76,-131.5 -76,-135 -76,-135 -75,-135 -74,-135 -73,-135 -72,-135 -71,-135 -70,-135 -69,-135 -68,-135 -67,-135 -66))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Thu, 08 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The goal of the international GEOTRACES program is to understand the distributions of trace chemical elements and their isotopes (TEIs) in the oceans. Many trace metals such as iron are essential for life and thus considered nutrients for phytoplankton growth, with trace metal cycling being especially important for influencing carbon cycling in the iron-limited Southern Ocean, where episodic supply of iron from a range of different external sources is important. The primary goal of this project is to measure the dissolved concentrations, size partitioning, and dissolved isotope signature of Fe on a transect of water-column stations throughout the Amundsen Sea and surrounding region of the Antarctic Margin, as part of the GP17-ANT Expedition. The secondary goal of this project is to analyze the concentrations and size partitioning of the trace metals manganese, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, and lead in all water-column samples, measure the isotope ratios of zinc, cadmium, nickel, and copper in a subset of water column samples, and measure the Fe isotopic signature of aerosols, porewaters, and particles. Observations from this project will be incorporated into regional and global biogeochemistry models to assess TEI cycling within the Amundsen Sea and implications for the wider Southern Ocean. This project spans three institutions, four graduate students, undergraduate students, and will provide ultrafiltered samples and data to other PIs as service. The US GEOTRACES GP17 ANT expedition, planned for austral summer 2023/2024 aims to determine the distribution and cycling of trace elements and their isotopes in the Amundsen Sea Sector (100-135\u00b0W) of the Antarctic Margin. The cruise will follow the Amundsen Sea \u2018conveyor belt\u2019 by sampling waters coming from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current onto the continental shelf, including near the Dotson and Pine Island ice shelves, the productive Amundsen Sea Polynya (ASP), and outflowing waters. Episodic addition of dissolved Fe and other TEIs from dust, ice-shelves, melting ice, and sediments drive seasonal primary productivity and carbon export over the Antarctic shelf and offshore into Southern Ocean. Seasonal coastal polynyas such as the highly productive ASP thus act as key levers on global carbon cycling. However, field observations of TEIs in such regions remain scarce, and biogeochemical cycling processes are poorly captured in models of ocean biogeochemistry. The investigators will use their combined analytical toolbox, in collaboration with the diagnostic chemical tracers and regional models of other funded groups to address four main objectives: 1) What is the relative importance of different sources in supplying Fe and other TEIs to the ASP? 2) What is the physiochemical speciation of this Fe, and its potential for transport? 3) How do biological uptake, scavenging and regeneration in the ASP influence TEI distributions, stoichiometry, and nutrient limitation? 4) What is the flux and signature of TEIs transported offshore to the ACC and Southern Ocean? This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -100.0, "geometry": "POINT(-117.5 -71)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "R/V NBP; Amundsen Sea; TRACE ELEMENTS; BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES", "locations": "Amundsen Sea", "north": -66.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Chemical Oceanography; Chemical Oceanography; Chemical Oceanography", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Conway, Timothy; Fitzsimmons, Jessica; John, Seth", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -76.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: US GEOTRACES GP17-ANT: Dissolved concentrations, isotopes, and colloids of the bioactive trace metals", "uid": "p0010374", "west": -135.0}, {"awards": "2205008 Walker, Catherine", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Sun, 07 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Most of the mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet, a major contributor to sea level rise, occurs at its margins, where ice meets the ocean. Glaciers and ice streams flow towards the coast and can go afloat over the water, forming ice shelves. Ice shelves make up almost half of the entire Antarctic coastline, and hold back the flow of inland ice in Antarctica continent; thus they are integral to the overall stability of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Ice shelves lose mass by two main processes: iceberg calving and basal melting. Temporal and spatial fluctuations in both are driven by various processes; a major driver of ice shelf melt is the heat provided by the neighboring Southern Ocean. Ocean heat, in turn, is driven by various aspects of the ice shelf environment. One of the most significant contributors to changes in the ocean\u2019s heat content is the presence of sea ice. This research will focus on the effects of coastal polynyas (areas of open water amidst sea ice), how they modulate the local ocean environment, and how that environment drives ice shelf basal melting. To date, the relationship between polynyas and ice shelf melt has not been characterized on an Antarctic-wide scale. Understanding the feedbacks between polynya size and duration, ocean stratification, and ice shelf melt, and the strength of those feedbacks, will improve the ability to characterize influences on the long-term stability of ice shelves, and in turn, the Antarctic Ice Sheet as a whole. A critical aspect of this study is that it will provide a framework for understanding ice shelf-ocean interaction across a diverse range of geographic settings. This, together with improvements of various models, will help interpret the impacts of future climate change on these systems, as their responses are likely quite variable and, overall, different from the large-scale response of the ice sheet. This project will also provide a broader context to better design future observational studies of specific coastal polynya and ice shelf processes. This study focuses on four main hypotheses: 1) Variations of coastal polynya extent are correlated with those of the ice shelf melt rates, and this correlation varies around Antarctica; 2) Polynya extent modulates a feedback between ice shelf melt and accretion regimes through stratification of local waters; 3) Polynya extent together with seafloor bathymetry regulate the volume of warm offshore waters that reach ice margins; and 4) The strength of the feedback between polynya and glacier ice varies with geographic setting and influences the long-term stability of the glacial system. Observational data, including ice-penetrating radar, radar and laser altimetry, and in situ hydrographic data, and derived data sets from the Southern Ocean State Estimate (SOSE) project and BedMachine Antarctica, will be used in conjunction with ocean (MIT global circulation model, MITgcm) and ice sheet (Ice sheet and Sea-level System Model, ISSM) models to reveal underlying dynamics. The joint analysis of the observational data enables an investigation of polynya, ocean, and ice shelf signals and their interplay over time across a range of settings. The results of this data analysis also provide inputs and validation data for the modeling tasks, which will allow for characterization of the feedbacks in our observations. The coupled modeling will enable us to examine the interaction between polynya circulation and ice shelves in different dynamical regimes and to understand ice and ocean feedback over time. Diagnosing and interpreting the pan-Antarctic spatial variability of the polynya-ice shelf interaction are the main objectives of this research and separates this study from other projects targeted at the interactive processes in specific regions. As such, this research focuses on seven preliminary target sites around the Antarctic coast to establish a framework for interpreting coupled ice shelf-ocean variability across a diverse range of geographic settings. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "United States Of America; ICE EXTENT; GLACIERS/ICE SHEETS", "locations": "United States Of America", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Antarctic Integrated System Science", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Walker, Catherine; Zhang, Weifeng; Seroussi, Helene", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Investigating the Role of Coastal Polynya Variability in Modulating Antarctic Marine-Terminating Glacier Drawdown", "uid": "p0010364", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "2212904 Herbert, Lisa; 2407093 Herbert, Lisa", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-120 -71,-118 -71,-116 -71,-114 -71,-112 -71,-110 -71,-108 -71,-106 -71,-104 -71,-102 -71,-100 -71,-100 -71.4,-100 -71.8,-100 -72.2,-100 -72.6,-100 -73,-100 -73.4,-100 -73.8,-100 -74.2,-100 -74.6,-100 -75,-102 -75,-104 -75,-106 -75,-108 -75,-110 -75,-112 -75,-114 -75,-116 -75,-118 -75,-120 -75,-120 -74.6,-120 -74.2,-120 -73.8,-120 -73.4,-120 -73,-120 -72.6,-120 -72.2,-120 -71.8,-120 -71.4,-120 -71))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Sun, 07 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The Amundsen Sea, near the fastest melting Antarctic glaciers, hosts one of the most productive polar ecosystems in the world. Phytoplankton serve as the base of the food chain, and their growth also removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Phytoplankton growth is fertilized in this area by nutrient iron, which is only present at low concentrations in seawater. Prior studies have shown the seabed sediments may provide iron to the Amundsen Sea ecosystem. However, sediment sources of iron have never been studied here directly. This project fills this gap by analyzing sediments from the Amundsen Sea and investigating whether sediment iron fertilizes plankton growth. The results will help scientists understand the basic ecosystem drivers and predict the effects of climate change on this vibrant, vulnerable region. This project also emphasizes inclusivity and openness to the public. The researchers will establish a mentoring network for diverse polar scientists through the Polar Impact Network and communicate their results to the public through the website CryoConnect.org. This project leverages samples already collected from the Amundsen Sea (NBP22-02) to investigate sediment iron (Fe) cycling and fluxes. The broad questions driving this research are 1) does benthic Fe fertilize Antarctic coastal primary productivity, and 2) what are the feedbacks between benthic Fe release and carbon cycling in the coastal Antarctic? To answer these questions, the researchers will analyze pore water Fe content and speciation and calculate fluxes of Fe across the sediment-water interface. These results will be compared to sediment characteristics (e.g., organic carbon content, reactive Fe content, proximity to glacial sources) to identify controls on benthic Fe release. This research dovetails with and expands on the science goals of the \u201cAccelerating Thwaites Ecosystem Impacts for the Southern Ocean\u201d (ARTEMIS) project through which the field samples were collected. In turn, the findings of ARTEMIS regarding modeled and observed trace metal dynamics, surface water productivity, and carbon cycling will inform the conclusions of this project, allowing insight into the impact of benthic Fe in the whole system. This project represents a unique opportunity for combined study of the water column and sediment biogeochemistry which will be of great value to the marine biogeochemistry community and will inform future sediment-ocean studies in polar oceanography and beyond. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -100.0, "geometry": "POINT(-110 -73)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "TRACE ELEMENTS; SEDIMENT CHEMISTRY; Amundsen Sea", "locations": "Amundsen Sea", "north": -71.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Post Doc/Travel", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Herbert, Lisa", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -75.0, "title": "OPP-PRF: Benthic Iron Fluxes and Cycling in the Amundsen Sea", "uid": "p0010362", "west": -120.0}, {"awards": "1744649 Christianson, Knut", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-120 -85.5,-117.5 -85.5,-115 -85.5,-112.5 -85.5,-110 -85.5,-107.5 -85.5,-105 -85.5,-102.5 -85.5,-100 -85.5,-97.5 -85.5,-95 -85.5,-95 -85.62,-95 -85.74,-95 -85.86,-95 -85.98,-95 -86.1,-95 -86.22,-95 -86.34,-95 -86.46000000000001,-95 -86.58,-95 -86.7,-97.5 -86.7,-100 -86.7,-102.5 -86.7,-105 -86.7,-107.5 -86.7,-110 -86.7,-112.5 -86.7,-115 -86.7,-117.5 -86.7,-120 -86.7,-120 -86.58,-120 -86.46000000000001,-120 -86.34,-120 -86.22,-120 -86.1,-120 -85.98,-120 -85.86,-120 -85.74,-120 -85.62,-120 -85.5))", "dataset_titles": "Hercules Dome ApRES Data; Hercules Dome High-Frequency Impulse Ice-Penetrating Radar Data; Hercules Dome Ice-Penetrating Radar Swath Topographies; Ice Dynamics at the Intersection of the West and East Antarctic Ice Sheets; ITASE Impulse Radar Hercules Dome to South Pole", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601739", "doi": "10.15784/601739", "keywords": "Antarctica; Apres; Crystal Orientation Fabric; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Hercules Dome; Ice Dynamic; Ice Penetrating Radar; Radar Interferometry; Radar Polarimetry", "people": "Christianson, Knut; Hills, Benjamin; Holschuh, Nicholas; Hoffman, Andrew; Fudge, Tyler J; Horlings, Annika; Erwin, Emma; Steig, Eric J.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "Hercules Dome Ice Core", "title": "Hercules Dome ApRES Data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601739"}, {"dataset_uid": "601606", "doi": "10.15784/601606", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; GPR; Ice Penetrating Radar; Snow/ice; Snow/Ice", "people": "Christianson, Knut", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Ice Dynamics at the Intersection of the West and East Antarctic Ice Sheets", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601606"}, {"dataset_uid": "601710", "doi": "10.15784/601710", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; GPR; Hercules Dome; Ice Penetrating Radar; Snow/ice; Snow/Ice", "people": "Hills, Benjamin; Hoffman, Andrew; Christianson, Knut; Christian, John; Holschuh, Nicholas; Horlings, Annika; O\u0027Connor, Gemma", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "Hercules Dome Ice Core", "title": "Hercules Dome High-Frequency Impulse Ice-Penetrating Radar Data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601710"}, {"dataset_uid": "601711", "doi": "10.15784/601711", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; GPR; Hercules Dome; Ice Penetrating Radar; Snow/ice; Snow/Ice", "people": "Holschuh, Nicholas; Hoffman, Andrew; Christianson, Knut; Paden, John", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "Hercules Dome Ice Core", "title": "Hercules Dome Ice-Penetrating Radar Swath Topographies", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601711"}, {"dataset_uid": "601712", "doi": "10.15784/601712", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; GPR; Hercules Dome; Ice Penetrating Radar; Snow/ice; Snow/Ice", "people": "Welch, Brian; Jacobel, Robert; Christianson, Knut; Hoffman, Andrew", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "Hercules Dome Ice Core", "title": "ITASE Impulse Radar Hercules Dome to South Pole", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601712"}], "date_created": "Tue, 02 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The response of the Antarctic ice sheet to climate change is a central issue in projecting global sea-level rise. While much attention is focused on the ongoing rapid changes at the coastal margin of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, obtaining records of past ice-sheet and climate change is the only way to constrain how an ice sheet changes over millennial timescales. Whether the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsed during the last interglacial period (~130,000 to 116,000 years ago), when temperatures were slightly warmer than today, remains a major unsolved problem in Antarctic glaciology. Hercules Dome is an ice divide located at the intersection of the East Antarctic and West Antarctic ice sheets. It is ideally situated to record the glaciological and climatic effects of changes in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. This project will establish whether Hercules Dome experienced major changes in flow due to changes in the elevation of the two ice sheets. The project will also ascertain whether Hercules Domes is a suitable site from which to recover climate records from the last interglacial period. These records could be used to determine whether the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsed during that period. The project will support two early-career researchers and train students at the University of Washington. Results will be communicated through outreach programs in coordination the Ice Drilling Project Office, the University of Washington\u0027s annual Polar Science Weekend in Seattle, and art-science collaboration. This project will develop a history of ice dynamics at the intersection of the East and West Antarctic ice sheets, and ascertain whether the site is suitable for a deep ice-coring operation. Ice divides provide a unique opportunity to assess the stability of past ice flow. The low deviatoric stresses and non-linearity of ice flow causes an arch (a \"Raymond Bump\") in the internal layers beneath a stable ice divide. This information can be used to determine the duration of steady ice flow. Due to the slow horizontal ice-flow velocities, ice divides also preserve old ice with internal layering that reflects past flow conditions caused by divide migration. Hercules Dome is an ice divide that is well positioned to retain information of past variations in the geometry of both the East and West Antarctic Ice Sheets. This dome is also the most promising location at which to recover an ice core that can be used to determine whether the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsed during the last interglacial period. Limited ice-penetrating radar data collected along a previous scientific surface traverse indicate well-preserved englacial stratigraphy and evidence suggestive of a Raymond Bump, but the previous survey was not sufficiently extensive to allow thorough characterization or determination of past changes in ice dynamics. This project will conduct a dedicated survey to map the englacial stratigraphy and subglacial topography as well as basal properties at Hercules Dome. The project will use ground-based ice-penetrating radar to 1) image internal layers and the ice-sheet basal interface, 2) accurately measure englacial attenuation, and 3) determine englacial vertical strain rates. The radar data will be combined with GPS observations for detailed topography and surface velocities and ice-flow modeling to constrain the basal characteristics and the history of past ice flow. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -95.0, "geometry": "POINT(-107.5 -86.1)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "West Antarctica; ICE DEPTH/THICKNESS; East Antarctica", "locations": "West Antarctica; East Antarctica", "north": -85.5, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Christianson, Knut; Hoffman, Andrew; Holschuh, Nicholas", "platforms": null, "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -86.7, "title": "Ice Dynamics at the Intersection of the West and East Antarctic Ice Sheets", "uid": "p0010359", "west": -120.0}, {"awards": "1744767 Sanders, Robert", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-68 -64,-67.4 -64,-66.8 -64,-66.2 -64,-65.6 -64,-65 -64,-64.4 -64,-63.8 -64,-63.2 -64,-62.6 -64,-62 -64,-62 -64.5,-62 -65,-62 -65.5,-62 -66,-62 -66.5,-62 -67,-62 -67.5,-62 -68,-62 -68.5,-62 -69,-62.6 -69,-63.2 -69,-63.8 -69,-64.4 -69,-65 -69,-65.6 -69,-66.2 -69,-66.8 -69,-67.4 -69,-68 -69,-68 -68.5,-68 -68,-68 -67.5,-68 -67,-68 -66.5,-68 -66,-68 -65.5,-68 -65,-68 -64.5,-68 -64))", "dataset_titles": "Companion datasets to Diversity of microbial eukaryotes along the West Antarctic peninsula in austral spring.; Expedition Data of NBP1910; Expedition Data of NBP 2205; LMG1904 expedition data; NBP1910_protist_community_RNA Raw sequence reads; NBP2205_protist_community_RNA Raw sequence reads will be made available here after processing is completed", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200325", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of NBP1910", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1910"}, {"dataset_uid": "200365", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1910_protist_community_RNA Raw sequence reads; NBP2205_protist_community_RNA Raw sequence reads will be made available here after processing is completed", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/search/all/?term=PRJNA807326"}, {"dataset_uid": "200320", "doi": "10.6084/m9.figshare.19514110.v3", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Figshare", "science_program": null, "title": "Companion datasets to Diversity of microbial eukaryotes along the West Antarctic peninsula in austral spring.", "url": "https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.19514110.v3"}, {"dataset_uid": "200366", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of NBP 2205", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP2205"}, {"dataset_uid": "200147", "doi": "10.7284/908260", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "LMG1904 expedition data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1904"}], "date_created": "Wed, 27 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Traditional models of oceanic food chains have consisted of photosynthetic algae (phytoplankton) being ingested by small animals (zooplankton), which were ingested by larger animals (fish). These traditional models changed as new methods allowed recognition of the importance of bacteria and other non-photosynthetic protozoa in more complex food webs. More recently, the wide-spread existence of mixotrophs (organisms that can both photosynthesize and ingest food particles) and their importance as microbial predators has been recognized in many oceanographic areas. In the Southern Ocean, the only two surveys of mixotrophs have suggested that there may be seasonal differences in their importance as predators. During the long polar night (winter), the ability of mixotrophs to ingest particulate food may aid in their survival thus ensuring a sufficient population in spring to support a phytoplankton bloom once photosynthesis rates can increase. Thus mixotrophs may provide a critical early food source upon which zooplankton and larger animals depend on for growth and reproduction. This project will advance understanding of mixotroph diversity and their ecological impact within the Southern Ocean microbial food web. Specifically, efforts will be focused on mixotrophy in the western Antarctica peninsula region during the austral spring and autumn when there are likely to be changes in the relative importance of photosynthesis and ingestion to mixotrophs. The project will provide research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and a post-doctoral researcher. There will be real-time outreach from the Southern Ocean to the public via blogs and interviews, and to high school art students through an established program that blends science and art education. Despite traditional views of protists as either \"phototrophic\" or \"heterotrophic,\" there are many photosynthetic protists that consume prey (mixotrophy). Mixotrophy is a widespread phenomenon in aquatic systems and phytoplankton groups with known mixotrophic species, notably chrysophytes, cryptophytes, prymnesiophytes, prasinophytes and dinoflagellates, are present and often abundant in Antarctic waters. However, in the Southern Ocean, the presence of mixotrophic phytoflagellates has been surveyed only twice: in the Ross Sea during Austral spring 2008 and summer 2011. The primary goals of the project are to gain better understanding of mixotroph diversity and their ecological impact with respect to the Southern Ocean microbial food web. The contribution of mixotrophs to primary production and bacterial consumption is likely linked to the taxonomic composition of the community and the abundance of particular species. Abundances of novel mixotrophic species will be evaluated via qPCR, which will be coupled with assessments of rates of feeding and photosynthesis with the goal of describing how active mixotrophs direct the movement of carbon through food webs. These experiments will help the determination of how viable and widespread mixotrophy is as a nutritional strategy in polar waters and give direct information on the currently unknown diversity of mixotrophic taxa under different environmental conditions occurring in austral spring and autumn. Furthermore, the methods will simultaneously yield information on the whole communities of protists - mixotrophic, phototrophic and heterotrophic. In addition, a method to examine aspects of the taxonomic and functional diversities of the bacterivorous/mixotrophic community will be employed. A thymidine analog (BrdU) will be used to label DNA of eukaryotes feeding on bacteria. The BrdU-labeled eukaryotic DNA will be isolated using immunoprecipitation. High-throughput sequencing of the labeled DNA (bacterivores) versus unlabeled community DNA will determine the diversity of bacterivorous mixotrophs relative to other microeukaryotes. Flow cytometric sorting based on chlorophyll to focus on mixotrophic species. These approaches will elucidate a gap in current knowledge of the influence of microbial interactions in the Southern Ocean under different conditions. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -62.0, "geometry": "POINT(-65 -66.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Antarctic Peninsula; PLANKTON; COASTAL", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula", "north": -64.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Sanders, Robert; Gast, Rebecca; Jeffrey, Wade H.", "platforms": null, "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "Figshare; NCBI; R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": -69.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Diversity and ecological impacts of Antarctic mixotrophic phytoplankton", "uid": "p0010357", "west": -68.0}, {"awards": "2012365 Johnston, David; 2012247 Groff, Dulcinea; 2012444 Cimino, Megan", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-65 -64.5,-64.8 -64.5,-64.6 -64.5,-64.4 -64.5,-64.2 -64.5,-64 -64.5,-63.8 -64.5,-63.6 -64.5,-63.4 -64.5,-63.2 -64.5,-63 -64.5,-63 -64.55,-63 -64.6,-63 -64.65,-63 -64.7,-63 -64.75,-63 -64.8,-63 -64.85,-63 -64.9,-63 -64.95,-63 -65,-63.2 -65,-63.4 -65,-63.6 -65,-63.8 -65,-64 -65,-64.2 -65,-64.4 -65,-64.6 -65,-64.8 -65,-65 -65,-65 -64.95,-65 -64.9,-65 -64.85,-65 -64.8,-65 -64.75,-65 -64.7,-65 -64.65,-65 -64.6,-65 -64.55,-65 -64.5))", "dataset_titles": "Aerial data from drone surveys of coastal habitats on the West Antarctic Peninsula during austral summer (January\u2013March 2020 and February\u2013March 2019); Data from: Terrestrial spatial distribution and summer abundance of Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) near Palmer Station, Antarctica, from drone surveys", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200472", "doi": "10.5061/dryad.qv9s4mwp0", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Dryad", "science_program": null, "title": "Data from: Terrestrial spatial distribution and summer abundance of Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) near Palmer Station, Antarctica, from drone surveys", "url": "https://datadryad.org/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.qv9s4mwp0"}, {"dataset_uid": "200471", "doi": "10.7924/r4sf2xs2w", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Duke Research Repository", "science_program": null, "title": "Aerial data from drone surveys of coastal habitats on the West Antarctic Peninsula during austral summer (January\u2013March 2020 and February\u2013March 2019)", "url": "https://research.repository.duke.edu/concern/datasets/r207tq370?locale=en"}], "date_created": "Sun, 24 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This award is funded in whole or part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). Part I: Non-technical description: Ad\u00e9lie penguin colonies are declining and disappearing from the western Antarctic Peninsula. However, not all colonies in a certain area decline or disappear at the same rate. This research project will evaluate the influence of terrestrial surface properties on Ad\u00e9lie penguin colonies, leveraging five decades of research on seabirds near Palmer Station where an Ad\u00e9lie colony on Litchfield Island became extinct in 2007 while other colonies nearby are still present. The researchers will combine information obtained from remote sensing, UAS (Unoccupied Aircraft System, or drones) high-resolution maps, reconstruction of past moss banks and modeling with machine learning tools to define suitable penguin and peatbank moss habitats and explore the influence of microclimate on their distributions. In particular, the researchers are asking if guano from penguin colonies could act as fertilizers of moss banks in the presence of localized wind patters that can carry airborne nitrogen to the mosses. Modeling will relate penguin and peatbank moss spatial patterns to environmental variables and provide a greater understanding of how continued environmental change could impact these communities. The project allows for documentation of terrestrial Antarctic ecosystems in support of seabirds and provisioning of such information to the broader science community that seeks to study penguins, educating graduate and undergraduate students and a post-doctoral researcher. The research team includes two young women as Principal Investigators, one of them from an under-represented ethnic minority, first time Antarctic Principal Investigator, from an EPSCoR state (Wyoming), broadening participation in Antarctic research. Researchers will serve as student mentors through the Duke Bass Connections program entitled Biogeographic Assessment of Antarctic Coastal Habitats. This program supports an interdisciplinary team of graduate and undergraduate students collaborating with project faculty and experts on cutting-edge research bridging the classroom and the real world. Part II: Technical description: This research aims to understand the changes at the microclimate scale (meters) by analyzing present and past Ad\u00e9lie penguin colonies and moss peatbanks in islands around Palmer Station in the western Antarctic Peninsula \u2013 interlinked systems that are typically considered in isolation. By integrating in situ and remote data, this project will synthesize the drivers of biogeomorphology on small islands of the Antarctic Peninsula, a region of rapid change where plants and animals often co-occur and animal presence often determines the habitation of plants. A multi-disciplinary approach combine field measurements, remote sensing, UAS (Unoccupied Aircraft Systems) maps, paleoecology and modeling with machine learning to define suitable habitats and the influence of microclimates on penguin and peatbank distributions. The link between the two aspects of this study, peatbanks and penguins, is the potential source of nutrients for peat mosses from penguin guano. Peatbank and penguin distribution will be modeled and all models will be validated using in situ information from moss samples that will identify mechanistic processes. This project leverages 5 decades of seabird research in the area and high-definition remote sensing provided by the Polar Geospatial center to study the microclimate of Litchfield Island where an Ad\u00e9lie colony became extinct in 2007 when other colonies nearby are still present. The research team includes two early career women as Principal Investigators, one of them from an under-represented ethnic minority, first time Antarctic Principal Investigator, from an EPSCoR state (Wyoming). Researchers will serve as mentors for students through the Duke Bass Connections program entitled Biogeogrpahic Assessment of Antarctic Coastal Habitats which bridges the classroom and the real world. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -63.0, "geometry": "POINT(-64 -64.75)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Palmer Station; Antarctic Peninsula; COASTAL; STABLE ISOTOPES; TOPOGRAPHIC EFFECTS; PALEOCLIMATE RECONSTRUCTIONS; MACROFOSSILS; PLANTS; PENGUINS; ISOTOPES; VISIBLE IMAGERY; RADIOCARBON; Anvers Island", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula; Anvers Island; Palmer Station", "north": -64.5, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Groff, Dulcinea; Cimino, Megan; Johnston, David", "platforms": null, "repo": "Dryad", "repositories": "Dryad; Duke Research Repository", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Common Environmental Drivers Determine the Occupation Chronology of Ad\u00e9lie Penguins and Moss Peatbanks on the Western Antarctic Peninsula", "uid": "p0010354", "west": -65.0}, {"awards": "1744885 Moline, Mark", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-64.643 -64.703149,-64.5388975 -64.703149,-64.43479500000001 -64.703149,-64.3306925 -64.703149,-64.22659 -64.703149,-64.1224875 -64.703149,-64.018385 -64.703149,-63.9142825 -64.703149,-63.81018 -64.703149,-63.706077500000006 -64.703149,-63.601975 -64.703149,-63.601975 -64.7258003,-63.601975 -64.7484516,-63.601975 -64.77110289999999,-63.601975 -64.7937542,-63.601975 -64.8164055,-63.601975 -64.8390568,-63.601975 -64.86170809999999,-63.601975 -64.8843594,-63.601975 -64.9070107,-63.601975 -64.929662,-63.706077500000006 -64.929662,-63.81018 -64.929662,-63.9142825 -64.929662,-64.018385 -64.929662,-64.1224875 -64.929662,-64.22659 -64.929662,-64.3306925 -64.929662,-64.43479500000001 -64.929662,-64.5388975 -64.929662,-64.643 -64.929662,-64.643 -64.9070107,-64.643 -64.8843594,-64.643 -64.86170809999999,-64.643 -64.8390568,-64.643 -64.8164055,-64.643 -64.7937542,-64.643 -64.77110289999999,-64.643 -64.7484516,-64.643 -64.7258003,-64.643 -64.703149))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Mon, 18 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This research project will use specially designed autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to investigate interactions between Adelie and Gentoo penguins (the predators) and their primary food source, Antarctic krill (prey). While it has long been known that penguins feed on krill, details about how they search for food and target individual prey items is less well understood. Krill aggregate in large swarms, and the size or the depth of these swarms may influence the feeding behavior of penguins. Similarly, penguin feeding behaviors may differ based on characteristics of the environment, krill swarms, and the presence of other prey and predator species. This project will use specialized smart AUVs to simultaneously collect high-resolution observations of penguins, their prey, and environmental conditions. Data will shed light on strategies used by penguins prove foraging success during the critical summer chick-rearing period. This will improve predictions of how penguin populations may respond to changing environmental conditions in the rapidly warming Western Antarctic Peninsula region. Greater understanding of how individual behaviors shape food web structure can also inform conservation and management efforts in other marine ecosystems. This project has a robust public education and outreach plan linked with the Birch and Monterey Bay Aquariums. Previous studies have shown that sub-mesoscale variability (1-10 km) in Antarctic krill densities and structure impact the foraging behavior of air-breathing predators. However, there is little understanding of how krill aggregation characteristics are linked to abundance on fine spatial scales, how these patterns are influenced by the habitat, or how prey characteristics influences the foraging behavior of predators. These data gaps remain because it is extremely challenging to collect detailed data on predators and prey simultaneously at the scale of an individual krill patch and single foraging event. Building on previously successful efforts, this project will integrate echosounders into autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), so that oceanographic variables and multi-frequency acoustic scattering from both prey and penguins can be collected simultaneously. This will allow for quantification of the environment at the scale of individual foraging events made by penguins during the critical 50+ day chick-rearing period. Work will be centered near Palmer Station, where long-term studies have provided significant insight into predator and prey population trends. The new data to be collected by this project will test hypotheses about how penguin prey selection and foraging behaviors are influenced by physical and biological features of their ocean habitat at extremely fine scale. By addressing the dynamic relationship between individual penguins, their prey, and habitat at the scale of individual foraging events, this study will begin to reveal the important processes regulating resource availability and identify what makes this region a profitable foraging habitat and breeding location. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -63.601975, "geometry": "POINT(-64.1224875 -64.8164055)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "COASTAL; COMMUNITY DYNAMICS; ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS; SPECIES/POPULATION INTERACTIONS; Palmer Station; MICROALGAE; PENGUINS; ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES", "locations": "Palmer Station", "north": -64.703149, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Integrated System Science", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Moline, Mark; Benoit-Bird, Kelly; Cimino, Megan", "platforms": null, "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -64.929662, "title": "Collaborative Research: Linking Predator Behavior and Resource Distributions: Penguin-directed Exploration of an Ecological Hotspot", "uid": "p0010347", "west": -64.643}, {"awards": "1745081 Bernard, Kim; 1745018 Fraser, William; 1745009 Kohut, Josh; 1744884 Oliver, Matthew; 1745023 Hennon, Tyler; 1745011 Klinck, John", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-75 -60,-73 -60,-71 -60,-69 -60,-67 -60,-65 -60,-63 -60,-61 -60,-59 -60,-57 -60,-55 -60,-55 -61,-55 -62,-55 -63,-55 -64,-55 -65,-55 -66,-55 -67,-55 -68,-55 -69,-55 -70,-57 -70,-59 -70,-61 -70,-63 -70,-65 -70,-67 -70,-69 -70,-71 -70,-73 -70,-75 -70,-75 -69,-75 -68,-75 -67,-75 -66,-75 -65,-75 -64,-75 -63,-75 -62,-75 -61,-75 -60))", "dataset_titles": "Antarctic ACROBAT data; CTD Data from IFCB Sampling; Finite Time Lyapunov Exponent Results, Calculated from High Frequency Radar Observed Surface Currents; High Frequency Radar, Palmer Deep; IFCB Image Data; Relative Particle Density; SWARM AMLR moorings - acoustic data; SWARM Glider Data near Palmer Deep; WAP model float data; Winds from Joubin and Wauwerman Islands", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200392", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.917884.1", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "High Frequency Radar, Palmer Deep", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/917884"}, {"dataset_uid": "200398", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "IOOS Glider DAAC", "science_program": null, "title": "SWARM Glider Data near Palmer Deep", "url": "https://gliders.ioos.us/erddap/search/index.html?page=1\u0026itemsPerPage=1000\u0026searchFor=swarm"}, {"dataset_uid": "200397", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.865098.1", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Winds from Joubin and Wauwerman Islands", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/865098"}, {"dataset_uid": "200396", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.867442.2", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "WAP model float data", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/867442"}, {"dataset_uid": "200395", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.872729.1", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "SWARM AMLR moorings - acoustic data", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/872729"}, {"dataset_uid": "200394", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.917926.1", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Relative Particle Density", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/917926"}, {"dataset_uid": "200393", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.865002.1", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "IFCB Image Data", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/865002"}, {"dataset_uid": "200391", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.917914.1", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Finite Time Lyapunov Exponent Results, Calculated from High Frequency Radar Observed Surface Currents", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/917914"}, {"dataset_uid": "200390", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.865030.1", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "CTD Data from IFCB Sampling", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/865030"}, {"dataset_uid": "200389", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Antarctic ACROBAT data", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/916046"}], "date_created": "Tue, 05 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Undersea canyons play disproportionately important roles as oceanic biological hotspots and are critical for our understanding of many coastal ecosystems. Canyon-associated biological hotspots have persisted for thousands of years Along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, despite significant climate variability. Observations of currents over Palmer Deep canyon, a representative hotspot along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, indicate that surface phytoplankton blooms enter and exit the local hotspot on scales of ~1-2 days. This time of residence is in conflict with the prevailing idea that canyon associated hotspots are primarily maintained by phytoplankton that are locally grown in association with these features by the upwelling of deep waters rich with nutrients that fuel the phytoplankton growth. Instead, the implication is that horizontal ocean circulation is likely more important to maintaining these biological hotspots than local upwelling through its physical concentrating effects. This project seeks to better resolve the factors that create and maintain focused areas of biological activity at canyons along the Western Antarctic Peninsula and create local foraging areas for marine mammals and birds. The project focus is in the analysis of the ocean transport and concentration mechanisms that sustain these biological hotspots, connecting oceanography to phytoplankton and krill, up through the food web to one of the resident predators, penguins. In addition, the research will engage with teachers from school districts serving underrepresented and underserved students by integrating the instructors and their students completely with the science team. Students will conduct their own research with the same data over the same time as researchers on the project. Revealing the fundamental mechanisms that sustain these known hotspots will significantly advance our understanding of the observed connection between submarine canyons and persistent penguin population hotspots over ecological time, and provide a new model for how Antarctic hotspots function. To understand the physical mechanisms that support persistent hotspots along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), this project will integrate a modeling and field program that will target the processes responsible for transporting and concentrating phytoplankton and krill biomass to known penguin foraging locations. Within the Palmer Deep canyon, a representative hotspot, the team will deploy a High Frequency Radar (HFR) coastal surface current mapping network, uniquely equipped to identify the eddies and frontal regions that concentrate phytoplankton and krill. The field program, centered on surface features identified by the HFR, will include (i) a coordinated fleet of gliders to survey hydrography, chlorophyll fluorescence, optical backscatter, and active acoustics at the scale of the targeted convergent features; (ii) precise penguin tracking with GPS-linked satellite telemetry and time-depth recorders (TDRs); (iii) and weekly small boat surveys that adaptively target and track convergent features to measure phytoplankton, krill, and hydrography. A high resolution physical model will generalize our field measurements to other known hotspots along the WAP through simulation and determine which physical mechanisms lead to the maintenance of these hotspots. The project will also engage educators, students, and members of the general public in Antarctic research and data analysis with an education program that will advance teaching and learning as well as broadening participation of under-represented groups. This engagement includes professional development workshops, live connections to the public and classrooms, student research symposia, and program evaluation. Together the integrated research and engagement will advance our understanding of the role regional transport pathways and local depth dependent concentrating physical mechanisms play in sustaining these biological hotspots. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -55.0, "geometry": "POINT(-65 -65)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CONDUCTIVITY SENSORS \u003e CONDUCTIVITY METERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e RADIATION SENSORS", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "MOORED; WATER TEMPERATURE; CONDUCTIVITY; FLUORESCENCE; UNCREWED VEHICLES; Palmer Station; PHOTOSYNTHETICALLY ACTIVE RADIATION; PELAGIC; OCEAN MIXED LAYER; SURFACE; SALINITY; WATER PRESSURE; LIVING ORGANISM; MODELS; ACOUSTIC SCATTERING", "locations": "Palmer Station", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Instrumentation and Support; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": "NOT APPLICABLE", "persons": "Bernard, Kim; Oliver, Matthew; Kohut, Josh; Fraser, William; Klinck, John M.; Statcewich, Hank", "platforms": "LIVING ORGANISM-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e LIVING ORGANISM; OTHER \u003e MODELS; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e BUOYS \u003e MOORED; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e UNCREWED VEHICLES; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE", "repo": "BCO-DMO", "repositories": "BCO-DMO; IOOS Glider DAAC", "science_programs": null, "south": -70.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Physical Mechanisms Driving Food Web Focusing in Antarctic Biological Hotspots", "uid": "p0010346", "west": -75.0}, {"awards": "1643664 Severinghaus, Jeffrey; 1643669 Petrenko, Vasilii; 1643716 Buizert, Christo", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((112 -66,112.2 -66,112.4 -66,112.6 -66,112.8 -66,113 -66,113.2 -66,113.4 -66,113.6 -66,113.8 -66,114 -66,114 -66.1,114 -66.2,114 -66.3,114 -66.4,114 -66.5,114 -66.6,114 -66.7,114 -66.8,114 -66.9,114 -67,113.8 -67,113.6 -67,113.4 -67,113.2 -67,113 -67,112.8 -67,112.6 -67,112.4 -67,112.2 -67,112 -67,112 -66.9,112 -66.8,112 -66.7,112 -66.6,112 -66.5,112 -66.4,112 -66.3,112 -66.2,112 -66.1,112 -66))", "dataset_titles": "Concentration and isotopic composition of atmospheric N2O over the last century; Law Dome DE08-OH firn air 15N, O2/N2, Ar/N2, 18O of O2; Law Dome DE08-OH site noble gases in ice: testing the 86Krexcess proxy; Law Dome firn air and ice core 14CO concentration", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601846", "doi": "10.15784/601846", "keywords": "Antarctica; Carbon-14; Cryosphere; Firn Air; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Ice Core; Ice Core Records; Law Dome; Snow/ice; Snow/Ice", "people": "Petrenko, Vasilii", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Law Dome firn air and ice core 14CO concentration", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601846"}, {"dataset_uid": "601693", "doi": "10.15784/601693", "keywords": "Antarctic; Antarctica; Anthropogenic Emission; Atmosphere; Greenhouse Gas; Greenland; Ice Core Data; Nitrification And Denitrification Processes; Nitrous Oxide; Site-Specific 15N Isotopomer; Styx Glacier", "people": "Ghosh, Sambit; Etheridge, David; Ahn, Jinho ; Joong Kim, Seong; Yoshida, Naohiro ; Langenfelds, Ray L ; Buizert, Christo ; Toyoda, Sakae ", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Concentration and isotopic composition of atmospheric N2O over the last century", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601693"}, {"dataset_uid": "601598", "doi": "10.15784/601598", "keywords": "Antarctica; Firn; Firn Density; Gravitational Settling; Inert Gases; Law Dome", "people": "Severinghaus, Jeffrey P.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Law Dome DE08-OH firn air 15N, O2/N2, Ar/N2, 18O of O2", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601598"}, {"dataset_uid": "601597", "doi": "10.15784/601597", "keywords": "Antarctica; Ice Core; Law Dome; Noble Gas", "people": "Severinghaus, Jeffrey P.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Law Dome DE08-OH site noble gases in ice: testing the 86Krexcess proxy", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601597"}], "date_created": "Fri, 17 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Hydroxyl radicals are responsible for removal of most atmospheric trace gases, including pollutants and important greenhouse gases. They have been called the \"detergent of the atmosphere\". Changes in hydroxyl radical concentration in response to large changes in reactive trace gas emissions, which may happen in the future, are uncertain. This project aims to provide the first estimates of the variability of atmospheric hydroxyl radicals since about 1880 AD when anthropogenic emissions of reactive trace gases were minimal. This will improve understanding of their stability in response to large changes in emissions. The project will also investigate whether ice cores record past changes in Southern Hemisphere westerly winds. These winds are a key component of the global climate system, and have an important influence on ocean circulation and possibly on atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. The project team will include three early career scientists, a postdoctoral researcher, and graduate and undergraduate students, working in collaboration with senior scientists and Australian collaborators. Firn air and shallow ice to a depth of about 233 m will be sampled at the Law Dome high-accumulation coastal site in East Antarctica. Trapped air will be extracted from the ice cores on site immediately after drilling. Carbon-14 of carbon monoxide (14CO) will be analyzed in firn and ice-core air samples. Corrections will be made for the in situ cosmogenic 14CO component in the ice, allowing for the atmospheric 14CO history to be reconstructed. This 14CO history will be interpreted with the aid of a chemistry-transport model to place the first observational constraints on the variability of Southern Hemisphere hydroxyl radical concentration after about 1880 AD. An additional component of the project will analyze Krypton-86 in the firn-air and ice-core samples. These measurements will explore whether ice-core Krypton-86 acts as a proxy for barometric pressure variability, and whether this proxy can be used in Antarctic ice cores to infer past movement of the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 114.0, "geometry": "POINT(113 -66.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "AMD; TRACE GASES/TRACE SPECIES; Law Dome; Amd/Us; USAP-DC; LABORATORY; ICE CORE AIR BUBBLES; USA/NSF", "locations": "Law Dome", "north": -66.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology; Antarctic Glaciology; Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Petrenko, Vasilii; Murray, Lee T; Buizert, Christo; Petrenko, Vasilii; Murray, Lee T", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -67.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Reconstructing Carbon-14 of Atmospheric Carbon Monoxide from Law Dome, Antarctica to Constrain Long-Term Hydroxyl Radical Variability", "uid": "p0010341", "west": 112.0}, {"awards": "1745082 Beilman, David; 1745068 Booth, Robert", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-64.4 -62.4,-63.910000000000004 -62.4,-63.42 -62.4,-62.93000000000001 -62.4,-62.440000000000005 -62.4,-61.95 -62.4,-61.46 -62.4,-60.97 -62.4,-60.480000000000004 -62.4,-59.99 -62.4,-59.5 -62.4,-59.5 -62.7,-59.5 -63,-59.5 -63.3,-59.5 -63.6,-59.5 -63.900000000000006,-59.5 -64.2,-59.5 -64.5,-59.5 -64.80000000000001,-59.5 -65.10000000000001,-59.5 -65.4,-59.99 -65.4,-60.480000000000004 -65.4,-60.97 -65.4,-61.46 -65.4,-61.95 -65.4,-62.440000000000005 -65.4,-62.93000000000001 -65.4,-63.42 -65.4,-63.910000000000004 -65.4,-64.4 -65.4,-64.4 -65.10000000000001,-64.4 -64.80000000000001,-64.4 -64.5,-64.4 -64.2,-64.4 -63.900000000000006,-64.4 -63.6,-64.4 -63.3,-64.4 -63,-64.4 -62.7,-64.4 -62.4))", "dataset_titles": "LMG2002 Expedtition Data", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200222", "doi": "10.7284/908802", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "LMG2002 Expedtition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG2002"}], "date_created": "Fri, 10 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Warming on the western Antarctic Peninsula in the later 20th century has caused widespread changes in the cryosphere (ice and snow) and terrestrial ecosystems. These recent changes along with longer-term climate and ecosystem histories will be deciphered using peat deposits. Peat accumulation can be used to assess the rate of glacial retreat and provide insight into ecological processes on newly deglaciated landscapes in the Antarctic Peninsula. This project builds on data suggesting recent ecosystem transformations that are linked to past climate of the western Antarctic Peninsula and provide a timeline to assess the extent and rate of recent glacial change. The study will produce a climate record for the coastal low-elevation terrestrial region, which will refine the major climate shifts of up to 6 degrees C in the recent past (last 12,000 years). A novel terrestrial record of the recent glacial history will provide insight into observed changes in climate and sea-ice dynamics in the western Antarctic Peninsula and allow for comparison with off-shore climate records captured in sediments. Observations and discoveries from this project will be disseminated to local schools and science centers. The project provides training and career development for a postdoctoral scientist as well as graduate and undergraduate students. The research presents a new systematic survey to reconstruct ecosystem and climate change for the coastal low-elevation areas on the western Antarctic Peninsula (AP) using proxy records preserved in late Holocene peat deposits. Moss and peat samples will be collected and analyzed to generate a comprehensive data set of late-Holocene climate change and ecosystem dynamics. The goal is to document and understand the transformations of landscape and terrestrial ecosystems on the western AP during the late Holocene. The testable hypothesis is that coastal regions have experienced greater climate variability than evidenced in ice-core records and that past warmth has facilitated dramatic ecosystem and cryosphere response. A primary product of the project is a robust reconstruction of late Holocene climate changes for coastal low-elevation terrestrial areas using multiple lines of evidence from peat-based biological and geochemical proxies, which will be used to compare with climate records derived from marine sediments and ice cores from the AP region. These data will be used to test several ideas related to novel peat-forming ecosystems (such as Antarctic hairgrass bogs) in past warmer climates and climate controls over ecosystem establishment and migration to help assess the nature of the Little Ice Age cooling and cryosphere response. The chronology of peat cores will be established by radiocarbon dating of macrofossils and Bayesian modeling. The high-resolution time series of ecosystem and climate changes will help put the observed recent changes into a long-term context to bridge climate dynamics over different time scales. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -59.5, "geometry": "POINT(-61.95 -63.900000000000006)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CORERS \u003e SEDIMENT CORERS", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS; ISOTOPES; USAP-DC; PALEOCLIMATE RECONSTRUCTIONS; SEDIMENTS; Amd/Us; FIELD INVESTIGATION; Antarctic Peninsula; AMD; TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS; USA/NSF; RADIOCARBON", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula", "north": -62.4, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences; Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Beilman, David; Booth, Robert", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.4, "title": "Collaborative Research: Reconstructing Late Holocene Ecosystem and Climate Shifts from Peat Records in the Western Antarctic Peninsula", "uid": "p0010337", "west": -64.4}, {"awards": "1945127 Moffat, Carlos", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Fri, 03 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Freshwater discharges from melting high-latitude continental ice glacial reserves strongly control salt budgets, circulation and associated ocean water mass formation arising from polar ice shelves. These are different in nature than freshwater inputs associated with riverine coastal inputs. The PI proposes an observational deployment to measure a specific, previously-identified example of a coastal freshwater-driven current, the Antarctic Peninsula Coastal Current (APCC). The research component of this CAREER project aims to improve understanding of the dynamics of freshwater discharge around the Antarctic continent. Associated research questions pertain to the i) controls on the cross- and along-shelf spreading of fresh, buoyant coastal currents, ii) the role of distributed coastal freshwater sources (as opposed to \u0027point\u0027 source river outflow sources typical of lower latitudes), and iii) the contribution of these coastal currents to water mass transformation and heat transfer on the continental shelf. An educational CAREER program component leverages a series of field experiences and research outputs including data, model outputs, and theory, to bring polar science to the classroom and the general public, as well as training a new polar scientist. This combined strategy will allow the investigator to lay the foundation for a successful academic career as a researcher and teacher at the University of Delaware. The project will also provide the opportunity to train a PhD student. Informal outreach efforts will include giving public lectures at University of Deleware\u0027s sponsored events, including Coast Day, a summer event that attracts 8000-10000 people, and remote lectures from the field using an existing outreach network. This proposal requires fieldwork in the Antarctic. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Amd/Us; R/V LMG; TURBULENCE; USAP-DC; OCEAN CURRENTS; Antarctic Peninsula; AMD; USA/NSF; HEAT FLUX", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Moffat, Carlos", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "CAREER: The Transformation, Cross-shore Export, and along-shore Transport of Freshwater on Antarctic Shelves", "uid": "p0010330", "west": null}, {"awards": "2037670 Heine, John; 2037598 Alberto, Filipe", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((162 -76,162.8 -76,163.6 -76,164.4 -76,165.2 -76,166 -76,166.8 -76,167.6 -76,168.4 -76,169.2 -76,170 -76,170 -76.3,170 -76.6,170 -76.9,170 -77.2,170 -77.5,170 -77.8,170 -78.1,170 -78.4,170 -78.7,170 -79,169.2 -79,168.4 -79,167.6 -79,166.8 -79,166 -79,165.2 -79,164.4 -79,163.6 -79,162.8 -79,162 -79,162 -78.7,162 -78.4,162 -78.1,162 -77.8,162 -77.5,162 -77.2,162 -76.9,162 -76.6,162 -76.3,162 -76))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Climate change is changing the number of sea-ice free days in coastal polar environments, which is impacting Antarctic communities. This study will evaluate the change in macroalgae (seaweed) communities to increased light availability in order to predict if macroalgae will be able to spread to newly ice-free locations faster than invertebrates (e.g., sponges, bryozoans, tunicates, and polychaetes) in shallow underwater rocky habitats. Study sites will include multiple locations in McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea, Antarctica. This study will establish patterns in plant properties, genetic diversity and reproductive characteristics of two species of seaweeds, Phyllophora antarctica and Iridaea cordata in relation to depth and light. Long-term changes will be assesed by comparing to results from a survey in 1980. This will be the first study in the region to estimate the potential effects of climate, in particular reductions in annual sea ice cover and resulting increase in light intensity and duration, on shifts in macroalgal communities in McMurdo Sound. Three-dimensional photogrammetry will also be used to evaluate benthic community structure on the newly discovered offshore Dellbridge Seamount. Visualization from the video footage will be shared with web-based interactive applications to engage and educate the public in polar ecology and factors causing changes in marine community ecosystem structure in this important region. This project is evaluating macroalgae biogeography in Antarctic coastal waters near McMurdo Sound, a relatively understudied region that is experiencing large changes in fast sea ice coverage. The population ecology and genetic diversity of nearshore shallow and deeper offshore benthic macroalgal communities of Phyllophora antarctica and Iridaea cordata will be assessed for percentage cover, biomass, blade length, and reproductive characteristics at seven locations: Cape Royds, Cape Evans, Little Razorback Islands, Turtle Rock, Arrival Heights, Granite Harbor, and Dellbridge Seamount in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. The team is also assessing differential reproductive successes at different depths and comparing results to populations surveyed in 1980. The genetic diversity of the two species is being estimated using a combination of whole genome sequencing and species-specific microsatellite genetic markers. Samples from this study will be compared to samples collected from other regions in Antarctica such as the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula. In addition, a macroalgal assemblage and 3D models of the community structure will be generated using photogrammetry from the newly discovered Dellbridge Seamount that is located 2 km offshore in McMurdo Sound. With the addition of photogrammetry and 3D visualization to this research, web-based applications will be used to engage and educate the public in subtidal polar ecology, population genetics, and the importance of Antarctic science to their lives. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 170.0, "geometry": "POINT(166 -77.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "AMD; McMurdo Sound; USAP-DC; Amd/Us; COMMUNITY DYNAMICS; FIELD INVESTIGATION; MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS); USA/NSF", "locations": "McMurdo Sound", "north": -76.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Heine, John; Goldberg, Nisse; Alberto, Filipe", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -79.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Biogeography, Population Genetics, and Ecology of two Common Species of Fleshy Red Algae in McMurdo Sound", "uid": "p0010322", "west": 162.0}, {"awards": "2053726 Hofmann, Gretchen", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((163 -77,163.4 -77,163.8 -77,164.2 -77,164.6 -77,165 -77,165.4 -77,165.8 -77,166.2 -77,166.6 -77,167 -77,167 -77.1,167 -77.2,167 -77.3,167 -77.4,167 -77.5,167 -77.6,167 -77.7,167 -77.8,167 -77.9,167 -78,166.6 -78,166.2 -78,165.8 -78,165.4 -78,165 -78,164.6 -78,164.2 -78,163.8 -78,163.4 -78,163 -78,163 -77.9,163 -77.8,163 -77.7,163 -77.6,163 -77.5,163 -77.4,163 -77.3,163 -77.2,163 -77.1,163 -77))", "dataset_titles": "Analyses combining ATAC-seq, RRBS, and RNA-seq data for purple urchins", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200288", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GitHub", "science_program": null, "title": "Analyses combining ATAC-seq, RRBS, and RNA-seq data for purple urchins", "url": "https://github.com/snbogan/Sp_RRBS_ATAC"}], "date_created": "Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Part 1: Non-technical description: With support from the Office of Polar Programs, this project will evaluate how an important part of the food web in the coastal ocean of Antarctica will respond to climate change. The focal study organism in the plankton is a shelled mollusk, the Antarctic pteropod, Limacina helicina antarctica, an Southern Ocean organism that this known to respond to climate driven changes in ocean acidification and ocean warming. Ocean acidification, the lowering of ocean pH via the absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide in the surface of the ocean, is a change in the ocean that is expected to cross deleterious thresholds of pH within decades. This study will improve understanding of how pteropods will respond, which will provide insight into predicting the resilience of the Antarctic marine ecosystem during future changes, one of the planet\u2019s last marine wildernesses. The project will use tools of molecular biology to examine specifically how gene expression is modulated in the pteropods, and further, how the changes and regulation of genes act to resist the stress of low pH and high temperature. In addition, this project supports the training of Ph.D. graduate students and advances the goal of inclusive excellence in STEM and in marine sciences, in particular. The students involved in this project are from groups traditionally under-represented in marine science including first-generation college students. Overall, the project contributes to the development of the U.S. work force and contributes to diversity and inclusive excellence in the geosciences. Part 2: Technical description: The overarching goal of this project is to investigate the molecular response of the Antarctic thecosome pteropod, Limacina helicina antarctica to ocean acidification (OA) and ocean warming. The project will investigate changes in the epigenome of juvenile L. h. antarctica, by assessing the dynamics of DNA methylation in response to three scenarios of environmental conditions that were simulated in laboratory mesocosm CO2 experiments: (1) present-day pCO2 conditions for summer and winter, (2) future ocean acidification expected within 10-15 years, and (3) a multiple stressor experiment to investigate synergistic interaction of OA and high temperature stress. Recent lab-based mesocosm experiment research showed significant changes in the dynamics of global DNA methylation in the pteropod genome, along with variation in gene expression in response to abiotic changes. Thus, it is clear that juvenile L. h. antarctica are capable of mounting a substantial epigenetic response to ocean acidification. However, it is not known how DNA methylation, as an epigenetic process, is modulating changes in the transcriptome. In order to address this gap in the epigenetic knowledge regarding pteropods, the project will use next-generation sequencing approaches (e.g., RNA sequencing and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing) to integrate changes in methylation status with changes in gene expression in juvenile pteropods. Overall, this investigation is an important step in exploring environmental transcriptomics and phenotypic plasticity of an ecologically important member of Southern Ocean macrozoooplankton in response to anthropogenic climate change. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 167.0, "geometry": "POINT(165 -77.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; McMurdo Sound; Amd/Us; FIELD INVESTIGATION; USA/NSF; AMD; MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES", "locations": "McMurdo Sound", "north": -77.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Hofmann, Gretchen", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION", "repo": "GitHub", "repositories": "GitHub", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "The Role of the Epigenetic Mechanism, DNA Methylation, in the Tolerance and Resistance of Antarctic Pteropods to Ocean Acidification and Warming", "uid": "p0010313", "west": 163.0}, {"awards": "2138556 Halberstadt, Anna Ruth", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "5 million year transient Antarctic ice sheet model run with \"desensitized\" marine ice margin instabilities; 5 million year transient Antarctic ice sheet model run with \"sensitized\" marine ice margin instabilities", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601601", "doi": "10.15784/601601", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Ice Sheet Modeling; Marine Ice Margin Instability; Model Output", "people": "Halberstadt, Anna Ruth; Balco, Gregory; Buchband, Hannah", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "5 million year transient Antarctic ice sheet model run with \"desensitized\" marine ice margin instabilities", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601601"}, {"dataset_uid": "601602", "doi": "10.15784/601602", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Ice Sheet Modeling; Marine Ice Margin Instability; Model Output", "people": "Buchband, Hannah; Balco, Gregory; Halberstadt, Anna Ruth", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "5 million year transient Antarctic ice sheet model run with \"sensitized\" marine ice margin instabilities", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601602"}], "date_created": "Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Geologic data provide crucial insights into Antarctic Ice Sheet dynamics; for example, progressive exposure of mountain peaks emerging from the ice sheet reveal ice elevation changes, and the past \u2018footprint\u2019 of marine-based ice sheets is imprinted on the seafloor. Numerical ice sheet simulations can link these geologic records in space and time to make larger-scale inferences about continent-wide ice sheet evolution. This work integrates both marine and terrestrial geologic datasets with numerical simulations to investigate Antarctic Ice Sheet behavior (and contribution to global sea level) throughout the last deglaciation, ~20,000 years ago until present. Specifically, this research addresses two issues regarding the relationship between simulations and data and their use in reconstructing past ice-sheet behavior: (1) Geologic records from the modern seafloor suggest significantly earlier retreat of marine-based ice compared to terrestrial records of mountain peak exposure (ice thinning). Computer experiments investigate several hypotheses for this mismatch in timing. (2) Exposure age data (terrestrial measurements recording ice elevation changes) are often interpreted to reflect ice dynamics hundreds of kilometers away from the study site. This work uses simulations to explore the linkage between ice elevation changes \u2018upstream\u2019 as glaciers flow through mountainous regions and ice dynamics further \u2018downstream\u2019 where ice contacts the ocean. This work will produce a publicly available, customizable, and easily accessible toolkit for comparing simulations and data, including a database of geologic records to use as constraints. The project is interdisciplinary, bridging a communication gap between the ice-sheet simulations and geologic data-collecting communities. This project combines numerical simulations and geologic data to explore fundamental knowledge gaps regarding the interpretation and use of marine and terrestrial datasets. This work will produce an ensemble of continent-wide coupled ice sheet and glacial isostatic adjustment simulations, constrained with comprehensive existing geologic data, to reproduce a history of deglacial Antarctic Ice Sheet evolution that is compatible with the geologic record as well as glaciologically and gravitationally self-consistent. Comparison between simulations and data is improved through high-resolution nested ice sheet modeling techniques, which provide unprecedented context for exposure age data generally located in regions of complex topography. Numerical simulations will be performed with systematically varied parameters and boundary conditions, and can thus support an investigation of (1) chronological mismatches between terrestrial thinning and marine ice sheet retreat during the mid-Holocene, and (2) how marine grounding-line dynamics are propagated upstream to coastal outlet glaciers and further interior under a variety of different scenarios. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Antarctic Ice Sheet; GLACIERS/ICE SHEETS; USAP-DC; USA/NSF; MODELS; AMD; Amd/Us", "locations": "Antarctic Ice Sheet", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Post Doc/Travel", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Halberstadt, Anna Ruth", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e MODELS \u003e MODELS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "OPP-PRF: High-resolution Nested Antarctic Ice Sheet Modeling to Reconcile Marine and Terrestrial Geologic Data", "uid": "p0010278", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "1745015 Zimmerer, Matthew; 1744927 Mitrovica, Jerry; 1744949 Campbell, Seth", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-145 -74,-141.6 -74,-138.2 -74,-134.8 -74,-131.4 -74,-128 -74,-124.6 -74,-121.2 -74,-117.8 -74,-114.4 -74,-111 -74,-111 -74.6,-111 -75.2,-111 -75.8,-111 -76.4,-111 -77,-111 -77.6,-111 -78.2,-111 -78.8,-111 -79.4,-111 -80,-114.4 -80,-117.8 -80,-121.2 -80,-124.6 -80,-128 -80,-131.4 -80,-134.8 -80,-138.2 -80,-141.6 -80,-145 -80,-145 -79.4,-145 -78.8,-145 -78.2,-145 -77.6,-145 -77,-145 -76.4,-145 -75.8,-145 -75.2,-145 -74.6,-145 -74))", "dataset_titles": "Mt. Waesche ground-penetrating radar data 2018-2019", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601490", "doi": "10.15784/601490", "keywords": "Antarctica; GPR; Mt. Waesche", "people": "Braddock, Scott", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Mt. Waesche ground-penetrating radar data 2018-2019", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601490"}], "date_created": "Fri, 22 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This study will collect a novel dataset to determine how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) responded to a warmer climate during the last interglacial period (~125,000 years ago) by reconstructing the glacial history at the Mt. Waesche volcano. Reconstructing WAIS geometry when the ice sheet was smaller than present is difficult and data are lacking because the evidence lies beneath the present ice sheet. This study will drill through the ice sheet and recover bedrock that can be analyzed for its surface exposure history to help determine when the surface became overridden by the ice sheet. This study will provide constraints on the past maximum and minimum spatial extent of WAIS during the last glacial-interglacial cycle. Understanding the geometry of a reduced WAIS during intervals when the planet was warmer than present may provide a possible analogue for future environmental conditions given predicted temperature trends. A reduction of WAIS results in rising sea levels which threatens coastal communities across the globe. The data will help improve numerical ice sheet models to better predict WAIS response to current and future climate trends. The project supports a teacher educational workshop and the training of graduate and undergraduate students. The goal of this project is to obtain rock samples from beneath the WAIS through shallow (\u003c80 m) drilling at Mt. Waesche, a volcano in Marie Byrd Land, near an ice dome of WAIS (2000 m elevation). The lithologies of lava flows exposed on the flank of the volcano are well-suited for cosmogenic 3He and 36Cl as well as 40Ar/39Ar measurements which will establish eruption and exposure age. Existing 40Ar/39Ar data indicate basaltic lava flows on the volcano flank as young as 350 ka. Thus, measured cosmogenic nuclides measured in rock cores from beneath the ice surface will be indicative of relatively recent exposure during periods of reduced ice elevation, most likely, during the last interglacial. The first field season is focused on identifying appropriate locations for drilling and a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey of the subglacial topography \u003c100m under the blue ice area. Mapping and dating the adjacent exposed lava flows will allow tracing of lava flows of known age and composition below the ice margin that will be targeted for drilling the following year. The second field season activities include drilling 8 boreholes (two transects) through blue ice with the Winkie drill near the ice margin to 80 m depth to obtain rock cores from the sub-ice lava flows. 3He exposure ages will constrain the duration and minimum extent of past surface lowering of the WAIS in Marie Byrd Land. Deeper GPR imaging (up to 700 m) will hope to reveal additional evidence of lava/ice interactions that would independently place constraints on lower ice levels during past eruptions. Results from this study will be compared with the modeled ice elevation histories at Mt. Waesche to validate ice sheet modeling efforts. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -111.0, "geometry": "POINT(-128 -77)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "FIELD SURVEYS; Mt. Waesche; USA/NSF; SNOW/ICE; GLACIER THICKNESS/ICE SHEET THICKNESS; PALEOCLIMATE RECONSTRUCTIONS; LABORATORY; LAVA COMPOSITION/TEXTURE; Amd/Us; AMD; USAP-DC", "locations": "Mt. Waesche", "north": -74.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences; Antarctic Earth Sciences; Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Braddock, Scott; Campbell, Seth; Ackert, Robert; Zimmerer, Matthew; Mitrovica, Jerry", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS; OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -80.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Constraining West Antarctic Ice Sheet elevation during the last interglacial", "uid": "p0010272", "west": -145.0}, {"awards": "1327248 Kohut, Josh; 1324313 Winsor, Peter; 1326167 Fraser, William; 1331681 Bernard, Kim; 1326541 Oliver, Matthew", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-65 -62,-64.5 -62,-64 -62,-63.5 -62,-63 -62,-62.5 -62,-62 -62,-61.5 -62,-61 -62,-60.5 -62,-60 -62,-60 -62.3,-60 -62.6,-60 -62.9,-60 -63.2,-60 -63.5,-60 -63.8,-60 -64.1,-60 -64.4,-60 -64.7,-60 -65,-60.5 -65,-61 -65,-61.5 -65,-62 -65,-62.5 -65,-63 -65,-63.5 -65,-64 -65,-64.5 -65,-65 -65,-65 -64.7,-65 -64.4,-65 -64.1,-65 -63.8,-65 -63.5,-65 -63.2,-65 -62.9,-65 -62.6,-65 -62.3,-65 -62))", "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Expedition data of LMG1509", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "001378", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1509"}, {"dataset_uid": "002730", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG1509", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1509"}], "date_created": "Mon, 27 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The application of innovative ocean observing and animal telemetry technology over Palmer Deep (Western Antarctic Peninsula; WAP) is leading to new understanding, and also to many new questions related to polar ecosystem processes and their control by bio-physical interactions in the polar environment. This multi-platform field study will investigate the impact of coastal physical processes (e.g. tides, currents, upwelling events, sea-ice) on Ad\u00e9lie penguin foraging ecology in the vicinity of Palmer Deep, off Anvers Island, WAP. Guided by real-time surface convergence and divergences based on remotely sensed surface current maps derived from a coastal network of High Frequency Radars (HFRs), a multidisciplinary research team will adaptively sample the distribution of phytoplankton and zooplankton, which influence Ad\u00e9lie penguin foraging ecology, to understand how local oceanographic processes structure the ecosystem. Core educational objectives of this proposal are to increase awareness and understanding of (i) global climate change, (ii) the unique WAP ecosystem, (iii) innovative methods and technologies used by the researchers, and (iv) careers in ocean sciences, through interactive interviews with scientists, students, and technicians, during the field work. These activities will be directed towards instructional programming for K-16 students and their teachers. Researchers and educators will conduct formative and summative evaluation to improve the educational program and measure its impacts respectively.", "east": -60.0, "geometry": "POINT(-62.5 -63.5)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CHEMICAL METERS/ANALYZERS \u003e FLUOROMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e RECORDERS/LOGGERS \u003e AWS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ECHO SOUNDERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e THERMOSALINOGRAPHS", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "R/V LMG; Palmer Station; PELAGIC; USA/NSF; Amd/Us; USAP-DC; AMD; LMG1509", "locations": "Palmer Station", "north": -62.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Bernard, Kim; Kohut, Josh; Oliver, Matthew; Fraser, William; Winsor, Peter", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Impacts of Local Oceanographic Processes on Adelie Penguin Foraging Ecology Over Palmer Deep", "uid": "p0010268", "west": -65.0}, {"awards": "2046240 Khan, Alia", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-75 -62,-73.5 -62,-72 -62,-70.5 -62,-69 -62,-67.5 -62,-66 -62,-64.5 -62,-63 -62,-61.5 -62,-60 -62,-60 -62.85,-60 -63.7,-60 -64.55,-60 -65.4,-60 -66.25,-60 -67.1,-60 -67.95,-60 -68.8,-60 -69.65,-60 -70.5,-61.5 -70.5,-63 -70.5,-64.5 -70.5,-66 -70.5,-67.5 -70.5,-69 -70.5,-70.5 -70.5,-72 -70.5,-73.5 -70.5,-75 -70.5,-75 -69.65,-75 -68.8,-75 -67.95,-75 -67.1,-75 -66.25,-75 -65.4,-75 -64.55,-75 -63.7,-75 -62.85,-75 -62))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Fri, 10 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "________________________________________________________________________________________________ Part I: Non-technical Summary The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the most rapidly warming regions on the planet. This 5-yr time-series program will build on an ongoing international collaboration with scientists from the Chilean Antarctic Program to evaluate the role of temperature, light absorbing particles, snow-algae growth, and their radiative forcing effects on snow and ice melt in the Western Antarctic Peninsula. There is strong evidence that these effects may be intensifying due to a warming climate. Rising temperatures can increase the growth rate of coastal snow algae as well as enhance the input of particles from sources such as the long-range transport of black carbon to the Antarctic continent from intensifying Southern Hemisphere wildfire seasons. Particle and algae feedbacks can have immediate local impacts on snow melt and long-term regional impacts on climate because reduced snow cover alters how the Antarctic continent interacts with the rest of the global climate. A variety of ground-based and remote sensing data collected across multiple spatial scales will be used. Ground measurements will be compared to satellite imagery to develop novel computer algorithms to map ice algal bloom effects under changing climates. The project is expected to fundamentally advance knowledge of the spatial and temporal snow algae growing season, which is needed to quantify impacts on regional snow and ice melt. The program also has a strong partnership with the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators to involve cruise passengers as citizen scientists for sample collection. Antarctic research results will be integrated into undergraduate curricula and research opportunities through studies to LAPs and snow algae in the Pacific Northwest. The PI will recruit and train a diverse pool of students in cryosphere climate related research methods on Mt. Baker in Western Washington. Trained undergraduate will then serve as instructors for a local Snow School that takes middle school students to Mt. Baker to learn about snow science. Resulting datasets from Antarctica and Mt. Baker will be used in University classes to explore regional effects of climate change. Along with enhancing cryosphere-oriented place-based undergraduate field courses in the Pacific Northwest, the PI will recruit and train a diverse pool of undergraduate students to serve as instructors for the Mt. Baker Snow School program. This award will advance our understanding of cryosphere-climate feedbacks, which are likely changing and will continue to evolve in a warming world, while also increasing under-represented student engagement in the polar geosciences. Part 2: Technical Summary Rapid and persistent climate warming in the Western Antarctic Peninsula is likely resulting in intensified snow-algae growth and an extended bloom season in coastal areas. Similarly, deposition of light absorbing particles (LAPs) onto Antarctica cryosphere surfaces, such as black carbon from intensifying Southern Hemisphere wildfire seasons, and dust from the expansion of ice-free regions in the Antarctic Peninsula, may be increasing. The presence of snow algae blooms and LAPs enhance the absorption of solar radiation by snow and ice surfaces. This positive feedback creates a measurable radiative forcing, which can have immediate local and long-term regional impacts on albedo, snow melt and downstream ecosystems. This project will investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of snow algae, black carbon and dust across the Western Antarctica Peninsula region, their response to climate warming, and their role in regional snow and ice melt. Data will be collected across multiple spatial scales from in situ field measurements and sample collection to imagery from ground-based photos and high resolution multi-spectral satellite sensors. Ground measurements will inform development and application of novel algorithms to map algal bloom extent through time using 0.5-3m spatial resolution multi-spectral satellite imagery. Results will be used to improve snow algae parameterization in a new version of the Snow Ice Aerosol Radiation model (SNICARv3) that includes bio-albedo feedbacks, eventually informing models of ice-free area expansion through incorporation of SNICARv3 in the Community Earth System Model. Citizen scientists will be mentored and engaged in the research through an active partnership with the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators that frequently visits the region. The cruise ship association will facilitate sampling to develop a unique snow algae observing network to validate remote sensing algorithms that map snow algae with high-resolution multi-spectral satellite imagery from space. These time-series will inform instantaneous and interannual radiative forcing calculations to assess impacts of snow algae and LAPs on regional snow melt. Quantifying the spatio-temporal growing season of snow algae and impacts from black carbon and dust will increase our ability to model their impact on snow melt, regional climate warming and ice-free expansion in the Antarctic Peninsula region. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -60.0, "geometry": "POINT(-67.5 -66.25)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "FIELD SURVEYS; Antarctic Peninsula; Amd/Us; AMD; SNOW/ICE CHEMISTRY; USA/NSF; USAP-DC; SNOW", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula", "north": -62.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Khan, Alia", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -70.5, "title": "CAREER: Coastal Antarctic Snow Algae and Light Absorbing Particles: Snowmelt, Climate and Ecosystem Impacts", "uid": "p0010263", "west": -75.0}, {"awards": "2114839 Passchier, Sandra", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Argon thermochronological data on Pliocene ice-rafted detrital mineral grains from IODP Expedition 379 in the Amundsen Sea sector; Grain-size data for the Pliocene section at IODP Site U1533, Amundsen Sea", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601900", "doi": "10.15784/601900", "keywords": "Amundsen Sea Sector; Antarctica; Cryosphere; Glaciation; Grain Size; Pliocene; Sediment Core Data; Sedimentology", "people": "Mino-Moreira, Lisbeth; Passchier, Sandra", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Grain-size data for the Pliocene section at IODP Site U1533, Amundsen Sea", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601900"}, {"dataset_uid": "601907", "doi": "10.15784/601907", "keywords": "40Ar/39Ar; Amundsen Sea; Amundsen Sea Sector; Antarctica; Cryosphere; Ice-Rafted Detritus; IODP; Paleoclimate; Pliocene; Provenance; Sedimentology", "people": "Hemming, Sidney R.; Passchier, Sandra", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Argon thermochronological data on Pliocene ice-rafted detrital mineral grains from IODP Expedition 379 in the Amundsen Sea sector", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601907"}], "date_created": "Wed, 25 Aug 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is the most vulnerable polar ice mass to warming and already a major contributor to global mean sea level rise. Its fate in the light of prolonged warming is a topic of major uncertainty. Accelerated sea level rise from ice mass loss in the polar regions is a major concern as a cause of increased coastal flooding affecting millions of people. This project will disclose a unique geological archive buried beneath the seafloor off the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica, which will reveal how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet behaved in a warmer climate in the past. The data and insights can be used to inform ice-sheet and ocean modeling used in coastal policy development. The project will also support the development of a competitive U.S. STEM workforce. Online class exercises for introductory geology classes will provide a gateway for qualified students into undergraduate research programs and this project will enhance the participation of women in science by funding the education of current female Ph.D. students. The project targets the long-term variability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet over several glacial-interglacial cycles in the early Pliocene sedimentary record drilled by the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 379 in the Amundsen Sea. Data collection includes 1) the sand provenance of ice-rafted debris and shelf diamictites and its sources within the Amundsen Sea and Antarctic Peninsula region; 2) sedimentary structures and sortable silt calculations from particle size records and reconstructions of current intensities and interactions; and 3) the bulk provenance of continental rise sediments compared to existing data from the Amundsen Sea shelf with investigations into downslope currents as pathways for Antarctic Bottom Water formation. The results are analyzed within a cyclostratigraphic framework of reflectance spectroscopy and colorimetry (RSC) and X-ray fluorescence scanner (XRF) data to gain insight into orbital forcing of the high-latitude processes. The early Pliocene Climatic Optimum (PCO) ~4.5-4.1 Ma spans a major warm period recognized in deep-sea stable isotope and sea-surface temperature records. This period also coincides with a global mean sea level highstand of \u003e 20 m requiring contributions in ice mass loss from Antarctica. The following hypotheses will be tested: 1) that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreated from the continental shelf break through an increase in sub iceshelf melt and iceberg calving at the onset of the PCO ~4.5 Ma, and 2) that dense shelf water cascaded down through slope channels after ~4.5 Ma as the continental shelf became exposed during glacial terminations. The project will reveal for the first time how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet operated in a warmer climate state prior to the onset of the current \u201cicehouse\u201d period ~3.3 Ma. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USA/NSF; TERRIGENOUS SEDIMENTS; Amd/Us; SEDIMENTS; FIELD SURVEYS; Amundsen Sea; USAP-DC; AMD", "locations": "Amundsen Sea", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Passchier, Sandra", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "West Antarctic Ice-sheet Change and Paleoceanography in the Amundsen Sea Across the Pliocene Climatic Optimum", "uid": "p0010252", "west": null}, {"awards": "1941304 Sherrell, Robert; 1941308 Fitzsimmons, Jessica; 1941483 Yager, Patricia; 1941327 Stammerjohn, Sharon; 1941292 St-Laurent, Pierre", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-120 -71,-118 -71,-116 -71,-114 -71,-112 -71,-110 -71,-108 -71,-106 -71,-104 -71,-102 -71,-100 -71,-100 -71.4,-100 -71.8,-100 -72.2,-100 -72.6,-100 -73,-100 -73.4,-100 -73.8,-100 -74.2,-100 -74.6,-100 -75,-102 -75,-104 -75,-106 -75,-108 -75,-110 -75,-112 -75,-114 -75,-116 -75,-118 -75,-120 -75,-120 -74.6,-120 -74.2,-120 -73.8,-120 -73.4,-120 -73,-120 -72.6,-120 -72.2,-120 -71.8,-120 -71.4,-120 -71))", "dataset_titles": "Dataset: A numerical simulation of the ocean, sea ice and ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea (Antarctica) over the period 2006-2022 and its associated code and input files; Expedition Data of NBP2202; Numerical experiments examining the response of onshore oceanic heat supply to yearly changes in the Amundsen Sea icescape (Antarctica); Vertical ocean profiles collected by a Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) package in the Amundsen Sea", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601785", "doi": "10.15784/601785", "keywords": "Amundsen Sea; Antarctica; Cryosphere; CTD; NBP2202; Oceanography; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer", "people": "Stammerjohn, Sharon", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "Thwaites (ITGC)", "title": "Vertical ocean profiles collected by a Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) package in the Amundsen Sea", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601785"}, {"dataset_uid": "200399", "doi": "10.25773/bt54-sj65", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "William \u0026 Mary ScholarWorks", "science_program": null, "title": "Dataset: A numerical simulation of the ocean, sea ice and ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea (Antarctica) over the period 2006-2022 and its associated code and input files", "url": "https://doi.org/10.25773/bt54-sj65"}, {"dataset_uid": "200400", "doi": "10.17882/99231", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "SEANOE", "science_program": null, "title": "Numerical experiments examining the response of onshore oceanic heat supply to yearly changes in the Amundsen Sea icescape (Antarctica)", "url": "https://doi.org/10.17882/99231"}, {"dataset_uid": "200311", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of NBP2202", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP2202"}], "date_created": "Fri, 20 Aug 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Part I: Non-technical summary: The Amundsen Sea is adjacent to the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) and hosts the most productive coastal ecosystem in all of Antarctica, with vibrant green waters visible from space and an atmospheric carbon dioxide uptake rate ten times higher than the Southern Ocean average. The region is also an area highly impacted by climate change and glacier ice loss. Upwelling of warm deep water is causing melt under the ice sheet, which is contributing to sea level rise and added nutrient inputs to the region. This is a project that is jointly funded by the National Science Foundation\u2019s Directorate of Geosciences (NSF/GEO) and the National Environment Research Council (NERC) of the United Kingdom (UK) via the NSF/GEO-NERC Lead Agency Agreement. This Agreement allows a single joint US/UK proposal to be submitted and peer-reviewed by the Agency whose investigator has the largest proportion of the budget. Upon successful joint determination of an award, each Agency funds the proportion of the budget and the investigators associated with its own country. In this collaboration, the US team will undertake biogeochemical sampling alongside a UK-funded physical oceanographic program to evaluate the contribution of micronutrients such as iron from glacial meltwater to ecosystem productivity and carbon cycling. Measurements will be incorporated into computer simulations to examine ecosystem responses to further glacial melting. Results will help predict future impacts on the region and determine whether the climate sensitivity of the Amundsen Sea ecosystem represents the front line of processes generalizable to the greater Antarctic. This study is aligned with the large International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC) and will make data available to the full scientific community. The program will provide training for undergraduate, graduate, post-doctoral, and early-career scientists in both science and communication. The team will also develop out-of-school science experiences for middle and high schoolers related to climate change and Antarctica. Part II: Technical summary: The Amundsen Sea hosts the most productive polynya in all of Antarctica, with atmospheric carbon dioxide uptake rates ten times higher than the Southern Ocean average. The region is vulnerable to climate change, experiencing rapid losses in sea ice, a changing icescape and some of the fastest melting glaciers flowing from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, a process being studied by the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration. The biogeochemical composition of the outflow from the glaciers surrounding the Amundsen Sea is largely unstudied. In collaboration with a UK-funded physical oceanographic program, ARTEMIS is using shipboard sampling for trace metals, carbonate system, nutrients, organic matter, and microorganisms, with biogeochemical sensors on autonomous vehicles to gather data needed to understand the impact of the melting ice sheet on both the coastal ecosystem and the regional carbon cycle. These measurements, along with access to the advanced physical oceanographic measurements will allow this team to 1) bridge the gap between biogeochemistry and physics by adding estimates of fluxes and transport of limiting micronutrients; 2) provide biogeochemical context to broaden understanding of the global significance of ocean-ice shelf interactions; 3) determine processes and scales of variability in micronutrient supply that drive the ten-fold increase in carbon dioxide uptake, and 4) identify small-scale processes key to iron and carbon cycling using optimized field sampling. Observations will be integrated into an ocean model to enhance predictive capabilities of regional ocean function. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -100.0, "geometry": "POINT(-110 -73)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES; USA/NSF; USAP-DC; AMD; Amundsen Sea; Amd/Us; SHIPS", "locations": "Amundsen Sea", "north": -71.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Yager, Patricia; Medeiros, Patricia; Sherrell, Robert; St-Laurent, Pierre; Fitzsimmons, Jessica; Stammerjohn, Sharon", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e SHIPS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "R2R; SEANOE; USAP-DC; William \u0026 Mary ScholarWorks", "science_programs": "Thwaites (ITGC)", "south": -75.0, "title": "NSFGEO-NERC: Collaborative Research: Accelerating Thwaites Ecosystem Impacts for the Southern Ocean (ARTEMIS)", "uid": "p0010249", "west": -120.0}, {"awards": "1954241 O\u0027\u0027Brien, Kristin", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Tue, 17 Aug 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Part 1: Non-technical description: Global climate warming is increasing the frequency and severity of low oxygen events in marine and freshwater environments worldwide, and these events threaten the health of aquatic ecosystems and the viability of fish populations. The Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica has historically been a stable, icy-cold, and oxygen-rich environment, but is now warming at an unprecedented rate and faster than all other regions in the Southern hemisphere. Antarctic fishes have evolved in sub-zero temperatures that have been stable over long periods of time with traits allowing them to thrive in frigid waters, but with diminished resilience to warming temperatures. Presently little is known about the ability of Antarctic fishes to withstand hypoxic, or low-oxygen, conditions that often accompany warming. This research will investigate the hypoxia tolerance of four species of Antarctic fishes, including two species of icefishes that lack the oxygen-carrying protein, hemoglobin, which may compromise their ability to oxygenate tissues under hypoxic conditions. The hypoxia tolerance of four Antarctic fish species will be compared to that of a related fish species inhabiting warmer coastal regions of South America. Physiological and biochemical responses to hypoxia will be evaluated and compared amongst the five species to bolster our predictions of the capacity of Antarctic fishes to cope with a changing environment. This research will provide training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, and a postdoctoral research fellow. A year-long seminar series hosted by the Aquarium of the Pacific will feature female scientists who work in Antarctica to inspire youth in the greater Los Angeles area to pursue careers in science. Part 2: Technical description: The overarching hypothesis to be tested in this project is that the long evolution of Antarctic notothenioid fishes in a cold, oxygen-rich environment has reduced their capacity to mount a robust physiological, biochemical, and molecular response to hypoxia compared to related, cold-temperate fish species. Hypoxia tolerance will be compared among the red-blooded Antarctic notothenioids, Notothenia coriiceps and Notothenia rossii; the hemoglobinless Antarctic icefishes, Chaenocephalus aceratus and Chionodraco rastrospinosus; and the basal, cold-temperate notothenioid, Eleginops maclovinus, a species that has never inhabited waters south of the Polar Front. The minimum level of oxygen required to sustain maintenance metabolic requirements (O2crit) will be quantified. Animals will then be exposed to 65% of O2crit for 48 hours, and responses to hypoxia will be evaluated by measuring hematocrit and hemoglobin levels, as well as metabolites in brain, liver, glycolytic and cardiac muscles. Maximal activities of key enzymes of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism will be quantified to assess capacities for synthesizing ATP in hypoxic conditions. Gill remodeling will be analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy. The molecular response to hypoxia will be characterized in liver and brains by quantifying levels of the master transcriptional regulator of oxygen homeostasis, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), and hypoxic gene expression will be quantified using RNA-Seq. Cell cultures will be used to determine if a previously identified insertion mutation in notothenioid HIF-1 affects the ability of HIF-1 to drive gene expression and thus, hypoxia tolerance. The results of this project will provide the most comprehensive assessment of the hypoxia tolerance of Antarctic fishes to date. Broader impacts include research training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and a postdoctoral research associate, with a focus on involving Native Alaskan students in research. In partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific, a year-long public seminar series will be held, showcasing the research and careers of 9 women who conduct research in Antarctica. The goal of the series is to cultivate and empower a community of middle and high school students in the greater Los Angeles area to pursue their interests in science and related fields, and to enhance the public engagement capacities of research scientists so that they may better inspire youth and early career scientists in STEM fields. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Palmer Station; FIELD SURVEYS; USAP-DC; AMD; USA/NSF; Amd/Us; FISH", "locations": "Palmer Station", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "O\u0027Brien, Kristin", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "ANT LIA: Hypoxia Tolerance in Notothenioid Fishes", "uid": "p0010246", "west": null}, {"awards": "1644171 Blackburn, Terrence", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((162 -77.5,162.2 -77.5,162.4 -77.5,162.6 -77.5,162.8 -77.5,163 -77.5,163.2 -77.5,163.4 -77.5,163.6 -77.5,163.8 -77.5,164 -77.5,164 -77.525,164 -77.55,164 -77.575,164 -77.6,164 -77.625,164 -77.65,164 -77.675,164 -77.7,164 -77.725,164 -77.75,163.8 -77.75,163.6 -77.75,163.4 -77.75,163.2 -77.75,163 -77.75,162.8 -77.75,162.6 -77.75,162.4 -77.75,162.2 -77.75,162 -77.75,162 -77.725,162 -77.7,162 -77.675,162 -77.65,162 -77.625,162 -77.6,162 -77.575,162 -77.55,162 -77.525,162 -77.5))", "dataset_titles": "Isotopic ratios for subglacial precipitates from East Antarctica; U-Th isotopes and major elements in sediments from Taylor Valley, Antarctica", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601806", "doi": "10.15784/601806", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; Erosion; Isotope Data; Major Elements; Soil; Taylor Glacier; Taylor Valley", "people": "Tulaczyk, Slawek; Edwards, Graham; Piccione, Gavin; Blackburn, Terrence", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "U-Th isotopes and major elements in sediments from Taylor Valley, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601806"}, {"dataset_uid": "200240", "doi": "10.26022/IEDA/111548 ", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "EarthChem", "science_program": null, "title": "Isotopic ratios for subglacial precipitates from East Antarctica", "url": "https://doi.org/10.26022/IEDA/111548"}], "date_created": "Fri, 13 Aug 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "A\u00a0nontechnical\u00a0description of the project The primary scientific goal of the project is to test whether Taylor Valley, Antarctica has been eroded significantly by glaciers in the last ~2 million years (Ma). Taylor Valley is one of the Dry Valleys of the Transantarctic Mountains, which are characterized by low mean annual temperatures, low precipitation, and limited erosion. These conditions have allowed fragile glacial landforms to be preserved for up to 15 Ma. Sediment eroded and deposited by glaciers is found on the valley walls and floors, with progressively younger deposits preserved at lower elevations. Scientists can date glacial deposits to understand the process and timing of past glacial erosion. Previous work in the Dry Valleys region suggested that extremely cold glaciers like Taylor Glacier, a major outlet glacier entering the valleys, were not erosive during the last several million years. This research will test a new hypothesis that glacial erosion and sediment production beneath Taylor Glacier have been active in the last few million years. This hypothesis will be tested using a new isotopic dating method called \"comminution dating\u0027 which determines when fine-grained sediment particles called silt were formed. If the sediment age is young, then the results will suggest that glacial processes have been more dynamic than previously thought. Overall, this study will increase our understanding of the nature and extent of past glaciations in Antarctica. Because the silt produced by erosion sediment is a nutrient for local ecosystems, the results will also shed light on delivery of nutrients to soils, streams, and coastal zones in high polar regions. This project will be led by an early career scientist and includes training of a Ph.D. student. A\u00a0technical description of the project There is a long-standing scientific controversy about the stability of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet with much evidence centered in the Dry Valleys region of South Victoria Land. A prevailing view of geomorphologists is that the landscape has been very stable and that the effects of glaciation have been minimal for the past ~15 Ma. This project will distinguish between two end-member scenarios of glacial erosion and deposition by Taylor Glacier, an outlet glacier of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet that terminates in Taylor Valley in the Dry Valleys region of Antarctica. In the first scenario, all valley relief is generated prior to 15 Ma when non-polar climates enabled warm-based glaciers to incise and widen ancient river channels. In this case, younger glacial deposits record advances of cold-based glaciers of decreasing ice volume and limited glacial erosion, and sediment generation resulted in glacial deposits composed primarily of older recycled sediments. In the second scenario, selective erosion of the valley floor has continued to deepen Taylor Valley but has not affected the adjacent peaks over the last 2 Ma. In this scenario, the \"bathtub rings\" of Quaternary glacial deposits situated at progressively lower elevations through time could be due to the lowering of the valley floor by subglacial erosion and with it, production of new sediment which is now incorporated into these deposits. While either scenario would result in the present-day topography, they differ in the implied evolution of regional glacial ice volume over time and the timing of both valley relief production and generation of fine-grained particles. The two scenarios will be tested by placing time constraints on fine particle production using U-series comminution dating. This new geochronologic tool exploits the loss of 234U due to alpha-recoil. The deficiency in 234U only becomes detectable in fine-grained particles with a sufficiently high surface-area-to-volume ratio which can incur appreciable 234U loss. The timing of comminution and particle size controls the magnitude of 234U loss. While this geochronologic tool is in its infancy, the scientific goal of this proposal can be achieved by resolving between ancient and recently comminuted fine particles, a binary question that the preliminary modeling and measured data show is readily resolved.", "east": 164.0, "geometry": "POINT(163 -77.625)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ICE SHEETS; Taylor Valley", "locations": "Taylor Valley", "north": -77.5, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Blackburn, Terrence; Tulaczyk, Slawek", "platforms": null, "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "EarthChem; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.75, "title": "U-Series Comminution Age Constraints on Taylor Valley Erosion", "uid": "p0010243", "west": 162.0}, {"awards": "1744871 Robinson, Rebecca", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "Diatom assemblage from IODP Site U1357; Diatom-bound and bulk sedimentary N isotopes from ODP Site 1098, Western Antarctic Peninsula; Diatom-bound and bulk sedimentary nitrogen isotopes from IODP Site U1357; Dissolved nutrients, cell counts, and nitrogen isotope measurements from Chaetoceros socialis culture experiments; ODP Site 1098 deglacial diatom assemblage; Sediment chemistry of ODP Site 1098", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601816", "doi": "10.15784/601816", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Cryosphere; Geochemistry; Sediment", "people": "Robinson, Rebecca; Kelly, Roger; Jones, Colin; Dove, Isabel", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Diatom-bound and bulk sedimentary N isotopes from ODP Site 1098, Western Antarctic Peninsula", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601816"}, {"dataset_uid": "601818", "doi": "10.15784/601818", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; Geochemistry; Sediment; Wilkes Land", "people": "Dove, Isabel", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Diatom assemblage from IODP Site U1357", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601818"}, {"dataset_uid": "601727", "doi": "10.15784/601727", "keywords": "Antarctica", "people": "Dove, Isabel", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Dissolved nutrients, cell counts, and nitrogen isotope measurements from Chaetoceros socialis culture experiments", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601727"}, {"dataset_uid": "601777", "doi": "10.15784/601777", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Cryosphere; Sediment Core Data", "people": "Dove, Isabel", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "ODP Site 1098 deglacial diatom assemblage", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601777"}, {"dataset_uid": "601778", "doi": "10.15784/601778", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Cryosphere", "people": "Dove, Isabel", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Sediment chemistry of ODP Site 1098", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601778"}, {"dataset_uid": "601817", "doi": "10.15784/601817", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; Wilkes Land", "people": "Kelly, Roger; Dove, Isabel; Robinson, Rebecca", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Diatom-bound and bulk sedimentary nitrogen isotopes from IODP Site U1357", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601817"}], "date_created": "Wed, 28 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The chemical composition of diatom fossils in the Southern Ocean provides information about the environmental history of Antarctica, including sea ice extent, biological production, and ocean nutrient distribution. The sea ice zone is an important habitat for a group of diatoms, largely from the genus Chaetoceros, that have a unique life cycle stage under environmental stress, when they produce a structure called a resting spore. Resting spores are meant to reseed the surface ocean when conditions are more favorable. The production of these heavy resting spores tends to remove significant amounts of carbon and silicon, essential nutrients, out of the surface ocean. As a result, this group has the potential to remove carbon from the surface ocean and can impact the sedimentary record scientists use to reconstruct environmental change. This project explores the role of resting spores in the sedimentary record using the nitrogen isotopic signature of these fossils and how those measurements are used to estimate carbon cycle changes. The work will include laboratory incubations of these organisms to answer if and how the chemistry of the resting spores differs from that of a typical diatom cell. The incubation results will be used to evaluate nutrient drawdown in sea ice environments during two contrasting intervals in earth history, the last ice age and the warm Pliocene. This work should have significant impact on how the scientific community considers the impact of seasonal sea ice cover in the Southern Ocean in terms of how it responds to and regulates global climate. The project provides training and research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Ongoing research efforts in Antarctic earth sciences will be disseminated through an interactive display at the home institution. The work proposed here will address uncertainties in how Chaetoceros resting spores record surface nutrient conditions in their nitrogen stable isotopic composition, the relative impact of their specific signal with respect to the full sedimentary assemblage, and their potential to bias or enhance environmental reconstructions in the sea ice zone. Measurements of nitrogen stable isotopes of nitrate, biomass, and diatom-bound nitrogen and silicon-to-nitrogen ratios of individual species grown in the laboratory will be used to quantify how resting spores record nutrient drawdown in the water column and to what degree their signature is biased toward low nutrient conditions. These relationships will be used to inform diatom-bound nitrogen isotope reconstructions of nutrient drawdown from a Pliocene coastal polyna and an open ocean core that spans the last glacial maximum. This proposal capitalizes on the availability of Southern Ocean isolates of Chaetoceros spp. collected in 2017 for the proposed culture work and archived sediment cores and/or existing data. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Amd/Us; USAP-DC; Antarctica; ISOTOPES; MARINE SEDIMENTS; LABORATORY; USA/NSF; NITROGEN; AMD", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Robinson, Rebecca", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "The nitrogen isotopic composition of diatom resting spores in Southern Ocean sediments: A source of bias and/or paleoenvironmental information?", "uid": "p0010234", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "2031442 Learman, Deric", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-167.5 -60,-155 -60,-142.5 -60,-130 -60,-117.5 -60,-105 -60,-92.5 -60,-80 -60,-67.5 -60,-55 -60,-55 -62,-55 -64,-55 -66,-55 -68,-55 -70,-55 -72,-55 -74,-55 -76,-55 -78,-55 -80,-67.5 -80,-80 -80,-92.5 -80,-105 -80,-117.5 -80,-130 -80,-142.5 -80,-155 -80,-167.5 -80,180 -80,178 -80,176 -80,174 -80,172 -80,170 -80,168 -80,166 -80,164 -80,162 -80,160 -80,160 -78,160 -76,160 -74,160 -72,160 -70,160 -68,160 -66,160 -64,160 -62,160 -60,162 -60,164 -60,166 -60,168 -60,170 -60,172 -60,174 -60,176 -60,178 -60,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "Physical and geochemical data from shelf sediments near the Antartic Pennisula", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601607", "doi": "10.15784/601607", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Grain Size; Grain Size Analysis; Marine Geoscience; Marine Sediments; Organic Matter Geochemistry; Sediment Core Data; Shelf Sediments; Weddell Sea", "people": "Learman, Deric", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Physical and geochemical data from shelf sediments near the Antartic Pennisula", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601607"}], "date_created": "Wed, 28 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Western Antarctica is one of the fastest warming locations on Earth. Its changing climate will lead to an increase in sea-level and will also alter regional water temperature and chemistry. These changes will directly alter the microbes that inhabit the ecosystem. Microbes are the smallest forms of life on Earth, but they are also the most abundant. They drive cycling of essential nutrients, such as carbon and nitrogen that are found in ocean sediments. In this way they form the foundation of the food chain that supports larger and more complex life. However, we do not know much about how different communities of microbes break down sediments in Antarctica and this will influence the chemistry of those waters. This research will determine how communities of microbes on the coastal shelf of Antarctica degrade complex organic sediments using genetic and chemical data. This data will identify the species in the community, what enzymes they are producing and what chemical reactions they are driving. This research will create broader impacts as the data will be used to create in-class activities that improve a student\u2019s data analysis and critical thinking skills. The data will be used in graduate, undergraduate and K-12 classrooms. This research will provide genetic and enzymatic insight into how microbial communities in benthic sediments on the coastal shelf of Antarctica degrade complex organic matter. The current understanding of how benthic microbial communities respond to and then degrade complex organic matter in Antarctica is fragmented. Recent work suggests benthic microbial communities are shaped by organic matter availability. However, those studies were observational and did not directly examine community function. A preliminary study of metagenomic data from western Antarctic marine sediments, indicates a genetic potential for organic matter degradation but functional data was not been collected. Other studies have examined either enzyme activity or metagenomic potential, but few have been able to directly connect the two. To address this gap in knowledge, this study will utilize metagenomics and metatranscriptomics, coupled with microcosm experiments, enzyme assays, and geochemical data. It will examine Antarctic microbial communities from the Ross Sea, the Bransfield Strait and Weddell Sea to document how the relationship between a communities\u2019 enzymatic activity and the genes used to degrade complex organic matter is related to sediment breakdown. The data will expand our current knowledge of microbial genetic potential and provide a solid understanding of enzyme function as it relates to degradation of complex organic matter in those marine sediments. It will thereby improve our understanding of temperature change on the chemistry of Antarctic seawater. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": 160.0, "geometry": "POINT(-127.5 -70)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS; USAP-DC; Antarctic Peninsula; BENTHIC; SHIPS; SEDIMENT CHEMISTRY; Amd/Us; AMD; USA/NSF; Weddell Sea", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula; Weddell Sea", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Learman, Deric", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e SHIPS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -80.0, "title": "RAPID: Meta-genomic and Transcriptomic Investigation of Complex Organic Matter Degradation in Antarctic Benthic Sediments", "uid": "p0010235", "west": -55.0}, {"awards": "1947882 Robel, Alexander", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Thu, 01 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Uncertainty in projections of future sea level rise comes, in part, from ice-sheet melting under the influence of unpredictable variations in ocean and atmospheric temperature near ice sheets. Using state-of-the-art modeling techniques, the Antarctic Ice Sheet Large Ensemble (AISLENS) Project will estimate the range of possible Antarctic Ice Sheet melt during the recent past and over the next several centuries that could result from such climate variations. The AISLENS Project will also facilitate research by providing modeling output as an open product to the broader climate and glaciology communities. The project will support an early career faculty member, and interdisciplinary training for a graduate student, postdoctoral fellow and undergraduate student. As a part of this project, an undergraduate course on \"Sea Level Rise and Coastal Engineering\" will be also developed, bringing together Earth Science and Civil Engineering students in an interdisciplinary setting and contributing to their education in sea level science and coastal adaptation. This will be done in the geographic context of the Southeastern US, the region of most concentrated vulnerability to sea-level rise in the US. The primary goal of the proposed research is to understand and quantify the role of internal climate variability in driving ice loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet over the recent past and into the future. The AISLENS Project will encompass hundreds of simulations of Antarctic ice sheet evolution from 1950 to 2300 forced by realistic variations in climate, including snowfall and melt from fluctuating oceanic and atmospheric temperatures. Plausible realizations of Antarctic climate forcing will be generated from stochastic emulation of output from the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) under past and future emissions scenarios. These realizations of variable climate will be used to force the MPAS Albany Land Ice (MALI) model, a state-of-the-art model of ice flow in the Antarctic Ice Sheet. In this project, AISLENS will be used to conduct uncertainty and attribution analyses. In the uncertainty analysis, the evolution of ensemble spread in simulations of the future evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet will be systematically decomposed to determine which temporal and spatial scales of climate variability contribute the most to future ice-sheet projection uncertainty. In the attribution analysis, a range of satellite-based observations of recent Antarctic ice loss will be compared to the envelope of internal variability of Antarctic ice loss simulated in AISLENS simulations encompassing the recent past. This analysis will provide context to recent observations indicating significant variability of Antarctic climate forcing and provide a possible path forward for conducting robust statistical inference studies for observed ice-sheet changes. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ICE SHEETS; Antarctica; Antarctic Ice Sheet; AMD; USAP-DC; USA/NSF; MODELS; Amd/Us", "locations": "Antarctic Ice Sheet; Antarctica", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology; Antarctic Integrated System Science", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Robel, Alexander", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e MODELS \u003e MODELS", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "The Antarctic Ice Sheet Large Ensemble (AISLENS) Project: Assessing the Role of Climate Variability in Past and Future Ice Sheet Mass Loss", "uid": "p0010223", "west": null}, {"awards": "1933764 Enderlin, Ellyn; 1643455 Enderlin, Ellyn", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "Crane Glacier centerline observations and modeling results ; Remotely-sensed iceberg geometries and meltwater fluxes", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601617", "doi": "10.15784/601617", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Crane Glacier; Glacier Dynamics; Glacier Mass Discharge; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Modeling; Model Output", "people": "Enderlin, Ellyn; Aberle, Rainey; Marshall, Hans-Peter; Kopera, Michal; Meehan, Tate", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Crane Glacier centerline observations and modeling results ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601617"}, {"dataset_uid": "601679", "doi": "10.15784/601679", "keywords": "Antarctica; Elevation; Glaciology; Iceberg; Meltwater; Submarine Melt", "people": "Enderlin, Ellyn; Aberle, Rainey; Oliver, Caitlin; Dryak, Mariama; Miller, Emily; Dickson, Adam", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Remotely-sensed iceberg geometries and meltwater fluxes", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601679"}], "date_created": "Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Enderlin/1643455 This award supports a project that will use a novel remote sensing method, which was initially developed to investigate melting of icebergs around Greenland, to examine spatial and temporal variations in ocean forcing around the Antarctic ice sheet periphery. Nearly three-quarters of the Antarctic ice sheet is fringed by regions of floating glacier ice called ice shelves. These ice shelves play an important role in modulating the flow of ice from the ice sheet interior towards the coast, similar to how dams regulate the downstream flow of water from reservoirs. Therefore, a reduction in ice shelf size due to changing air and ocean temperatures can have serious implications for the flux of glacier ice reaching the Antarctic coast, and thus, sea level change. Observations of recent ocean warming in the Amundsen Sea, thinning of the ice shelves, and increased ice flux from the West Antarctic ice sheet interior suggests that ice shelf destabilization triggered by ocean warming may already be underway in some regions. Although detailed observations are available in the Amundsen Sea region, our understanding of spatial and temporal variations in ocean conditions and their influence on ice shelf stability is limited by the scarceness of observations spanning the ice sheet periphery. The project will yield insights into variability in the submarine melting of ice shelves and will help advance the career of a female early-career scientist in a male-dominated field. The project will use repeat, very high-resolution (~0.5 m pixel width and length) satellite images acquired by the WorldView satellites, to estimate rates of iceberg melting in key coastal regions around Antarctica. The satellite images will be used to construct maps of iceberg surface elevation, which will be differenced in time to derive time series of iceberg volume change and area-averaged melt rates. Where ocean data are available, the melt rates will be compared to these data to assess whether variations in ocean temperature can explain observed iceberg melt variability. Large spatial gradients in melt rates will be compared to estimates of iceberg drift rates, which will be inferred from the repeat satellite images as well as numerically modeled drift rates produced by (unfunded) collaborators, to quantify the effects of water shear on iceberg melt rates. Spatial and temporal patterns in iceberg melting will also be compared to independently derived ice shelf thickness datasets. Overall, the analysis should yield insights into the effects of changes in ocean forcing on the submarine melting of Antarctic ice shelves and icebergs. The project does not require field work in Antarctica.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Amery Ice Shelf; FIELD SURVEYS; Totten Glacier; GLACIER MASS BALANCE/ICE SHEET MASS BALANCE; USAP-DC; Antarctic Peninsula; ICEBERGS; Mertz Glacier; OCEAN TEMPERATURE; USA/NSF; Amd/Us; Amundsen Sea; Ronne Ice Shelf; Filchner Ice Shelf; AMD", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula; Totten Glacier; Ronne Ice Shelf; Filchner Ice Shelf; Amery Ice Shelf; Mertz Glacier; Amundsen Sea", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology; Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Enderlin, Ellyn", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Antarctic Submarine Melt Variability from Remote Sensing of Icebergs", "uid": "p0010210", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "1846837 Bowman, Jeff", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "PRJNA894514; PRJNA901488", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200479", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "PRJNA894514", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/?term=PRJNA894514"}, {"dataset_uid": "200480", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "PRJNA901488", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA901488"}], "date_created": "Fri, 25 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The coastal Antarctic is undergoing great environmental change. Physical changes in the environment, such as altered sea ice duration and extent, have a direct impact on the phytoplankton and bacteria species which form the base of the marine foodweb. Photosynthetic phytoplankton are the ocean\u0027s primary producers, transforming (fixing) CO2 into organic carbon molecules and providing a source of food for zooplankton and larger predators. When phytoplankton are consumed by zooplankton, or killed by viral attack, they release large amounts of organic carbon and nutrients into the environment. Heterotrophic bacteria must eat other things, and function as \"master recyclers\", consuming these materials and converting them to bacterial biomass which can feed larger organisms such as protists. Some protists are heterotrophs, but others are mixotrophs, able to grow by photosynthesis or heterotrophy. Previous work suggests that by killing and eating bacteria, protists and viruses may regulate bacterial populations, but how these processes are regulated in Antarctic waters is poorly understood. This project will use experiments to determine the rate at which Antarctic protists consume bacteria, and field studies to identify the major bacterial taxa involved in carbon uptake and recycling. In addition, this project will use new sequencing technology to obtain completed genomes for many Antarctic marine bacteria. To place this work in an ecosystem context this project will use microbial diversity data to inform rates associated with key microbial processes within the PALMER ecosystem model. This project addresses critical unknowns regarding the ecological role of heterotrophic marine bacteria in the coastal Antarctic and the top-down controls on bacterial populations. Previous work suggests that at certain times of the year grazing by heterotrophic and mixotrophic protists may meet or exceed bacterial production rates. Similarly, in more temperate waters bacteriophages (viruses) are thought to contribute significantly to bacterial mortality during the spring and summer. These different top-down controls have implications for carbon flow through the marine foodweb, because protists are grazed more efficiently by higher trophic levels than are bacteria. This project will use a combination of grazing experiments and field observations to assess the temporal dynamics of mortality due to temperate bacteriophage and protists. Although many heterotrophic bacterial strains observed in the coastal Antarctic are taxonomically similar to strains from other regions, recent work suggest that they are phylogenetically and genetically distinct. To better understand the ecological function and evolutionary trajectories of key Antarctic marine bacteria, their genomes will be isolated and sequenced. Then, these genomes will be used to improve the predictions of the paprica metabolic inference pipeline, and our understanding of the relationship between heterotrophic bacteria and their major predators in the Antarctic marine environment. Finally, researchers will modify the Regional Test-Bed Model model to enable microbial diversity data to be used to optimize the starting conditions of key parameters, and to constrain the model\u0027s data assimilation methods. There is an extensive education and outreach component to this project that is designed to engage students and the public in diverse activities centered on Antarctic microbiota and marine sciences. A new module on Antarctic marine science will be developed for the popular Sally Ride Science program, and two existing undergraduate courses at UC San Diego will be strengthened with laboratory modules introducing emerging technology, and with cutting-edge polar science. A PhD student and a post-doctoral researcher will be supported by this project. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Magmatic Volatiles; BACTERIA/ARCHAEA; VIRUSES; USA/NSF; Palmer Station; ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS; COMMUNITY DYNAMICS; LABORATORY; Amd/Us; PROTISTS; AMD; USAP-DC", "locations": "Palmer Station", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Bowman, Jeff; Connors, Elizabeth", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY", "repo": "NCBI SRA", "repositories": "NCBI SRA", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "CAREER: Understanding microbial heterotrophic processes in coastal Antarctic waters", "uid": "p0010201", "west": null}, {"awards": "1739027 Tulaczyk, Slawek", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-125 -73,-122.1 -73,-119.2 -73,-116.3 -73,-113.4 -73,-110.5 -73,-107.6 -73,-104.7 -73,-101.8 -73,-98.9 -73,-96 -73,-96 -73.7,-96 -74.4,-96 -75.1,-96 -75.8,-96 -76.5,-96 -77.2,-96 -77.9,-96 -78.6,-96 -79.3,-96 -80,-98.9 -80,-101.8 -80,-104.7 -80,-107.6 -80,-110.5 -80,-113.4 -80,-116.3 -80,-119.2 -80,-122.1 -80,-125 -80,-125 -79.3,-125 -78.6,-125 -77.9,-125 -77.2,-125 -76.5,-125 -75.8,-125 -75.1,-125 -74.4,-125 -73.7,-125 -73))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Thu, 24 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This project contributes to the joint initiative launched by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.K. Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to substantially improve decadal and longer-term projections of ice loss and sea-level rise originating from Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica. Collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) could raise the global sea level by about 5 meters (16 feet) and the scientific community considers it the most significant risk for coastal environments and cities. The risk arises from the deep, marine setting of WAIS. Although scientists have been aware of the precarious setting of this ice sheet since the early 1970s, it is only now that the flow of ice in several large drainage basins is undergoing dynamic change consistent with a potentially irreversible disintegration. Understanding WAIS stability and enabling more accurate prediction of sea-level rise through computer simulation are two of the key objectives facing the polar science community today. This project will directly address both objectives by: (1) using state-of-the-art technologies to observe rapidly deforming parts of Thwaites Glacier that may have significant control over the future evolution of WAIS, and (2) using these new observations to improve ice-sheet models used to predict future sea-level rise. This project brings together a multidisciplinary team of UK and US scientists. This international collaboration will result in new understanding of natural processes that may lead to the collapse of the WAIS and will boost infrastructure for research and education by creating a multidisciplinary network of scientists. This team will mentor three postdoctoral researchers, train four Ph.D. students and integrate undergraduate students in this research project. The project will test the overarching hypothesis that shear-margin dynamics may exert powerful control on the future evolution of ice flow in Thwaites Drainage Basin. To test the hypothesis, the team will set up an ice observatory at two sites on the eastern shear margin of Thwaites Glacier. The team argues that weak topographic control makes this shear margin susceptible to outward migration and, possibly, sudden jumps in response to the drawdown of inland ice when the grounding line of Thwaites retreats. The ice observatory is designed to produce new and comprehensive constraints on englacial properties, including ice deformation rates, ice crystal fabric, ice viscosity, ice temperature, ice water content and basal melt rates. The ice observatory will also establish basal conditions, including thickness and porosity of the till layer and the deeper marine sediments, if any. Furthermore, the team will develop new knowledge with an emphasis on physical processes, including direct assessment of the spatial and temporal scales on which these processes operate. Seismic surveys will be carried out in 2D and 3D using wireless geophones. A network of broadband seismometers will identify icequakes produced by crevassing and basal sliding. Autonomous radar systems with phased arrays will produce sequential images of rapidly deforming internal layers in 3D while potentially also revealing the geometry of a basal water system. Datasets will be incorporated into numerical models developed on different spatial scales. One will focus specifically on shear-margin dynamics, the other on how shear-margin dynamics can influence ice flow in the whole drainage basin. Upon completion, the project aims to have confirmed whether the eastern shear margin of Thwaites Glacier can migrate rapidly, as hypothesized, and if so what the impacts will be in terms of sea-level rise in this century and beyond. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -96.0, "geometry": "POINT(-110.5 -76.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "FIELD INVESTIGATION; GLACIER MOTION/ICE SHEET MOTION; Thwaites Glacier; USAP-DC; USA/NSF; Magmatic Volatiles; AMD; GLACIER MASS BALANCE/ICE SHEET MASS BALANCE; ICE SHEETS; Amd/Us", "locations": "Thwaites Glacier", "north": -73.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Instrumentation and Support; Antarctic Glaciology; Antarctic Integrated System Science", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Tulaczyk, Slawek", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION", "repositories": null, "science_programs": "Thwaites (ITGC)", "south": -80.0, "title": "NSF-NERC: Thwaites Interdisciplinary Margin Evolution (TIME): The Role of Shear Margin Dynamics in the Future Evolution of the Thwaites Drainage Basin", "uid": "p0010199", "west": -125.0}, {"awards": "1848887 McClintock, James", "bounds_geometry": "POINT(-64.0527 -64.77423)", "dataset_titles": "2020 and 2023 Underwater video transect community analysis data; 2020 daily seawater carbonate chemistry; 2023 daily seawater carbonate chemistry; Amphipod counts from 2020 ocean acidification experiment; Feeding of Gondogeneia antarctica maintained under ambient and low pH treatments; Palatability of Desmarestia menziesii extracts from ambient and low pH treatments; Palatability of Palmaria decipiens thallus from ambient and low pH treatments; Underwater transect videos used for 2020 and 2023 community analyses", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601792", "doi": "10.15784/601792", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; Palmer Station", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Palatability of Palmaria decipiens thallus from ambient and low pH treatments", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601792"}, {"dataset_uid": "601787", "doi": "10.15784/601787", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Cryosphere; Species Abundance; Video Transects", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "2020 and 2023 Underwater video transect community analysis data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601787"}, {"dataset_uid": "601702", "doi": "10.15784/601702", "keywords": "Antarctica; Palmer Station", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Amphipod counts from 2020 ocean acidification experiment", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601702"}, {"dataset_uid": "601791", "doi": "10.15784/601791", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; Palmer Station", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Palatability of Desmarestia menziesii extracts from ambient and low pH treatments", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601791"}, {"dataset_uid": "601701", "doi": "10.15784/601701", "keywords": "Antarctica; Palmer Station", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "2023 daily seawater carbonate chemistry", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601701"}, {"dataset_uid": "601700", "doi": "10.15784/601700", "keywords": "Antarctica; Palmer Station", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "2020 daily seawater carbonate chemistry", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601700"}, {"dataset_uid": "601796", "doi": "10.15784/601796", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Cryosphere; Oceans; Southern Ocean; Video Transects", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Underwater transect videos used for 2020 and 2023 community analyses", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601796"}, {"dataset_uid": "601793", "doi": "10.15784/601793", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; Palmer Station", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Feeding of Gondogeneia antarctica maintained under ambient and low pH treatments", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601793"}], "date_created": "Mon, 21 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Undersea forests of seaweeds dominate the shallow waters of the central and northern coast of the western Antarctic Peninsula and provide critical structural habitat and carbon resources (food) for a host of marine organisms. Most of the seaweeds are chemically defended against herbivores yet support very high densities of herbivorous shrimp-like grazers (crustaceans, primarily amphipods) which greatly benefit their hosts by consuming filamentous and microscopic algae that otherwise overgrow the seaweeds. The amphipods benefit from the association with the chemically defended seaweeds by gaining an associational refuge from fish predation. The project builds on recent work that has demonstrated that several species of amphipods that are key members of crustacean assemblages associated with the seaweeds suffer significant mortality when chronically exposed to increased seawater acidity (reduced pH) and elevated temperatures representative of near-future oceans. By simulating these environmental conditions in the laboratory at Palmer Station, Antarctica, the investigators will test the overall hypothesis that ocean acidification and ocean warming will play a significant role in structuring crustacean assemblages associated with seaweeds. Broader impacts include expanding fundamental knowledge of the impacts of global climate change by focusing on a geographic region of the earth uniquely susceptible to climate change. This project will also further the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists and of making scientific discoveries available to the general public. This includes training graduate students and early career scientists with an emphasis on diversity, presentations to K-12 groups and the general public, and a variety of social media-based outreach programs. The project will compare population and assemblage-wide impacts of natural (ambient), carbon dioxide enriched, and elevated temperature seawater on assemblages of seaweed-associated crustacean grazers. Based on prior results, it is likely that some species will be relative \"winners\" and some will be relative \"losers\" under the changed conditions. The project will then aim to carry out measurements of growth, calcification, mineralogy, the incidence of molts, and biochemical and energetic body composition for two key amphipod \"winners\" and two key amphipod \"losers\". These measurements will allow an assessment of what factors drive species-specific enhanced or diminished performance under conditions of ocean acidification and sea surface warming. The project will expand on what little is known about prospective impacts of changing conditions on benthic marine Crustacea, in Antarctica, a taxonomic group that faces the additional physiological stressor of molting. The project is likely to provide additional insight on the indirect regulation of the seaweeds that comprise Antarctic undersea forests that provide key architectural components of the coastal marine ecosystem. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -64.0527, "geometry": "POINT(-64.0527 -64.77423)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USA/NSF; Amd/Us; AMD; COASTAL; BENTHIC; USAP-DC; Palmer Station; ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES; FIELD INVESTIGATION; MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS)", "locations": "Palmer Station", "north": -64.77423, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Amsler, Charles; McClintock, James", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -64.77423, "title": "Assemblage-wide effects of ocean acidification and ocean warming on ecologically important macroalgal-associated crustaceans in Antarctica", "uid": "p0010193", "west": -64.0527}, {"awards": "1750903 Ingels, Jeroen; 1750630 Smith, Craig; 1750888 Aronson, Richard", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-64 -66,-63.3 -66,-62.6 -66,-61.9 -66,-61.2 -66,-60.5 -66,-59.8 -66,-59.1 -66,-58.4 -66,-57.7 -66,-57 -66,-57 -66.3,-57 -66.6,-57 -66.9,-57 -67.2,-57 -67.5,-57 -67.8,-57 -68.1,-57 -68.4,-57 -68.7,-57 -69,-57.7 -69,-58.4 -69,-59.1 -69,-59.8 -69,-60.5 -69,-61.2 -69,-61.9 -69,-62.6 -69,-63.3 -69,-64 -69,-64 -68.7,-64 -68.4,-64 -68.1,-64 -67.8,-64 -67.5,-64 -67.2,-64 -66.9,-64 -66.6,-64 -66.3,-64 -66))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Mon, 21 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Worldwide publicity surrounding the calving of an iceberg the size of Delaware in July 2017 from the Larsen C Ice Shelf on the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula presents a unique and time-sensitive opportunity for research and education on polar ecosystems in a changing climate. The goal of this project is to convene a workshop, drawing from the large fund of intellectual capital in the US and international Antarctic research communities. The two-day workshop will be held at Florida State University where a consortium of researchers with expertise in Antarctic biological, ecological, and ecosystem sciences will be gathered to share knowledge, identify important research knowledge gaps, and outline strategic plans for research. The workshop will help advance scientific and public understanding of the continent-wide changes that Antarctic ice shelves and surrounding ecosystems experience as ice shelves change. The primary products will be reports focusing on synthesizing, coordinating and integrating research efforts to understand the ecological impacts of ice-shelf collapses and large iceberg calving along the Antarctic Peninsula. The workshop will also provide an immediate, interactive experience for K-12 school children with a hands-on ?Saturday Polar Academy?, a children?s poster session, and question-answer session during the workshop. Children will have the opportunity to interact with Antarctic researchers and become familiar with Antarctic science, organisms, ecosystems and current issues, feeding their scientific curiosity. The calving of A-68, the 5,800-km2 iceberg shed in July 2017 from the Larsen C Ice Shelf presents a unique and time-sensitive research opportunity. The scientific momentum and public interest created by this most recent event will be leveraged to convene a workshop at the earliest opportunity, drawing from the large intellectual capital in the US and international Antarctic research communities. The two-day workshop will be held at Florida State University, Coastal and Marine Laboratory on the Gulf Coast organized by Jeroen Ingels (Florida State University; FSU), Richard Aronson (Florida Institute of Technology; FIT), and Craig Smith (University of Hawaii at Manoa; UHM). A consortium of researchers with a diversity of expertise in Antarctic biological, ecological, and ecosystem sciences will be gathered to share knowledge, identify important research priorities and knowledge gaps, and outline strategic plans for research to advance understanding of the continent-wide changes that Antarctic ice shelves and surrounding ecosystems experience as ice shelves change.", "east": -57.0, "geometry": "POINT(-60.5 -67.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; USAP-DC; LABORATORY; AMD; Weddell Sea; GLACIERS/ICE SHEETS; ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS; USA/NSF; SEA ICE; Amd/Us; Antarctica", "locations": "Antarctica; Weddell Sea", "north": -66.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Ingels, Jeroen; Aronson, Richard; Smith, Craig", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -69.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: RAPID/Workshop - Antarctic Ecosystem Research following Ice Shelf Collapse and Iceberg Calving Events", "uid": "p0010189", "west": -64.0}, {"awards": "1643652 Hofmann, Eileen; 1643618 Arrigo, Kevin", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "Antarctic biological model output; Antarctic dFe model dyes", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200210", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.782848.1", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Antarctic dFe model dyes", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/782848"}, {"dataset_uid": "200211", "doi": "10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.858663.1", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Antarctic biological model output", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/858663"}], "date_created": "Thu, 29 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Coastal waters surrounding Antarctica represent some of the most biologically rich and most untouched ecosystems on Earth. In large part, this biological richness is concentrated within the numerous openings that riddle the expansive sea ice (these openings are known as polynyas) near the Antarctic continent. These polynyas represent regions of enhanced production known as hot-spots and support the highest animal densities in the Southern Ocean. Many of them are also located adjacent to floating extensions of the vast Antarctic Ice Sheet and receive a substantial amount of meltwater runoff each year during the summer. However, little is known about the specific processes that make these ecosystems so biologically productive. Of the 46 Antarctic coastal polynyas that are presently known, only a handful have been investigated in detail. This project will develop ecosystem models for the Ross Sea polynya, Amundsen polynya, and Pine Island polynya; three of the most productive Antarctic coastal polynyas. The primary goal is to use these models to better understand the fundamental physical, chemical, and biological interacting processes and differences in these processes that make these systems so biologically productive yet different in some respects (e.g. size and productivity) during the present day settings. Modeling efforts will also be extended to potentially assess how these ecosystems may have functioned in the past and how they might change in the future under different physical and chemical and climatic settings. The project will advance the education of underrepresented minorities through Stanford?s Summer Undergraduate Research in Geoscience and Engineering (SURGE) Program. SURGE will provide undergraduates the opportunity to gain mentored research experiences at Stanford University in engineering and the geosciences. Old Dominion University also will utilize an outreach programs for local public and private schools as well as an ongoing program supporting the Boy Scout Oceanography merit badge program to create outreach and education impacts. Polynyas (areas of open water surrounded by sea ice) are disproportionately productive regions of polar ecosystems, yet controls on their high rates of production are not well understood. This project will provide quantitative assessments of the physical and chemical processes that control phytoplankton abundance and productivity within polynyas, how these differ for different polynyas, and how polynyas may change in the future. Of particular interest are the interactions among processes within the polynyas and the summertime melting of nearby ice sheets, including the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers. In this proposed study, we will develop a set of comprehensive, high resolution coupled physical-biological models and implement these for three major, but diverse, Antarctic polynyas. These polynyas, the Ross Sea polynya, the Amundsen polynya, and Pine Island polynya, account for \u003e50% of the total Antarctic polynya production. The research questions to be addressed are: 1) What environmental factors exert the greatest control of primary production in polynyas around Antarctica? 2) What are the controlling physics that leads to the heterogeneity of dissolved iron (dFe) supply to the euphotic zone in polynyas around the Antarctic continental shelf? What effect does this have on local rates of primary production? 3) What are the likely changes in the supply of dFe to the euphotic zone in the next several decades due to climate-induced changes in the physics (winds, sea-ice, ice shelf basal melt, cross-shelf exchange, stratification and vertical mixing) and how will this affect primary productivity around the continent? The Ross Sea, Amundsen, and Pine Island polynyas are some of the best-sampled polynyas in Antarctica, facilitating model parameterization and validation. Furthermore, these polynyas differ widely in their size, location, sea ice dynamics, relationship to melting ice shelves, and distance from the continental shelf break, making them ideal case studies. For comparison, the western Antarctic Peninsula (wAP), a productive continental shelf where polynyas are a relatively minor contributor to biological production, will also be modeled. Investigating specific processes within different types Antarctic coastal waters will provide a better understand of how these important biological oases function and how they might change under different environmental conditions.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Trace Metal; AMD; PELAGIC; POLYNYAS; PHYTOPLANKTON; MODELS; Amd/Us; USAP-DC; MICROALGAE; USA/NSF; Polynya; TRACE ELEMENTS; ICE SHEETS; Antarctica", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "van Dijken, Gert; Arrigo, Kevin; Dinniman, Michael; Hofmann, Eileen", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e MODELS \u003e MODELS", "repo": "BCO-DMO", "repositories": "BCO-DMO", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Elucidating Environmental Controls of Productivity in Polynas and the Western Antarctic Peninsula", "uid": "p0010175", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "1643345 Popp, Brian; 1643466 Hollibaugh, James", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-78.20206667 -64.03195833,-76.785055836 -64.03195833,-75.368045002 -64.03195833,-73.951034168 -64.03195833,-72.534023334 -64.03195833,-71.1170125 -64.03195833,-69.700001666 -64.03195833,-68.282990832 -64.03195833,-66.865979998 -64.03195833,-65.448969164 -64.03195833,-64.03195833 -64.03195833,-64.03195833 -64.554377497,-64.03195833 -65.076796664,-64.03195833 -65.599215831,-64.03195833 -66.121634998,-64.03195833 -66.644054165,-64.03195833 -67.166473332,-64.03195833 -67.688892499,-64.03195833 -68.211311666,-64.03195833 -68.733730833,-64.03195833 -69.25615,-65.448969164 -69.25615,-66.865979998 -69.25615,-68.282990832 -69.25615,-69.700001666 -69.25615,-71.1170125 -69.25615,-72.534023334 -69.25615,-73.951034168 -69.25615,-75.368045002 -69.25615,-76.785055836 -69.25615,-78.20206667 -69.25615,-78.20206667 -68.733730833,-78.20206667 -68.211311666,-78.20206667 -67.688892499,-78.20206667 -67.166473332,-78.20206667 -66.644054165,-78.20206667 -66.121634998,-78.20206667 -65.599215831,-78.20206667 -65.076796664,-78.20206667 -64.554377497,-78.20206667 -64.03195833))", "dataset_titles": "\"Collaborative research: Chemoautotrophy in Antarctic bacterioplankton communities supported by the oxidation of urea-derived nitrogen\"; Expedition data of LMG1801", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200193", "doi": "Not yet assigned", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "\"Collaborative research: Chemoautotrophy in Antarctic bacterioplankton communities supported by the oxidation of urea-derived nitrogen\"", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/project/775717"}, {"dataset_uid": "200124", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG1801", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1801"}], "date_created": "Fri, 18 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Part 1: Nitrification is the conversion of ammonium to nitrate by a two-step process involving two different guilds of microorganisms: ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizers. The process is central to the global nitrogen cycle, affecting everything from retention of fertilizer on croplands to removal of excess nitrogen from coastal waters before it can cause blooms of harmful algae. It also produces nitrous oxide, an ozone-destroying, greenhouse gas. The energy derived from both steps of nitrification is used to convert inorganic carbon into microbial biomass. The biomass produced contributes to the overall food web production of the Southern Ocean and may be a particularly important subsidy during winter when low light levels restrict the other major source of biomass, primary production by single-celled plants. This project addresses three fundamental questions about the biology and geochemistry of polar oceans, with a focus on the process of nitrification. The first question the project will address concerns the contribution of chemoautotrophy (based on nitrification) to the overall supply of organic carbon to the food web of the Southern Ocean. Previous measurements indicate that it contributes about 9% to the Antarctic food web on an annual basis, but those measurements did not include the additional production associated with nitrite oxidation. The second question to be addressed is related to the first and concerns the coupling between the steps of the process. The third seeks to determine the significance of the contribution of other sources of nitrogen, (specifically organic nitrogen and urea released by other organisms) to nitrification because these contributions may not be assessed by standard protocols. Measurements made by others suggest that urea in particular might be as important as ammonium to nitrification in polar regions. This project will result in training a postdoctoral researcher and provide undergraduate students opportunities to gain hand-on experience with research on microbial geochemistry. The Palmer LTER (PAL) activities have focused largely on the interaction between ocean climate and the marine food web affecting top predators. Relatively little effort has been devoted to studying processes related to the microbial geochemistry of nitrogen cycling as part of the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program, yet these are a major themes at other sites. This work will contribute substantially to understanding an important aspect of nitrogen cycling and bacterioplankton production in the PAL-LTER study area. The team will be working synergistically and be participating fully in the education and outreach efforts of the Palmer LTER, including making highlights of the findings available for posting to their project web site and participating in any special efforts they have in the area of outreach. Part 2: The proposed work will quantify oxidation rates of 15N supplied as ammonium, urea and nitrite, allowing us to estimate the contribution of urea-derived N and complete nitrification (ammonia to nitrate) to chemoautotrophy and bacterioplankton production in Antarctic coastal waters. The project will compare these estimates to direct measurements of the incorporation of 14C into organic matter the dark for an independent estimate of chemoautotrophy. The team aims to collect samples spanning the water column: from surface water (~10 m), winter water (50-100 m) and circumpolar deep water (\u003e150 m); on a cruise surveying the continental shelf and slope west of the Antarctic Peninsula in the austral summer of 2018. Other samples will be taken to measure the concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, ammonia and urea, for qPCR analysis of the abundance of relevant microorganisms, and for studies of related processes. The project will rely on collaboration with the existing Palmer LTER to ensure that ancillary data (bacterioplankton abundance and production, chlorophyll, physical and chemical variables) will be available. The synergistic activities of this project along with the LTER activities will provide a unique opportunity to assess chemoautotrophy in context of the overall ecosystem?s dynamics- including both primary and secondary production processes.", "east": -64.03195833, "geometry": "POINT(-71.1170125 -66.644054165)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Pal-Lter; NITROGEN; SHIPS; USAP-DC; MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; BACTERIA/ARCHAEA; BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES; Amd/Us; West Antarctic Shelf; USA/NSF; AMD", "locations": "West Antarctic Shelf; Pal-Lter", "north": -64.03195833, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Hollibaugh, James T.; Popp, Brian", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e SHIPS", "repo": "BCO-DMO", "repositories": "BCO-DMO; R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": -69.25615, "title": "Collaborative Research: Chemoautotrophy in Antarctic Bacterioplankton Communities Supported by the Oxidation of Urea-derived Nitrogen", "uid": "p0010150", "west": -78.20206667}, {"awards": "0732711 Smith, Craig; 0732917 McCormick, Michael; 0732450 Van Dover, Cindy; 0732983 Vernet, Maria", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-60.5 -63.1,-59.99 -63.1,-59.48 -63.1,-58.97 -63.1,-58.46 -63.1,-57.95 -63.1,-57.44 -63.1,-56.93 -63.1,-56.42 -63.1,-55.91 -63.1,-55.4 -63.1,-55.4 -63.29,-55.4 -63.48,-55.4 -63.67,-55.4 -63.86,-55.4 -64.05,-55.4 -64.24,-55.4 -64.43,-55.4 -64.62,-55.4 -64.81,-55.4 -65,-55.91 -65,-56.42 -65,-56.93 -65,-57.44 -65,-57.95 -65,-58.46 -65,-58.97 -65,-59.48 -65,-59.99 -65,-60.5 -65,-60.5 -64.81,-60.5 -64.62,-60.5 -64.43,-60.5 -64.24,-60.5 -64.05,-60.5 -63.86,-60.5 -63.67,-60.5 -63.48,-60.5 -63.29,-60.5 -63.1))", "dataset_titles": "LARISSA: Impact of ice-shelf loss on geochemical profiles and microbial community composition in marine sediments of the Larsen A embayment, Antarctic Peninsula; NBP1001 cruise data; NBP1203 cruise data; Species Abundance Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf Ice acquired during R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1203", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601073", "doi": "10.15784/601073", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Chemistry:ice; Chemistry:Ice; Geochemistry; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Ice Core Records; LARISSA; Microbiology", "people": "McCormick, Michael", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "LARISSA: Impact of ice-shelf loss on geochemical profiles and microbial community composition in marine sediments of the Larsen A embayment, Antarctic Peninsula", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601073"}, {"dataset_uid": "000142", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1001 cruise data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1001"}, {"dataset_uid": "000143", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1203 cruise data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1203"}, {"dataset_uid": "601304", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Box Corer; LARISSA; Larsen Ice Shelf; Macrofauna; Megafauna; NBP1203; Oceans; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Seafloor Sampling; Species Abundance", "people": "Smith, Craig", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "LARISSA", "title": "Species Abundance Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf Ice acquired during R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1203", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601304"}], "date_created": "Fri, 09 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "A profound transformation in ecosystem structure and function is occurring in coastal waters of the western Weddell Sea, with the collapse of the Larsen B ice shelf. This transformation appears to be yielding a redistribution of energy flow between chemoautotrophic and photosynthetic production, and to be causing the rapid demise of the extraordinary seep ecosystem discovered beneath the ice shelf. This event provides an ideal opportunity to examine fundamental aspects of ecosystem transition associated with climate change. We propose to test the following hypotheses to elucidate the transformations occurring in marine ecosystems as a consequence of the Larsen B collapse: (1) The biogeographic isolation and sub-ice shelf setting of the Larsen B seep has led to novel habitat characteristics, chemoautotrophically dependent taxa and functional adaptations. (2) Benthic communities beneath the former Larsen B ice shelf are fundamentally different from assemblages at similar depths in the Weddell sea-ice zone, and resemble oligotrophic deep-sea communities. Larsen B assemblages are undergoing rapid change. (3) The previously dark, oligotrophic waters of the Larsen B embayment now support a thriving phototrophic community, with production rates and phytoplankton composition similar to other productive areas of the Weddell Sea. To document rapid changes occurring in the Larsen B ecosystem, we will use a remotely operated vehicle, shipboard samplers, and moored sediment traps. We will characterize microbial, macrofaunal and megafaunal components of the seep community; evaluate patterns of surface productivity, export flux, and benthic faunal composition in areas previously covered by the ice shelf, and compare these areas to the open sea-ice zone. These changes will be placed within the geological, glaciological and climatological context that led to ice-shelf retreat, through companion research projects funded in concert with this effort. Together these projects will help predict the likely consequences of ice-shelf collapse to marine ecosystems in other regions of Antarctica vulnerable to climate change. The research features international collaborators from Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. The broader impacts include participation of a science writer; broadcast of science segments by members of the Jim Lehrer News Hour (Public Broadcasting System); material for summer courses in environmental change; mentoring of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows; and showcasing scientific activities and findings to students and public through podcasts.", "east": -55.4, "geometry": "POINT(-57.95 -64.05)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "NBP1203; USAP-DC; Amd/Us; LARISSA; Larsen Ice Shelf; Species Abundance Data; R/V NBP; Antarctic Peninsula; NBP1001; USA/NSF; AMD; Antarctica; MARINE ECOSYSTEMS", "locations": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Larsen Ice Shelf", "north": -63.1, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Integrated System Science", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "McCormick, Michael; Vernet, Maria; Van Dover, Cindy; Smith, Craig", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": "LARISSA", "south": -65.0, "title": "Collaborative Research in IPY: Abrupt Environmental Change in the Larsen Ice Shelf System, a Multidisciplinary Approach - Marine Ecosystems.", "uid": "p0010135", "west": -60.5}, {"awards": "1644197 Simms, Alexander", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-65 -61,-64 -61,-63 -61,-62 -61,-61 -61,-60 -61,-59 -61,-58 -61,-57 -61,-56 -61,-55 -61,-55 -61.4,-55 -61.8,-55 -62.2,-55 -62.6,-55 -63,-55 -63.4,-55 -63.8,-55 -64.2,-55 -64.6,-55 -65,-56 -65,-57 -65,-58 -65,-59 -65,-60 -65,-61 -65,-62 -65,-63 -65,-64 -65,-65 -65,-65 -64.6,-65 -64.2,-65 -63.8,-65 -63.4,-65 -63,-65 -62.6,-65 -62.2,-65 -61.8,-65 -61.4,-65 -61))", "dataset_titles": "Electron Microprobe Analysis of feldspar separates from rock and sediment OSL samples from Joinville and Livingston Island Beaches; Granulometry of Joinville and Livingston Island beaches; Ground-Penetrating Radar data from Livingston Island in the Antarctic Peninsula; Ground Penetrating Radar Profiles from Beaches on Joinville Island, Antarctic Peninsula; Joinville and Livingston Islands - rock and sediment OSL ages; OSL data - Joinville and Livingston Islands - Raw data; Radiocarbon Ages from Beaches on Joinville Island, Antarctic Peninsula", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601400", "doi": "10.15784/601400", "keywords": "Antarctica; Grain Size; Granulometry; Joinville Island; Livingston Island; LMG0412; Raised Beaches", "people": "Theilen, Brittany; Simms, Alexander", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Granulometry of Joinville and Livingston Island beaches", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601400"}, {"dataset_uid": "601632", "doi": "10.15784/601632", "keywords": "Antarctica; Joinville Island", "people": "Simms, Alexander", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Ground Penetrating Radar Profiles from Beaches on Joinville Island, Antarctic Peninsula", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601632"}, {"dataset_uid": "601534", "doi": "10.15784/601534", "keywords": "Antarctica; Geochronology; Joinville Island; Livingston Island; OSL dating; Raised Beaches", "people": "DeWitt, Regina", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Joinville and Livingston Islands - rock and sediment OSL ages", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601534"}, {"dataset_uid": "601633", "doi": "10.15784/601633", "keywords": "Antarctica; Joinville Island", "people": "Simms, Alexander", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Ground-Penetrating Radar data from Livingston Island in the Antarctic Peninsula", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601633"}, {"dataset_uid": "601531", "doi": "10.15784/601531", "keywords": "Antarctica; Geochronology; Joinville Island; Livingston Island; OSL dating; Raised Beaches", "people": "DeWitt, Regina", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Electron Microprobe Analysis of feldspar separates from rock and sediment OSL samples from Joinville and Livingston Island Beaches", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601531"}, {"dataset_uid": "601532", "doi": "10.15784/601532", "keywords": "Antarctica; Geochronology; Joinville Island; Livingston Island; OSL dating; Raised Beaches", "people": "DeWitt, Regina", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "OSL data - Joinville and Livingston Islands - Raw data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601532"}, {"dataset_uid": "601634", "doi": "10.15784/601634", "keywords": "Antarctica; Joinville Island; Raised Beaches; Sea Level", "people": "Simms, Alexander", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Radiocarbon Ages from Beaches on Joinville Island, Antarctic Peninsula", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601634"}], "date_created": "Thu, 08 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Nontechnical Description Glacier ice loss from Antarctica has the potential to lead to a significant rise in global sea level. One line of evidence for accelerated glacier ice loss has been an increase in the rate at which the land has been rising across the Antarctic Peninsula as measured by GPS receivers. However, GPS observations of uplift are limited to the last two decades. One goal of this study is to determine how these newly observed rates of uplift compare to average rates of uplift across the Antarctic Peninsula over a longer time interval. Researchers will reconstruct past sea levels using the age and elevation of ancient beaches now stranded above sea level on the low-lying coastal hills of the Antarctica Peninsula to determine the rate of uplift over the last 5,000 years. The researchers will also analyze the structure of the beaches using ground-penetrating radar and the characteristics of beach sediments to understand how sea-level rise and past climate changes are recorded in beach deposits. The benefits of these new records will be threefold: (1) they will help determine the natural variability of the Antarctic Ice Sheet and relative sea level (2) they will provide new insight about uplift and the structure of the Earth\u0027s interior; and 3) they will help researchers refine the methods used to determine the age of geologic deposits. The study results will be shared in outreach events at K-12 schools and with visitors of the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. Three graduate students will be supported through this project. Technical description Paleo sea-level data is critical for reconstructing the size and extent of past ice sheets, documenting increased uplift following glacial retreat, and correcting gravity-based measurements of ice-mass loss for the impacts of post-glacial rebound. However, there are only 14 sites with relative sea-level data for Antarctica compared to over 500 sites used in a recent study of the North American Ice-Sheet complex. The purpose of this project is to use optically stimulated luminescence to date a series of newly discovered raised beaches along the eastern Antarctic Peninsula and an already known, but only preliminarily dated, series of raised beaches in the South Shetland Islands. Data to be collected at the raised beaches include the age and elevation, ground-penetrating radar profiles, and the roundness of cobbles and the lithology of ice-rafted debris. The study will test three hypotheses: (1) uplift rates have increased in modern times relative to the late Holocene across the Antarctic Peninsula, (2) the sea-level history at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula is distinctly different than that of the South Shetland Islands, and (3) cobble roundness and the source of ice-rafted debris on raised beaches varied systematically through time reflecting the climate history of the northern Antarctic Peninsula.", "east": -55.0, "geometry": "POINT(-60 -63)", "instruments": "EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Antarctic Peninsula; COASTAL LANDFORMS/PROCESSES; USAP-DC; SEA LEVEL RECONSTRUCTION; South Shetland Islands; AMD; FIELD INVESTIGATION; Amd/Us; USA/NSF", "locations": "South Shetland Islands; Antarctic Peninsula", "north": -61.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Simms, Alexander; DeWitt, Regina", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: New Constraints on Post-Glacial Rebound and Holocene Environmental History along the Northern Antarctic Peninsula from Raised Beaches", "uid": "p0010132", "west": -65.0}, {"awards": "1542962 Anderson, Robert", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-171 -57,-170.8 -57,-170.6 -57,-170.4 -57,-170.2 -57,-170 -57,-169.8 -57,-169.6 -57,-169.4 -57,-169.2 -57,-169 -57,-169 -57.72,-169 -58.44,-169 -59.16,-169 -59.88,-169 -60.6,-169 -61.32,-169 -62.04,-169 -62.76,-169 -63.48,-169 -64.2,-169.2 -64.2,-169.4 -64.2,-169.6 -64.2,-169.8 -64.2,-170 -64.2,-170.2 -64.2,-170.4 -64.2,-170.6 -64.2,-170.8 -64.2,-171 -64.2,-171 -63.48,-171 -62.76,-171 -62.04,-171 -61.32,-171 -60.6,-171 -59.88,-171 -59.16,-171 -58.44,-171 -57.72,-171 -57))", "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data of NBP1702; Water Mass Structure and Bottom Water Formation in the Ice-age Southern Ocean ; Water Mass Structure and Bottom Water Formation in the Ice-age Southern Ocean (SNOWBIRDS)", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200165", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Water Mass Structure and Bottom Water Formation in the Ice-age Southern Ocean (SNOWBIRDS)", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/813379/data"}, {"dataset_uid": "200166", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCEI", "science_program": null, "title": "Water Mass Structure and Bottom Water Formation in the Ice-age Southern Ocean ", "url": "https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/31312"}, {"dataset_uid": "200126", "doi": "10.7284/907211", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of NBP1702", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1702"}], "date_created": "Fri, 25 Sep 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Scientists established more than 30 years ago that the climate-related variability of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere over Earth\u0027s ice-age cycles was regulated by the ocean. Hypotheses to explain how the ocean regulates atmospheric carbon dioxide have long been debated, but they have proven to be difficult to test. Work proposed here will test one leading hypothesis, specifically that the ocean experienced greater density stratification during the ice ages. That is, with greater stratification during the ice ages and slower replacement of deep water by cold dense water formed near the poles, the deep ocean would have held more carbon dioxide, which is produced by biological respiration of the organic carbon that constantly rains to the abyss in the form of dead organisms and organic debris that sink from the sunlit surface ocean. To test this hypothesis, the degree of ocean stratification during the last ice age and the rate of deep-water replacement will be constrained by comparing the radiocarbon ages of organisms that grew in the surface ocean and at the sea floor within a critical region around Antarctica, where most of the replacement of deep waters occurs. Completing this work will contribute toward improved models of future climate change. Climate scientists rely on models to estimate the amount of fossil fuel carbon dioxide that will be absorbed by the ocean in the future. Currently the ocean absorbs about 25% of the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels. Most of this carbon is absorbed in the Southern Ocean (the region around Antarctica). How this will change in the future is poorly known. Models have difficulty representing physical conditions in the Southern Ocean accurately, thereby adding substantial uncertainty to projections of future ocean uptake of carbon dioxide. Results of the proposed study will provide a benchmark to test the ability of models to simulate ocean processes under climate conditions distinctly different from those that occur today, ultimately leading to improvement of the models and to more reliable projections of future absorption of carbon dioxide by the ocean. The proposed work will add a research component to an existing scientific expedition to the Southern Ocean, in the region between the Ross Sea and New Zealand, that will collect sediment cores at three to five locations down the northern flank of the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge at approximately 170\u00b0W. The goal is to collect sediments at each location deposited since early in the peak of the last ice age. This region is unusual in the Southern Ocean in that sediments deposited during the last ice age contain foraminifera, tiny organisms with calcium carbonate shells, in much greater abundance than in other regions of the Southern Ocean. Foraminifera are widely used as an archive of several geochemical tracers of past ocean conditions. In the proposed work the radiocarbon age of foraminifera that inhabited the surface ocean will be compared with the age of contemporary specimens that grew on the seabed. The difference in age between surface and deep-swelling organisms will be used to discriminate between two proposed mechanisms of deep water renewal during the ice age: formation in coastal polynyas around the edge of Antarctica, much as occurs today, versus formation by open-ocean convection in deep-water regions far from the continent. If the latter mechanism prevails, then it is expected that surface and deep-dwelling foraminifera will exhibit similar radiocarbon ages. In the case of dominance of deep-water formation in coastal polynyas, one expects to find very different radiocarbon ages in the two populations of foraminifera. In the extreme case of greater ocean stratification during the last ice age, one even expects the surface dwellers to appear to be older than contemporary bottom dwellers because the targeted core sites lie directly under the region where the oldest deep waters return to the surface following their long circuitous transit through the deep ocean. The primary objective of the proposed work is to reconstruct the water mass age structure of the Southern Ocean during the last ice age, which, in turn, is a primary factor that controls the amount of carbon dioxide stored in the deep sea. In addition, the presence of foraminifera in the cores to be recovered provides a valuable resource for many other paleoceanographic applications, such as: 1) the application of nitrogen isotopes to constrain the level of nutrient utilization in the Southern Ocean and, thus, the efficiency of the ocean?s biological pump, 2) the application of neodymium isotopes to constrain the transport history of deep water masses, 3) the application of boron isotopes and boron/calcium ratios to constrain the pH and inorganic carbon system parameters of ice-age seawater, and 4) the exploitation of metal/calcium ratios in foraminifera to reconstruct the temperature (Mg/Ca) and nutrient content (Cd/Ca) of deep waters during the last ice age at a location near their source near Antarcitca.", "east": -169.0, "geometry": "POINT(-170 -60.6)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES; SEDIMENT CHEMISTRY; South Pacific Ocean; SHIPS", "locations": "South Pacific Ocean", "north": -57.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Anderson, Robert; Fleisher, Martin; Pavia, Frank", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e SHIPS", "repo": "BCO-DMO", "repositories": "BCO-DMO; NCEI; R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": -64.2, "title": "Water Mass Structure and Bottom Water Formation in the Ice-age Southern Ocean", "uid": "p0010130", "west": -171.0}, {"awards": "1644187 Tulaczyk, Slawek", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((161 -76.9,161.75 -76.9,162.5 -76.9,163.25 -76.9,164 -76.9,164.75 -76.9,165.5 -76.9,166.25 -76.9,167 -76.9,167.75 -76.9,168.5 -76.9,168.5 -77.04,168.5 -77.18,168.5 -77.32,168.5 -77.46,168.5 -77.6,168.5 -77.74,168.5 -77.88,168.5 -78.02,168.5 -78.16,168.5 -78.3,167.75 -78.3,167 -78.3,166.25 -78.3,165.5 -78.3,164.75 -78.3,164 -78.3,163.25 -78.3,162.5 -78.3,161.75 -78.3,161 -78.3,161 -78.16,161 -78.02,161 -77.88,161 -77.74,161 -77.6,161 -77.46,161 -77.32,161 -77.18,161 -77.04,161 -76.9))", "dataset_titles": "ANTAEM project airborne EM resistivity data from McMurdo Region", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601373", "doi": "10.15784/601373", "keywords": "Antarctica; Dry Valleys; Hydrology; Ice Shelf; McMurdo; Permafrost", "people": "Tulaczyk, Slawek", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "ANTAEM project airborne EM resistivity data from McMurdo Region", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601373"}], "date_created": "Sun, 13 Sep 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "In Antarctica, millions of years of freezing have led to the development of hundreds of meters of thick permafrost (i.e., frozen ground). Recent research demonstrated that this slow freezing has trapped and concentrated water into local and regional briny aquifers, many times more salty than seawater. Because salt depresses the freezing point of water, these saline brines are able to persist as liquid water at temperatures well below the normal freezing point of freshwater. Such unusual groundwater systems may support microbial life, supply nutrients to coastal ocean and ice-covered lakes, and influence motion of glaciers. These briny aquifers also represent potential terrestrial analogs for deep life habitats on other planets, such as Mars, and provide a testing ground for the search for extraterrestrial water. Whereas much effort has been invested in understanding the physics, chemistry, and biology of surface and near-surface waters in cold polar regions, it has been comparably difficult to investigate deep subsurface aquifers in such settings. Airborne ElectroMagnetics (AEM) subsurface imaging provides an efficient way for mapping salty groundwater. An international collaboration with the University of Aarhus in Denmark will enable knowledge and skill transfer in AEM techniques that will enhance US polar research capabilities and provide US undergraduates and graduate students with unique training experiences. This project will survey over 1000 km2 of ocean and land near McMurdo Station in Antarctica, and will reveal if cold polar deserts hide a subsurface pool of liquid water. This will have significant implications for understanding cold polar glaciers, ice-covered lakes, frozen ground, and polar microbiology as well as for predictions of their response to future change. Improvements in permafrost mapping techniques and understanding of permafrost and of underlying groundwaters will benefit human use of high polar regions in the Antarctic and the Arctic. The project will provide the first integrative system-scale overview of subsurface water distribution and hydrological connectivity in a partly ice-free coastal region of Antarctica, the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Liquid water is relatively scarce in this environment but plays an outsized role by influencing, and integrating, biological, biogeochemical, glaciological, and geological processes. Whereas surface hydrology and its role in ecosystem processes has been thoroughly studied over the last several decades, it has been difficult to map out and characterize subsurface water reservoirs and to understand their interactions with regional lakes, glaciers, and coastal waters. The proposed project builds on the \"proof-of-concept\" use of AEM technology in 2011. Improvements in sensor and data processing capabilities will result in about double the depth of penetration of the subsurface during the new data collection when compared to the 2011 proof-of-concept survey, which reached depths of 300-400m. The first field season will focus on collecting deep soundings with a ground-based system in key locations where: (i) independent constraints on subsurface structure exist from past drilling projects, and (ii) the 2011 resistivity dataset indicates the need for deeper penetration and high signal-to-noise ratios achievable only with a ground-based system. The regional airborne survey will take place during the second field season and will yield subsurface electrical resistivity data from across several valleys of different sizes and different ice cover fractions.", "east": 168.5, "geometry": "POINT(164.75 -77.6)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "FROZEN GROUND; GLACIERS/ICE SHEETS; HELICOPTER; GROUND WATER; RIVERS/STREAMS; Dry Valleys", "locations": "Dry Valleys", "north": -76.9, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Tulaczyk, Slawek; Mikucki, Jill", "platforms": "AIR-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e ROTORCRAFT/HELICOPTER \u003e HELICOPTER", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.3, "title": "Collaborative Research: Antarctic Airborne ElectroMagnetics (ANTAEM) - Revealing Subsurface Water in Coastal Antarctica", "uid": "p0010129", "west": 161.0}, {"awards": "0125252 Padman, Laurence; 0125602 Padman, Laurence", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -40.231,-144 -40.231,-108 -40.231,-72 -40.231,-36 -40.231,0 -40.231,36 -40.231,72 -40.231,108 -40.231,144 -40.231,180 -40.231,180 -45.2079,180 -50.1848,180 -55.1617,180 -60.1386,180 -65.1155,180 -70.0924,180 -75.0693,180 -80.0462,180 -85.0231,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -85.0231,-180 -80.0462,-180 -75.0693,-180 -70.0924,-180 -65.1155,-180 -60.1386,-180 -55.1617,-180 -50.1848,-180 -45.2079,-180 -40.231))", "dataset_titles": "Antarctic Tide Gauge Database, version 1; AntTG_Database_Tools; CATS2008: Circum-Antarctic Tidal Simulation version 2008; CATS2008_v2023: Circum-Antarctic Tidal Simulation 2008, version 2023; pyTMD; TMD_Matlab_Toolbox_v2.5", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601235", "doi": "10.15784/601235", "keywords": "Antarctica; Inverse Modeling; Model Data; Ocean Currents; Sea Surface; Tidal Models; Tides", "people": "Erofeeva, Svetlana; Padman, Laurence; Howard, Susan L.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "CATS2008: Circum-Antarctic Tidal Simulation version 2008", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601235"}, {"dataset_uid": "601358", "doi": "10.15784/601358", "keywords": "Antarctica; Oceans; Sea Surface Height; Tide Gauges; Tides", "people": "King, Matt; Padman, Laurence; Howard, Susan L.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Antarctic Tide Gauge Database, version 1", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601358"}, {"dataset_uid": "200158", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GitHub", "science_program": null, "title": "pyTMD", "url": "https://github.com/tsutterley/pyTMD"}, {"dataset_uid": "200156", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GitHub", "science_program": null, "title": "AntTG_Database_Tools", "url": "https://github.com/EarthAndSpaceResearch/AntTG_Database_Tools"}, {"dataset_uid": "200157", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GitHub", "science_program": null, "title": "TMD_Matlab_Toolbox_v2.5", "url": "https://github.com/EarthAndSpaceResearch/TMD_Matlab_Toolbox_v2.5"}, {"dataset_uid": "601772", "doi": "10.15784/601772", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; Inverse Modeling; Model Data; Ocean Currents; Oceans; Sea Surface; Southern Ocean; Tide Model; Tides", "people": "Sutterley, Tyler; Howard, Susan L.; Greene, Chad A.; Padman, Laurence; Erofeeva, Svetlana", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "CATS2008_v2023: Circum-Antarctic Tidal Simulation 2008, version 2023", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601772"}], "date_created": "Tue, 07 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The ocean tide is a large component of total variability of ocean surface height and currents in the seas surrounding Antarctica, including under the floating ice shelves. Maximum tidal height range exceeds 7 m (near the grounding line of Rutford Ice Stream) and maximum tidal currents exceed 1 m/s (near the shelf break in the northwest Ross Sea). Tides contribute to several important climate and ecosystems processes including: ocean mixing, production of dense bottom water, flow of warm Circumpolar Deep Water onto the continental shelves, melting at the bases of ice shelves, fracturing of the ice sheet near a glacier or ice stream\u2019s grounding line, production and decay of sea ice, and sediment resuspension. Tide heights and, in particular, currents can change as the ocean background state changes, and as the geometry of the coastal margins of the Antarctic Ice Sheet varies through ice shelf thickness changes and ice-front and grounding-line advances or retreats. For satellite-based studies of ocean surface height and ice shelf thickness changes, tide heights are a source of substantial noise that must be removed. Similarly, tidal currents can also be a substantial noise signal when trying to estimate mean ocean currents from short-term measurements such as from acoustic Doppler current profilers mounted on ships and CTD rosettes. Therefore, tide models play critical roles in understanding current and future ocean and ice states, and as a method for removing tides in various measurements. A paper in Reviews of Geophysics (Padman, Siegfried and Fricker, 2018, see list of project-related publications below) provides a detailed review of tides and tidal processes around Antarctica.\r\n\nThis project provides a gateway to tide models and a database of tide height coefficients at the Antarctic Data Center, and links to toolboxes to work with these models and data.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e GAUGES \u003e TIDE GAUGES", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Tide Gauges; OCEAN CURRENTS; Sea Surface Height; USAP-DC; GLACIER MOTION/ICE SHEET MOTION; Tides; Antarctica; MODELS; FIELD INVESTIGATION", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -40.231, "nsf_funding_programs": "Arctic System Science; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Howard, Susan L.; Padman, Laurence; Erofeeva, Svetlana; King, Matt", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION; OTHER \u003e MODELS \u003e MODELS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "GitHub; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Ocean Tides around Antarctica and in the Southern Ocean", "uid": "p0010116", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "1543483 Sedwick, Peter", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -66,-179.5 -66,-179 -66,-178.5 -66,-178 -66,-177.5 -66,-177 -66,-176.5 -66,-176 -66,-175.5 -66,-175 -66,-175 -67.2,-175 -68.4,-175 -69.6,-175 -70.8,-175 -72,-175 -73.2,-175 -74.4,-175 -75.6,-175 -76.8,-175 -78,-175.5 -78,-176 -78,-176.5 -78,-177 -78,-177.5 -78,-178 -78,-178.5 -78,-179 -78,-179.5 -78,180 -78,178.5 -78,177 -78,175.5 -78,174 -78,172.5 -78,171 -78,169.5 -78,168 -78,166.5 -78,165 -78,165 -76.8,165 -75.6,165 -74.4,165 -73.2,165 -72,165 -70.8,165 -69.6,165 -68.4,165 -67.2,165 -66,166.5 -66,168 -66,169.5 -66,171 -66,172.5 -66,174 -66,175.5 -66,177 -66,178.5 -66,-180 -66))", "dataset_titles": "Impact of Convective Processes and Sea Ice Formation on the Distribution of Iron in the Ross Sea: Closing the Seasonal Cycle; NBP1704 Expedition Data", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200150", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Impact of Convective Processes and Sea Ice Formation on the Distribution of Iron in the Ross Sea: Closing the Seasonal Cycle", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/project/815403"}, {"dataset_uid": "001363", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1704 Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1704"}], "date_created": "Mon, 22 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The waters of the Ross Sea continental shelf are among the most productive in the Southern Ocean, and may comprise a significant regional oceanic sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide. In this region, primary production can be limited by the supply of dissolved iron to surface waters during the growing season. Water-column observations, sampling and measurements are to be carried out in the late autumn-early winter time frame on the Ross Sea continental shelf and coastal polynyas (Terra Nova Bay and Ross Ice Shelf polynyas), in order to better understand what drives the biogeochemical redistribution of micronutrient iron species during the onset of convective mixing and sea-ice formation at this time of year, thereby setting conditions for primary production during the following spring. The spectacular field setting and remote, hostile conditions that accompany the proposed field study present exciting possibilities for STEM education and training. At the K-12 level, the project seeks to support the development of educational outreach materials targeting elementary and middle school students, pre-service science teachers, and in-service science teachers.", "east": 165.0, "geometry": "POINT(175 -72)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "POLYNYAS; USAP-DC; NBP1704; Iron; Ross Sea; TRACE ELEMENTS; SALINITY/DENSITY; R/V NBP; MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES", "locations": "Ross Sea", "north": -66.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Sedwick, Peter", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "BCO-DMO", "repositories": "BCO-DMO; R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "Impact of Convective Processes and Sea Ice Formation on the Distribution of Iron in the Ross Sea: Closing the Seasonal Cycle", "uid": "p0010111", "west": -175.0}, {"awards": "1744570 Galloway, Aaron; 1744550 Amsler, Charles; 1744584 Klein, Andrew; 1744602 Iken, Katrin", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-70 -61,-69 -61,-68 -61,-67 -61,-66 -61,-65 -61,-64 -61,-63 -61,-62 -61,-61 -61,-60 -61,-60 -61.772,-60 -62.544,-60 -63.316,-60 -64.088,-60 -64.86,-60 -65.632,-60 -66.404,-60 -67.176,-60 -67.948,-60 -68.72,-61 -68.72,-62 -68.72,-63 -68.72,-64 -68.72,-65 -68.72,-66 -68.72,-67 -68.72,-68 -68.72,-69 -68.72,-70 -68.72,-70 -67.948,-70 -67.176,-70 -66.404,-70 -65.632,-70 -64.86,-70 -64.088,-70 -63.316,-70 -62.544,-70 -61.772,-70 -61))", "dataset_titles": "Average global horizontal solar irradiance at study sites; Carbon and nitrogen isotope data along a gradient at the Antarctic Peninsula; Chemical composition data for Desmarestia menziesii; Chemical composition data for Himantothallus grandifolius; Chemical composition data for Iridaea ; Chemical composition data for Sarcopeltis antarctica ; Computed fetch for project study sites; Five year mean annual and summer sea ice concentration grids for the Western Antarctic Peninsula from AMSR2, National Ice Center Charts and the Sea Ice Index ; Gridded sea ice concentrations from National Ice Center (NIC) Charts 2014-2019 for Western Antarctic Peninsula ; Initial release of code and data associated with Whippo et al. (2024) Fatty acid profiles and stable isotope composition of Antarctic macroalgae: A baseline for a combined biomarker approach in food web studies.; Landsat Sea Ice/Cloud classifications surrounding project study sites; Latitude and longitude data for project study sites; LMG1904 expedition data; Macroalgal species collected along horizontal transect components ; Modelled Solar Irradiance for Western Antarctic Pennisula; Sea Ice Concentration Timeseries for study sites; Underwater transect videos used for community analyses; Underwater video transect community analysis data; VIIRS KD(490) diffuse attenuation coefficients for study sites", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601610", "doi": "10.15784/601610", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Benthic Communities; Biota; Macroalgae; Macroinvertebrates; Oceans; Video Transects", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Underwater transect videos used for community analyses", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601610"}, {"dataset_uid": "200402", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.10524919", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Zendo", "science_program": null, "title": "Initial release of code and data associated with Whippo et al. (2024) Fatty acid profiles and stable isotope composition of Antarctic macroalgae: A baseline for a combined biomarker approach in food web studies.", "url": "https://zenodo.org/records/10524920"}, {"dataset_uid": "200147", "doi": "10.7284/908260", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "LMG1904 expedition data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1904"}, {"dataset_uid": "601330", "doi": "10.15784/601330", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; LMG1904; R/v Laurence M. Gould; Sample Location", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Latitude and longitude data for project study sites", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601330"}, {"dataset_uid": "601619", "doi": "10.15784/601619", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Benthic Communities; Biota; Macroalgae; Macroinvertebrates; Oceans; Video Transects", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Underwater video transect community analysis data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601619"}, {"dataset_uid": "601639", "doi": "10.15784/601639", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Fetch; LMG1904; R/v Laurence M. Gould", "people": "Klein, Andrew", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Computed fetch for project study sites", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601639"}, {"dataset_uid": "601640", "doi": "10.15784/601640", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Diffuse Attenuation Coefficient; LMG1904; R/v Laurence M. Gould; Turbidity", "people": "Klein, Andrew", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "VIIRS KD(490) diffuse attenuation coefficients for study sites", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601640"}, {"dataset_uid": "601641", "doi": "10.15784/601641", "keywords": "Antarctica; Average Global Horizontal Solar Irradiance; Biota; LMG1904; R/v Laurence M. Gould", "people": "Klein, Andrew", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Average global horizontal solar irradiance at study sites", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601641"}, {"dataset_uid": "601642", "doi": "10.15784/601642", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; LMG1904; R/v Laurence M. Gould; Sea Ice Concentration", "people": "Klein, Andrew", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Sea Ice Concentration Timeseries for study sites", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601642"}, {"dataset_uid": "601643", "doi": "10.15784/601643", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; LMG1904; National Ice Center Charts; R/v Laurence M. Gould; Sea Ice Concentration", "people": "Klein, Andrew", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Gridded sea ice concentrations from National Ice Center (NIC) Charts 2014-2019 for Western Antarctic Peninsula ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601643"}, {"dataset_uid": "601649", "doi": "10.15784/601649", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; LMG1904; National Ice Center Charts; Sea Ice Concentration", "people": "Klein, Andrew", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Five year mean annual and summer sea ice concentration grids for the Western Antarctic Peninsula from AMSR2, National Ice Center Charts and the Sea Ice Index ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601649"}, {"dataset_uid": "601651", "doi": "10.15784/601651", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; GIS; GIS Data; LMG1904; R/v Laurence M. Gould; Solar Radiation", "people": "Klein, Andrew", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Modelled Solar Irradiance for Western Antarctic Pennisula", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601651"}, {"dataset_uid": "601653", "doi": "10.15784/601653", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Carbon; Carbon Isotopes; LMG1904; Nitrogen Isotopes; Oceans", "people": "Iken, Katrin", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Carbon and nitrogen isotope data along a gradient at the Antarctic Peninsula", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601653"}, {"dataset_uid": "601654", "doi": "10.15784/601654", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; GIS; LANDSAT; LMG1904; Remote Sensing; R/v Laurence M. Gould", "people": "Klein, Andrew", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Landsat Sea Ice/Cloud classifications surrounding project study sites", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601654"}, {"dataset_uid": "601725", "doi": "10.15784/601725", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Macroalgal species collected along horizontal transect components ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601725"}, {"dataset_uid": "601882", "doi": "10.15784/601882", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Cryosphere; Macroalgae", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Chemical composition data for Desmarestia menziesii", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601882"}, {"dataset_uid": "601883", "doi": "10.15784/601883", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Cryosphere; Macroalgae", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Chemical composition data for Himantothallus grandifolius", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601883"}, {"dataset_uid": "601884", "doi": "10.15784/601884", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Cryosphere; Macroalgae", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Chemical composition data for Iridaea ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601884"}, {"dataset_uid": "601885", "doi": "10.15784/601885", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Cryosphere; Macroalgae", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Chemical composition data for Sarcopeltis antarctica ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601885"}], "date_created": "Thu, 04 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The western Antarctic Peninsula has become a model for understanding cold water communities and how they may be changing in Antarctica and elsewhere. Brown macroalgae (seaweeds) form extensive undersea forests in the northern portion of this region where they play a key role in providing both physical structure and a food (carbon) source for shallow water communities. Yet between Anvers Island (64 degrees S latitude) and Adelaide Island (67 S latitude) these macroalgae become markedly less abundant and diverse. This is probably because the habitat to the south is covered by more sea ice for a longer period, and the sea ice reduces the amount of light that reaches the algae. The reduced macroalgal cover undoubtedly impacts other organisms in the food web, but the ways in which it alters sea-floor community processes and organization is unknown. This project will quantitatively document the macroalgal communities at multiple sites between Anvers and Adelaide Islands using a combination of SCUBA diving, video surveys, and algal collections. Sea ice cover, light levels, and other environmental parameters on community structure will be modelled to determine which factors have the largest influence. Impacts on community structure, food webs, and carbon flow will be assessed through a mixture of SCUBA diving and video surveys. Broader impacts include the training of graduate students and a postdoctoral researcher, as well as numerous informal public education activities including lectures, presentations to K-12 groups, and a variety of social media-based outreach. Macroalgal communities are more abundance and diverse to the north along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, perhaps due to the greater light availability that is associated with shorter period of sea-ice cover. This project will determine the causes and community level consequence of this variation in algal community structure. First, satellite data on sea ice extent and water turbidity will be used to select study sites between 64 S and 69 S where the extent of annual sea ice cover is the primary factor influencing subsurface light levels. Then, variations in macroalgal cover across these study sites will be determined by video line-transect surveys conducted by SCUBA divers. The health, growth, and physiological status of species found at the different sites will be determined by quadrat sampling. The relative importance of macroalgal-derived carbon to the common invertebrate consumers in the foodweb will be assessed with stable isotope and fatty acid biomarker techniques. This will reveal how variation in macroalgal abundance and species composition across the sea ice cover gradient impacts sea floor community composition and carbon flow throughout the food web. In combination, this work will facilitate predictions of how the ongoing reductions in extent and duration of sea ice cover that is occurring in the region as a result of global climate change will impact the structure of nearshore benthic communities. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -60.0, "geometry": "POINT(-65 -64.86)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "COASTAL; R/V LMG; MACROALGAE (SEAWEEDS); BENTHIC; USAP-DC; Antarctic Peninsula", "locations": "Antarctic Peninsula", "north": -61.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Amsler, Charles; McClintock, James; Iken, Katrin; Galloway, Aaron; Klein, Andrew", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC; Zendo", "science_programs": null, "south": -68.72, "title": "Collaborative Research: Sea ice as a driver of Antarctic benthic macroalgal community composition and nearshore trophic connectivity", "uid": "p0010104", "west": -70.0}, {"awards": "1743643 Passchier, Sandra", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Major and trace element analyses of Eocene-Oligocene marine sediments from ODP Site 696, South Orkney Microcontinent; Particle-size distributions of Eocene-Oligocene sediment from ODP Site 696, South Orkney Microcontinent", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601582", "doi": "10.15784/601582", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciation; IODP 650; IODP 696; Paleoceanography; Provenance; Sediment Core Data; Weathering; Weddell Sea", "people": "Passchier, Sandra; Lepp, Allison; States, Abbey; Li, Xiaona; Hojnacki, Victoria", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Major and trace element analyses of Eocene-Oligocene marine sediments from ODP Site 696, South Orkney Microcontinent", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601582"}, {"dataset_uid": "601581", "doi": "10.15784/601581", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciation; IODP 696; Marine Geoscience; Marine Sediments; Paleoceanography; Sediment Core Data; Weddell Sea", "people": "Horowitz Castaldo, Josie; Passchier, Sandra; Lepp, Allison; Light, Jennifer", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Particle-size distributions of Eocene-Oligocene sediment from ODP Site 696, South Orkney Microcontinent", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601581"}], "date_created": "Tue, 26 May 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Abstract (non-technical) Sea level rise is a problem of global importance and it is increasingly affecting the tens of millions of Americans living along coastlines. The melting of glaciers in mountain areas worldwide in response to global warming is a major cause of sea level rise and increases in nuisance coastal flooding. However, the world\u0027s largest land-based ice sheets are situated in the Polar Regions and their response under continued warming is very difficult to predict. One reason for this uncertainty is a lack of observations of ice behavior and melt under conditions of warming, as it is a relatively new global climate state lasting only a few generations so far. Researchers will investigate ice growth on Antarctica under past warm conditions using geological archives embedded in the layers of sand and mud under the sea floor near Antarctica. By peeling back at the layers beneath the seafloor investigators can read the history book of past events affecting the ice sheet. The Antarctic continent on the South Pole, carries the largest ice mass in the world. The investigator\u0027s findings will substantially improve scientists understanding of the response of ice sheets to global warming and its effect on sea level rise. Abstract (technical) The melt of land based ice is raising global sea levels with at present only minor contributions from polar ice sheets. However, the future role of polar ice sheets in climate change is one of the most critical uncertainties in predictions of sea level rise around the globe. The respective roles of oceanic and atmospheric greenhouse forcing on ice sheets are poorly addressed with recent measurements of polar climatology, because of the extreme rise in greenhouse forcing the earth is experiencing at this time. Data on the evolution of the West Antarctic ice sheet is particularly sparse. To address the data gap, researchers will reconstruct the timing and spatial distribution of Antarctic ice growth through the last greenhouse to icehouse climate transition around 37 to 33 Ma. They will collect sedimentological and geochemical data on core samples from a high-latitude paleoarchive to trace the shutdown of the chemical weathering system, the onset of glacial erosion, ice rafting, and sea ice development, as East and West Antarctic ice sheets coalesced in the Weddell Sea sector. Their findings will lead to profound increases in the understanding of the role of greenhouse forcing in ice sheet development and its effect on the global climate system. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Amd/Us; AMD; SEDIMENTS; LABORATORY; USA/NSF; USAP-DC; Weddell Sea", "locations": "Weddell Sea", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Passchier, Sandra", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Timing and Spatial Distribution of Antarctic Ice Sheet Growth and Sea-ice Formation across the Eocene-Oligocene Transition", "uid": "p0010101", "west": null}, {"awards": "1246111 Dalziel, Ian", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-44 -53,-42.9 -53,-41.8 -53,-40.7 -53,-39.6 -53,-38.5 -53,-37.4 -53,-36.3 -53,-35.2 -53,-34.1 -53,-33 -53,-33 -53.4,-33 -53.8,-33 -54.2,-33 -54.6,-33 -55,-33 -55.4,-33 -55.8,-33 -56.2,-33 -56.6,-33 -57,-34.1 -57,-35.2 -57,-36.3 -57,-37.4 -57,-38.5 -57,-39.6 -57,-40.7 -57,-41.8 -57,-42.9 -57,-44 -57,-44 -56.6,-44 -56.2,-44 -55.8,-44 -55.4,-44 -55,-44 -54.6,-44 -54.2,-44 -53.8,-44 -53.4,-44 -53))", "dataset_titles": "BAS Geological Collection: Central Scotia Sea (full data link not provided); Nathaniel B Palmer NBP 1408; South Georgia: SOG1, SOG2, SOG3", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200107", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "British Antarctic Survey", "science_program": null, "title": "BAS Geological Collection: Central Scotia Sea (full data link not provided)", "url": "https://www.bas.ac.uk/data/our-data/collections/geological-collections/"}, {"dataset_uid": "200106", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "MGDS", "science_program": null, "title": "Nathaniel B Palmer NBP 1408", "url": "http://www.marine-geo.org/tools/search/entry.php?id=NBP1408"}, {"dataset_uid": "200105", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "UNAVCO", "science_program": null, "title": "South Georgia: SOG1, SOG2, SOG3", "url": "https://www.unavco.org/data/gps-gnss/gps-gnss.html"}], "date_created": "Tue, 28 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Intellectual Merit: Opening of Drake Passage and the West Scotia Sea south of Tierra del Fuego broke the final continental barrier to onset of a complete Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). Initiation of the ACC has been associated in time with a major, abrupt, drop in global temperatures and the rapid expansion of the Antarctic ice sheets at 33-34 Ma. Events leading to the formation of the Drake Passage gateway are poorly known. Understanding the tectonic evolution of the floor of the Central Scotia Sea (CSS) and the North Scotia Ridge is a key to this understanding. Previous work has demonstrated that superimposed constructs formed a volcanic arc that likely blocked direct eastward flow from the Pacific to the Atlantic through the opening Drake Passage gateway as the active South Sandwich arc does today. The PIs propose a cruise to test, develop and refine, with further targeted mapping and dredging, their theory of CSS tectonics and the influence it had on the onset and development of the ACC. In addition they propose an installation of GPS receiver to test their paleogeographic reconstructions and determine whether South Georgia is moving as part of the South American plate. Broader impacts: A graduate student will be involved in all stages of the research. Undergraduate students will also be involved as watch-standers. A community college teacher will participate in the cruise. The PIs will have a website on which there will be images of the actual ocean floor dredging in operation. The teacher will participate with web and outreach support through PolarTREC. Results of the cruise are of broad interest to paleoceanographers, paleoclimate modelers and paleobiogeographers.", "east": -33.0, "geometry": "POINT(-38.5 -55)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Scotia Sea; PLATE BOUNDARIES; TECTONIC PROCESSES; NOT APPLICABLE; COASTAL ELEVATION; Southern Ocean; USAP-DC", "locations": "Scotia Sea; Southern Ocean", "north": -53.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences; Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Dalziel, Ian W.; Lawver, Lawrence; Krissek, Lawrence", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "British Antarctic Survey", "repositories": "British Antarctic Survey; MGDS; UNAVCO", "science_programs": null, "south": -57.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Role of the Central Scotia Sea Floor and North Scotia Ridge in the Onset and Development of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current", "uid": "p0010078", "west": -44.0}, {"awards": "1444167 Detrich, H. William", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-70 -58,-68.5 -58,-67 -58,-65.5 -58,-64 -58,-62.5 -58,-61 -58,-59.5 -58,-58 -58,-56.5 -58,-55 -58,-55 -59.8,-55 -61.6,-55 -63.4,-55 -65.2,-55 -67,-55 -68.8,-55 -70.6,-55 -72.4,-55 -74.2,-55 -76,-56.5 -76,-58 -76,-59.5 -76,-61 -76,-62.5 -76,-64 -76,-65.5 -76,-67 -76,-68.5 -76,-70 -76,-70 -74.2,-70 -72.4,-70 -70.6,-70 -68.8,-70 -67,-70 -65.2,-70 -63.4,-70 -61.6,-70 -59.8,-70 -58))", "dataset_titles": "Assembled Contig Dat for Daane et al. (2019); E-MTAB-6759: RNA-seq across tissues in four Notothenioid species (Antarctic icefish); Expedition Data of LMG1603; Expedition Data of LMG1604; Expedition Data of LMG1605; Expedition Data of LMG1803; Expedition Data of LMG1804; Expedition Data of LMG1805; Full raw data set, computer code, and evolutionary trajectories for all species in Damsgaard et al. (2019); Histology-, CT-, ultrasound-, and MRI-scans (~2 TB) for Damsgaard et al. (2019); PRJNA420419: Genome and Transcriptome Data for Kim et al. (2019) Blackfin Icefish Genome; PRJNA531677: Sequencing Data for Daane et al. (2019); S-BSST132: Assembled Transcriptomes for Berthelot et al. (2018); SRP047484 RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Notothenia coriiceps embryos; SRP118539: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Chaenocephalus aceratus Embryos; Transposable element sequences and genome sizes, refs 142597 to MF142757", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200252", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1604", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1604"}, {"dataset_uid": "200094", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Array Express", "science_program": null, "title": "E-MTAB-6759: RNA-seq across tissues in four Notothenioid species (Antarctic icefish)", "url": "https://www.ebi.ac.uk/arrayexpress/experiments/E-MTAB-6759/"}, {"dataset_uid": "200096", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "SRP047484 RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Notothenia coriiceps embryos", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/?term=SRP047484"}, {"dataset_uid": "200098", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI BioProject", "science_program": null, "title": "PRJNA531677: Sequencing Data for Daane et al. (2019)", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA531677"}, {"dataset_uid": "200253", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1605", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1605"}, {"dataset_uid": "200095", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BioStudies", "science_program": null, "title": "S-BSST132: Assembled Transcriptomes for Berthelot et al. (2018)", "url": "https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-BSST132"}, {"dataset_uid": "200092", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI BioProject", "science_program": null, "title": "PRJNA420419: Genome and Transcriptome Data for Kim et al. (2019) Blackfin Icefish Genome", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/?term=prjna420419"}, {"dataset_uid": "200093", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "SRP118539: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Chaenocephalus aceratus Embryos", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/SRP118539 "}, {"dataset_uid": "200102", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Transposable element sequences and genome sizes, refs 142597 to MF142757", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore?LinkName=pubmed_nuccore\u0026from_uid=29739320"}, {"dataset_uid": "200103", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GitHub", "science_program": null, "title": "Full raw data set, computer code, and evolutionary trajectories for all species in Damsgaard et al. (2019)", "url": "https://github.com/elifesciences-publications/Retinaevolution"}, {"dataset_uid": "200104", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "eLife", "science_program": null, "title": "Histology-, CT-, ultrasound-, and MRI-scans (~2 TB) for Damsgaard et al. (2019)", "url": "https://retinaevolution.bios.au.dk/eLife%20documentation/README.txt"}, {"dataset_uid": "200251", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1804", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1804"}, {"dataset_uid": "200250", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1603", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1603"}, {"dataset_uid": "200249", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1803", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1803"}, {"dataset_uid": "200099", "doi": "10.5281/zenodo.2628936", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Zenodo", "science_program": null, "title": "Assembled Contig Dat for Daane et al. (2019)", "url": "https://zenodo.org/record/2628936#.Xegqj3dFw2w"}, {"dataset_uid": "200254", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data of LMG1805", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1805"}], "date_created": "Wed, 04 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Antarctic fish and their early developmental stages are an important component of the food web that sustains life in the cold Southern Ocean (SO) that surrounds Antarctica. They feed on smaller organisms and in turn are eaten by larger animals, including seals and killer whales. Little is known about how rising ocean temperatures will impact the development of Antarctic fish embryos and their growth after hatching. This project will address this gap by assessing the effects of elevated temperatures on embryo viability, on the rate of embryo development, and on the gene \"toolkits\" that respond to temperature stress. One of the two species to be studied does not produce red blood cells, a defect that may make its embryos particularly vulnerable to heat. The outcomes of this research will provide the public and policymakers with \"real world\" data that are necessary to inform decisions and design strategies to cope with changes in the Earth\u0027s climate, particularly with respect to protecting life in the SO. The project will also further the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists, including providing scientific training for undergraduate and graduate students, and of making scientific discoveries available to the general public. This includes the unique educational opportunity for undergraduates to participate in research in Antarctica and engaging the public in several ways, including the development of professionally-produced educational videos with bi-lingual closed captioning. Since the onset of cooling of the SO about 40 million years ago, evolution of Antarctic marine organisms has been driven by the development of cold temperatures. Because body temperatures of Antarctic fishes fall in a narrow range determined by their habitat (-1.9 to +2.0 C) they are particularly attractive models for understanding how organismal physiology and biochemistry have been shaped to maintain life in a cooling environment. The long-term objective of this project is to understand the capacities of Antarctic fishes to acclimatize and/or adapt to rapid oceanic warming through analysis of their underlying genetic \"toolkits.\" This objective will be accomplished through three Specific Aims: 1) assessing the effects of elevated temperatures on gene expression during development of embryos; 2) examining the effects of elevated temperatures on embryonic morphology and on the temporal and spatial patterns of gene expression; and 3) evaluating the evolutionary mechanisms that have led to the loss of the red blood cell genetic program by the white-blooded fishes. Aims 1 and 2 will be investigated by acclimating experimental embryos of both red-blooded and white-blooded fish to elevated temperatures. Differential gene expression will be examined through the use of high throughput RNA sequencing. The temporal and spatial patterns of gene expression in the context of embryonic morphology (Aim 2) will be determined by microscopic analysis of embryos \"stained\" with (hybridized to) differentially expressed gene probes revealed by Aim 1; other developmental marker genes will also be used. The genetic lesions resulting from loss of red blood cells by the white-blooded fishes (Aim 3) will be examined by comparing genes and genomes in the two fish groups.", "east": -55.0, "geometry": "POINT(-62.5 -67)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "NOT APPLICABLE; Polar; South Shetland Islands; USAP-DC; COASTAL", "locations": "Polar; South Shetland Islands", "north": -58.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Detrich, H. William", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "Array Express; BioStudies; eLife; GitHub; NCBI BioProject; NCBI GenBank; NCBI SRA; R2R; Zenodo", "science_programs": null, "south": -76.0, "title": "Antarctic Notothenioid Fishes: Sentinel Taxa for Southern Ocean Warming", "uid": "p0010073", "west": -70.0}, {"awards": "1443190 Parizek, Byron", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-130 -73,-125.5 -73,-121 -73,-116.5 -73,-112 -73,-107.5 -73,-103 -73,-98.5 -73,-94 -73,-89.5 -73,-85 -73,-85 -73.9,-85 -74.8,-85 -75.7,-85 -76.6,-85 -77.5,-85 -78.4,-85 -79.3,-85 -80.2,-85 -81.1,-85 -82,-89.5 -82,-94 -82,-98.5 -82,-103 -82,-107.5 -82,-112 -82,-116.5 -82,-121 -82,-125.5 -82,-130 -82,-130 -81.1,-130 -80.2,-130 -79.3,-130 -78.4,-130 -77.5,-130 -76.6,-130 -75.7,-130 -74.8,-130 -73.9,-130 -73))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Mon, 16 Sep 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Accurate reconstructions and predictions of glacier movement on timescales of human interest require a better understanding of available observations and the ability to model the key processes that govern ice flow. The fact that many of these processes are interconnected, are loosely constrained by data, and involve not only the ice, but also the atmosphere, ocean, and solid Earth, makes this a challenging endeavor, but one that is essential for Earth-system modeling and the resulting climate and sea-level forecasts that are provided to policymakers worldwide. Based on the amount of ice present in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and its ability to flow and/or melt into the ocean, its complete collapse would result in a global sea-level rise of 3.3 to 5 meters, making its stability and rate of change scientific questions of global societal significance. Whether or not a collapse eventually occurs, a better understanding of the potential West Antarctic contribution to sea level over the coming decades and centuries is necessary when considering the fate of coastal population centers. Recent observations of the Amundsen Sea Embayment of West Antarctica indicate that it is experiencing faster mass loss than any other region of the continent. At present, the long-term stability of this embayment is unknown, with both theory and observations suggesting that collapse is possible. This study is focused on this critical region. We will test an ice-sheet model against existing observations, improve treatment of key processes in the model, and make projections with uncertainty assessments. This is a three-year modeling study using the open-source Ice Sheet System Model in coordination with other models to improve projections of future sea-level change. Project goals are to: 1. hindcast the past two-to-three decades of evolution of the Amundsen Sea Embayment sector to determine controlling processes, incorporate and test parameterizations, and assess and improve model initialization, spinup, and performance; 2. improve the model by utilizing sensitivity studies with regional process-oriented models to create numerically efficient parameterizations for key sub-grid-scale processes; 3. project a range of likely evolutions of the Amundsen Sea Embayment sector and their respective contributions to sea level in the next several centuries; 4. attribute sources of errors in the hindcast and provide an assessment of the uncertainties in the projections, including a range of likely outcomes given various forcings and inclusion or omission of physical processes in the model. At present, the long-term stability of the Amundsen Sea Embayment is unknown, with both theory (the \"marine ice sheet instability hypothesis\") and observations (rapid thinning and grounding-line retreat approaching regions where the bed deepens inland) suggesting that collapse is possible. But incompletely understood physical processes (e.g., basal hydrology, rheology, and sliding; tidal effects; ice-ocean interaction along the shelf and within the grounding zone) and lack of resolution in basal topography datasets making the ultimate outcome uncertain. Thus, there is a pressing need for high-resolution simulations of this region that include numerical representations of controlling physical processes (many of which are applicable elsewhere) within a higher-order ice-sheet model capable of assimilating recent observations and providing uncertainty analyses associated with model and data limitations. By focusing on the Amundsen Sea Embayment as a connected region across the 10-10,000-meter scales using a hierarchy of one, two, and three-dimensional models along with the sensitivity analysis tools built into the Ice Sheet System Model, this project aims to produce (1) the most reliable results to date when compared with studies that consider only one ice stream or the entire ice sheet and (2) estimates of differing dynamic responses arising from errors in data, model parameterizations, and forcings. Given the uncertainties, the project will produce a range of predictions with characteristic trends that can be recognized within future observational data sets. As new data become available, some predicted rates of change could be culled from the predictive paths generated by this study.", "east": -85.0, "geometry": "POINT(-107.5 -77.5)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; Antarctica; GLACIER MOTION/ICE SHEET MOTION; NOT APPLICABLE", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -73.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Pollard, David; Parizek, Byron R.", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -82.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Evaluating Retreat in the Amundsen Sea Embayment: Assessing Controlling Processes, Uncertainties, and Projections", "uid": "p0010054", "west": -130.0}, {"awards": "1443248 Hall, Brenda; 1443346 Stone, John", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-174 -84.2,-172.4 -84.2,-170.8 -84.2,-169.2 -84.2,-167.6 -84.2,-166 -84.2,-164.4 -84.2,-162.8 -84.2,-161.2 -84.2,-159.6 -84.2,-158 -84.2,-158 -84.36,-158 -84.52,-158 -84.68,-158 -84.84,-158 -85,-158 -85.16,-158 -85.32,-158 -85.48,-158 -85.64,-158 -85.8,-159.6 -85.8,-161.2 -85.8,-162.8 -85.8,-164.4 -85.8,-166 -85.8,-167.6 -85.8,-169.2 -85.8,-170.8 -85.8,-172.4 -85.8,-174 -85.8,-174 -85.64,-174 -85.48,-174 -85.32,-174 -85.16,-174 -85,-174 -84.84,-174 -84.68,-174 -84.52,-174 -84.36,-174 -84.2))", "dataset_titles": "Cosmogenic nuclide data from glacial deposits along the Liv Glacier coast; Ice-D Antarctic Cosmogenic Nuclide database - site DUNCAN; Ice-D Antarctic Cosmogenic Nuclide database - site MAASON; Liv and Amundsen Glacier Radiocarbon Data", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601226", "doi": "10.15784/601226", "keywords": "Antarctica; Be-10; Beryllium-10; Cosmogenic; Cosmogenic Dating; Cosmogenic Radionuclides; Deglaciation; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Liv Glacier; Rocks; Ross Ice Sheet; Surface Exposure Dates; Transantarctic Mountains", "people": "Stone, John", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Cosmogenic nuclide data from glacial deposits along the Liv Glacier coast", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601226"}, {"dataset_uid": "200087", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "ICE-D", "science_program": null, "title": "Ice-D Antarctic Cosmogenic Nuclide database - site MAASON", "url": "https://version2.ice-d.org/antarctica/nsf/"}, {"dataset_uid": "200088", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "ICE-D", "science_program": null, "title": "Ice-D Antarctic Cosmogenic Nuclide database - site DUNCAN", "url": "https://version2.ice-d.org/antarctica/nsf/"}, {"dataset_uid": "601208", "doi": "10.15784/601208", "keywords": "Antarctica; Carbon; Glaciology; Holocene; Radiocarbon; Ross Embayment; Ross Sea; Transantarctic Mountains", "people": "Hall, Brenda", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Liv and Amundsen Glacier Radiocarbon Data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601208"}], "date_created": "Thu, 05 Sep 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The response of the Antarctic Ice Sheet to future climatic changes is recognized as the greatest uncertainty in projections of future sea level. An understanding of past ice fluctuations affords insight into ice-sheet response to climate and sea-level change and thus is critical for improving sea-level predictions. This project will examine deglaciation of the southern Ross Sea over the past few thousand years to document oscillations in Antarctic ice volume during a period of relatively stable climate and sea level. We will help quantify changes in ice volume, improve understanding of the ice dynamics responsible, and examine the implications for future sea-level change. The project will train future scientists through participation of graduate students, as well as undergraduates who will develop research projects in our laboratories. Previous research indicates rapid Ross Sea deglaciation as far south as Beardmore Glacier early in the Holocene epoch (which began approximately 11,700 years before present), followed by more gradual recession. However, deglaciation in the later half of the Holocene remains poorly constrained, with no chronological control on grounding-line migration between Beardmore and Scott Glaciers. Thus, we do not know if mid-Holocene recession drove the grounding line rapidly back to its present position at Scott Glacier, or if the ice sheet withdrew gradually in the absence of significant climate forcing or eustatic sea level change. The latter possibility raises concerns for future stability of the Ross Sea grounding line. To address this question, we will map and date glacial deposits on coastal mountains that constrain the thinning history of Liv and Amundsen Glaciers. By extending our chronology down to the level of floating ice at the mouths of these glaciers, we will date their thinning history from glacial maximum to present, as well as migration of the Ross Sea grounding line southwards along the Transantarctic Mountains. High-resolution dating will come from Beryllium-10 surface-exposure ages of erratics collected along elevation transects, as well as Carbon-14 dates of algae within shorelines from former ice-dammed ponds. Sites have been chosen specifically to allow close comparison of these two dating methods, which will afford constraints on Antarctic Beryllium-10 production rates.", "east": -158.0, "geometry": "POINT(-166 -85)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "GLACIERS/ICE SHEETS; NOT APPLICABLE; Antarctica; ICE SHEETS; USAP-DC", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -84.2, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology; Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Hall, Brenda; Stone, John", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "ICE-D; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -85.8, "title": "Collaborative Research: High-resolution Reconstruction of Holocene Deglaciation in the Southern Ross Embayment", "uid": "p0010053", "west": -174.0}, {"awards": "1644073 DiTullio, Giacomo; 1643684 Saito, Mak", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -72,-173.6 -72,-167.2 -72,-160.8 -72,-154.4 -72,-148 -72,-141.6 -72,-135.2 -72,-128.8 -72,-122.4 -72,-116 -72,-116 -72.7,-116 -73.4,-116 -74.1,-116 -74.8,-116 -75.5,-116 -76.2,-116 -76.9,-116 -77.6,-116 -78.3,-116 -79,-122.4 -79,-128.8 -79,-135.2 -79,-141.6 -79,-148 -79,-154.4 -79,-160.8 -79,-167.2 -79,-173.6 -79,180 -79,178 -79,176 -79,174 -79,172 -79,170 -79,168 -79,166 -79,164 -79,162 -79,160 -79,160 -78.3,160 -77.6,160 -76.9,160 -76.2,160 -75.5,160 -74.8,160 -74.1,160 -73.4,160 -72.7,160 -72,162 -72,164 -72,166 -72,168 -72,170 -72,172 -72,174 -72,176 -72,178 -72,-180 -72))", "dataset_titles": "Algal pigment concentrations from the Ross Sea; Biogenic silica concentrations from the Ross Sea; NBP1801 Expedition data; Nutrients from NBP18-01 CICLOPS", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601205", "doi": "10.15784/601205", "keywords": "Antarctica; Chemistry:fluid; Chemistry:Fluid; Chlorophyll; Chromatography; Liquid Chromatograph; Oceans; Ross Sea; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Sea Water; Seawater Measurements; Southern Ocean; Water Measurements; Water Samples", "people": "Ditullio, Giacomo", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Algal pigment concentrations from the Ross Sea", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601205"}, {"dataset_uid": "601225", "doi": "10.15784/601225", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biogenic Silica; Biogenic Silica Concentrations; Chemistry:Water; Geochemistry; NBP1801; Oceans; Ross Sea; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Sea Water; Southern Ocean; Spectroscopy; Water Measurements; Water Samples", "people": "Ditullio, Giacomo; Schanke, Nicole", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Biogenic silica concentrations from the Ross Sea", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601225"}, {"dataset_uid": "200056", "doi": "10.7284/907753", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1801 Expedition data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1801"}, {"dataset_uid": "601428", "doi": "10.15784/601428", "keywords": "Amundsen Sea; Antarctica; NBP1801; Nitrate; Nitrite; Nutrients; Phosphate; Ross Sea; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Silicic Acid; Terra Nova Bay", "people": "Saito, Mak", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Nutrients from NBP18-01 CICLOPS", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601428"}], "date_created": "Thu, 08 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Phytoplankton blooms in the coastal waters of the Ross Sea, Antarctica are typically dominated by either diatoms or Phaeocystis Antarctica (a flagellated algae that often can form large colonies in a gelatinous matrix). The project seeks to determine if an association of bacterial populations with Phaeocystis antarctica colonies can directly supply Phaeocystis with Vitamin B12, which can be an important co-limiting micronutrient in the Ross Sea. The supply of an essential vitamin coupled with the ability to grow at lower iron concentrations may put Phaeocystis at a competitive advantage over diatoms. Because Phaeocystis cells can fix more carbon than diatoms and Phaeocystis are not grazed as efficiently as diatoms, the project will help in refining understanding of carbon dynamics in the region as well as the basis of the food web webs. Such understanding also has the potential to help refine predictive ecological models for the region. The project will conduct public outreach activities and will contribute to undergraduate and graduate research. Engagement of underrepresented students will occur during summer student internships. A collaboration with Italian Antarctic researchers, who have been studying the Terra Nova Bay ecosystem since the 1980s, aims to enhance the project and promote international scientific collaborations. The study will test whether a mutualistic symbioses between attached bacteria and Phaeocystis provides colonial cells a mechanism for alleviating chronic Vitamin B12 co-limitation effects thereby conferring them with a competitive advantage over diatom communities. The use of drifters in a time series study will provide the opportunity to track in both space and time a developing algal bloom in Terra Nova Bay and to determine community structure and the physiological nutrient status of microbial populations. A combination of flow cytometry, proteomics, metatranscriptomics, radioisotopic and stable isotopic labeling experiments will determine carbon and nutrient uptake rates and the role of bacteria in mitigating potential vitamin B12 and iron limitation. Membrane inlet and proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry will also be used to estimate net community production and release of volatile organic carbon compounds that are climatically active. Understanding how environmental parameters can influence microbial community dynamics in Antarctic coastal waters will advance an understanding of how changes in ocean stratification and chemistry could impact the biogeochemistry and food web dynamics of Southern Ocean ecosystems.", "east": 160.0, "geometry": "POINT(-158 -75.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES; NBP1801; Amd/Us; USA/NSF; USAP-DC; NUTRIENTS; PIGMENTS; CHLOROPHYLL; R/V NBP; Ross Sea; AMD", "locations": "Ross Sea", "north": -72.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "DiTullio, Giacomo; Lee, Peter", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -79.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Cobalamin and Iron Co-Limitation Of Phytoplankton Species in Terra Nova Bay", "uid": "p0010045", "west": -116.0}, {"awards": "1643735 Li, Yun; 1643901 Zhang, Weifeng; 2021245 Li, Yun", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "Dynamic fine-scale sea-icescape shapes adult emperor penguin foraging habitat in East Antarctica; Monthly Stratification Climatology (1978-2021) in Antarctic Coastal Polynyas", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601209", "doi": "10.15784/601209", "keywords": "Animal Behavior Observation; Antarctica; Biota; East Antarctica; GPS; Oceans; Penguin; Southern Ocean", "people": "Pinaud, David; Wienecke, Barbara; Kirkwood, Roger; Ropert-Coudert, Yan; Resinger, Ryan; Jonsen, Ian; Porter-Smith, Rick; Barbraud, Christophe; Ji, Rubao; Jenouvrier, Stephanie; Sumner, Michael; Bost, Charles-Andr\u00e9; Labrousse, Sara; Fraser, Alexander; Tamura, Takeshi", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Dynamic fine-scale sea-icescape shapes adult emperor penguin foraging habitat in East Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601209"}, {"dataset_uid": "601628", "doi": "10.15784/601628", "keywords": "Antarctic; Antarctica; Antarctic Coastal Polynyas; Polynya", "people": "Zhang, Weifeng; Shunk, Nathan; Li, Yun", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Monthly Stratification Climatology (1978-2021) in Antarctic Coastal Polynyas", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601628"}], "date_created": "Wed, 07 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "During winter, sea-ice coverage along the Antarctic coast is punctuated by numerous polynyas--isolated openings of tens to hundreds of kilometer wide. These coastal polynyas are hotspots of sea ice production and the primary source regions of the bottom water in the global ocean. They also host high levels of biological activities and are the feeding grounds of Emperor penguins and marine mammals. The polynyas are a key component of the Antarctic coastal system and crucial for the survival of penguins and many other species. These features also differ dramatically from each other in timing of formation, duration, phytoplankton growth season, and overall biological productivity. Yet, the underlying reasons for differences among them are largely unknown. This project studies the fundamental biophysical processes at a variety of polynyas, examines the connection between the physical environment and the phytoplankton and penguin ecology, and investigates the mechanisms behind polynya variability. The results of this interdisciplinary study will provide a context for interpretation of field measurements in Antarctic coastal polynyas, set a baseline for future polynya studies, and examine how polynya ecosystems may respond to local and large-scale environmental changes. The project will include educational and outreach activities that convey scientific messages to a broad audience. It aims to increase public awareness of the interconnection between large-scale environmental change and Antarctic coastal systems. The main objectives of this study are to form a comprehensive understanding of the temporal and spatial variability of Antarctic coastal polynyas and the physical controls of polynya ecosystems. The project takes an interdisciplinary approach and seeks to establish a modeling system centered on the Regional Ocean Modeling System. This system links the ice and ocean conditions to the plankton ecology and penguin population. Applications of the modeling system in representative polynyas, in conjunction with analysis of existing observations, will determine the biophysical influences of individual forcing factors. In particular, this study will test a set of hypothesized effects of winds, offshore water intrusion, ice-shelf melting, sea-ice formation, glacier tongues, and ocean stratification on the timing of polynya phytoplankton bloom and the overall polynya biological productivity. The project will also examine how changing polynya state affects penguin breeding success, adult survival, and population growth. The team will conduct idealized sensitivity analysis to explore implications of forcing variability, including local and large-scale environmental change, on Antarctic coastal ecosystems.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Southern Ocean; Animal Behavior; Penguin; FIELD INVESTIGATION; USAP-DC; COASTAL; PENGUINS; SEA ICE; Antarctica; OCEAN MIXED LAYER", "locations": "Southern Ocean; Antarctica", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Antarctic Integrated System Science", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Zhang, Weifeng; Ji, Rubao; Jenouvrier, Stephanie; Maksym, Edward; Li, Yun", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Polynyas in Coastal Antarctica (PICA): Linking Physical Dynamics to Biological Variability", "uid": "p0010044", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "1543311 LaRue, Michelle; 1543230 Ainley, David; 1543003 Stammerjohn, Sharon; 1542791 Salas, Leonardo", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -64,-144 -64,-108 -64,-72 -64,-36 -64,0 -64,36 -64,72 -64,108 -64,144 -64,180 -64,180 -65.4,180 -66.8,180 -68.2,180 -69.6,180 -71,180 -72.4,180 -73.8,180 -75.2,180 -76.6,180 -78,144 -78,108 -78,72 -78,36 -78,0 -78,-36 -78,-72 -78,-108 -78,-144 -78,-180 -78,-180 -76.6,-180 -75.2,-180 -73.8,-180 -72.4,-180 -71,-180 -69.6,-180 -68.2,-180 -66.8,-180 -65.4,-180 -64))", "dataset_titles": "ContinentalWESEestimates; Counting seals from space tutorial; Fast Ice Tool; Weddell seals habitat suitability model for the Ross Sea", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200047", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Publication", "science_program": null, "title": "Counting seals from space tutorial", "url": "https://www.int-res.com/articles/suppl/m612p193_supp.pdf"}, {"dataset_uid": "200045", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GitHub", "science_program": null, "title": "Fast Ice Tool", "url": "https://github.com/leosalas/FastIceCovars"}, {"dataset_uid": "200046", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GitHub", "science_program": null, "title": "Weddell seals habitat suitability model for the Ross Sea", "url": "https://github.com/leosalas/WeddellSeal_SOS"}, {"dataset_uid": "200234", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "GitHub", "science_program": null, "title": "ContinentalWESEestimates", "url": "https://github.com/leosalas/ContinentalWESEestimates"}], "date_created": "Fri, 02 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The Weddell seal is the southern-most mammal in the world, having a circumpolar distribution around Antarctica; the McMurdo Sound population in Antarctica is one of the best-studied mammal populations on earth. However, despite this, an understanding of how populations around the continent will fare under climate change is poorly understood. A complicating matter is the potential effects of a commercial enterprise in the Antarctic: a fishery targeting toothfish, which are important prey for Weddell seals. Although the species is easily detected and counted during the breeding season, no reliable estimates of continent-wide Weddell seal numbers exist, due to the logistic difficulties of surveying vast regions of Antarctica. Large-scale estimates are needed to understand how seal populations are responding to the fishery and climate change, because these drivers of change operate at scales larger than any single population, and may affect seals differently in different regions of the continent. We will take advantage of the ease of detectability of darkly colored seals when they the on ice to develop estimates of abundance from satellite images. This project will generate baseline data on the global distribution and abundance of Weddell seals around the Antarctic and will link environmental variables to population changes to better understand how the species will fare as their sea ice habitat continues to change. These results will help disentangle the effects of climate change and fishery operations, results that are necessary for appropriate international policy regarding fishery catch limits, impacts on the environment, and the value of marine protected areas. The project will also further the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists and of making scientific discoveries available to the general public. It will engage \"arm-chair\" scientists of all ages through connections with several non-governmental organizations and the general public. Anyone with access to the internet, including people who are physically unable to participate in field research directly, can participate in this project while simultaneously learning about multiple aspects of polar ecology through the project\u0027s interactive website. Specifically, this research project will: 1) Quantify the distribution of Weddell seals around Antarctica and 2) Determine the impact of environmental variables (such as fast ice extent, ocean productivity, bathymetry) on habitat suitability and occupancy. To do this, the project will crowd-source counting of seals on high-resolution satellite images via a commercial citizen science platform. Variation in seal around the continent will then be related to habitat variables through generalized linear models. Specific variables, such as fast ice extent will be tested to determine their influence on population variability through both space and time. The project includes a rigorous plan for ensuring quality control in the dataset including ground truth data from other, localized projects concurrently funded by the National Science Foundation\u0027s Antarctic Science Program.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "COASTAL; Southern Ocean; COMMUNITY DYNAMICS; MAMMALS; SEA ICE; NOT APPLICABLE; Antarctica; PENGUINS; USAP-DC", "locations": "Antarctica; Southern Ocean", "north": -64.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "LaRue, Michelle; Stamatiou, Kostas", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "Publication", "repositories": "GitHub; Publication", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Determining Factors Affecting Distribution and Population Variability of the Ice-obligate Weddell Seal", "uid": "p0010041", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "1822256 Smith, Craig; 1822289 Vernet, Maria", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-59.5 -62,-59.05 -62,-58.6 -62,-58.15 -62,-57.7 -62,-57.25 -62,-56.8 -62,-56.35 -62,-55.9 -62,-55.45 -62,-55 -62,-55 -62.27,-55 -62.54,-55 -62.81,-55 -63.08,-55 -63.35,-55 -63.62,-55 -63.89,-55 -64.16,-55 -64.43,-55 -64.7,-55.45 -64.7,-55.9 -64.7,-56.35 -64.7,-56.8 -64.7,-57.25 -64.7,-57.7 -64.7,-58.15 -64.7,-58.6 -64.7,-59.05 -64.7,-59.5 -64.7,-59.5 -64.43,-59.5 -64.16,-59.5 -63.89,-59.5 -63.62,-59.5 -63.35,-59.5 -63.08,-59.5 -62.81,-59.5 -62.54,-59.5 -62.27,-59.5 -62))", "dataset_titles": "CTD stations and logs for Araon 2018 ANA08D expedition to Larson C; Yoyo camera survey transects, King George Island and Bransfield Strait", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601199", "doi": "10.15784/601199", "keywords": "Antarctica; Araon; Araon Ana08d; Benthic Images; Benthos; Photo/video; Photo/Video; Southern Ocean; Station List; Yoyo Camera", "people": "Smith, Craig; Ziegler, Amanda", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Yoyo camera survey transects, King George Island and Bransfield Strait", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601199"}, {"dataset_uid": "601178", "doi": "10.15784/601178", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Chlorophyll; CTD; Glacier; Iceberg; Ice Shelf; Larsen C Ice Shelf; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; Phytoplankton; Sample Location; Sea Ice; Southern Ocean; Station List", "people": "Vernet, Maria; Pan, B. Jack", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "CTD stations and logs for Araon 2018 ANA08D expedition to Larson C", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601178"}], "date_created": "Wed, 15 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Marine ecosystems under large ice shelves are thought to contain sparse, low-diversity plankton and seafloor communities due the low supply of food from productive sunlight waters. Past studies have shown sub-ice shelf ecosystems to change in response to altered oceanographic processes resulting from ice-shelve retreat. However, information on community changes and ecosystem structure under ice shelves are limited because sub-ice-shelf ecosystems have either been sampled many years after ice-shelf breakout, or have been sampled through small boreholes, yielding extremely limited spatial information. The recent breakout of the A-68 iceberg from the Larsen C ice shelf in the western Weddell Sea provides an opportunity to use a ship-based study to evaluate benthic communities and water column characteristics in an area recently vacated by a large overlying ice shelf. The opportunity will allow spatial assessments at the time of transition from an under ice-shelf environment to one initially exposed to conditions more typical of a coastal Antarctic marine setting. This RAPID project will help determine the state of a coastal Antarctic ecosystem newly exposed from ice-shelf cover and will aid in understanding of rates of community change during transition. The project will conduct a 10-day field program, allowing contrasts to be made of phytoplankton and seafloor megafaunal communities in areas recently exposed by ice-shelf loss to areas exposed for many decades. The project will be undertaken in a collaborative manner with the South Korean Antarctic Agency, KOPRI, by participating in a cruise in March/May 2018. Combining new information in the area of Larsen C with existing observations after the Larsen A and B ice shelf breakups further to the north, the project is expected to generate a dataset that can elucidate fundamental processes of planktonic and benthic community development in transition from food-poor to food-rich ecosystems. The project will provide field experience to two graduate students, a post-doctoral associate and an undergraduate student. Material from the project will be incorporated into graduate courses and the project will communicate daily work and unfolding events through social media and blogs while they explore this area of the world that is largely underexplored. This award reflects NSF\u0027s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation\u0027s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.", "east": -55.0, "geometry": "POINT(-57.25 -63.35)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Antarctica; R/V NBP; Sea Floor; ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES; ICEBERGS; USAP-DC", "locations": "Antarctica; Sea Floor", "north": -62.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Vernet, Maria; Smith, Craig", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -64.7, "title": "RAPID: Collaborative Research: Marine Ecosystem Response to the Larsen C Ice-Shelf Breakout: \"Time zero\"", "uid": "p0010029", "west": -59.5}, {"awards": "1543031 Ivany, Linda", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "NetCDF outputs from middle Eocene climate simulation using the GENESIS global circulation model ; Organic carbon isotope data from serially sampled Eocene driftwood from the La Meseta Fm., Seymour ; Oxygen isotope data from serially sampled Eocene bivalves from the La Meseta Fm., Seymour Island, Antarctica ", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601174", "doi": "10.15784/601174", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Bivalves; Cucullaea; Eocene; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Isotope Data; La Meseta Formation; Mass Spectrometer; Mass Spectrometry; Oxygen Isotope; Paleotemperature; Retrotapes; Seasonality; Seymour Island", "people": "Judd, Emily", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Oxygen isotope data from serially sampled Eocene bivalves from the La Meseta Fm., Seymour Island, Antarctica ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601174"}, {"dataset_uid": "601175", "doi": "10.15784/601175 ", "keywords": "Antarctica; Atmosphere; Climate Model; Computer Model; Eocene; Genesis; Global Circulation Model; Modeling; Model Output; Seasonality; Temperature", "people": "Judd, Emily", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "NetCDF outputs from middle Eocene climate simulation using the GENESIS global circulation model ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601175"}, {"dataset_uid": "601173", "doi": "10.15784/601173 ", "keywords": "Antarctica; Carbon Isotopes; Driftwood; Eocene; Geochemistry; Geochronology; Isotope Data; La Meseta Formation; Mass Spectrometer; Mass Spectrometry; Organic Carbon Isotopes; Seasonality; Seymour Island; Wood", "people": "Judd, Emily", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Organic carbon isotope data from serially sampled Eocene driftwood from the La Meseta Fm., Seymour ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601173"}], "date_created": "Tue, 23 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "In order to understand what environmental conditions might look like for future generations, we need to turn to archives of past times when the world was indeed warmer, before anyone was around to commit them to collective memory. The geologic record of Earth\u0027s past offers a glimpse of what could be in store for the future. Research by Ivany and her team looks to Antarctica during a time of past global warmth to see how seasonality of temperature and rainfall in coastal settings are likely to change in the future. They will use the chemistry of fossils (a natural archive of these variables) to test a provocative hypothesis about near-monsoonal conditions in the high latitudes when the oceans are warm. If true, we can expect high-latitude shipping lanes to become more hazardous and fragile marine ecosystems adapted to constant cold temperatures to suffer. With growing information about how human activities are likely to affect the planet in the future, we will be able to make more informed decisions about policies today. This research involves an international team of scholars, including several women scientists, training of graduate students, and a public museum exhibit to educate children about how we study Earth\u0027s ancient climate and what we can learn from it. Antarctica is key to an understanding how Earth?s climate system works under conditions of elevated CO2. The poles are the most sensitive regions on the planet to climate change, and the equator-to-pole temperature gradient and the degree to which high-latitude warming is amplified are important components for climate models to capture. Accurate proxy data with good age control are therefore critical for testing numerical models and establishing global patterns. The La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island is the only documented marine section from the globally warm Eocene Epoch exposed in outcrop on the continent; hence its climate record is integral to studies of warming. Early data suggest the potential for strongly seasonal precipitation and runoff in coastal settings. This collaboration among paleontologists, geochemists, and climate modelers will test this using seasonally resolved del-18O data from fossil shallow marine bivalves to track the evolution of seasonality through the section, in combination with independent proxies for the composition of summer precipitation (leaf wax del-D) and local seawater (clumped isotopes). The impact of the anticipated salinity stratification on regional climate will be evaluated in the context of numerical climate model simulations. In addition to providing greater clarity on high-latitude conditions during this time of high CO2, the combination of proxy and model results will provide insights about how Eocene warmth may have been maintained and how subsequent cooling came about. As well, a new approach to the analysis of shell carbonates for 87Sr/86Sr will allow refinements in age control so as to allow correlation of this important section with other regions to clarify global climate gradients. The project outlined here will develop new and detailed paleoclimate records from existing samples using well-tuned as well as newer proxies applied here in novel ways. Seasonal extremes are climate parameters generally inaccessible to most studies but critical to an understanding of climate change; these are possible to resolve in this well-preserved, accretionary-macrofossil-bearing section. This is an integrated study that links marine and terrestrial climate records for a key region of the planet across the most significant climate transition in the Cenozoic.", "east": -56.0, "geometry": "POINT(-56.5 -64.25)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "PALEOCLIMATE RECONSTRUCTIONS; USAP-DC; ISOTOPES; NOT APPLICABLE; MACROFOSSILS; Antarctica", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -64.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Ivany, Linda; Lu, Zunli; Junium, Christopher; Samson, Scott", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -64.5, "title": "Seasonality, Summer Cooling, and Calibrating the Approach of the Icehouse in Late Eocene Antarctica", "uid": "p0010025", "west": -57.0}, {"awards": "1247510 Detrich, H. William", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "E-MTAB-6759: RNA-seq across tissues in four Notothenioid species (Antarctic icefish); Expedition Data; Expedition data of LMG1003; Expedition data of LMG1004; PRJNA420419: Chaenocephalus aceratus Genome sequencing; PRJNA66471: Notothenia coriiceps Genome Sequencing Notothenia coriiceps isolate:Sejong01 (black rockcod); S-BSST 132: Assembled Transcriptomes for Berthelot et al. (2018); SRA091269: Notothenia coriiceps RNA Raw Sequence Reads; SRP047484: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Notothenia coriiceps Embryos ; SRP118539: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Chaenocephalus aceratus Embryos", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200026", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "SRA091269: Notothenia coriiceps RNA Raw Sequence Reads", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/?term=SRA091269"}, {"dataset_uid": "200146", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "SRP047484: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Notothenia coriiceps Embryos ", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/?term=SRP047484"}, {"dataset_uid": "200145", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BioStudies", "science_program": null, "title": "S-BSST 132: Assembled Transcriptomes for Berthelot et al. (2018)", "url": "https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-BSST132"}, {"dataset_uid": "200144", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Array Express", "science_program": null, "title": "E-MTAB-6759: RNA-seq across tissues in four Notothenioid species (Antarctic icefish)", "url": "https://www.ebi.ac.uk/arrayexpress/experiments/E-MTAB-6759/"}, {"dataset_uid": "200143", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI BioProject", "science_program": null, "title": "PRJNA420419: Chaenocephalus aceratus Genome sequencing", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/420419"}, {"dataset_uid": "001508", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0807"}, {"dataset_uid": "200142", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI BioProject", "science_program": null, "title": "PRJNA66471: Notothenia coriiceps Genome Sequencing Notothenia coriiceps isolate:Sejong01 (black rockcod)", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/66471"}, {"dataset_uid": "200093", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "SRP118539: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Chaenocephalus aceratus Embryos", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/SRP118539 "}, {"dataset_uid": "002685", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG1004", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1004"}, {"dataset_uid": "002684", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG1003", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1003"}, {"dataset_uid": "001509", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0806"}], "date_created": "Mon, 08 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Since the advent of Antarctic continental glaciation, the opening of the Drake Passage between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula, and the onset of cooling of the Southern Ocean ~40-25 million years ago, evolution of the Antarctic marine biota has been driven by the development of extreme cold temperatures. As circum-Antarctic coastal temperatures declined during this period from ~20\u00b0C to the modern ?1.9 to +2.0\u00b0C (reached ~8-10 million years ago), the psychrophilic (cold-loving) ectotherms of the Southern Ocean evolved compensatory molecular, cellular, and physiological traits that enabled them to maintain normal metabolic function at cold temperatures. Today, these organisms are threatened by rapid warming of the Southern Ocean over periods measured in centuries (as much as 5\u00b0C/100 yr), a timeframe so short that re-adaptation and/or acclimatization to the ?new warm? may not be possible. Thus, the long-term goals of this research project are: 1) to understand the biochemical and physiological capacities of the embryos of Antarctic notothenioid fish to resist or compensate for rapid oceanic warming; and 2) to assess the genetic toolkit available to support the acclimatization and adaptation of Antarctic notothenioid embryos to their warming habitat. The specific aims of this work are: 1) to determine the capacity of the chaperonin complex of notothenioid fishes to assist protein folding at temperatures between ?4 and +20\u00b0C; and 2) to evaluate the genetic responses of notothenioid embryos, measured as global differential gene transcription, to temperature challenge, with ?1.9\u00b0C as the ?normal? control and +4 and +10\u00b0C as high temperature insults. The physiology of embryonic development of marine stenotherms under future climate change scenarios is an important but understudied problem. This project will provide valuable insights into the capacity of Antarctic fish embryos to acclimatize and adapt to plausible climate change scenarios by examining multiple levels of biological organization, from the biochemical to the organismal. The results should also be broadly applicable to understanding the impact of global warming on marine biota worldwide. The research will also introduce graduate and REU undergraduate students to state-of-the-art biochemical, cellular, and molecular-biological research relevant to ecological and environmental issues of the Antarctic marine ecosystem.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e SAMPLERS \u003e TRAWLS/NETS \u003e BOTTOM TRAWL", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "AQUATIC SCIENCES; R/V LMG; USAP-DC; Southern Ocean", "locations": "Southern Ocean", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Detrich, H. William", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "NCBI SRA", "repositories": "Array Express; BioStudies; NCBI BioProject; NCBI SRA; R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Protein Folding and Embryogenesis in Antarctic Fishes: A Comparative Approach to Environmental Stress", "uid": "p0010024", "west": null}, {"awards": "1543412 Reinfelder, John", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "16S rRNA gene libraries of krill gut microbial communities; Microbial gene libraries of krill gut microbial communities", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200024", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "Microbial gene libraries of krill gut microbial communities", "url": "https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fbioproject%2F531145\u0026amp;data=02%7C01%7Creinfeld%40envsci.rutgers.edu%7C7e30a0192dc748ab271408d6b9d57d08%7Cb92d2b234d35447093ff69aca6632ffe%7C1%7C0%7C636900723909188941\u0026amp;sdata=G6cNg4bBHzeikrWSCYITcT6XS3NLWwjQ1yNdwtrALPc%3D\u0026amp;reserved=0"}, {"dataset_uid": "601171", "doi": "10.15784/601171", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Krill; LTER Palmer Station; Microbiome; Oceans; Southern Ocean", "people": "Reinfelder, John", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "LTER", "title": "16S rRNA gene libraries of krill gut microbial communities", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601171"}], "date_created": "Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Marine food webs can concentrate monomethylmercury (MMHg), a neurotoxin in mammals, in upper trophic level consumers. Despite their remoteness, coastal Antarctic marine ecosystems accumulate and biomagnify MMHg to levels observed at lower latitudes and in the Arctic. Marine sediments and other anoxic habitats in the oceans are typical areas where methylation of mercury occurs and these are likely places where MMHg is being produced. Krill, and more specifically their digestive tracts, may be a previously unaccounted for site where the production of MMHg may be occurring in the Antarctic. If monomethylmercury production is occurring in krill, current views regarding bioaccumulation in the food web and processes leading to the production and accumulation of mercury in the Antarctic Ocean could be better informed, if not transformed. This project will conduct a preliminary assessment of the krill gut microbiomes, the microbiome\u0027s genomic content and potential for production of monomethyl mercury by detecting the genes involved in mercury transformations. By analyzing the krill gut microbiome, the project will provide insights regarding animal-microbe interactions and their potential role in globally important biogeochemical cycles. This project will conduct a preliminary assessment of the krill gut microbiomes, the microbiomes genomic content and potential for production of monomethylmercury. The diversity and metabolic profiles of microorganisms in krill digestive tracts will be evaluated using massively parallel Illumina DNA sequencing technology to produce 16S rRNA gene libraries and assembled whole metagenomes. The project will also quantify the abundance and expression of Hg methylation genes, hgcAB, and identify their taxonomic affiliations in the microbiome communities. Environmental metagenomes, 16S rRNA gene inventories produced from this project will provide the polar science community with valuable databases and experimental tools with which to examine coastal Antarctic microbial ecology and biogeochemistry. The project will seek to provide a wider window into the diversity of extremophile microbial communities and the identification of potentially unique and useful bioactive compounds. In addition to public education and outreach. This project will train graduate students and provide educational and outreach opportunities at the participating institutions", "east": -68.2816, "geometry": "POINT(-69.09295 -66.8017)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; Antarctica; NOT APPLICABLE; BACTERIA/ARCHAEA", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -65.8708, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Schaefer, Jeffra; Reinfelder, John; Barkar, T.", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "NCBI GenBank", "repositories": "NCBI GenBank; USAP-DC", "science_programs": "LTER", "south": -67.7326, "title": "Methylmercury in Antarctic Krill Microbiomes", "uid": "p0010023", "west": -69.9043}, {"awards": "1341339 Baker, Bill; 1341333 McClintock, James", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-65 -65,-64.8 -65,-64.6 -65,-64.4 -65,-64.2 -65,-64 -65,-63.8 -65,-63.6 -65,-63.4 -65,-63.2 -65,-63 -65,-63 -64.9,-63 -64.8,-63 -64.7,-63 -64.6,-63 -64.5,-63 -64.4,-63 -64.3,-63 -64.2,-63 -64.1,-63 -64,-63.2 -64,-63.4 -64,-63.6 -64,-63.8 -64,-64 -64,-64.2 -64,-64.4 -64,-64.6 -64,-64.8 -64,-65 -64,-65 -64.1,-65 -64.2,-65 -64.3,-65 -64.4,-65 -64.5,-65 -64.6,-65 -64.7,-65 -64.8,-65 -64.9,-65 -65))", "dataset_titles": "Data from Amsler et al. 2019 Antarctic Science; Plocamium cartilagineum field chemotyping; Plocamium reproductive system data and R code; Plocamium transect and transplant data; Raw gastropod collection data from Amsler et al. 2022 Antarctic Science; Supplementary information provided with Murray et al.: Discovery of an Antarctic ascidian-associated uncultivated Verrucomicrobia with antimelanoma palmerolide biosynthetic potential; Synoicum adareanum sampling underwater video Mar 2011 Palmer Station Antarctica; The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - 2010 experimental data; The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - 2010 field data; The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - 2011 Clad Outplant; The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - 2013 Chemo Phylo data", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601533", "doi": "10.15784/601533", "keywords": "Antarctica; Benthos; Palmer Station", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Raw gastropod collection data from Amsler et al. 2022 Antarctic Science", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601533"}, {"dataset_uid": "601622", "doi": "10.15784/601622", "keywords": "Antarctica; Benthic; Biota; Macroalgae; Population Genetics", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Plocamium reproductive system data and R code", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601622"}, {"dataset_uid": "601215", "doi": "10.15784/601215", "keywords": "Algae; Antarctica; Biota; Chemical Ecology; Chemotyping; Halogenated Monoterpenes; Natural Products; Oceans; Palmer Station; Plocamium Cartilagineum; Southern Ocean; Terpenes", "people": "Baker, Bill", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Plocamium cartilagineum field chemotyping", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601215"}, {"dataset_uid": "601159", "doi": "601159", "keywords": "Antarctica; Benthic; Biota; Macroalgae; Mesograzer; Microscopy; Oceans; Zooplankton", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Data from Amsler et al. 2019 Antarctic Science", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601159"}, {"dataset_uid": "200357", "doi": "10.5061/dryad.gxd2547gw", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Dryad", "science_program": null, "title": "Synoicum adareanum sampling underwater video Mar 2011 Palmer Station Antarctica", "url": "https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.gxd2547gw"}, {"dataset_uid": "601621", "doi": "10.15784/601621", "keywords": "Antarctica; Benthic; Biota; Macroalgae; Mesograzer; Microscopy; Oceans; Secondary Metabolites", "people": "Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Plocamium transect and transplant data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601621"}, {"dataset_uid": "600047", "doi": "10.15784/600047", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Oceans; Southern Ocean", "people": "Baker, Bill", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - 2010 experimental data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600047"}, {"dataset_uid": "600095", "doi": "10.15784/600095", "keywords": "Algae; Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Oceans; Southern Ocean", "people": "Amsler, Charles; McClintock, James", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - 2011 Clad Outplant", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600095"}, {"dataset_uid": "600096", "doi": "10.15784/600096", "keywords": "Algae; Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Oceans; Southern Ocean", "people": "Baker, Bill", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - 2013 Chemo Phylo data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600096"}, {"dataset_uid": "600046", "doi": "10.15784/600046", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Oceans; Southern Ocean", "people": "McClintock, James; Amsler, Charles", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - 2010 field data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600046"}, {"dataset_uid": "200356", "doi": "10.5061/dryad.8sf7m0cpp", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Dryad", "science_program": null, "title": "Supplementary information provided with Murray et al.: Discovery of an Antarctic ascidian-associated uncultivated Verrucomicrobia with antimelanoma palmerolide biosynthetic potential", "url": "https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.8sf7m0cpp"}], "date_created": "Tue, 05 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The coastal environments of the western Antarctic Peninsula harbor rich assemblages of marine animals and algae. The importance of the interactions between these groups of organisms in the ecology of coastal Antarctica are well known and often mediated by chemical defenses in the tissues of the algae. These chemicals are meant to deter feeding by snails and other marine animals making the Antarctic Peninsula an excellent place to ask important questions about the functional and evolutionary significance of chemical compound diversity for marine communities. This project will focus on three main objectives: the first objective is to expand the current understanding of the relationship between algae and their associated marine animals. The second objective focuses on the diversity of chemical compounds used to defend algae from being consumed. The third objective seeks to understand how marine animals can benefit from these compounds by consuming the algae that contain them, and then using those compounds to chemically deter predators. The field components of this research will be performed during three expeditions to the US Palmer Station, Antarctica. During these expeditions, a variety of laboratory feeding bioassays, manipulative field and laboratory experiments, and on-site chemical analyses will be performed. The investigators will also foster opportunities to integrate their NSF research with a variety of educational activities. As in the past they will support undergraduate research, both through NSF programs as well as home, university-based, programs, and they will also continue to support and foster graduate education. Through their highly successful University of Alabama in Antarctica interactive web program (two time recipient of awards of excellence from the US Council for Advancement and Support of Education), they will continue to involve large numbers of teachers, K-12 students, and other members of the community at large in their scientific endeavors in Antarctica. In addition, the investigators have hosted K-12 teachers on their Antarctic field teams through the former NSF Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic program and will pursue participation in PolarTREC, the successor to this valuable program. Moreover, they will actively participate in outreach efforts by presenting numerous talks on their research to local school and community groups. The near shore environments of the western Antarctic Peninsula harbor rich assemblages of macroalgae and macroinvertebrates. The importance of predator-prey interactions and chemical defenses in mediating community-wide trophic interactions makes the western Antarctic Peninsula an excellent place to ask important questions about the functional and evolutionary significance of defensive compound diversity for marine communities. This project will focus on three main objectives which are a direct outcome of the past studies of the chemical ecology of shallow-water marine macroalgae and invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula by this group of investigators. The first objective is to expand the current understanding of a community-wide mutualism between macroalgae and their associated amphipods to include gastropods, which are also abundant on many macroalgae. The second objective focuses on the diversity of chemical compounds used to defend macroalgae from being consumed, particularly in the common red alga Plocamium cartilagineum. The third objective seeks to understand the relationship between P. cartilagineum and the amphipod Paradexamine fissicauda, including the ecological benefits and costs to P. fissicauda resulting from the ability to consume P. cartilagineum and other chemically defended red algae. The investigators will focus on the costs and benefits related to the ability of P. fissicauda to sequester defensive compounds from the alga P. cartilagineum and use those chemicals to defend itself from predation. The field components of this research will be performed during three expeditions to Palmer Station, Antarctica. During these expeditions, a variety of laboratory feeding bioassays, manipulative field and laboratory experiments, and on-site chemical analyses will be performed. Phylogenetic analyses, detailed secondary metabolite chemical analyses and purifications, and other data analyses will also be performed at the investigators\u0027 home institutions between and after their field seasons.", "east": -63.0, "geometry": "POINT(-64 -64.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "FIELD INVESTIGATION; Antarctica; BENTHIC; USAP-DC", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -64.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Amsler, Charles; Baker, Bill; McClintock, James", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "Dryad; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - continuing", "uid": "p0010016", "west": -65.0}, {"awards": "1750630 Smith, Craig", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-64 -66,-63.3 -66,-62.6 -66,-61.9 -66,-61.2 -66,-60.5 -66,-59.8 -66,-59.1 -66,-58.4 -66,-57.7 -66,-57 -66,-57 -66.3,-57 -66.6,-57 -66.9,-57 -67.2,-57 -67.5,-57 -67.8,-57 -68.1,-57 -68.4,-57 -68.7,-57 -69,-57.7 -69,-58.4 -69,-59.1 -69,-59.8 -69,-60.5 -69,-61.2 -69,-61.9 -69,-62.6 -69,-63.3 -69,-64 -69,-64 -68.7,-64 -68.4,-64 -68.1,-64 -67.8,-64 -67.5,-64 -67.2,-64 -66.9,-64 -66.6,-64 -66.3,-64 -66))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Fri, 15 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Worldwide publicity surrounding the calving of an iceberg the size of Delaware in July 2017 from the Larsen C Ice Shelf on the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula presents a unique and time-sensitive opportunity for research and education on polar ecosystems in a changing climate. The goal of this project was to convene a workshop, drawing from the large fund of intellectual capital in the US and international Antarctic research communities. The two-day workshop was designed to bring scientists with expertise in Antarctic biological, ecological, and ecosystem sciences to Florida State University to share knowledge, identify important research knowledge gaps, and outline strategic plans for research. \r\n\r\nMajor outcomes from the project were as follows. The international workshop to share and review knowledge concerning the response of Antarctic ecosystems to ice-shelf collapse was held at the Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory (FSUCML) on 18-19 November 2017. Thirty-eight U.S. and international scientists attended the workshop, providing expertise in biological, ecological, geological, biogeographical, and glaciological sciences. Twenty-six additional scientists were either not able to attend or were declined because of having reached maximum capacity of the venue or for not responding to our invitation before the registration deadline.\r\n\r\nThe latest results of ice-shelf research were presented, providing an overview of the current scientific knowledge and understanding of the biological, ecological,\r\ngeological and cryospheric processes associated with ice-shelf collapse and its\r\necosystem-level consequences. In addition, several presentations focused on future plans to investigate the impacts of the recent Larsen C collapse. The following presentations were given at the meeting:\r\n\r\n1) Cryospheric dynamics and ice-shelf collapse \u2013 past and future (M. Truffer,\r\nUniversity of Alaska, Fairbanks)\r\n2) The geological history and geological impacts of ice-shelf collapse on the Antarctic Peninsula (Scottt Ishman, Amy Leventer)\r\n3) Pelagic ecosystem responses to ice-shelf collapse (Mattias Cape, Amy Leventer)\r\n4) Benthic ecosystem response to ice-shelf collapse (Craig Smith, Pavica Sr\u0161en, Ann Vanreusel)\r\n5) Larsen C and biotic homogenization of the benthos (Richard Aronson, James\r\nMcClintock, Kathryn Smith, Brittany Steffel)\r\n6) British Antarctic Survey: plans for Larsen C investigations early 2018 and in the\r\nfuture (Huw Griffiths)\r\n7) Feedback on the workshop \u201cClimate change impacts on marine ecosystems:\r\nimplications for management of living resources and conservation\u201d held 19-22\r\nSeptember 2017, Cambridge, UK (Alex Rogers)\r\n8) Past research activities and plans for Larsen field work by the Alfred Wegener\r\nInstitute, Germany (Charlotte Havermans, Dieter Piepenburg.\r\n\r\nOne of the salient points emerging from the presentations and ensuing discussions was that, given our poor abilities to predict ecological outcomes of ice-shelf collapses, major cross-disciplinary efforts are needed on a variety of spatial and temporal scales to achieve a broader, predictive understanding of ecosystem\r\nconsequences of climatic warming and ice-shelf failure. As part of the workshop, the FSUCML Polar Academy Team\u2014Dr. Emily Dolan, Dr. Heidi Geisz, Barbara Shoplock, and Dr. Jeroen Ingels\u2014initiated AntICE: \"Antarctic Influences of Climate Change on Ecosystems\" (AntICE). They reached out to various groups of school children in the local area (and continue to do so). The AntICE Team have been interacting with these children at Wakulla High School and Wakulla Elementary in Crawfordville; children from the Cornerstone Learning Community, Maclay Middle School, Gilchrist Elementary, and the School of Arts and Sciences in Tallahassee; and the Tallahassee-area homeschooling community to educate them about Antarctic ecosystems and ongoing climate change. The underlying idea was to\r\nmake the children aware of climatic changes in the Antarctic and their effect on\r\necosystems so they, in turn, can spread this knowledge to their communities, family\r\nand friends \u2013 acting as \u2018Polar Ambassadors\u2019. We collaborated with the Polar-ICE\r\nproject, an NSF-funded educational project that established the Polar Literacy\r\nInitiative. This program developed the Polar Literacy Principles, which outline\r\nessential concepts to improve public understanding of Antarctic and Arctic\r\necosystems. In the Polar Academy work, we used the Polar Literacy principles, the\r\nPolar Academy Team\u2019s own Antarctic scientific efforts, and the experience of the FSU outreach and education program to engage with the children. We focused on the importance of Antarctic organisms and ecosystems, the uniqueness of its biota and the significance of its food webs, as well as how all these are changing and will\r\nchange further with climate change. Using general presentations, case studies,\r\nscientific methodology, individual experiences, interactive discussions and Q\u0026A\r\nsessions, the children were guided through the many issues Antarctic ecosystems\r\nare facing. Over 300 \u0027Polar ambassadors\u0027 attended the interactive lectures and\r\nafterwards took their creativity to high latitudes by creating welcome letters, displays, dioramas, sculptures, videos and online media to present at the scientific workshop. Over 50 projects were created by the children (Please see supporting files for images). We were also joined by a photographer, Ryan David Reines, to document the event. More information, media and links to online outreach products are available at https://marinelab.fsu.edu/labs/ingels/outreach/polar-academy/", "east": -57.0, "geometry": "POINT(-60.5 -67.5)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "GLACIERS/ICE SHEETS; USAP-DC; ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS; NOT APPLICABLE; MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; Weddell Sea", "locations": "Weddell Sea", "north": -66.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Smith, Craig", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -69.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: RAPID/Workshop- Antarctic Ecosystem Research following Ice Shelf Collapse and Iceberg Calving Events", "uid": "p0010012", "west": -64.0}, {"awards": "1443733 Winsor, Peter; 1443680 Smith, Craig; 1443705 Vernet, Maria", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-66 -64,-65.6 -64,-65.2 -64,-64.8 -64,-64.4 -64,-64 -64,-63.6 -64,-63.2 -64,-62.8 -64,-62.4 -64,-62 -64,-62 -64.1,-62 -64.2,-62 -64.3,-62 -64.4,-62 -64.5,-62 -64.6,-62 -64.7,-62 -64.8,-62 -64.9,-62 -65,-62.4 -65,-62.8 -65,-63.2 -65,-63.6 -65,-64 -65,-64.4 -65,-64.8 -65,-65.2 -65,-65.6 -65,-66 -65,-66 -64.9,-66 -64.8,-66 -64.7,-66 -64.6,-66 -64.5,-66 -64.4,-66 -64.3,-66 -64.2,-66 -64.1,-66 -64))", "dataset_titles": "Andvord Bay Glacier Timelapse; Andvord Bay sediment core data collected during the FjordEco project (LMG1510 and NBP1603); Expedition Data; Expedition data of LMG1702; FjordEco Phytoplankton Ecology Dataset in Andvord Bay ; Fjord-Eco Sediment OrgC OrgN Data - Craig Smith; LMG1510 Expedition data; NBP1603 Expedition data; Sediment macrofaunal abundance and family richness from inner Andvord Bay to the open continental shelf", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601193", "doi": "10.15784/601193", "keywords": "Antarctica; Geochronology; Grain Size; LMG1510; NBP1603; Sediment; Sediment Core Data", "people": "Nittrouer, Charles; Eidam, Emily; Smith, Craig; Homolka, Khadijah", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Andvord Bay sediment core data collected during the FjordEco project (LMG1510 and NBP1603)", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601193"}, {"dataset_uid": "601157", "doi": "10.15784/601157", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Snow/ice; Snow/Ice", "people": "Smith, Craig", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "FjordEco", "title": "Fjord-Eco Sediment OrgC OrgN Data - Craig Smith", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601157"}, {"dataset_uid": "601111", "doi": "10.15784/601111", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Iceberg; Photo; Photo/video; Photo/Video", "people": "Truffer, Martin; Winsor, Peter", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "FjordEco", "title": "Andvord Bay Glacier Timelapse", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601111"}, {"dataset_uid": "200040", "doi": "10.7284/907085", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "LMG1510 Expedition data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1510"}, {"dataset_uid": "601236", "doi": "10.15784/601236", "keywords": "Abundance; Andvord Bay; Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Fjord; LMG1510; Marine Sediments; Oceans; Polychaete; Polychaete Family Richness; R/v Laurence M. Gould; Sediment Core Data; Sediment Macrofauna", "people": "Smith, Craig", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "FjordEco", "title": "Sediment macrofaunal abundance and family richness from inner Andvord Bay to the open continental shelf", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601236"}, {"dataset_uid": "200039", "doi": "10.7284/907205", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1603 Expedition data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1603"}, {"dataset_uid": "002733", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG1702", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1702"}, {"dataset_uid": "601158", "doi": "10.15784/601158", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Ecology; Fjord; Phytoplankton", "people": "Manck, Lauren; Vernet, Maria; Pan, B. Jack; Forsch, Kiefer", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "FjordEco", "title": "FjordEco Phytoplankton Ecology Dataset in Andvord Bay ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601158"}, {"dataset_uid": "001366", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1702"}, {"dataset_uid": "000402", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1702"}], "date_created": "Wed, 13 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Marine communities along the western Antarctic Peninsula are highly productive ecosystems which support a diverse assemblage of charismatic animals such as penguins, seals, and whales as well as commercial fisheries such as that on Antarctic krill. Fjords (long, narrow, deep inlets of the sea between high cliffs) along the central coast of the Peninsula appear to be intense, potentially climate sensitive, hotspots of biological production and biodiversity, yet the structure and dynamics of these fjord ecosystems are very poorly understood. Because of this intense biological activity and the charismatic fauna it supports, these fjords are also major destinations for a large Antarctic tourism industry. This project is an integrated field and modeling program to evaluate physical oceanographic processes, glacial inputs, water column community dynamics, and seafloor bottom community structure and function in these important yet little understood fjord systems. These Antarctic fjords have characteristics that are substantially different from well-studied Arctic fjords, likely yielding much different responses to climate warming. This project will provide major new insights into the dynamics and climate sensitivity of Antarctic fjord ecosystems, highlighting contrasts with Arctic sub-polar fjords, and potentially transforming our understanding of the ecological role of fjords in the rapidly warming west Antarctic coastal marine landscape. The project will also further the NSF goal of training new generations of scientists, providing scientific training for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students. This includes the unique educational opportunity for undergraduates to participate in research cruises in Antarctica and the development of a novel summer graduate course on fjord ecosystems. Internet based outreach activities will be enhanced and extended by the participation of a professional photographer who will produce magazine articles, websites, radio broadcasts, and other forms of public outreach on the fascinating Antarctic ecosystem. This project will involve a 15-month field program to test mechanistic hypotheses concerning oceanographic and glaciological forcing, and phytoplankton and benthic community response in the Antarctic fjords. Those efforts will be followed by a coupled physical/biological modeling effort to evaluate the drivers of biogeochemical cycles in the fjords and to explore their potential sensitivity to enhanced meltwater and sediment inputs. Fieldwork over two oceanographic cruises will utilize moorings, weather stations, and glacial, sea-ice and seafloor time-lapse cameras to obtain an integrated view of fjord ecosystem processes. The field team will also make multiple shipboard measurements and will use towed and autonomous underwater vehicles to intensively evaluate fjord ecosystem structure and function during spring/summer and autumn seasons. These integrated field and modeling studies are expected to elucidate fundamental properties of water column and sea bottom ecosystem structure and function in the fjords, and to identify key physical-chemical-glaciological forcing in these rapidly warming ecosystems.", "east": -62.0, "geometry": "POINT(-64 -64.5)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CHEMICAL METERS/ANALYZERS \u003e FLUOROMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e RECORDERS/LOGGERS \u003e AWS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ECHO SOUNDERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e THERMOSALINOGRAPHS", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "OCEAN CURRENTS; Bellingshausen Sea; LMG1702; COMMUNITY DYNAMICS; FJORDS; R/V LMG; MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; USAP-DC; ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS; ANIMALS/INVERTEBRATES; SEDIMENTATION; NOT APPLICABLE; BENTHIC", "locations": "Bellingshausen Sea", "north": -64.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Winsor, Peter; Truffer, Martin; Smith, Craig; Powell, Brian; Merrifield, Mark; Vernet, Maria; Kohut, Josh", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": "FjordEco", "south": -65.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Fjord Ecosystem Structure and Function on the West Antarctic Peninsula - Hotspots of Productivity and Biodiversity? (FjordEco)", "uid": "p0010010", "west": -66.0}, {"awards": "1443394 Pollard, David; 1443347 Condron, Alan", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "Antarctic Ice Sheet simulations for role of freshwater in future warming scenarios; Future climate response to Antarctic Ice Sheet melt caused by anthropogenic warming; Simulated changes in Southern Ocean salinity", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601442", "doi": "10.15784/601442", "keywords": "Antarctica; Computer Model; Freshwater; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Model Data; Ocean Model; Oceans; Salinity", "people": "Condron, Alan", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Simulated changes in Southern Ocean salinity", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601442"}, {"dataset_uid": "601449", "doi": "10.15784/601449", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Meltwater", "people": "Condron, Alan", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Future climate response to Antarctic Ice Sheet melt caused by anthropogenic warming", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601449"}, {"dataset_uid": "601154", "doi": "10.15784/601154 ", "keywords": "Antarctic; Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Ice Sheet; Ice Sheet Model; Meltwater; Model Data; Modeling; Model Output", "people": "Pollard, David", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Antarctic Ice Sheet simulations for role of freshwater in future warming scenarios", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601154"}], "date_created": "Mon, 04 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "There is compelling historical evidence that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is vulnerable to rapid retreat and collapse. Recent observations, compared to observations made 20-30 years before, indicate that both ice shelves (thick ice with ocean below) and land ice (thick ice with land below), are now melting at a much faster rate. Some numerical models suggest that significant ice retreat may begin within many of our lifetimes, starting with the abrupt collapse of Pine Island and Thwaites Glaciers in the next 50 years. This may be followed by retreat of much of the WAIS and then the collapse of parts of the East Antarctic ice sheet (EAIS). This research project will assess the extent to which global ocean circulation and climate will be impacted if enormous volumes of fresh water and ice flow into the Southern Ocean. It will establish whether a rapid collapse of WAIS in the near-future poses any significant threat to the stability of modern-day climate and human society. This is a topic that has so far received little attention as most prior research has focused on the response of climate to melting the Greenland ice sheet. Yet model simulations predict that the volumes of fresh water and ice released from Antarctica in the next few centuries could be up at least ten-times larger than from Greenland. The Intellectual Merit of this project stems from its ability to establish a link between the physical Antarctic system (ice sheet dynamics, fresh water discharge and iceberg calving) and global climate. The PIs (Principal Investigators) will assess the sensitivity of ocean circulation and climate to increased ice sheet melt using a combination of ocean, iceberg, ice sheet and climate models. Results from this study will help identify areas of the ice sheet that are vulnerable to collapse and also regions of the ocean where a significant freshening will have a considerable impact on climate, and serve to guide the deployment of an observational monitoring system capable of warning us when ice and fresh water discharge start to approach levels capable of disrupting ocean circulation and global climate. This project will support and train two graduate students, and each PI will be involved with local primary and secondary schools, making presentations, mentoring science fair projects, and contributing to curriculum development. A novel, web-based, interactive, cryosphere learning tool will be developed to help make school children more aware of the importance of the Polar Regions in global climate, and this software will be introduced to science teachers at a half day workshop organized by the UMass STEM Education Institute. Recent numerical simulations using a continental ice sheet/shelf model show the potential for more rapid and greater Antarctic ice sheet retreat in the next 50-300 years (under the full range of IPCC RCP (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Representative Concentration Pathways) future warming scenarios) than previously projected. Exactly how the release of enormous volumes of ice and fresh water to the Southern Ocean will impact global ocean circulation and climate has yet to be accurately assessed. This is in part because previous model simulations were too coarse to accurately resolve narrow coastal boundary currents, shelf breaks, fronts, and mesoscale eddies that are all very important for realistically simulating fresh water transport in the ocean. In this award, future projections of fresh water discharge and iceberg calving from Antarctic will be used to force a high resolution eddy-resolving ocean model (MITgcm) coupled to a new iceberg module and a fully-coupled global climate model (CCSM4). High resolution ocean/iceberg simulations will determine the role of mesoscale eddies in freshwater transport and give new insight into how fresh water is advected to far-field locations, including deep water formation sites in the North Atlantic. These simulations will provide detailed information about subsurface temperatures and changes in ocean circulation close to the ice front and grounding line. An accompanying set of fully coupled climate model simulations (NCAR CCSM4) will identify multidecadal-to-centennial changes in the climate system triggered by increased high-latitude Southern Ocean freshwater forcing. Particular attention will be given to changes in the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), wind stress, sea ice formation, and global temperatures. In doing so, this project will more accurately determine whether abrupt and potentially catastrophic changes in global climate are likely to be triggered by changes in the Antarctic system in the near-future.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e DATA ANALYSIS \u003e ENVIRONMENTAL MODELING \u003e COMPUTER", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; USA/NSF; AMD; MODELS; Amd/Us; Antarctica; GLACIERS/ICE SHEETS", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Integrated System Science", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Pollard, David; Condron, Alan; DeConto, Robert", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e MODELS \u003e MODELS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Assessing the Global Climate Response to Melting of the Antarctic Ice Sheet", "uid": "p0010007", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "1656344 Bowman, Jeff", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-64.1 -64.75,-64.08 -64.75,-64.06 -64.75,-64.04 -64.75,-64.02 -64.75,-64 -64.75,-63.98 -64.75,-63.96 -64.75,-63.94 -64.75,-63.92 -64.75,-63.9 -64.75,-63.9 -64.775,-63.9 -64.8,-63.9 -64.825,-63.9 -64.85,-63.9 -64.875,-63.9 -64.9,-63.9 -64.925,-63.9 -64.95,-63.9 -64.975,-63.9 -65,-63.92 -65,-63.94 -65,-63.96 -65,-63.98 -65,-64 -65,-64.02 -65,-64.04 -65,-64.06 -65,-64.08 -65,-64.1 -65,-64.1 -64.975,-64.1 -64.95,-64.1 -64.925,-64.1 -64.9,-64.1 -64.875,-64.1 -64.85,-64.1 -64.825,-64.1 -64.8,-64.1 -64.775,-64.1 -64.75))", "dataset_titles": "\r\nMetadata accompanying BioProject SUB4579142 ; Western Antarctic Peninsula Marine Metatranscriptomes Sep 29 2018", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "200010", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI SRA", "science_program": null, "title": "Western Antarctic Peninsula Marine Metatranscriptomes Sep 29 2018", "url": "https://submit.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/subs/sra/SUB4579142/overview"}, {"dataset_uid": "601153", "doi": "", "keywords": "Antarctic; Antarctica; Bacteria; Bacteria Production; Biota; Chlorophyll; LTER Palmer Station; Primary Production; Sea Ice; Southern Ocean", "people": "Bowman, Jeff", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "\r\nMetadata accompanying BioProject SUB4579142 ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601153"}], "date_created": "Thu, 31 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This EAGER project will compare gene expression patterns in the planktonic communities under ice covers that form in coastal embayment\u0027s in the Antarctic Peninsula. Previous efforts taking advantage of unique ice conditions in November and December of 2015 allowed researchers to conduct an experiment to examine the role of sea ice cover on microbial carbon and energy transfer during the winter-spring transition. The EAGER effort will enable the researchers to conduct the \"omics\" analyses of the phytoplankton to determine predominant means by which energy is acquired and used in these settings. This EAGER effort will apply new expertise to fill an existing gap in ecological observations along the West Antarctic Peninsula. The principle product of the proposed work will be a novel dataset to be analyzed and by an early career researcher from an underserved community (veteran). The critical baseline data contained in this dataset enable a comparison of eukaryotic and prokaryotic gene expression patterns to establish the relative importance of chemoautotrophy, heterotrophy, mixotrophy, and phototrophy during the experiments. this information and data will be made immediately available to the broader scientific community, and will enable the development of further hypotheses on ecosystem change as sea ice cover changes in the region. Very little gene expression data is currently available for the Antarctic marine environment, and no gene expression data is available during the ecologically critical winter to spring transition. Moreover, ice cover in bays is common along the West Antarctic Peninsula yet the opportunity to study cryptophyte phytoplankton physiology beneath such ice conditions in coastal embayments is rare.", "east": -63.9, "geometry": "POINT(-64 -64.875)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; NOT APPLICABLE; Antarctica; COASTAL", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -64.75, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Bowman, Jeff", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "NCBI SRA", "repositories": "NCBI SRA; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.0, "title": "A Preliminary Assessment of the Influence of Ice Cover on Microbial Carbon and Energy Acquisition during the Antarctic Winter-spring Seasonal Transition", "uid": "p0010003", "west": -64.1}, {"awards": "1341440 Jin, Meibing; 1341558 Ji, Rubao; 1341547 Stroeve, Julienne", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "Antarctic MIZ, Pack Ice and Polynya Maps from Passive Microwave Satellite Data; Ice-ocean-ecosystem model output; Sea ice chlorophyll concentrations in Antarctic coastal polynyas and seasonal ice zones", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601136", "doi": "10.15784/601136", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Model Data; Oceans; Southern Ocean", "people": "Jin, Meibing", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Ice-ocean-ecosystem model output", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601136"}, {"dataset_uid": "601219", "doi": "10.15784/601219", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Chlorophyll; Chlorophyll Concentration; Oceans; Polynya; Sea Ice Concentration; Seasonal Ice Zone; Southern Ocean", "people": "Ji, Rubao", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Sea ice chlorophyll concentrations in Antarctic coastal polynyas and seasonal ice zones", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601219"}, {"dataset_uid": "601115", "doi": "10.15784/601115", "keywords": "Antarctica; Pack Ice; Polynya; Sea Ice; Southern Ocean", "people": "Stroeve, Julienne", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Antarctic MIZ, Pack Ice and Polynya Maps from Passive Microwave Satellite Data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601115"}], "date_created": "Tue, 20 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The aim of study is to understand how climate-related changes in snow and ice affect predator populations in the Antarctic, using the Ad\u00e9lie penguin as a focal species due to its long history as a Southern Ocean \u0027sentinel\u0027 species and the number of long-term research programs monitoring its abundance, distribution, and breeding biology. Understanding the environmental factors that control predator population dynamics is critically important for projecting the state of populations under future climate change scenarios, and for designing better conservation strategies for the Antarctic ecosystem. For the first time, datasets from a network of observational sites for the Ad\u00e9lie penguin across the entire Antarctic will be combined and analyzed, with a focus on linkages among the ice environment, primary production, and the population responses of Ad\u00e9lie penguins. The project will also further the NSF goals of making scientific discoveries available to the general public and of training new generations of scientists. The results of this project can be used to illustrate intuitively to the general public the complex interactions between ice, ocean, pelagic food web and top predators. This project also offers an excellent platform to demonstrate the process of climate-change science - how scientists simulate climate change scenarios and interpret model results. This project supports the training of undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of polar oceanography, plankton and seabird ecology, coupled physical-biological modeling and mathematical ecology. The results will be broadly disseminated to the general oceanographic research community through scientific workshops, conferences and peer-reviewed journal articles, and to undergraduate and graduate education communities, K-12 schools and organizations, and the interested public through web-based servers using existing infrastructure at the investigators\u0027 institutions. The key question to be addressed in this project is how climate impacts the timing of periodic biological events (phenology) and how interannual variation in this periodic forcing influences the abundance of penguins in the Antarctic. The focus will be on the timing of ice algae and phytoplankton blooms because the high seasonality of sea ice and associated pulsed primary productivity are major drivers of the Antarctic food web. This study will also examine the responses of Ad\u00e9lie penguins to changes in sea ice dynamics and ice algae-phytoplankton phenology. Ad\u00e9lie penguins, like many other Antarctic seabirds, are long-lived, upper trophic-level predators that integrate the effects of sea ice on the food web at regional scales, and thus serve as a reliable biological indicator of environmental changes. The proposed approach is designed to accommodate the limits of measuring and modeling the intermediate trophic levels between phytoplankton and penguins (e.g., zooplankton and fish) at the pan-Antarctic scale, which are important but latent variables in the Southern Ocean food web. Through the use of remotely sensed and in situ data, along with state of the art statistical approaches (e.g. wavelet analysis) and numerical modeling, this highly interdisciplinary study will advance our understanding of polar ecosystems and improve the projection of future climate change scenarios.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "USAP-DC; MARINE ECOSYSTEMS; NOT APPLICABLE; Antarctica", "locations": "Antarctica", "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Jin, Meibing; Stroeve, Julienne; Ji, Rubao", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Phytoplankton Phenology in the Antarctic: Drivers, Patterns, and Implications for the Adelie Penguin", "uid": "p0000001", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "1142115 Dunbar, Nelia", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "No data submitted yet, but submission to Antarctic tephra database is planned", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002571", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "in progress", "science_program": null, "title": "No data submitted yet, but submission to Antarctic tephra database is planned", "url": "http://www.tephrochronology.org/AntT/about.html"}], "date_created": "Sun, 10 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Dunbar/1142115 This award supports a project to investigate the extremely rich volcanic record in the WAIS Divide ice core as part of this ongoing tephrochronology research in Antarctica. Ice cores in Polar Regions offer unparalleled records of earth\u0027s climate over the past 500,000 years. Accurate chronology of individual ice cores and chronological correlations between different ice cores is critically important to the interpretation of the climate record. The field of Antarctic tephrochronology has been progressing steadily, and is on the cusp of having a fully integrated tephra framework for large parts of the continent. Major advances in this field have been made due to the acquisition of a number of ice cores with strong volcanic records, improvement of analytical techniques and better characterization of source eruptions due in part to through studies of englacial tephra from several major blue ice areas. The intellectual merit of this work is that the tephrochonological studies will provide independently dated time-stratigraphic markers in the ice core, particularly for the deepest ice, linking tephra layers between the WAIS Divide core and the Siple Dome core which will allow detailed comparisons to be made of coastal and inland climate. It will also contribute to a better understanding of eruption magnitude, dispersal patterns and geochemical evolution of West Antarctic volcanoes. The work will also contribute to a new tephra dataset to the literature for use in future ice core studies. The broader impacts of this project fall into the areas of education, outreach and international cooperation. This project will employ one New Mexico Tech graduate student, but will also be featured in outreach programs for NMT undergraduates, as well as teacher and student groups and outreach for the general public in New Mexico. NMT is an Hispanic serving institution (25% Hispanic students) and also found by NSF to rank 15th nationwide in \"baccalaureate-origin\" institutions for doctoral recipients in science and engineering, thereby having a disproportionately large effect on producing Hispanic scientists and engineers. However, probably the most significant broader impact of this project will be the continued efforts of the PI in fostering and promoting of international cooperation in the tephra-in-ice community. Dunbar has been collaborating with European tephra researchers for a number of years, sharing data and working collaboratively on tephra correlations, and these activities have lead to, and will continue to promote, forward progress in integrating the Antarctic tephrochronology record. This proposal does not require field work in the Antarctic.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": "NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "NOT APPLICABLE; USAP-DC", "locations": null, "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Dunbar, Nelia", "platforms": "OTHER \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE", "repo": "in progress", "repositories": "in progress", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Tephrochronology of the WAIS Divide Ice Core: Linking Ice Cores through Volcanic Records", "uid": "p0000338", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "0732711 Smith, Craig; 0732625 Leventer, Amy; 0732655 Mosley-Thompson, Ellen; 0732602 Truffer, Martin; 0732651 Gordon, Arnold; 0732983 Vernet, Maria", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-68 -57.8,-66.78 -57.8,-65.56 -57.8,-64.34 -57.8,-63.12 -57.8,-61.9 -57.8,-60.68 -57.8,-59.46 -57.8,-58.24 -57.8,-57.02 -57.8,-55.8 -57.8,-55.8 -58.8,-55.8 -59.8,-55.8 -60.8,-55.8 -61.8,-55.8 -62.8,-55.8 -63.8,-55.8 -64.8,-55.8 -65.8,-55.8 -66.8,-55.8 -67.8,-57.02 -67.8,-58.24 -67.8,-59.46 -67.8,-60.68 -67.8,-61.9 -67.8,-63.12 -67.8,-64.34 -67.8,-65.56 -67.8,-66.78 -67.8,-68 -67.8,-68 -66.8,-68 -65.8,-68 -64.8,-68 -63.8,-68 -62.8,-68 -61.8,-68 -60.8,-68 -59.8,-68 -58.8,-68 -57.8))", "dataset_titles": "Abrupt Environmental Change in the Larsen Ice Shelf System (LARISSA) - Marine Ecosystems; Biology Species Abundance from the Larsen Ice Shelf acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expeditions NBP1001 and NBP1203; Bruce Plateau Accumulation O18 2009-1900; Easten Antarctic Peninsula Surface Sediment Diatom Data; LMG13-11 JKC-1 Paleoceanographic data; Macrofauna Species Abundance Raw Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1001; Megafauna Species Abundance Raw Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1001; NBP1001 cruise data; NBP1203 cruise data; Processed CTD Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf in Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1001; Processed CTD Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf near Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1203; Processed ship-based LADCP Sonar Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf in Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1001; Processed ship-based LADCP Sonar Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf near Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1203; Radioisotope data (C-14 and Pb-210) from bulk sediments, Larsen A Ice Shelf; Sediment samples (full data link not provided)", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601306", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Box Corer; LARISSA; Larsen Ice Shelf; Macrofauna; NBP1001; Oceans; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Seafloor Sampling; Species Abundance", "people": "Smith, Craig", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "LARISSA", "title": "Macrofauna Species Abundance Raw Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1001", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601306"}, {"dataset_uid": "601348", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; CTD; CTD Data; LARISSA; Larsen Ice Shelf; NBP1203; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Salinity; Temperature", "people": "Huber, Bruce; Gordon, Arnold", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Processed CTD Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf near Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1203", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601348"}, {"dataset_uid": "000226", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "MGDS", "science_program": null, "title": "Biology Species Abundance from the Larsen Ice Shelf acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expeditions NBP1001 and NBP1203", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1594/ieda/320821"}, {"dataset_uid": "600073", "doi": "10.15784/600073", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Araon1304; Biota; LARISSA; Larsen B Ice Shelf; NBP1001; NBP1203; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; Southern Ocean; Weddell Sea", "people": "Vernet, Maria", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "LARISSA", "title": "Abrupt Environmental Change in the Larsen Ice Shelf System (LARISSA) - Marine Ecosystems", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600073"}, {"dataset_uid": "600167", "doi": "10.15784/600167", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Bruce Plateau; Glaciology; Ice Core Records; Isotope; LARISSA; Paleoclimate; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Snow Accumulation", "people": "Thompson, Lonnie G.; Mosley-Thompson, Ellen", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "LARISSA", "title": "Bruce Plateau Accumulation O18 2009-1900", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600167"}, {"dataset_uid": "601346", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Current Measurements; LADCP; Larsen Ice Shelf; NBP1001; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer", "people": "Huber, Bruce; Gordon, Arnold", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "LARISSA", "title": "Processed ship-based LADCP Sonar Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf in Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1001", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601346"}, {"dataset_uid": "601336", "doi": "10.15784/601336", "keywords": "Antarctica; Carbon-14; Larsen Ice Shelf; Lead-210; Marine Sediments; Radioisotope Analysis", "people": "Taylor, Richard; DeMaster, David", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "LARISSA", "title": "Radioisotope data (C-14 and Pb-210) from bulk sediments, Larsen A Ice Shelf", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601336"}, {"dataset_uid": "601211", "doi": "10.15784/601211", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Benthos; Biota; Diatom; Geology/Geophysics - Other; LMG0502; Marine Geoscience; Marine Sediments; Microscope; NBP0003; NBP0107; NBP0603; NBP1203; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Surface Sediment", "people": "Leventer, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "LARISSA", "title": "Easten Antarctic Peninsula Surface Sediment Diatom Data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601211"}, {"dataset_uid": "000145", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "AMGRF", "science_program": null, "title": "Sediment samples (full data link not provided)", "url": "http://arf.fsu.edu/"}, {"dataset_uid": "000142", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1001 cruise data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1001"}, {"dataset_uid": "601485", "doi": "10.15784/601485", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Delta 13C; Delta 18O; Paleoceanography; Temperature", "people": "Shevenell, Amelia", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "LARISSA", "title": "LMG13-11 JKC-1 Paleoceanographic data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601485"}, {"dataset_uid": "000143", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1203 cruise data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1203"}, {"dataset_uid": "601347", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Current Measurements; LADCP; LARISSA; Larsen Ice Shelf; NBP1203; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer", "people": "Gordon, Arnold; Huber, Bruce", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Processed ship-based LADCP Sonar Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf near Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1203", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601347"}, {"dataset_uid": "601305", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Box Corer; LARISSA; Larsen Ice Shelf; Macrofauna; Megafauna; NBP1001; Oceans; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Seafloor Sampling; Species Abundance", "people": "Smith, Craig", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "LARISSA", "title": "Megafauna Species Abundance Raw Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1001", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601305"}, {"dataset_uid": "601345", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; CTD; CTD Data; LARISSA; Larsen Ice Shelf; NBP1001; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Salinity; Temperature", "people": "Huber, Bruce; Gordon, Arnold", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "LARISSA", "title": "Processed CTD Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf in Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1001", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601345"}], "date_created": "Thu, 01 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Like no other region on Earth, the northern Antarctic Peninsula represents a spectacular natural laboratory of climate change and provides the opportunity to study the record of past climate and ecological shifts alongside the present-day changes in one of the most rapidly warming regions on Earth. This award supports the cryospheric and oceano-graphic components of an integrated multi-disciplinary program to address these rapid and fundamental changes now taking place in Antarctic Peninsula (AP). By making use of a marine research platform (the RV NB Palmer and on-board helicopters) and additional logistical support from the Argentine Antarctic program, the project will bring glaciologists, oceanographers, marine geologists and biologists together, working collaboratively to address fundamentally interdisciplinary questions regarding climate change. The project will include gathering a new, high-resolution paleoclimate record from the Bruce Plateau of Graham Land, and using it to compare Holocene- and possibly glacial-epoch climate to the modern period; investigating the stability of the remaining Larsen Ice Shelf and rapid post-breakup glacier response ? in particular, the roles of surface melt and ice-ocean interactions in the speed-up and retreat; observing the contribution of, and response of, oceanographic systems to ice shelf disintegration and ice-glacier interactions. Helicopter support on board will allow access to a wide range of glacial and geological areas of interest adjacent to the Larsen embayment. At these locations, long-term in situ glacial monitoring, isostatic uplift, and ice flow GPS sites will be established, and high-resolution ice core records will be obtained using previously tested lightweight drilling equipment. Long-term monitoring of deep water outflow will, for the first time, be integrated into changes in ice shelf extent and thickness, bottom water formation, and multi-level circulation by linking near-source observations to distal sites of concentrated outflow. The broader impacts of this international, multidisciplinary effort are that it will significantly advance our understanding of linkages amongst the earth\u0027s systems in the Polar Regions, and are proposed with international participation (UK, Spain, Belgium, Germany and Argentina) and interdisciplinary engagement in the true spirit of the International Polar Year (IPY). It will also provide a means of engaging and educating the public in virtually all aspects of polar science and the effects of ongoing climate change. The research team has a long record of involving undergraduates in research, educating high-performing graduate students, and providing innovative and engaging outreach products to the K-12 education and public media forums. Moreover, forging the new links both in science and international Antarctic programs will provide a continuing legacy, beyond IPY, of improved understanding and cooperation in Antarctica.", "east": -55.8, "geometry": "POINT(-61.9 -62.8)", "instruments": "EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE \u003e NOT APPLICABLE; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CORERS \u003e BOX CORE; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CORERS \u003e CORING DEVICES; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CORERS \u003e ICE AUGERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CORERS \u003e SNOW DENSITY CUTTER", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Paleoclimate; Megafauna; USAP-DC; AMD; Amd/Us; Antarctica; Climate Change; LABORATORY; Climate Variability; Multi-Disciplinary; Cryosphere; NBP1001; FIELD SURVEYS; Not provided; Antarctic Peninsula; R/V NBP; FIELD INVESTIGATION; USA/NSF; Ice Core; Holocene", "locations": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula", "north": -57.8, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Integrated System Science", "paleo_time": "PHANEROZOIC \u003e CENOZOIC \u003e QUATERNARY \u003e HOLOCENE", "persons": "Truffer, Martin; Gordon, Arnold; Huber, Bruce; Mosley-Thompson, Ellen; Leventer, Amy; Vernet, Maria; Smith, Craig; Thompson, Lonnie G.", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION; LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS; Not provided; OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "AMGRF; MGDS; R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": "LARISSA", "south": -67.8, "title": "Collaborative Research in IPY: Abrupt Environmental Change in the Larsen Ice Shelf System, a Multidisciplinary Approach -- Cryosphere and Oceans", "uid": "p0000101", "west": -68.0}, {"awards": "1143834 Huber, Bruce; 1430550 Domack, Eugene; 1143836 Leventer, Amy; 1143833 Orsi, Alejandro", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((116 -65.2,116.5 -65.2,117 -65.2,117.5 -65.2,118 -65.2,118.5 -65.2,119 -65.2,119.5 -65.2,120 -65.2,120.5 -65.2,121 -65.2,121 -65.38,121 -65.56,121 -65.74,121 -65.92,121 -66.1,121 -66.28,121 -66.46,121 -66.64,121 -66.82,121 -67,120.5 -67,120 -67,119.5 -67,119 -67,118.5 -67,118 -67,117.5 -67,117 -67,116.5 -67,116 -67,116 -66.82,116 -66.64,116 -66.46,116 -66.28,116 -66.1,116 -65.92,116 -65.74,116 -65.56,116 -65.38,116 -65.2))", "dataset_titles": "AU1402 Final UCTD data; AU1402 mooring data; Bottom photos from the Southern Ocean acquired during R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1402 ; NBP1402 diatom data; NBP1402 Final CTD data; NBP1402 Final UCTD data; NBP1402 JPC43 Diatom Data; NBP14-02 JPC-54 and JPC-55 Pollen Assemblage data; NBP14-02 JPC-55 Bulk Sediment Carbon and Nitrogen data; NBP14-02 JPC-55 foraminifer assemblage data; NBP1402 Lowered ADCP data; Near-bottom Videos from the Southern Ocean acquired during R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1402; Sabrina Coast mooring data - sediment trap mooring 2014", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601044", "doi": "10.15784/601044", "keywords": "Antarctica; Carbon; Chemistry:sediment; Chemistry:Sediment; Geochemistry; Marine Sediments; NBP1402; Nitrogen; Oceans; Sabrina Coast; Sediment Core; Southern Ocean; Totten Glacier", "people": "Domack, Eugene Walter; Smith, Catherine; Shevenell, Amelia", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP14-02 JPC-55 Bulk Sediment Carbon and Nitrogen data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601044"}, {"dataset_uid": "601312", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Benthic Images; Camera; East Antarctica; Marine Geoscience; NBP1402; Photo/video; Photo/Video; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Sabrina Coast; Totten Glacier; Video Data; Yoyo Camera", "people": "Leventer, Amy; Domack, Eugene Walter; Orsi, Alejandro; Post, Alexandra; Shevenell, Amelia; Blankenship, Donald D.; Huber, Bruce; Gulick, Sean", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Near-bottom Videos from the Southern Ocean acquired during R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1402", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601312"}, {"dataset_uid": "601310", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Benthic Images; Benthos; East Antarctica; Marine Geoscience; NBP1402; Photo; Photo/video; Photo/Video; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Totten Glacier; Yoyo Camera", "people": "Gulick, Sean; Domack, Eugene Walter; Shevenell, Amelia; Orsi, Alejandro; Huber, Bruce; Leventer, Amy; Post, Alexandra", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Bottom photos from the Southern Ocean acquired during R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1402 ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601310"}, {"dataset_uid": "601067", "doi": "10.15784/601067", "keywords": "Antarctica; CTD Data; NBP1402; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; Sabrina Coast; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Southern Ocean", "people": "Huber, Bruce", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1402 Final CTD data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601067"}, {"dataset_uid": "601046", "doi": "10.15784/601046", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Marine Sediments; NBP1402; Oceans; Paleoclimate; Pollen; Sabrina Coast; Sediment Core; Southern Ocean; Totten Glacier", "people": "Smith, Catherine; Domack, Eugene Walter; Shevenell, Amelia", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP14-02 JPC-54 and JPC-55 Pollen Assemblage data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601046"}, {"dataset_uid": "601148", "doi": "10.15784/601148", "keywords": "Antarctica; Au1402; Mooring; NBP1402; Oceans; Ocean Temperature; Physical Oceanography; R/v Aurora Australis; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Sabrina Coast; Salinity; Southern Ocean; Temperature", "people": "Orsi, Alejandro", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "AU1402 mooring data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601148"}, {"dataset_uid": "601147", "doi": "10.15784/601147", "keywords": "Antarctica; CTD Data; NBP1402; Ocean Temperature; Physical Oceanography; Sabrina Coast; Salinity; Southern Ocean; Temperature; Underway CTD", "people": "Orsi, Alejandro", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "AU1402 Final UCTD data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601147"}, {"dataset_uid": "601146", "doi": "10.15784/601146", "keywords": "Antarctica; CTD Data; NBP1402; Oceans; Ocean Temperature; Physical Oceanography; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Sabrina Coast; Salinity; Southern Ocean; Temperature", "people": "Orsi, Alejandro", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1402 Final UCTD data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601146"}, {"dataset_uid": "601042", "doi": "10.15784/601042", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Continental Margin; Foraminifera; NBP1402; Oceans; Paleoclimate; Sabrina Coast; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Southern Ocean; Totten Glacier", "people": "Leventer, Amy; Shevenell, Amelia", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP14-02 JPC-55 foraminifer assemblage data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601042"}, {"dataset_uid": "601845", "doi": "10.15784/601845", "keywords": "Antarctica; Cryosphere; Diatom; NBP1402; Totten Glacier", "people": "Leventer, Amy; NBP1402 science party, ", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1402 diatom data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601845"}, {"dataset_uid": "601440", "doi": "10.15784/601440", "keywords": "Antarctica; Diatom; Holocene; Jumbo Piston Corer; NBP1402; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Sabrina Coast; Sediment Core Data; Species Abundance; Totten Glacier", "people": "Leventer, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1402 JPC43 Diatom Data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601440"}, {"dataset_uid": "601068", "doi": "10.15784/601068", "keywords": "ADCP Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler; Antarctica; NBP1402; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; Sabrina Coast; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Southern Ocean", "people": "Huber, Bruce", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP1402 Lowered ADCP data", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601068"}, {"dataset_uid": "601069", "doi": "10.15784/601069", "keywords": "Antarctica; Mooring; NBP1402; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; Sabrina Coast; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Southern Ocean", "people": "Huber, Bruce", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Sabrina Coast mooring data - sediment trap mooring 2014", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601069"}], "date_created": "Fri, 26 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This project will investigate the marine component of the Totten Glacier and Moscow University Ice Shelf, East Antarctica. This system is of critical importance because it drains one-eighth of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet and contains a volume equivalent to nearly 7 meters of potential sea level rise, greater than the entire West Antarctic Ice Sheet. This nearly completely unexplored region is the single largest and least understood marine glacial system that is potentially unstable. Despite intense scrutiny of marine based systems in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, little is known about the Totten Glacier system. This study will add substantially to the meager oceanographic and marine geology and geophysics data available in this region, and will significantly advance understanding of this poorly understood glacial system and its potentially sensitive response to environmental change. Independent, space-based platforms indicate accelerating mass loss of the Totten system. Recent aerogeophysical surveys of the Aurora Subglacial Basin, which contains the deepest ice in Antarctica and drains into the Totten system, have provided the subglacial context for measured surface changes and show that the Totten Glacier has been the most significant drainage pathway for at least two previous ice flow regimes. However, the offshore context is far less understood. Limited physical oceanographic data from the nearby shelf/slope break indicate the presence of Modified Circumpolar Deep Water within a thick bottom layer at the mouth of a trough with apparent access to Totten Glacier, suggesting the possibility of sub-glacial bottom inflow of relatively warm water, a process considered to be responsible for West Antarctic Ice Sheet grounding line retreat. This project will conduct a ship-based marine geologic and geophysical survey of the region, combined with a physical oceanographic study, in order to evaluate both the recent and longer-term behavior of the glacial system and its relationship to the adjacent oceanographic system. This endeavor will complement studies of other Antarctic ice shelves, oceanographic studies near the Antarctic Peninsula, and ongoing development of ice sheet and other ocean models.", "east": 121.0, "geometry": "POINT(118.5 -66.1)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CORERS \u003e CORING DEVICES; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Totten Glacier; NBP1402; Sabrina Coast; LABORATORY; Diatom; R/V NBP; Amd/Us; Bottom Photos; R/V AA; Not provided; USAP-DC; AMD; USA/NSF", "locations": "Sabrina Coast; Totten Glacier", "north": -65.2, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Integrated System Science; Antarctic Integrated System Science", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Orsi, Alejandro; Huber, Bruce; Leventer, Amy; Domack, Eugene Walter", "platforms": "Not provided; OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V AA; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -67.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Totten Glacier System and the Marine Record of Cryosphere - Ocean Dynamics", "uid": "p0000008", "west": 116.0}, {"awards": "1543380 Shadwick, Elizabeth", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Expedition data of LMG1704", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002732", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG1704", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1704"}, {"dataset_uid": "001364", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG1704"}], "date_created": "Fri, 29 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Interest in the reduced alkalinity of high latitude waters under conditions of enhanced CO2 uptake from the atmosphere have been the impetus of numerous recent studies of bio-stressors in the polar marine environment. The project seeks to improve our understanding of the variance of coastal Southern Ocean carbonate species (CO2 system), its diurnal and inter-annual variability, by acquiring autonomous, high frequency observations from an Antarctic coastal mooring(s). A moored observing system co-located within the existing Palmer LTER array will measure pH, CO2 partial pressure, temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen with 3-hour frequency in this region of the West Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf. Such observations will help estimate the dominant physical and biological controls on the seasonal variations in the CO2 system in coastal Antarctic waters, including the sign, seasonality and the flux of the net annual air-sea exchange of carbon dioxide. The Palmer LTER site is experiencing rapid ecological change in the West Antarctic Peninsula, a region that is warming at rates faster than any other region of coastal Antarctica.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CHEMICAL METERS/ANALYZERS \u003e FLUOROMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e RECORDERS/LOGGERS \u003e AWS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e XBT; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ECHO SOUNDERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e THERMOSALINOGRAPHS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V LMG; LMG1704", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Shadwick, Elizabeth; Shadwick, Elizabeth", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Resolving CO2 System Seasonality in the West Antarctic Peninsula with Autonomous Observations", "uid": "p0000875", "west": null}, {"awards": "1141939 Lubin, Dan", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-167.0365 -77.5203,-166.96385 -77.5203,-166.8912 -77.5203,-166.81855 -77.5203,-166.7459 -77.5203,-166.67325 -77.5203,-166.6006 -77.5203,-166.52795 -77.5203,-166.4553 -77.5203,-166.38265 -77.5203,-166.31 -77.5203,-166.31 -77.52527,-166.31 -77.53024,-166.31 -77.53521,-166.31 -77.54018,-166.31 -77.54515,-166.31 -77.55012,-166.31 -77.55509,-166.31 -77.56006,-166.31 -77.56503,-166.31 -77.57,-166.38265 -77.57,-166.4553 -77.57,-166.52795 -77.57,-166.6006 -77.57,-166.67325 -77.57,-166.7459 -77.57,-166.81855 -77.57,-166.8912 -77.57,-166.96385 -77.57,-167.0365 -77.57,-167.0365 -77.56503,-167.0365 -77.56006,-167.0365 -77.55509,-167.0365 -77.55012,-167.0365 -77.54515,-167.0365 -77.54018,-167.0365 -77.53521,-167.0365 -77.53024,-167.0365 -77.52527,-167.0365 -77.5203))", "dataset_titles": "Shortwave Spectroradiometer Data from Ross Island, Antarctica", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601074", "doi": "10.15784/601074", "keywords": "Antarctica; Atmosphere; Meteorology; Radiosounding; Ross Island", "people": "Lubin, Dan", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Shortwave Spectroradiometer Data from Ross Island, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601074"}], "date_created": "Wed, 20 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Antarctic clouds constitute an important parameter of the surface radiation budget and thus play a significant role in Antarctic climate and climate change. The variability in, and long term trends of, cloud optical and microphysical properties are therefore fundamental in parameterizing the mixed phase (water-snow-ice) coastal Antarctic stratiform clouds experienced around the continent. Using a spectoradiometer that covers the wavelength range of 350 to 2200nm, the downwelled spectral irradiance at the earth surface (Ross Island) will be used to retrieve the optical depth, thermodynamic phase, liquid water droplet effective radius, and ice-cloud effective particle size of overhead clouds, at hourly intervals and for an austral summer season (Oct-March). Based on the very limited data sets that exist for the maritime Antarctic, expectations are that Ross Island (Lat 78 S) should exhibit clouds with: a) An abundance of supercooled liquid water, and related mixed-phase cloud processes b) Cloud nucleation from year round biogenic and oceanic sources, in an otherwise pristine environment c) Simple cloud geometries of predominantly stratiform cloud decks Increased understanding of the cloud properties in the region of the main USAP base, McMurdo station is also relevant to operational weather forecasting relevant to aviation. A range of educational and outreach activities are associate with the project, including provision of workshops for high school teachers will be carried out.", "east": -166.31, "geometry": "POINT(-166.67325 -77.54515)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided; USAP-DC", "locations": null, "north": -77.5203, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Lubin, Dan", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.57, "title": "Antarctic Cloud Physics: Fundamental Observations from Ross Island", "uid": "p0000327", "west": -167.0365}, {"awards": "1141993 Rich, Jeremy", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-60 -70,-59.3 -70,-58.6 -70,-57.9 -70,-57.2 -70,-56.5 -70,-55.8 -70,-55.1 -70,-54.4 -70,-53.7 -70,-53 -70,-53 -70.9,-53 -71.8,-53 -72.7,-53 -73.6,-53 -74.5,-53 -75.4,-53 -76.3,-53 -77.2,-53 -78.1,-53 -79,-53.7 -79,-54.4 -79,-55.1 -79,-55.8 -79,-56.5 -79,-57.2 -79,-57.9 -79,-58.6 -79,-59.3 -79,-60 -79,-60 -78.1,-60 -77.2,-60 -76.3,-60 -75.4,-60 -74.5,-60 -73.6,-60 -72.7,-60 -71.8,-60 -70.9,-60 -70))", "dataset_titles": "Seasonal Succession of Bacterial Communities in Coastal Waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601032", "doi": "10.15784/601032", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Bacteria; Biota; Genetic; Geochemistry; Palmer Station; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Sea Water; Southern Ocean", "people": "Rich, Jeremy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Seasonal Succession of Bacterial Communities in Coastal Waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601032"}], "date_created": "Thu, 15 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) has experienced unprecedented warming and shifts in sea ice cover over the past fifty years. How these changes impact marine microbial communities, and subsequently how these shifts in the biota may affect the carbon cycle in surface waters is unknown. This work will examine how these ecosystem-level changes affect microbial community structure and function. This research will use modern metagenomic and transcriptomic approaches to test the hypothesis that the introduction of organic matter from spring phytoplankton blooms drives turnover in microbial communities. This research will characterize patterns in bacterial and archaeal succession during the transition from the austral winter at two long-term monitoring sites: Palmer Station in the north and Rothera Station in the south. This project will also include microcosm incubations to directly assess the effects of additions of organic carbon and melted sea ice on microbial community structure and function. The results of this work will provide a broader understanding of the roles of both rare and abundant microorganisms in carbon cycling within the WAP region, and how these communities may shift in structure and function in response to climate change. Results will be widely disseminated through publications as well as through presentations at national and international meetings. The research will provide training opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students and will enhance international collaborations with the British Antarctic Survey.", "east": -53.0, "geometry": "POINT(-56.5 -74.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -70.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Rich, Jeremy", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -79.0, "title": "Collaborative Research: Microbial Community Assembly in Coastal Waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula", "uid": "p0000409", "west": -60.0}, {"awards": "1246202 Hofmann, Gretchen", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((163.317388 -77.3354,163.6520742 -77.3354,163.9867604 -77.3354,164.3214466 -77.3354,164.6561328 -77.3354,164.990819 -77.3354,165.3255052 -77.3354,165.6601914 -77.3354,165.9948776 -77.3354,166.3295638 -77.3354,166.66425 -77.3354,166.66425 -77.386975,166.66425 -77.43855,166.66425 -77.490125,166.66425 -77.5417,166.66425 -77.593275,166.66425 -77.64485,166.66425 -77.696425,166.66425 -77.748,166.66425 -77.799575,166.66425 -77.85115,166.3295638 -77.85115,165.9948776 -77.85115,165.6601914 -77.85115,165.3255052 -77.85115,164.990819 -77.85115,164.6561328 -77.85115,164.3214466 -77.85115,163.9867604 -77.85115,163.6520742 -77.85115,163.317388 -77.85115,163.317388 -77.799575,163.317388 -77.748,163.317388 -77.696425,163.317388 -77.64485,163.317388 -77.593275,163.317388 -77.5417,163.317388 -77.490125,163.317388 -77.43855,163.317388 -77.386975,163.317388 -77.3354))", "dataset_titles": "mRNA sequencing - RNAseq; Nearshore pH, temperature, (salinity, depth) at mooring sites in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, Overwinter 2011-2016; pH temp sal measurement data", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601141", "doi": "10.15784/601141", "keywords": "Antarctica; McMurdo Sound; Mcmurdo Station; Mooring; Oceans; Ocean Temperature; PH; Physical Oceanography; Ross Sea; Sea Surface Temperature; Seawater Measurements; Southern Ocean; Temperature", "people": "Kapsenberg, Lydia; Hofmann, Gretchen; Hoshijima, Umihiko", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Nearshore pH, temperature, (salinity, depth) at mooring sites in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, Overwinter 2011-2016", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601141"}, {"dataset_uid": "000181", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "mRNA sequencing - RNAseq", "url": "http://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/639502"}, {"dataset_uid": "002576", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "pH temp sal measurement data", "url": "https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/639502"}], "date_created": "Tue, 13 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The research supported in this project will examine the effects of environmental change on a key Antarctic marine invertebrate, a pelagic mollusk, the pteropod, Limacina helicina antarctica. There are two main activities in this project: (1) to deploy oceanographic equipment ? in this case, autonomously recording pH sensors called SeaFETs and other devices that record temperature and salinity, and (2) to use these environmental data in the laboratory at McMurdo Station to study the response of the marine invertebrates to future changes in water quality that is expected in the next few decades. Notably, changes in oceanic pH (aka ocean acidification) and ocean warming are projected to be particularly threatening to calcifying marine organisms in cold-water, high latitude seas, making tolerance data on these organisms a critical research need in Antarctic marine ecosystems. These Antarctic shelled-animals are especially vulnerable to dissolution stress from ocean acidification because they currently inhabit seawater that is barely at the saturation level to support biogenic calcification. Indeed, these polar animals are considered to be the \u0027first responders\u0027 to chemical changes in the surface oceans. Thus, this project will lead to information about the adaptive capacity of L. helcina antarctica. From an ecological perspective this is important because this animal is a critical part of the Antarctic food chain in coastal waters and changes in its abundance will impact other species. Finally, the research conducted in this project will serve as a training and educational opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdoctoral scholars.", "east": 166.66425, "geometry": "POINT(164.990819 -77.593275)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -77.3354, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Hofmann, Gretchen", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "BCO-DMO; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.85115, "title": "Ocean Acidification Seascape: Linking Natural Variability and Anthropogenic changes in pH and Temperature to Performance in Calcifying Antarctic Marine Invertebrates", "uid": "p0000390", "west": 163.317388}, {"awards": "1043657 Cassano, John", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((163 -74.5,163.9 -74.5,164.8 -74.5,165.7 -74.5,166.6 -74.5,167.5 -74.5,168.4 -74.5,169.3 -74.5,170.2 -74.5,171.1 -74.5,172 -74.5,172 -74.9,172 -75.3,172 -75.7,172 -76.1,172 -76.5,172 -76.9,172 -77.3,172 -77.7,172 -78.1,172 -78.5,171.1 -78.5,170.2 -78.5,169.3 -78.5,168.4 -78.5,167.5 -78.5,166.6 -78.5,165.7 -78.5,164.8 -78.5,163.9 -78.5,163 -78.5,163 -78.1,163 -77.7,163 -77.3,163 -76.9,163 -76.5,163 -76.1,163 -75.7,163 -75.3,163 -74.9,163 -74.5))", "dataset_titles": "Ocean-Ice-Atmosphere Interactions in the Terra Nova Bay Polynya, Antarctica", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600125", "doi": "10.15784/600125", "keywords": "Antarctica; Atmosphere; Meteorology; Navigation; Oceans; Southern Ocean; Unmanned Aircraft", "people": "Palo, Scott; Cassano, John", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Ocean-Ice-Atmosphere Interactions in the Terra Nova Bay Polynya, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600125"}], "date_created": "Thu, 22 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Antarctic coastal polynas are, at the same time, sea-ice free sites and \u0027sea-ice factories\u0027. They are open water surface locations where water mass transformation and densification occurs, and where atmospheric exchanges with the deep ocean circulation are established. Various models of the formation and persistence of these productive and diverse ocean ecosystems are hampered by the relative lack of in situ meteorological and physical oceanographic observations, especially during the inhospitable conditions of their formation and activity during the polar night. Characterization of the lower atmosphere properties, air-sea surface heat fluxes and corresponding ocean hydrographic profiles of Antarctic polynyas, especially during strong wind events, is sought for a more detailed understanding of the role of polynyas in the production of latent-heat type sea ice and the formation, through sea ice brine rejection, of dense ocean bottom waters A key technological innovation in this work continues to be the use of instrumented unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), to enable the persistent and safe observation of the interaction of light and strong katabatic wind fields, and mesocale cyclones in the Terra Nova Bay (Victoria Land, Antarctica) polynya waters during late winter and early summer time frames.", "east": 172.0, "geometry": "POINT(167.5 -76.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -74.5, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Cassano, John; Palo, Scott", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.5, "title": "Collaborative Research: Ocean-Ice-Atmosphere Interactions in the Terra Nova Bay Polynya, Antarctica", "uid": "p0000417", "west": 163.0}, {"awards": "0229314 Stone, John", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Reedy Glacier Exposure Ages, Antarctica", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "609601", "doi": "10.7265/N5MG7MF1", "keywords": "Antarctica; Chemistry:rock; Chemistry:Rock; Cosmogenic; Geochemistry; Geochronology; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Reedy Glacier; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description", "people": "Stone, John", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Reedy Glacier Exposure Ages, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609601"}], "date_created": "Mon, 30 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The stability of the marine West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) remains an important, unresolved problem for predicting future sea level change. Recent studies indicate that the mass balance of the ice sheet today may be negative or positive. The apparent differences may stem in part from short-term fluctuations in flow. By comparison, geologic observations provide evidence of behavior over much longer time scales. Recent work involving glacial-geologic mapping, dating and ice-penetrating radar surveys suggests that deglaciation of both the Ross Sea Embayment and coastal Marie Byrd Land continued into the late Holocene, and leaves open the possibility of ongoing deglaciation and grounding-line retreat. However, previous work in the Ross Sea Embayment was based on data from just three locations that are all far to the north of the present grounding line. Additional data from farther south in the Ross Sea Embayment are needed to investigate whether recession has ended, or if the rate and pattern of deglaciation inferred from our previous study still apply to the present grounding line. This award provides support to reconstruct the evolution of Reedy Glacier, in the southern Transantarctic Mountains, since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Because Reedy Glacier emerges from the mountains above the grounding line, its surface slope and elevation should record changes in thickness of grounded ice in the Ross Sea up to the present day. The deglaciation chronology of Reedy Glacier therefore can indicate whether Holocene retreat of the WAIS ended thousands of years ago, or is still continuing at present. This integrated glaciologic, glacial-geologic, and cosmogenic-isotope exposure- dating project will reconstruct past levels of Reedy Glacier. Over two field seasons, moraines will be mapped, dated and correlated at sites along the length of the glacier. Radar and GPS measurements will be made to supplement existing ice thickness and velocity data, which are needed as input for a model of glacier dynamics. The model will be used to relate geologic measurements to the grounding-line position downstream. Ultimately, the mapping, dating and ice-modeling components of the study will be integrated into a reconstruction that defines changes in ice thickness in the southern Ross Sea since the LGM, and relates these changes to the history of grounding-line retreat. This work directly addresses key goals of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Initiative, which are to understand the dynamics, recent history and possible future behavior of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Surface Exposure Dates; FIELD SURVEYS; Aluminum-26; Erosion; Rock Samples; Beryllium-10; Exposure Age", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Stone, John", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Collaborative Research: Late Quaternary History of Reedy Glacier", "uid": "p0000029", "west": null}, {"awards": "0944645 Goodge, John", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Wed, 11 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Intellectual Merit: \u003cbr/\u003eBecause of extensive ice cover and sparse remote-sensing data, the geology of the Precambrian East Antarctic Shield (EAS) remains largely unexplored with information limited to coastal outcrops from the African, Indian and Australian sectors. The East Antarctic lithosphere is globally important: as one of the largest coherent Precambrian shields, including rocks as old as ~3.8 Ga, it played an important role in global crustal growth; it is a key piece in assembly of the Rodinia and Gondwana supercontinents; it is the substrate to Earth?s major ice cap, including numerous sub-glacial lakes, and influences its thermal state and mechanical stability; and its geotectonic association with formerly adjacent continental blocks in South Africa, India and Australia suggest that it might harbor important mineral resources. This project will increase understanding of the age and composition of the western EAS lithosphere underlying and adjacent to the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) using U-Pb ages, and Hf- and O-isotope analysis of zircon in early Paleozoic granitoids and Pleistocene glacial tills. TAM granites of the early Paleozoic Ross Orogen represent an areally extensive continental-margin arc suite that can provide direct information about the EAS crust from which it melted and/or through which it passed. Large rock clasts of igneous and metamorphic lithologies entrained in glacial tills at the head of major outlet glaciers traversing the TAM provide eroded samples of the proximal EAS basement. Zircons in these materials will provide data about age and inheritance (U-Pb), crustal vs. mantle origin (O isotopes), and crustal sources and evolution (Hf isotopes). Integrated along a significant part of the TAM, these data will help define broader crustal provinces that can be correlated with geophysical data and used to test models of crustal assembly. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBroader impacts: \u003cbr/\u003eThis project will provide a research opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduates will be involved as Research Assistants in sample preparation, imaging, and analytical procedures, and conducting their own independent research. The two main elements of this project will form the basis of MS thesis projects for two graduate students at UMD. Through this project they will gain a good understanding of petrology, isotope geochemistry, and analytical methods. The broader scientific impacts of this work are that it will help develop a better understanding of the origin and evolution of East Antarctic lithosphere underlying and adjacent to the TAM, which will be of value to the broader earth science and glaciological community. Furthermore, knowledge of East Antarctic geology is of continuing interest to the general public because of strong curiosity about past supercontinents, what?s under the ice, and the impact of global warming on ice-sheet stability.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "Transantarctic Mountains; Not provided", "locations": "Transantarctic Mountains", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Goodge, John", "platforms": "Not provided", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Age and Composition of the East Antarctic Shield by Isotopic Analysis of Granite and Glacial Till", "uid": "p0000258", "west": null}, {"awards": "1447291 Place, Sean; 1040945 Place, Sean; 1040957 Sarmiento, Jorge", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 90,-144 90,-108 90,-72 90,-36 90,0 90,36 90,72 90,108 90,144 90,180 90,180 72,180 54,180 36,180 18,180 0,180 -18,180 -36,180 -54,180 -72,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -72,-180 -54,-180 -36,-180 -18,-180 0,-180 18,-180 36,-180 54,-180 72,-180 90))", "dataset_titles": "Does the strength of the carbonate pump change with ocean stratification and acidification and how? Project data; NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Pagothenia borchgrevinki; NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Trematomus bernacchii; NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Trematomus newnesi; NCBI links to BioProjects of total RNA isolated from Trematomus bernacchii gill tissues acclimated to elevated temperature and pCO2, July 2015", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "000166", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "NCBI links to BioProjects of total RNA isolated from Trematomus bernacchii gill tissues acclimated to elevated temperature and pCO2, July 2015", "url": "http://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/665853"}, {"dataset_uid": "000164", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Pagothenia borchgrevinki", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA294774"}, {"dataset_uid": "000163", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Trematomus bernacchii", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA289753"}, {"dataset_uid": "000184", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Trematomus bernacchii", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA289753"}, {"dataset_uid": "000219", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "BCO-DMO", "science_program": null, "title": "Does the strength of the carbonate pump change with ocean stratification and acidification and how? Project data", "url": "http://www.bco-dmo.org/project/521216"}, {"dataset_uid": "000186", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Trematomus newnesi", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA294787"}, {"dataset_uid": "000185", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Pagothenia borchgrevinki", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA294774"}, {"dataset_uid": "000165", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCBI GenBank", "science_program": null, "title": "NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Trematomus newnesi", "url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA294787"}], "date_created": "Mon, 12 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The proposed research will investigate the interacting and potentially synergistic influence of two oceanographic features - ocean acidification and the projected rise in mean sea surface temperature - on the performance of Notothenioids, the dominant fish of the Antarctic marine ecosystem. Understanding the joint effects of acidification and temperature rise on these fish is a vital component of predicting the resilience of coastal marine ecosystems. Notothenioids have repeatedly displayed a narrow window of physiological tolerances when subjected to abiotic stresses. Given that evolutionary adaptation may have led to finely-tuned traits with narrow physiological limits in these organisms, this system provides a unique opportunity to examine physiological trade-offs associated with acclimation to the multi-stressor environment expected from future atmospheric CO2 projections. Understanding these trade-offs will provide valuable insight into the capacity species have for responses to climate change via phenotypic plasticity. As an extension to functional measurements, this study will use evolutionary approaches to map variation in physiological responses onto the phylogeny of these fishes and the genetic diversity within species. These approaches offer insight into the historical constraints and future potential for evolutionary optimization. The research will significantly expand the genomic resources available to polar researchers and will support the training of graduate students and a post doc at an EPSCoR institution. Research outcomes will be incorporated into classroom curriculum.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": 90.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Integrated System Science", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Place, Sean; Sarmiento, Jorge; Dudycha, Jeffry; Kwon, Eun-Young", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "BCO-DMO", "repositories": "BCO-DMO; NCBI GenBank", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Ocean Acidification Category 1: Identifying Adaptive Responses of Polar Fishes in a Vulnerable Ecosystem", "uid": "p0000006", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "0944201 Hofmann, Gretchen", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -68,-177 -68,-174 -68,-171 -68,-168 -68,-165 -68,-162 -68,-159 -68,-156 -68,-153 -68,-150 -68,-150 -69,-150 -70,-150 -71,-150 -72,-150 -73,-150 -74,-150 -75,-150 -76,-150 -77,-150 -78,-153 -78,-156 -78,-159 -78,-162 -78,-165 -78,-168 -78,-171 -78,-174 -78,-177 -78,180 -78,178 -78,176 -78,174 -78,172 -78,170 -78,168 -78,166 -78,164 -78,162 -78,160 -78,160 -77,160 -76,160 -75,160 -74,160 -73,160 -72,160 -71,160 -70,160 -69,160 -68,162 -68,164 -68,166 -68,168 -68,170 -68,172 -68,174 -68,176 -68,178 -68,-180 -68))", "dataset_titles": "Effect of Ocean Acidification on Early Life History Stages of the Antarctic Sea Urchins Sterechinus Neumayeri", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600112", "doi": "10.15784/600112", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Oceans; Southern Ocean", "people": "Hofmann, Gretchen", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Effect of Ocean Acidification on Early Life History Stages of the Antarctic Sea Urchins Sterechinus Neumayeri", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600112"}], "date_created": "Tue, 23 Dec 2014 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Abstract\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe research examine the effects of ocean acidification on embryos and larvae of a contemporary calcifier in the coastal waters of Antarctica, the sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri. The effect of future ocean acidification is projected to be particularly threatening to calcifying marine organisms in coldwater, high latitude seas, making tolerance data on these organisms a critical research need in Antarctic marine ecosystems. Due to a high magnesium (Mg) content of their calcitic hard parts, echinoderms are especially vulnerable to dissolution stress from ocean acidification because they currently inhabit seawater that is barely at the saturation level to support biogenic calcification. Thus, cold-water, high latitude species with a high Mg-content in their hard parts are considered to be the \u0027first responders\u0027 to chemical changes in the surface oceans. Studies in this proposal will use several metrics to examine the physiological plasticity of contemporary urchin embryos and larvae to CO2-acidified seawater, to mimic the scenarios defined by IPCC models and by analyses of future acidification predicted for the Southern Ocean. The research also will investigats the biological consequences of synergistic interactions of two converging climate change-related stressors - CO2- driven ocean acidification and ocean warming. Specifically the research will (1) assess the effect of CO2-acidified seawater on the development of early embryos and larvae, (2) using morphometrics, examine changes in the larval endoskeleton in response to development under the high-CO2 conditions of ocean acidification, (3) using a DNA microarray, profile changes in gene expression for genes involved in biomineralization and other important physiological processes, and (4) measure costs and physiological consequences of development under conditions of ocean acidification. The proposal will support the training of undergraduates, graduate students and a postdoctoral fellow. The PI also will collaborate with the UC Santa Barbara Gevirtz Graduate School of Education to link the biological effects of ocean acidification to the chemical changes expected for the Southern Ocean using the \u0027Science on a Sphere\u0027 technology. This display will be housed in an education and public outreach center, the Outreach Center for Teaching Ocean Science (OCTOS), a new state-of-the-art facility under construction at UC Santa Barbara.", "east": -150.0, "geometry": "POINT(-175 -73)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "MOORINGS", "locations": null, "north": -68.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Hofmann, Gretchen", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e BUOYS \u003e MOORED \u003e MOORINGS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "Effect of Ocean Acidification on Early Life History Stages of the Antarctic Sea Urchins Sterechinus Neumayeri", "uid": "p0000352", "west": 160.0}, {"awards": "0944489 Williams, Trevor", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-55 -58,-33.2 -58,-11.4 -58,10.4 -58,32.2 -58,54 -58,75.8 -58,97.6 -58,119.4 -58,141.2 -58,163 -58,163 -60,163 -62,163 -64,163 -66,163 -68,163 -70,163 -72,163 -74,163 -76,163 -78,141.2 -78,119.4 -78,97.6 -78,75.8 -78,54 -78,32.2 -78,10.4 -78,-11.4 -78,-33.2 -78,-55 -78,-55 -76,-55 -74,-55 -72,-55 -70,-55 -68,-55 -66,-55 -64,-55 -62,-55 -60,-55 -58))", "dataset_titles": "History of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet since the mid-Miocene: New Evidence from Provenance of Ice-rafted Debris", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600116", "doi": "10.15784/600116", "keywords": "Geochronology; George V Land; IODP U1356; IODP U1361; Marine Sediments; ODP1165; Prydz Bay; Solid Earth; Southern Ocean; Wilkes Land", "people": "Williams, Trevor; Hemming, Sidney R.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "History of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet since the mid-Miocene: New Evidence from Provenance of Ice-rafted Debris", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600116"}], "date_created": "Wed, 13 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Intellectual Merit: \u003cbr/\u003eThe PIs propose to study the stability and dynamics of the East Antarctic ice sheet during the Pliocene in the area of the Wilkes and Aurora subglacial basins. Models indicate the ice sheet is most sensitive to warming in these low-lying areas. This study is important as there is very little direct evidence about which parts of the East Antarctic ice sheet became unstable under warm conditions. In a pilot study the PIs have shown that the isotopic geochemical signature of downcore ice-rafted debris (IRD) can be linked to continental source areas indicating which parts of the ice sheet reached the coast and calved IRD-bearing icebergs. Their initial results suggest rapid iceberg discharge from the Wilkes Land and Ad\u00e9lie Land coastal areas at times in the late Miocene and early Pliocene. In this study the PIs will analyze IRD from IODP sediment cores collected on the continental rise off East Antarctica. By analyzing 40Ar/39Ar ages of hornblende IRD grains, U-Pb ages of zircons, and Sm-Nd isotopes of the fine fraction of several IRD-rich layers for each core, they will be able to fingerprint continental source areas that will indicated ice extent and dynamics on East Antarctica. The PIs will also carry out detailed studies across a few of these layers to characterize the anatomy of the ice-rafting event and better understand the mechanism of ice destabilization.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBroader impacts: \u003cbr/\u003eThe data collected will be important for scientists in a broad variety of fields. The project will involve one undergraduate student and one summer intern at LDEO, and a graduate student at Imperial College London. The project will expose to cutting edge methodologies as well as an international research team. Data from the project will be deposited in the online databases (SedDB) and all results and methods will be made available to the scientific community through publications in peer-reviewed journals and attendance at international conferences.", "east": 163.0, "geometry": "POINT(54 -68)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -58.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Williams, Trevor; Hemming, Sidney R.", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "History of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet since the mid-Miocene: New Evidence from Provenance of Ice-rafted Debris", "uid": "p0000353", "west": -55.0}, {"awards": "0739390 Davis, Randall", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((166.08823 -77.545,166.177124 -77.545,166.266018 -77.545,166.354912 -77.545,166.443806 -77.545,166.5327 -77.545,166.621594 -77.545,166.710488 -77.545,166.799382 -77.545,166.888276 -77.545,166.97717 -77.545,166.97717 -77.57736,166.97717 -77.60972,166.97717 -77.64208,166.97717 -77.67444,166.97717 -77.7068,166.97717 -77.73916,166.97717 -77.77152,166.97717 -77.80388,166.97717 -77.83624,166.97717 -77.8686,166.888276 -77.8686,166.799382 -77.8686,166.710488 -77.8686,166.621594 -77.8686,166.5327 -77.8686,166.443806 -77.8686,166.354912 -77.8686,166.266018 -77.8686,166.177124 -77.8686,166.08823 -77.8686,166.08823 -77.83624,166.08823 -77.80388,166.08823 -77.77152,166.08823 -77.73916,166.08823 -77.7068,166.08823 -77.67444,166.08823 -77.64208,166.08823 -77.60972,166.08823 -77.57736,166.08823 -77.545))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Fri, 17 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Intellectual Merit: Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) locate and capture sparsely distributed and mobile prey under shore-fast ice throughout the year, including the austral winter when ambient light levels are very low and access to breathing holes is highly limited. This is one of the most challenging environments occupied by an aquatic mammalian predator, and it presents unique opportunities to test hypotheses concerning: 1) behavioral strategies and energetic costs for foraging and 2) sensory modalities used for prey capture under sea ice. To accomplish these objectives, we will attach digital video and data recorders to the backs of free-ranging Weddell seals during the autumn, winter and early spring. These instruments simultaneously record video of prey pursuit and capture and three-dimensional movements, swimming performance, ambient light level and other environmental variables. Energetic costs for entire dives and portions of dives will be estimated from stroking effort and our published relationship between swimming performance and energetics for Weddell seals. The energetic cost of different dive types will be evaluated for strategies that maximize foraging efficiency, range (distance traveled), and duration of submergence. The proposed study will provide a more thorough understanding of the role of vision and changing light conditions in foraging behavior, sensory ecology, energetics and habitat use of Weddell seals and the distribution of encountered prey. It also will provide new insights into survival strategies that allow Weddell seals to inhabit the Antarctic coastal marine ecosystem throughout the year. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBroader Impacts: The proposed study will train two graduate students and a Post-doctoral Fellow. Outreach activities will include interviews, written material and photographs provided to print and electronic media, project web sites, high school email exchanges from McMurdo Station, hosting visiting artists at our field camp, and public lectures. We will provide a weekly summary of our research findings to teachers and students in elementary school programs through our websites, one of which received an educational award. Our previous projects have attracted an extraordinary amount of press coverage that effectively brings scientific research to the public. This coverage and the video images generated by our work excite the imagination and help instill an interest in science and wildlife conservation in children and adults.", "east": 166.97717, "geometry": "POINT(166.5327 -77.7068)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -77.545, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Davis, Randall", "platforms": "Not provided", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -77.8686, "title": "Collaborative Research: Hunting in Darkness: Behavioral and Energetic Strategies of Weddell Seals in Winter", "uid": "p0000357", "west": 166.08823}, {"awards": "0739464 Cassano, John", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((160 -74.5,161.5 -74.5,163 -74.5,164.5 -74.5,166 -74.5,167.5 -74.5,169 -74.5,170.5 -74.5,172 -74.5,173.5 -74.5,175 -74.5,175 -74.9,175 -75.3,175 -75.7,175 -76.1,175 -76.5,175 -76.9,175 -77.3,175 -77.7,175 -78.1,175 -78.5,173.5 -78.5,172 -78.5,170.5 -78.5,169 -78.5,167.5 -78.5,166 -78.5,164.5 -78.5,163 -78.5,161.5 -78.5,160 -78.5,160 -78.1,160 -77.7,160 -77.3,160 -76.9,160 -76.5,160 -76.1,160 -75.7,160 -75.3,160 -74.9,160 -74.5))", "dataset_titles": "Atmosphere-Ocean-Ice Interaction in a Coastal Polynya", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600075", "doi": "10.15784/600075", "keywords": "Antarctica; Atmosphere; Meteorology; Navigation; Oceans; Ross Sea; Sea Ice; Southern Ocean; Terra Nova Bay; UAV", "people": "Maslanik, Jim; Cassano, John", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Atmosphere-Ocean-Ice Interaction in a Coastal Polynya", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600075"}], "date_created": "Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Antarctic polynyas are the ice free zones often persisting in continental sea ice. Characterization of the lower atmosphere properties, air-sea surface heat fluxes and corresponding ocean depth profiles of Antarctic polynyas, especially during strong wind events, is needed for a more detailed understanding of the role of polynya in the production of latent-heat type sea ice and the formation, through brine rejection, of dense ocean bottom waters. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBroader impacts: A key technological innovation, the use of instrumented uninhabited aircraft systems (UAS), will be employed to enable the persistent and safe observation of the interaction of light and strong katabatic wind fields with the Terra Nova Bay (Victoria Land, Antarctica) polynya waters during late winter and early summer time frames. The use of UAS observational platforms on the continent to date has to date been modest, but demonstration of their versatility and effectiveness in surveying and observing mode is a welcome development. The projects use of UAS platforms by University of Colorado and LDEO (Columbia) researchers is both high risk, and potentially transformative for the systematic data measurement tasks that many Antarctic science applications increasingly require.", "east": 175.0, "geometry": "POINT(167.5 -76.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -74.5, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Cassano, John; Maslanik, Jim", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.5, "title": "Collaborative Research: Atmosphere-Ocean-Ice Interaction in a Coastal Polynya", "uid": "p0000678", "west": 160.0}, {"awards": "0632198 Anandakrishnan, Sridhar", "bounds_geometry": "POINT(110 -74)", "dataset_titles": "Synthesis of Thwaites Glacier Dynamics: Diagnostic and Prognostic Sensitivity Studies of a West Antarctic Outlet System", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "609619", "doi": "10.7265/N58913TN", "keywords": "Amundsen Sea; Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Ice Sheet Model; Thwaites Glacier", "people": "Blankenship, Donald D.; Dupont, Todd K.; Holt, John W.; Parizek, Byron R.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Synthesis of Thwaites Glacier Dynamics: Diagnostic and Prognostic Sensitivity Studies of a West Antarctic Outlet System", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609619"}], "date_created": "Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This award supports a project to study ice sheet history and dynamics on the Thwaites Glacier and Pine Island Glacier in the Amundsen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The international collaboration that has been established with the British Antarctic Survey will enable a fuller suite of geophysical experiments with more-efficient use of people and logistics than we could achieve individually. This project is one of a number of projects to characterize the Amundsen Sea Embayment, which has been identified in numerous planning documents as perhaps the most important target for ice-dynamical research. Taken together, this \"pulse of activity\" will result in a better understanding of this important part of the global system. Field work will measure the subglacial environment of Thwaites and Pine Island Glaciers using three powerful, but relatively simple tools: reflection seismic imaging, GPS motion monitoring of the tidal forcing, and passive seismic monitoring of the seismicity associated with motion. The results of the field work will feed into ice-sheet modeling efforts that are tuned to the case of an ocean-terminating glacier and will assess the influence of these glaciers on current sea level and project into the future. The broader impacts of the project involve the inclusion of a film- and audio-professional to document the work for informal outreach (public radio and TV; museums). In addition, we will train graduate students in polar geophysical and glaciological research and in numerical modeling techniques. The ultimate goal of this project, of assessing the role of Thwaites Glacier in global sea level change, has broad societal impact in coastal regions and small islands.", "east": -110.0, "geometry": "POINT(-110 -74)", "instruments": "EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e RADAR SOUNDERS \u003e GPR; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e SEISMIC REFLECTION PROFILERS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "Pine Island Glacier; Bed Reflectivity; Tidal Forcing; FIELD INVESTIGATION; Not provided; Position; Thwaites; Thickness; Amundsen Sea; LABORATORY; FIELD SURVEYS; Subglacial; Ice Dynamic; Ice Sheet Modeling", "locations": "Thwaites; Pine Island Glacier; Amundsen Sea", "north": -74.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Anandakrishnan, Sridhar", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION; LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS; Not provided; OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -74.0, "title": "IPY: Flow Dynamics of the Amundsen Sea Glaciers: Thwaites and Pine Island.", "uid": "p0000699", "west": -110.0}, {"awards": "0631973 Joughin, Ian; 0632031 Das, Sarah", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Joughin 0631973\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis award supports a project to gather data to better understand the mass balance of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, in the Pine Island and Thwaites region, through the combination of radar altimetry and surface-based ice-core measurements of accumulation. The intellectual merit of the project is that the results of the field work will provide information on decadal-scale average accumulation extending back through the last century and will help constrain a modeling effort to determine how coastal changes propagate inland, to allow better prediction of future change. Comparison of the basin averaged accumulation with ice discharge determined using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) velocity data will provide improved mass-balance estimates. Study of changes in flow speed will produce a record of mass balance over the last three decades. Analysis of the satellite altimeter record in conjunction with annual accumulation estimates also will provide estimates of changes and variability in mass balance. The broader impacts of the work are that it will make a significant contribution to future IPCC estimates of sea level, which are important for projection of the impacts of increased sea level on coastal communities. The research will contribute to the graduate education of students at the Universities of Washington and Kansas and will enrich K-12 education through the direct participation of the PIs in classroom activities. Informal science education includes 4-day glacier flow demonstrations at the Polar Science Weekend held annually at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle. The project also will communicate results through Center for the Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) outreach effort. All field and remotely-sensed data sets will be archived and distributed by the National Snow and Ice Data Center. This project is relevant to IPY in that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is losing mass, in large part because of rapid thinning of the Amundsen Coast glaciers so, it will directly address the NSF IPY emphasis on \"ice sheet history and dynamics.\" The project is also international in scope.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e RADAR SOUNDERS \u003e RADAR ECHO SOUNDERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CORERS \u003e CORING DEVICES", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "Not provided; FIELD INVESTIGATION; Flow Speed; Antarctic; LABORATORY; Ice Sheet Accumulation Rate; Mass Balance; Accumulation; Insar; SATELLITES; FIELD SURVEYS; Ice Core; Radar Altimetry; Ice Velocity", "locations": "Antarctic", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology; Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Joughin, Ian; Medley, Brooke; Das, Sarah", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION; LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS; Not provided; OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY; SPACE-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITES \u003e SATELLITES", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "IPY: Collaborative Proposal: Constraining the Mass-Balance Deficit of the Amundsen Coast\u0027s Glaciers", "uid": "p0000542", "west": null}, {"awards": "0739654 Catania, Ginny; 0739372 Conway, Howard", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Coastal and Terminus History of the Eastern Amundsen Sea Embayment, West Antarctica, 1972 - 2011; Ice Flow History of the Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "609463", "doi": "10.7265/N5RR1W6X", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Ice Flow Lines; Thwaites Glacier", "people": "Catania, Ginny; Conway, Howard; Fudge, T. J.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Ice Flow History of the Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609463"}, {"dataset_uid": "609522", "doi": "10.7265/N5CC0XNK", "keywords": "Amundsen Sea; Antarctica; Climate Change; Coastline; GIS Data; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Satellite Data Interpretation", "people": "Markowski, Michael; Andrews, Alan G.; Catania, Ginny; Macgregor, Joseph A.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Coastal and Terminus History of the Eastern Amundsen Sea Embayment, West Antarctica, 1972 - 2011", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609522"}], "date_created": "Wed, 30 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Catania 0739654\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis award supports a project to study the Amundsen Sea drainage system and improve understanding of the impact of recent glaciological changes as an aid to predicting how this region will change in the future. The intellectual merit of the work is that the Amundsen Sea drainage system has been a recent focus for glaciological research because of rapid changes occurring there as a result of grounding line retreat. The work will focus on the regions of flow transition and will map the internal stratigraphy of the ice sheet across the Thwaites Glacier shear margins and use the age and geometry of radar-detected internal layers to interpret ice flow history. Thwaites Glacier (one of the main pathways for ice drainage in the region) has recently widened and may continue to do so in the near future. Thwaites Glacier may be particularly vulnerable to grounding line retreat because it lacks a well-defined subglacial channel. The subglacial environment exerts strong control on ice flow and flow history will be mapped in the context of bed topography and bed reflectivity. The plan is to use existing ice-penetrating radar data and coordinate with planned upcoming surveys to reduce logistical costs. The work proposed here will take three years to complete but no additional fieldwork in Antarctica is required. More detailed ground-based geophysical (radar and seismic) experiments will be needed at key locations to achieve our overall goal and the work proposed here will aid in identifying those regions. The broader impacts of the project are that it will initiate a new collaboration among radar communities within the US including those that are on the forefront of radar systems engineering and those that are actively involved in radar-derived internal layer and bed analysis. The project will also provide support for a postdoctoral researcher and a graduate student, thus giving them exposure to a variety of methodologies and scientific issues. Finally, there are plans to further develop the \"Wired Antarctica\" website designed by Ginny Catania with the help of a student-teacher. This will allow for the existing lesson plans to be updated to Texas State standards so that they can be used more broadly within state middle and high schools.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PHOTON/OPTICAL DETECTORS \u003e CAMERAS \u003e CAMERAS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e IMAGING RADARS \u003e SAR; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e IMAGING SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e TM; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e ALTIMETERS \u003e RADAR ALTIMETERS \u003e ALTIMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e RADAR SOUNDERS \u003e RADAR; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e RADAR SOUNDERS \u003e RADAR ECHO SOUNDERS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e RADAR SOUNDERS \u003e GPR", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "ERS-1; Coastal; Terminus; LABORATORY; Subglacial; Glacier; Not provided; Thwaites Glacier; Antarctica; LANDSAT; Internal Stratigraphy; West Antarctica; Internal Layers; Amundsen Sea; FIELD INVESTIGATION; FIELD SURVEYS; Glaciers; LANDSAT-5; Radar; Seismic", "locations": "Coastal; Antarctica; Thwaites Glacier; Amundsen Sea; West Antarctica", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology; Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Conway, Howard; Catania, Ginny; Markowski, Michael; Macgregor, Joseph A.; Andrews, Alan G.; Fudge, T. J.", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION; LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS; Not provided; OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY; SPACE-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITES \u003e EUROPEAN REMOTE SENSING SATELLITE (ERS) \u003e ERS-1; SPACE-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITES \u003e LANDSAT \u003e LANDSAT; SPACE-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITES \u003e LANDSAT \u003e LANDSAT-5", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Collaborative Research: Ice-flow history of the Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica", "uid": "p0000143", "west": null}, {"awards": "0839039 Kustka, Adam", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Expedition data of NBP1101; Processed CurrentMeter Data from the Adare Basin near Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1101 ", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002653", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP1101", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1101"}, {"dataset_uid": "601343", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Mooring; NBP1101; Ross Sea; Salinity; Southern Ocean; Temperature", "people": "Gordon, Arnold; Huber, Bruce", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Processed CurrentMeter Data from the Adare Basin near Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1101 ", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601343"}], "date_created": "Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAn interdisciplinary team of researchers will focus on describing the high productivity patchiness observed in phytoplankton blooms in the mid to late summer in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Key hypotheses to be tested and extended are that intrusions of nutrient and micro nutrient (e.g. Fe) rich water masses of the Antarctic modified circumpolar deep water (CDW) up onto continental shelves act to control the biogeochemical response of a large area of the productive Ross Sea coastal region. It is believed that this enhanced productivity may be a significant contributing factor to the global carbon cycle. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eA novel sampling strategy to be used to test the above hypotheses will employ a remotely controlled deep (1000m) glider (AUV) to locate and map CDW in near real time measuring C (conductivity), T (temperature), D (pressure) and apparent optical properties, and which will serve to direct further ship-based sampling. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe adaptive coordination of a polar research vessel with an AUV additionally provides an opportunity to engage in formal and informal education and public outreach on issues in polar research.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V NBP", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Kohut, Josh", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Collaborate Research:Modified Circumpolar Deep Water Intrusions as an Iron Source to the Summer Ross Sea Ecosystem", "uid": "p0000843", "west": null}, {"awards": "0542164 Taylor, Michael", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -60,-144 -60,-108 -60,-72 -60,-36 -60,0 -60,36 -60,72 -60,108 -60,144 -60,180 -60,180 -63,180 -66,180 -69,180 -72,180 -75,180 -78,180 -81,180 -84,180 -87,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87,-180 -84,-180 -81,-180 -78,-180 -75,-180 -72,-180 -69,-180 -66,-180 -63,-180 -60))", "dataset_titles": "Quantifying the Role of Short-Period Gravity Waves on the Antarctic Mesospheric Dynamics Using an Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600060", "doi": "10.15784/600060", "keywords": "Antarctica; Atmosphere; Meteorology; Radiosonde; South Pole", "people": "Taylor, Michael", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Quantifying the Role of Short-Period Gravity Waves on the Antarctic Mesospheric Dynamics Using an Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600060"}], "date_created": "Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "A focused plan is presented to investigate the role and importance of short period (\u003c1 hour) gravity waves on the dynamics of the Antarctic Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) region (~80-100 km). Excited primarily by deep convection, frontal activity, topography, and strong wind shears in the lower atmosphere, these waves transport energy and momentum upwards where they have a profound influence on the MLT dynamics. Most of the wave forcing is expected to occur at mid-and low-latitudes where such sources predominate. However, short-period waves (exhibiting similar characteristics to mid-latitude events) have now been detected in copious quantities from research sites on the Antarctic Peninsula and the coastal regions exhibiting strong anisotropy in their dominant horizontal motions (and hence their momentum fluxes). Radiosonde measurements have established the existence of ubiquitous gravity wave activity at South Pole but, to date, there have been no detailed measurements of the properties of short-period waves at MLT heights deep in the Antarctic interior. In particular, the South Pole Station is uniquely situated to investigate the filtering and penetration of these waves into the MLT region, a substantial fraction of which may be ducted waves traveling over vast geographic distances (several thousand km). Novel image measurements at South Pole Station combined with existing measurement programs will provide an unprecedented capability for quantifying the role of these gravity waves on the regional MLT dynamics over central Antarctica. This research also contributes to the training and education of both the graduate and undergraduate students.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -60.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Astrophysics and Geospace Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Taylor, Michael", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Quantifying the Role of Short-Period Gravity Waves on the Antarctic Mesospheric Dynamics Using an Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper", "uid": "p0000684", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "0838866 Buesseler, Ken", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-75 -62,-74 -62,-73 -62,-72 -62,-71 -62,-70 -62,-69 -62,-68 -62,-67 -62,-66 -62,-65 -62,-65 -62.8,-65 -63.6,-65 -64.4,-65 -65.2,-65 -66,-65 -66.8,-65 -67.6,-65 -68.4,-65 -69.2,-65 -70,-66 -70,-67 -70,-68 -70,-69 -70,-70 -70,-71 -70,-72 -70,-73 -70,-74 -70,-75 -70,-75 -69.2,-75 -68.4,-75 -67.6,-75 -66.8,-75 -66,-75 -65.2,-75 -64.4,-75 -63.6,-75 -62.8,-75 -62))", "dataset_titles": "data deposited with Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) repository.", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "000215", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "LTER", "science_program": null, "title": "data deposited with Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) repository.", "url": "http://pal.lternet.edu/data/"}], "date_created": "Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Abstract\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBy using a tool-box of particle flux and characterization techniques appropriate to the study of particulate organic carbon fluxes out of the upper sunlit zone, WHOI researchers will attempt to evaluate the so called \u0027biological pump\u0027 term at the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research (PAL) site in the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). The goal of these measurements is to describe the seasonal dynamics of production, export (sinking) and at-depth remineralization rates of organic matter produced in the Antarctic photic zone. This should lead to a better understanding of the biogeochemical controls on the carbon cycle in this difficult to access region. Additionally, how much of the newly fixed organic carbon is exported off the shelf, effectively driving an influx of atmospheric (including anthropogenic) CO2 to be sequestered into the deep ocean is not presently known. Comparison of prior time series sediment traps in the WAP seem to indicate smaller sinking C fluxes than other, as equally as productive Antarctic coastal regions, e.g. the Ross Sea. New observations and modeling activities will attempt to explain this discrepancy, and to account for the apparently inefficient particle export. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).\"", "east": -65.0, "geometry": "POINT(-70 -66)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -62.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Buesseler, Ken; Valdes, James", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "LTER", "repositories": "LTER", "science_programs": "LTER", "south": -70.0, "title": "WAPflux - New Tools to Study the Fate of Phytoplankton Production in the West Antarctic Peninsula", "uid": "p0000686", "west": -75.0}, {"awards": "0741348 Torres, Joseph", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Expedition data of NBP1002", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002652", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP1002", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP1002"}], "date_created": "Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Intellectual Merit: Pleuragramma antarcticum, the Antarctic silverfish, play a key role in the trophic pyramid of the Antarctic coastal ecosystem, acting as food for larger fishes, flying and non-flying seabirds, pinnipeds, and whales. In turn, they are predators on coastal euphausiids, including both Euphausia superba and crystallorophias. Historically, Pleuragramma have been an important food source for Ad\u00e9lie Penguins of the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), but during the last decade Pleuragramma have disappeared from the Ad\u00e9lie diet. We suggest that Pleuragramma?s absence from the diets of top predators is linked to the declining sea ice canopy, which serves as a nursery for eggs and larvae during the austral spring. The research will investigate four hydrographic regimes over the WAP continental shelf with the following features: (1) persistent gyral flows that act to retain locally spawned larvae, (2) spring sea ice that has declined in recent years (3) the prevalence of adult silverfish, and (4) the presence of breeding Ad\u00e9lie penguins whose diets vary in the proportions of silverfish consumed. The research will evaluate the importance of local reproduction versus larval advection, and the extent to which populations in the subregions of study are genetically distinct, via analysis of population structure, otolith microchemistry and molecular genetics of fish. The Pleuragramma data will be compared with penguin diet samples taken synoptically. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eBroader Impacts: The proposed research brings together an international group of scientists with highly complimentary suites of skills to address the fate of Pleuragramma on the WAP shelf. Graduate students will use the data acquired as part of their Ph.D research, and will receive cross-training in ornithological field techniques, molecular genetic methods and otolith isotope chemistry. The PIs will work actively with the St. Petersburg Times to produce a blog in real time with pictures and text, which will be used to interact with local schools while we are at sea and after our return. The investigators also will collaborate with the COSEE center at USF and at local schools and museums to disseminate results to the K-12 community throughout the region.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V NBP", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Torres, Joseph", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Collaborative research: Possible climate-induced change in the distribution of Pleuragramma antarcticum on the Western Antarctic Peninsula shelf", "uid": "p0000842", "west": null}, {"awards": "0636928 Gill, John", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -90,-144 -90,-108 -90,-72 -90,-36 -90,0 -90,36 -90,72 -90,108 -90,144 -90,180 -90,180 -90,180 -90,180 -90,180 -90,180 -90,180 -90,180 -90,180 -90,180 -90,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -90,-180 -90,-180 -90,-180 -90,-180 -90,-180 -90,-180 -90,-180 -90,-180 -90,-180 -90))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "A VLF Beacon Transmitter at South Pole\u003cbr/\u003ePI: Umran S. Inan, Stanford University\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis proposal seeks funding to resume operation of the VLF Beacon Transmitter at the South Pole Station used to quantify temporal and spatial variations in the state of the lower ionosphere between the polar cap and subauroral zone, to determine the ionosphere\u0027s response to precipitation of highly energetic radiation belt electrons and solar protons, and to monitor the loss of these particles into the atmosphere. Although fluctuations in the relativistic particle population are extensively observed on satellites, little is known about the extent of associated precipitation into the ionosphere. Upon precipitation, these highly energetic particles penetrate to altitudes as low as 30-40 km, producing ionization, X-rays, and possibly affecting chemical reactions involving ozone production. It is proposed to continue recording the VLF beacon\u0027s signal at various Antarctic coastal stations (Palmer, Halley, etc). The broader impact of the proposed program includes the synergistic use of the South Pole VLF beacon with ongoing satellite-based measurements of trapped and precipitating high-energy electrons both at low and high altitudes and with other Antarctic Upper Atmospheric research efforts, such as the Automatic Geophysical Observatory programs and routine upper atmospheric observations at manned bases. The proposed project also promotes international collaboration via multi-points recording of the South Pole VLF beacon signal while providing the basis of a graduate or doctoral student thesis.", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -90)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -90.0, "nsf_funding_programs": null, "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Gill, John; Inan, Umran", "platforms": "Not provided", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "A VLF Beacon Transmitter at South Pole", "uid": "p0000512", "west": -180.0}, {"awards": "0632389 Murray, Alison; 0632278 Ducklow, Hugh", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-77 -62,-75.5 -62,-74 -62,-72.5 -62,-71 -62,-69.5 -62,-68 -62,-66.5 -62,-65 -62,-63.5 -62,-62 -62,-62 -62.7,-62 -63.4,-62 -64.1,-62 -64.8,-62 -65.5,-62 -66.2,-62 -66.9,-62 -67.6,-62 -68.3,-62 -69,-63.5 -69,-65 -69,-66.5 -69,-68 -69,-69.5 -69,-71 -69,-72.5 -69,-74 -69,-75.5 -69,-77 -69,-77 -68.3,-77 -67.6,-77 -66.9,-77 -66.2,-77 -65.5,-77 -64.8,-77 -64.1,-77 -63.4,-77 -62.7,-77 -62))", "dataset_titles": "IPY: Bacterioplankton Genomic Adaptations to Antarctic Winter", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600061", "doi": "10.15784/600061", "keywords": "Antarctica; Antarctic Peninsula; Biota; Chemistry:fluid; Chemistry:Fluid; Oceans; Southern Ocean", "people": "Grzymski, Joseph; Murray, Alison", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "IPY: Bacterioplankton Genomic Adaptations to Antarctic Winter", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600061"}], "date_created": "Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "The Western Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing one of the most rapid rates of climate warming on Earth, with an increase of 5degrees C in the mean winter temperature in 50 years. Impacts on upper trophic levels are evident, though there have been few, if any studies that have considered the impacts on bacterioplankton in the Southern Ocean. This proposal will characterize the winter bacterioplankton genome, transcriptome, and proteome and discover those features (community composition, genes up-regulated, and proteins expressed) that are essential to winter bacterioplankton survival and livelihood. We have assembled a polar ocean ecology and genomics network including strategic partnerships with Palmer LTER, the British Antarctic Survey\u0027s ocean metagenome program, US and Canadian scientists studying the Arctic Ocean genome, an Australian colleague who specialized in archaeal proteomics, and French colleagues studying Sub-Antarctic and Coastal Adelie Land marine bacterioplankton. The primary objectives of this program are: 1 Describe the differences in diversity and genomic content between austral winter and summer bacterioplankton communities. 2. Investigate the winter-time bacterioplankton growth and cellular signals (mRNA and proteins expressed) in order to understand the specific adaptations key to survival. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eOur results will extend from the Antarctic to the Arctic - as the cold, dark, carbon-limited deep seas linking these two systems have many common features. Education and outreach activities target (i) undergraduate and graduate students, hopefully including minority students recruited through the Diversity in Research in Environmental and Marine Sciences (DREAMS) Program at VIMS; (ii) a broad audience with our education and outreach partnerships with The Cousteau Society and with the Census for Antarctic Marine Life program. Data and links to external databases will be listed on the http://genex2.dri.edu website. Sequence data will be publicly accessible in GenBank and IMG-M databases.", "east": -62.0, "geometry": "POINT(-69.5 -65.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": -62.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Murray, Alison; Grzymski, Joseph; Ducklow, Hugh", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -69.0, "title": "IPY: Bacterioplankton Genomic Adaptations to Antarctic Winter", "uid": "p0000091", "west": -77.0}, {"awards": "9816049 DeMaster, David", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-70.90654 -52.35368,-70.220384 -52.35368,-69.534228 -52.35368,-68.848072 -52.35368,-68.161916 -52.35368,-67.47576 -52.35368,-66.789604 -52.35368,-66.103448 -52.35368,-65.417292 -52.35368,-64.731136 -52.35368,-64.04498 -52.35368,-64.04498 -53.639401,-64.04498 -54.925122,-64.04498 -56.210843,-64.04498 -57.496564,-64.04498 -58.782285,-64.04498 -60.068006,-64.04498 -61.353727,-64.04498 -62.639448,-64.04498 -63.925169,-64.04498 -65.21089,-64.731136 -65.21089,-65.417292 -65.21089,-66.103448 -65.21089,-66.789604 -65.21089,-67.47576 -65.21089,-68.161916 -65.21089,-68.848072 -65.21089,-69.534228 -65.21089,-70.220384 -65.21089,-70.90654 -65.21089,-70.90654 -63.925169,-70.90654 -62.639448,-70.90654 -61.353727,-70.90654 -60.068006,-70.90654 -58.782285,-70.90654 -57.496564,-70.90654 -56.210843,-70.90654 -54.925122,-70.90654 -53.639401,-70.90654 -52.35368))", "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Expedition data of LMG0003", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002690", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG0003", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0003"}, {"dataset_uid": "001983", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0004"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "OPP98-15823 P.I. Craig Smith\u003cbr/\u003eOPP98-16049 P.I. David DeMaster\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003ePrimary production in Antarctic coastal waters is highly seasonal, yielding an intense pulse of biogenic particles to the continental shelf floor. This seasonal pulse may have major ramifications for carbon cycling, benthic ecology and material burial on the west Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) shelf. Thus, we propose a multii-disciplinary program to evaluate the seafloor accumulation, fate and benthic community impacts of bloom material along a transect of three stations crossing the Antarctic shelf in the Palmer LTER study area. Using a seasonal series of five cruises to our transect, we will test the following hypostheses: (1) A substantial proportion of spring/summer export production is deposited ont eh WAP shelf as phytodetritus or fecal pellets. (2) The deposited bloom production is a source of labile particulate organic carbon for benthos for an extended period of time (months). (3) Large amounts of labile bloom POC are rapidly subducted into the sediment column by the deposit-feeding and caching activities of benthos. (4) Macrobenthic detritivores sustain a rapid increase in biomass and abundance following the spring/summer particulate organic carbon pulse. To test these hypotheses, we will evaluate seabed deposition and lability of particulate organic carbon, patterns of particulate organic carbon mixing into sediments, seasonal variations in macrofaunal and megafaunal abundance, biomass and reproductive condition, and rates of particulate organic carbon and silica mineralization and accumulation in the seabed. Fluxes of biogenic materials and radionuclides into midwater particle traps will be contrasted with seabed deposition and burial rates to establish water-column and seabed preservation efficiencies for these materials. The project will substantially improve our understanding of the spring/summer production pulse on the WAP shelf and its impacts on seafloor communities and carbon cycling in Antarctic coastal systems.", "east": -64.04498, "geometry": "POINT(-67.47576 -58.782285)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V NBP; R/V LMG", "locations": null, "north": -52.35368, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "DeMaster, David; Smith, Craig", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.21089, "title": "Collaborative Research: Bentho-Pelagic Coupling on the West Antarctic Peninsula Shelf: The Impact and Fate of Bloom Material at the Seafloor", "uid": "p0000618", "west": -70.90654}, {"awards": "0087401 Smith, Walker", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Current Meter Data from the Ross Sea acquired with a Mooring deployed in December 2005 and recovered during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0601A (2006); Expedition data of NBP0301B; Expedition data of NBP0305A; Expedition data of NBP0501; Expedition data of NBP0601A; Fluorometer Data acquired on Moorings deployed the Ross Sea and recovered during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0601A (2006); Processed Fluid Chemistry Data from the Ross Sea acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0601A", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002623", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP0601A", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0601A"}, {"dataset_uid": "601333", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Flourometer; Mooring; NBP0601A; Ross Sea; Southern Ocean", "people": "Smith, Walker; Asper, Vernon", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Fluorometer Data acquired on Moorings deployed the Ross Sea and recovered during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0601A (2006)", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601333"}, {"dataset_uid": "601339", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Current Meter; Mooring; NBP0601A; Oceans; Physical Oceanography; Ross Sea; Southern Ocean", "people": "Smith, Walker; Asper, Vernon", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Current Meter Data from the Ross Sea acquired with a Mooring deployed in December 2005 and recovered during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0601A (2006)", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601339"}, {"dataset_uid": "002627", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP0501", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0501"}, {"dataset_uid": "601341", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Chemistry:fluid; Chemistry:Fluid; Fluid Chemistry Data; Mooring; NBP0601A; Oceans; Ross Sea; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Seawater Measurements; Southern Ocean", "people": "Smith, Walker; Asper, Vernon", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Processed Fluid Chemistry Data from the Ross Sea acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0601A", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601341"}, {"dataset_uid": "002622", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP0501", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0501"}, {"dataset_uid": "002583", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP0301B", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0301B"}, {"dataset_uid": "002621", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP0305A", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0305A"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "During the past few decades of oceanographic research, it has been recognized that significant variations in biogeochemical processes occur among years. Interannual variations in the Southern Ocean are known to occur in ice extent and concentration, in the composition of herbivore communities, and in bird and marine mammal distributions and reproductive success. However, little is known about the interannual variations in production of phytoplankton or the role that these variations play in the food web. This project will collect time series data on the seasonal production of phytoplankton in the southern Ross Sea, Antarctica. Furthermore, it will assess the interannual variations of the production of the two major functional groups of the system, diatoms and Phaeocystis Antarctica, a colonial haptophyte. The Ross Sea provides a unique setting for this type of investigation for a number of reasons. For example, a de facto time-series has already been initiated in the Ross Sea through the concentration of a number of programs in the past ten years. It also is well known that the species diversity is reduced relative to other systems and its seasonal production is as great as anywhere in the Antarctic. Most importantly, seasonal production of both the total phytoplankton community (as well as its two functional groups) can be estimated from late summer nutrient profiles. The project will involve short cruises on the US Coast Guard ice breakers in the southern Ross Sea that will allow the collection of water column nutrient and particulate after data at specific locations in the late summer of each of five years. Additionally, two moorings with in situ nitrate analyzers moored at fifteen will be deployed, thus collecting for the first time in the in the Antarctic a time-series of euphotic zone nutrient concentrations over the entire growing season. All nutrient data will be used to calculate seasonal production for each year in the southern Ross Sea and compared to previously collected information, thereby providing an assessment of interannual variations in net community production. Particulate matter data will allow us to estimate the amount of export from the surface layer by late summer, and therefore calculate the interannual variability of this ecosystem process. Interannual variations of seasonal production (and of the major taxa of producers) are a potentially significant feature in the growth and survival of higher trophic levels within the food web of the Ross Sea. They are also important in order to understand the natural variability in biogeochemical processes of the region. Because polar regions such as the Ross Sea are predicted to be impacted by future climate change, biological changes are also anticipated. Placing these changes in the context of natural variability is an essential element of understanding and predicting such alterations. This research thus seeks to quantify the natural variability of an Antarctic coastal system, and ultimately understand its causes and impacts on food webs and biogeochemical cycles of the Ross Sea.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ADCP; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e MSBS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "Ross Sea; AMD; USAP-DC; Amd/Us; USA/NSF; R/V NBP", "locations": "Ross Sea", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Smith, Walker; Gordon, Arnold", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Interannual Variability in the Antarctic-Ross Sea (IVARS): Nutrients and Seasonal Production", "uid": "p0000803", "west": null}, {"awards": "0089451 Detrich, H. William", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-70.907 -52.353,-69.8619 -52.353,-68.8168 -52.353,-67.7717 -52.353,-66.7266 -52.353,-65.6815 -52.353,-64.6364 -52.353,-63.5913 -52.353,-62.5462 -52.353,-61.5011 -52.353,-60.456 -52.353,-60.456 -53.64334,-60.456 -54.93368,-60.456 -56.22402,-60.456 -57.51436,-60.456 -58.8047,-60.456 -60.09504,-60.456 -61.38538,-60.456 -62.67572,-60.456 -63.96606,-60.456 -65.2564,-61.5011 -65.2564,-62.5462 -65.2564,-63.5913 -65.2564,-64.6364 -65.2564,-65.6815 -65.2564,-66.7266 -65.2564,-67.7717 -65.2564,-68.8168 -65.2564,-69.8619 -65.2564,-70.907 -65.2564,-70.907 -63.96606,-70.907 -62.67572,-70.907 -61.38538,-70.907 -60.09504,-70.907 -58.8047,-70.907 -57.51436,-70.907 -56.22402,-70.907 -54.93368,-70.907 -53.64334,-70.907 -52.353))", "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Expedition data of LMG0304A", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "001869", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0105"}, {"dataset_uid": "002707", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG0304A", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0304A"}, {"dataset_uid": "001704", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0304"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Abstract\u003cbr/\u003eOPP-0089451\u003cbr/\u003eP.I. William Detrich\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e As the Southern Ocean cooled during the past 25 million years, the fishes of Antarctic coastal waters evolved biochemical and physiological adaptations that maintain essential cellular processes such as cytoskeletal function and gene transcription. Their microtubules, for example, assemble and function at body temperatures (-1.8 to +1 oC) well below those of homeotherms and temperate poikilotherms. The long range goals of the proposed research are to determine, at the molecular level, the adaptations that enhance the assembly of microtubules, the function of kinesin motors, and the expression of globin and tubulin genes. The specific objectives are three: 1) to determine the primary sequence changes and posttranslational modifications that contribute to the efficient polymerization of Antarctic fish tubulins at low temperatures; 2) to evaluate the biochemical adaptations required for efficient function of the brain kinesin motor of Antarctic fishes at low temperatures; and 3) to characterize the structure, organization, and promoter-driven expression of globin and tubulin genes from an Antarctic rockcod (Notothenia coriiceps) and a temperate congener (N. angustata). Brain tubulins from Antarctic fishes differ from those of temperate and warm-blooded vertebrates both in unusual primary sequence substitutions (located primarily in lateral loops and the cores of tubulin monomers) and in posttranslational C-terminal glutamylation. Potential primary sequence adaptations of the Antarctic fish tubulins will be tested directly by production of wild-type and site directed tubulin mutants for functional analysis in vitro. The capacity of mutated and wild-type fish tubulins to form \"cold-stable\" microtubules will be determined by measurement of their critical concentrations for assembly and by analysis of their dynamics by video-enhanced microscopy. Three unusual substitutions in the kinesin motor domain of Chionodraco rastrospinosus may enhance mechanochemical activity at low temperature by modifying the binding of ATP and/or the velocity of the motor. To test the functional significance of these changes, the fish residues will be converted individually, and in concert, to those found in mammalian brain kinesin. Reciprocal substitutions will be introduced into the framework of the mammalian kinesin motor domain. After production in Escherichia coli and purification, the functional performance of the mutant motor domains will be evaluated by measurement of the temperature dependence of their ATPase and motility activities. Molecular adaptation of gene expression in N. coriiceps will be analyzed using an a-globin/b-globin gene pair and an a-tubulin gene cluster. Structural features of N. coriiceps globin and tubulin gene regulatory sequences (promoters and enhancers) that support efficient expression will be assessed by transient transfection assay of promoter/luciferase reporter plasmid constructs in inducible erythrocytic and neuronal model cell systems followed by assay of luciferase reporter activity. Together, these studies should reveal the molecular adaptations of Antarctic fishes that maintain efficient cytoskeletal assembly, mechanochemical motor function, and gene expression at low temperatures. In the broadest sense, this research program should advance the molecular understanding of the poikilothermic mode of life.", "east": -60.456, "geometry": "POINT(-65.6815 -58.8047)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PRESSURE/HEIGHT METERS \u003e PRESSURE SENSORS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ADCP", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V LMG", "locations": null, "north": -52.353, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Sidell, Bruce; Detrich, H. William", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": -65.2564, "title": "Structure, Function, and Expression of Tubulins, Globins, and Microtubule-Dependent Motors from Cold-Adapted Antarctic Fishes", "uid": "p0000591", "west": -70.907}, {"awards": "9815823 Smith, Craig", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-70.90683 -52.35533,-69.8661302 -52.35533,-68.8254304 -52.35533,-67.7847306 -52.35533,-66.7440308 -52.35533,-65.703331 -52.35533,-64.6626312 -52.35533,-63.6219314 -52.35533,-62.5812316 -52.35533,-61.5405318 -52.35533,-60.499832 -52.35533,-60.499832 -53.818664,-60.499832 -55.281998,-60.499832 -56.745332,-60.499832 -58.208666,-60.499832 -59.672,-60.499832 -61.135334,-60.499832 -62.598668,-60.499832 -64.062002,-60.499832 -65.525336,-60.499832 -66.98867,-61.5405318 -66.98867,-62.5812316 -66.98867,-63.6219314 -66.98867,-64.6626312 -66.98867,-65.703331 -66.98867,-66.7440308 -66.98867,-67.7847306 -66.98867,-68.8254304 -66.98867,-69.8661302 -66.98867,-70.90683 -66.98867,-70.90683 -65.525336,-70.90683 -64.062002,-70.90683 -62.598668,-70.90683 -61.135334,-70.90683 -59.672,-70.90683 -58.208666,-70.90683 -56.745332,-70.90683 -55.281998,-70.90683 -53.818664,-70.90683 -52.35533))", "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Expedition data of LMG0009", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "001811", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0009"}, {"dataset_uid": "002689", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG0009", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0009"}, {"dataset_uid": "001983", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0004"}, {"dataset_uid": "001880", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0102"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "OPP98-15823 P.I. Craig Smith OPP98-16049 P.I. David DeMaster Primary production in Antarctic coastal waters is highly seasonal, yielding an intense pulse of biogenic particles to the continental shelf floor. This seasonal pulse may have major ramifications for carbon cycling, benthic ecology and material burial on the west Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) shelf. Thus, we propose a multii-disciplinary program to evaluate the seafloor accumulation, fate and benthic community impacts of bloom material along a transect of three stations crossing the Antarctic shelf in the Palmer LTER study area. Using a seasonal series of five cruises to our transect, we will test the following hypostheses: (1) A substantial proportion of spring/summer export production is deposited ont eh WAP shelf as phytodetritus or fecal pellets. (2) The deposited bloom production is a source of labile particulate organic carbon for benthos for an extended period of time (months). (3) Large amounts of labile bloom POC are rapidly subducted into the sediment column by the deposit-feeding and caching activities of benthos. (4) Macrobenthic detritivores sustain a rapid increase in biomass and abundance following the spring/summer particulate organic carbon pulse. To test these hypotheses, we will evaluate seabed deposition and lability of particulate organic carbon, patterns of particulate organic carbon mixing into sediments, seasonal variations in macrofaunal and megafaunal abundance, biomass and reproductive condition, and rates of particulate organic carbon and silica mineralization and accumulation in the seabed. Fluxes of biogenic materials and radionuclides into midwater particle traps will be contrasted with seabed deposition and burial rates to establish water-column and seabed preservation efficiencies for these materials. The project will substantially improve our understanding of the spring/summer production pulse on the WAP shelf and its impacts on seafloor communities and carbon cycling in Antarctic coastal systems.", "east": -60.499832, "geometry": "POINT(-65.703331 -59.672)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V NBP; R/V LMG", "locations": null, "north": -52.35533, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Smith, Craig", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": "LTER", "south": -66.98867, "title": "Bentho-Pelagic Coupling on the West Antarctic Peninsula Shelf: The Impact and Fate of Bloom Material at the Seafloor", "uid": "p0000610", "west": -70.90683}, {"awards": "9908828 Aronson, Richard", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-70.906 -52.350166,-69.4494 -52.350166,-67.9928 -52.350166,-66.5362 -52.350166,-65.0796 -52.350166,-63.623 -52.350166,-62.1664 -52.350166,-60.7098 -52.350166,-59.2532 -52.350166,-57.7966 -52.350166,-56.34 -52.350166,-56.34 -53.6028324,-56.34 -54.8554988,-56.34 -56.1081652,-56.34 -57.3608316,-56.34 -58.613498,-56.34 -59.8661644,-56.34 -61.1188308,-56.34 -62.3714972,-56.34 -63.6241636,-56.34 -64.87683,-57.7966 -64.87683,-59.2532 -64.87683,-60.7098 -64.87683,-62.1664 -64.87683,-63.623 -64.87683,-65.0796 -64.87683,-66.5362 -64.87683,-67.9928 -64.87683,-69.4494 -64.87683,-70.906 -64.87683,-70.906 -63.6241636,-70.906 -62.3714972,-70.906 -61.1188308,-70.906 -59.8661644,-70.906 -58.613498,-70.906 -57.3608316,-70.906 -56.1081652,-70.906 -54.8554988,-70.906 -53.6028324,-70.906 -52.350166))", "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Expedition data of NBP0107", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "001962", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0011"}, {"dataset_uid": "002656", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP0107", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0107"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "9908828 Aronson This award, provided by the Antarctic Geology and Geophysics Program of the Office of Polar Programs, supports a paleoecological and paleoenvironmental study of Seymour Island. Global climate change late in the Eocene epoch had an important influence in Antarctica. This was the beginning of the transition from a cool-temperate climate in Antarctica to the polar climate that exists there today. The cooling trend strongly influenced the structure of shallow-water, Antarctic marine communities, and these effects are still evident in the peculiar ecological relationships among species living in modern Antarctic communities. Cooling late in the Eocene reduced the abundance of fish and crabs, which in turn reduced skeleton-crushing predation on invertebrates. Reduced predation allowed dense populations of ophiuroids (brittlestars) and crinoids (sea lilies) to appear in shallow-water settings at the end of the Eocene. These low-predation communities appear as dense fossil echinoderm assemblages in the upper portion of the late Eocene La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula. Today, dense ophiuroid and crinoid populations are common in shallow-water habitats in Antarctica but generally have been eliminated by predators from similar habitats at temperate and tropical latitudes; their persistence in Antarctica to this day is an important ecological legacy of climatic cooling in the Eocene. Although the influence of declining predation on Antarctic ophiuroids and crinoids is now well documented, the effects of cooling on the more abundant mollusks have not been investigated. This study will examine the evolutionary ecology of gastropods (snails) and bivalves (clams) in the late Eocene. A series of hypotheses will be tested in the La Meseta Formation, based on the predicted responses of mollusks to declining temperature and changing levels of predation. The shapes of gastropod shells, the activities of gastropods that prey on other mollusks by drilling holes in their shells, and the effects of predation on the thickness of mollusk shells should have changed significantly through late Eocene time. First, defensive features of gastropod shells, such as spines and ribbing, should decline as temperature and, therefore, the activity of skeleton-crushing predators declined. Second, drilling of bivalve prey by predatory gastropods should increase with time since the drillers should themselves have been subject to lower predation pressure as temperature declined. Drilled shells, therefore, should become more common through time. Third, patterns in the thickness of shells through time will make it possible to separate the direct, physiological effects of declining temperature (shells are more difficult to produce at cooler temperatures, and so should be thinner) from the indirect effects of temperature on evolving biological interactions (increased drilling predation should result in thicker shells). Seymour Island contains the only fossil outcrops readily accessible in Antarctica from this crucial period in Earth history. The La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island thus provides a unique opportunity to learn how climate change affected Antarctic marine communities. In practical terms, global climate change will probably increase upwelling over the next few decades to centuries in some temperate coastal regions. Recent ecological evidence suggests that the resultant lowering of sea temperatures could lower predation in those areas. Understanding the response of the La Meseta faunas to global cooling in the late Eocene will provide direct insight into the rapidly changing structure of modern benthic communities.", "east": -56.34, "geometry": "POINT(-63.623 -58.613498)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PHOTON/OPTICAL DETECTORS \u003e TURBIDITY METERS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ADCP; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e MSBS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V NBP; Hugo Island; R/V LMG; Palmer Deep", "locations": "Hugo Island", "north": -52.350166, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Aronson, Richard; Domack, Eugene Walter", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": -64.87683, "title": "Global Climate Change and the Evolutionary Ecology of Antarctic Mollusks in the Late Eocene", "uid": "p0000617", "west": -70.906}, {"awards": "0440775 Jacobs, Stanley", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Amundsen Sea Continental Shelf Mooring Data (2006-2007); Expedition data of NBP0702; NBP0702 surface sediment sample information and images", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601473", "doi": "10.15784/601473", "keywords": "Amundsen Sea; Antarctica; Marine Geoscience; Marine Sediments; NBP0702; Photo; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Seafloor Sampling; Sediment Description; Smith-Mcintyre Grab", "people": "Jacobs, Stanley; Leventer, Amy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP0702 surface sediment sample information and images", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601473"}, {"dataset_uid": "002645", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of NBP0702", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0702"}, {"dataset_uid": "601809", "doi": "10.15784/601809", "keywords": "Amundsen Sea; Antarctica; Cryosphere; Mooring; Ocean Currents; Pressure; Salinity; Temperature", "people": "Jacobs, Stanley; Giulivi, Claudia F.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Amundsen Sea Continental Shelf Mooring Data (2006-2007)", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601809"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This collaborative study between Columbia University and the Southampton Oceanography Centre will investigate the dynamics of warm water intrusions under antarctic floating ice shelves. The study will focus on the Amundsen Sea and Pine Island Glacier, and will document how this water gains access to the continental shelf, transports heat into the ice shelf cavities via deep, glacially-scoured troughs, and rises beneath the ice to drive basal melting. The resulting seawater-meltwater mixtures upwell near the ice fronts, contributing to the formation of atypical coastal polynyas with strong geochemical signatures. Multidecadal freshening downstream is consistent with thinning ice shelves, which may be triggering changes inland, increasing the flow of grounded ice into the sea. This work will be carried out in combination with parallel modeling, remote sensing and data based projects, in an effort to narrow uncertainties about the response of West Antarctic Ice Sheet to climate change. Using state-of-the-art facilities and instruments, this work will enhance knowledge of water mass production and modification, and the understanding of interactions between the ocean circulation, sea floor and ice shelves. The data and findings will be reported to publicly accessible archives and submitted for publication in the scientific literature. The information obtained should prove invaluable for the development and validation of general circulation models, needed to predict the future role of the Antarctic Ice Sheet in sea level change.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PRESSURE/HEIGHT METERS \u003e PRESSURE SENSORS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PHOTON/OPTICAL DETECTORS \u003e TURBIDITY METERS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ADCP; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e MSBS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "AMD; Amd/Us; R/V NBP; NSF/USA; Amundsen Sea; USAP-DC", "locations": "Amundsen Sea", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Jacobs, Stanley", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "The Amundsen Continental Shelf and the Antarctic Ice Sheet", "uid": "p0000836", "west": null}, {"awards": "0542456 Caron, David; 0542111 Lonsdale, Darcy", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-179.9999 -43.5663,-143.99993 -43.5663,-107.99996 -43.5663,-71.99999 -43.5663,-36.00002 -43.5663,-0.000050000000016 -43.5663,35.99992 -43.5663,71.99989 -43.5663,107.99986 -43.5663,143.99983 -43.5663,179.9998 -43.5663,179.9998 -46.99537,179.9998 -50.42444,179.9998 -53.85351,179.9998 -57.28258,179.9998 -60.71165,179.9998 -64.14072,179.9998 -67.56979,179.9998 -70.99886,179.9998 -74.42793,179.9998 -77.857,143.99983 -77.857,107.99986 -77.857,71.99989 -77.857,35.99992 -77.857,-0.000049999999987 -77.857,-36.00002 -77.857,-71.99999 -77.857,-107.99996 -77.857,-143.99993 -77.857,-179.9999 -77.857,-179.9999 -74.42793,-179.9999 -70.99886,-179.9999 -67.56979,-179.9999 -64.14072,-179.9999 -60.71165,-179.9999 -57.28258,-179.9999 -53.85351,-179.9999 -50.42444,-179.9999 -46.99537,-179.9999 -43.5663))", "dataset_titles": "Do Crustacean Zooplankton Play a Pivotal Role in Structuring Heterotrophic Plankton Communities in the Ross Sea?; Expedition Data; NBP0802 data; Processed CurrentMeter Data from the Ross Sea near Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0801", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "001517", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0801"}, {"dataset_uid": "000122", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "NBP0802 data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0802"}, {"dataset_uid": "601344", "doi": null, "keywords": "Antarctica; Cape Adare; Mooring; NBP0801; Physical Oceanography; Ross Sea; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Salinity; Southern Ocean; Temperature", "people": "Huber, Bruce; Gordon, Arnold", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Processed CurrentMeter Data from the Ross Sea near Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0801", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601344"}, {"dataset_uid": "600059", "doi": "10.15784/600059", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; Crustacea; Oceans; Phytoplankton; Ross Sea; Southern Ocean", "people": "Lonsdale, Darcy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Do Crustacean Zooplankton Play a Pivotal Role in Structuring Heterotrophic Plankton Communities in the Ross Sea?", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600059"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Recent studies of marine ecosystems show conflicting evidence for trophic cascades, and in particular the relative strength of the crustacean zooplankton-phytoplankton link. The Ross Sea is a natural laboratory for investigating this apparent conflict. It is a site of seasonally high abundances of phytoplankton, characterized by regions of distinct phytoplankton taxa; the southcentral polynya is strongly dominated by the colony-forming prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis antarctica, while coastal regions of this sea are typically dominated by diatoms or flagellate species. Recent studies indicate that, while the south-central polynya exhibits a massive phytoplankton bloom, the poor food quality of P. antarctica for many crustacean zooplankton prevents direct utilization of much of this phytoplankton bloom. Rather, evidence suggests that indirect utilization of this production may be the primary mechanism by which carbon and energy become available to those higher trophic levels. Specifically, we hypothesize that nano and microzooplankton constitute an important food source for crustacean zooplankton (largely copepods and juvenile euphausiids) during the summer period in the Ross Sea where the phytoplankton assemblage is dominated by the prymnesiophyte. In turn, we also hypothesize that predation by copepods (and other Crustacea) controls and structures the species composition of these protistan assemblages. We will occupy stations in the south-central Ross Sea Polynya (RSP) and Terra Nova Bay (TNB) during austral summer to test these hypotheses. We hypothesize that the diatom species that dominate the phytoplankton assemblage in TNB constitute a direct source of nutrition to herbivorous/omnivorous zooplankton (relative to the situation in the south-central RSP). That is, the contribution of heterotrophic protists to crustacean diets will be reduced in TNB. Our research will address fundamental gaps in our knowledge of food web structure and trophic cascades, and provide better understanding of the flow of carbon and energy within the biological community of this perennially cold sea. The PIs will play active roles in public education (K-12) via curriculum development (on Antarctic biology) and teacher trainer activities in the Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE-West), an innovative, NSF-funded program centered at USC and UCLA.", "east": 179.9998, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PRESSURE/HEIGHT METERS \u003e PRESSURE SENSORS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ADCP; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e MSBS", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "R/V NBP", "locations": null, "north": -43.5663, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Lonsdale, Darcy; Caron, Bruce", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.857, "title": "Collaborative Research: Do Crustacean Zooplankton Play a Pivotal Role in Structuring Heterotrophic Plankton Communities in the Ross Sea?", "uid": "p0000520", "west": -179.9999}, {"awards": "9909374 Fairbanks, Richard", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((140.21983 -45.80239,141.197867 -45.80239,142.175904 -45.80239,143.153941 -45.80239,144.131978 -45.80239,145.110015 -45.80239,146.088052 -45.80239,147.066089 -45.80239,148.044126 -45.80239,149.022163 -45.80239,150.0002 -45.80239,150.0002 -47.983436,150.0002 -50.164482,150.0002 -52.345528,150.0002 -54.526574,150.0002 -56.70762,150.0002 -58.888666,150.0002 -61.069712,150.0002 -63.250758,150.0002 -65.431804,150.0002 -67.61285,149.022163 -67.61285,148.044126 -67.61285,147.066089 -67.61285,146.088052 -67.61285,145.110015 -67.61285,144.131978 -67.61285,143.153941 -67.61285,142.175904 -67.61285,141.197867 -67.61285,140.21983 -67.61285,140.21983 -65.431804,140.21983 -63.250758,140.21983 -61.069712,140.21983 -58.888666,140.21983 -56.70762,140.21983 -54.526574,140.21983 -52.345528,140.21983 -50.164482,140.21983 -47.983436,140.21983 -45.80239))", "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Summer Oceanographic Measurements near the Mertz Polynya NBP0008", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "601161", "doi": "10.15784/601161 ", "keywords": "Antarctica; CTD; CTD Data; Mertz Polynya; NBP0008; Oceans; Oxygen; Physical Oceanography; R/v Nathaniel B. Palmer; Salinity; Southern Ocean; Temperature", "people": "Jacobs, Stanley; Mele, Phil; Mortlock, R. A.; Smethie, William M", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Summer Oceanographic Measurements near the Mertz Polynya NBP0008", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/601161"}, {"dataset_uid": "001885", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/NBP0008"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "9909374 Fairbanks This study will investigate how the formation of dense water masses on the antarctic continental shelves is affected by the periodic flushing by relatively warm circumpolar deep water, and whether the intrusion of warm water cna enhance the rate of formation of dense antarctic water. The study involves the observation of water mass modification processes on the continental shelf off the Adelie Coast in East Antarctica, near a quasi-permanent area of open water in the vicinity of the Mertz and Ninnis Glacier tongues - the so-called Mertz polynya. Antarctic coastal polynyas, formed by strong offshore winds, are often referred to as major sea ice and salt \"factories\" because the newly formed ice is blown seaward, allowing more ice to be formed along the coast, and because the freezing process increases the salinity of the continental shelf water. The thin ice, or even open water, implies significant heat losses from the ocean to the atmosphere, which also increases the density of the shelf water. The shelf water sinks, fills any depressions in the bottom, and is gravitationally driven down the continental slope. An additional process is identified for this study and is expected to be at work in this area: the intrusion of relatively warm water onto the continental shelf, overriding the shelf water and essentially shutting down the densification processes. The study will make use of the RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer to obtain a closely spaced array of hydrographic stations over the continental shelf and slope along the George V Coast in the austral summer. The dat obtained here will complement a similar winter study by the Australian National Antarctic Program. ***", "east": 150.0002, "geometry": "POINT(145.110015 -56.70762)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e GRAVIMETERS \u003e GRAVIMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e MSBS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V NBP", "locations": null, "north": -45.80239, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Fairbanks, Richard; Jacobs, Stanley", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V NBP", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "R2R; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -67.61285, "title": "Shelf and Bottom Water Formation Near East Antarctic Polynyas and Glaciers", "uid": "p0000612", "west": 140.21983}, {"awards": "9727077 Smith, Kenneth", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-70.907166 -52.348,-69.6496994 -52.348,-68.3922328 -52.348,-67.1347662 -52.348,-65.8772996 -52.348,-64.619833 -52.348,-63.3623664 -52.348,-62.1048998 -52.348,-60.8474332 -52.348,-59.5899666 -52.348,-58.3325 -52.348,-58.3325 -53.600917,-58.3325 -54.853834,-58.3325 -56.106751,-58.3325 -57.359668,-58.3325 -58.612585,-58.3325 -59.865502,-58.3325 -61.118419,-58.3325 -62.371336,-58.3325 -63.624253,-58.3325 -64.87717,-59.5899666 -64.87717,-60.8474332 -64.87717,-62.1048998 -64.87717,-63.3623664 -64.87717,-64.619833 -64.87717,-65.8772996 -64.87717,-67.1347662 -64.87717,-68.3922328 -64.87717,-69.6496994 -64.87717,-70.907166 -64.87717,-70.907166 -63.624253,-70.907166 -62.371336,-70.907166 -61.118419,-70.907166 -59.865502,-70.907166 -58.612585,-70.907166 -57.359668,-70.907166 -56.106751,-70.907166 -54.853834,-70.907166 -53.600917,-70.907166 -52.348))", "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Expedition data of LMG0002; Expedition data of LMG0005", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002670", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG0002", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0002"}, {"dataset_uid": "001964", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0010"}, {"dataset_uid": "002667", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG0005", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0005"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "9727077 SMITH The annual expansion and contraction of ice cover in the Southern Ocean is the largest seasonal process in the World Ocean. This seasonal variability in ice cover creates extensive fluctuations in primary production, which heavily impacts pelagic and benthic communities. This research will initiate a long time-series study of the water column and sea floor using long-term, autonomous monitoring and sampling systems developed for use in the Antarctic. The study will be located in Post Foster, Deception Island, which supports a pelagic and benthic fauna representative of the Antarctic coastal zone and experiences seasonal ice cover. A bottom-moored, upward-looking acoustic instrument will be deployed on the sea floor for a period of one year to monitor the vertical distribution, abundance and biomass of acoustically-detectable macrozooplankton and micronekton in the water column. Collections will be made over this period using a newly-developed vertically-profiling pump sampling. Simultaneously, a time-lapse camera system will be moored on the sea floor to monitor the spatial distribution, sizes and movements of the epibenthic megafauna component of the benthic community. The instrumentation development will allow the research project to focus on the effect of the seasonal sea ice cycle on the distribution, abundance and biomass of the macrozooplankton and micronekton in the water column. Similar questions on the distribution, abundance, size and movements of the epibenthic megafauna will be addressed. Results from this study will provide a valuable data base for the evaluation of the pelagic and benthic community responses to seasonal variability in the Southern Ocean.", "east": -58.3325, "geometry": "POINT(-64.619833 -58.612585)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V LMG", "locations": null, "north": -52.348, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Smith, Kenneth", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": -64.87717, "title": "Influence of Seasonal Ice Cover on Pelagic and Benthic Communities: Long Time-Series Studies", "uid": "p0000608", "west": -70.907166}, {"awards": "9615342 Neale, Patrick", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Expedition data of LMG9809", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002719", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG9809", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG9809"}, {"dataset_uid": "002720", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG9809", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG9809"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Neale 9615342 Increases in ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B, 280-320) associated with the Antarctic ozone hole have been shown to inhibit the photosynthesis of phytoplankton, but the overall effect on water column production is still a matter of debate and continued investigation. Investigations have also revealed that even at \"normal\" levels of Antarctic stratospheric ozone, UV-B and UV-A (320-400 nm) appear to have strong effects on water column production. The role of UV in the ecology of phytoplankton primary production has probably been underappreciated in the past and could be particularly important to the estimation of primary production in the presence of vertical mixing. This research focuses on quantifying UV effects on photosynthesis of Antarctic phytoplankton by defining biological weighting functions for UV-inhibition. In the past, techniques were developed to describe photosynthesis as a function of UV and visible irradiance using laboratory cultures. Further experimentation with natural assemblages from McMurdo Station in Antarctica showed that biological weighting functions are strongly related to light history. Most recently, measurements in the open waters of the Southern Ocean confirmed that there is substantial variability in the susceptibility of phytoplankton assemblages to UV. It was also discovered that inhibition of photosynthesis in Antarctic phytoplankton got progressively worse on the time scale of hours, with no evidence of recovery. Even under benign conditions, losses of photosynthetic capability persisted unchanged for several hours. This was in contrast with laboratory cultures and some natural assemblages which quickly attained a steady- state rate of photosynthesis during exposure to UV, reflecting a balance between damage and recovery processes. Slow reversal of UV-induced damage has profound consequences for water-column photosynthesis, especially during vertical mixing. Results to date have been used to model th e influence of UV, ozone depletion and vertical mixing on photosynthesis in Antarctic waters. Data indicate that normal levels of UV can have a significant impact on natural phytoplankton and that the effects can be exacerbated by ozone depletion as well as vertical mixing. Critical questions remain poorly resolved, however, and these are the focus of the present proposal. New theoretical and experimental approaches will be used to investigate UV responses in both the open waters of the Weddell-Scotia confluence and coastal waters near Palmer Station. In particular, measurements will be made of the kinetics of UV inhibition and recovery on time scales ranging from minutes to days. Variability in biological weighting functions between will be calculated for pelagic and coastal phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean. The results will provide absolute estimates of photosynthesis under in situ, as well as under altered, UV irradiance; broaden the range of assemblages for which biological weighting functions have been determined; and clarify how kinetics of inhibition and recovery should be represented in mixed layer models.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V LMG", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Mopper, Kenneth; Neale, Patrick", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "New Approaches to Measuring and Understanding the Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Photosynthesis by Antarctic Phytoplankton", "uid": "p0000871", "west": null}, {"awards": "9908856 Blake, Daniel", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Expedition data of LMG0309", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "002675", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG0309", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0309"}, {"dataset_uid": "001683", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0309"}], "date_created": "Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "9908856 Blake This award, provided by the Antarctic Geology and Geophysics Program of the Office of Polar Programs, supports a paleoecological and paleoenvironmental study of Seymour Island. Global climate change late in the Eocene epoch had an important influence in Antarctica. This was the beginning of the transition from a cool-temperate climate in Antarctica to the polar climate that exists there today. The cooling trend strongly influenced the structure of shallow-water, Antarctic marine communities, and these effects are still evident in the peculiar ecological relationships among species living in modern Antarctic communities. Cooling late in the Eocene reduced the abundance of fish and crabs, which in turn reduced skeleton-crushing predation on invertebrates. Reduced predation allowed dense populations of ophiuroids (brittlestars) and crinoids (sea lilies) to appear in shallow-water settings at the end of the Eocene. These low-predation communities appear as dense fossil echinoderm assemblages in the upper portion of the late Eocene La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula. Today, dense ophiuroid and crinoid populations are common in shallow-water habitats in Antarctica but generally have been eliminated by predators from similar habitats at temperate and tropical latitudes; their persistence in Antarctica to this day is an important ecological legacy of climatic cooling in the Eocene. Although the influence of declining predation on Antarctic ophiuroids and crinoids is now well documented, the effects of cooling on the more abundant mollusks have not been investigated. This study will examine the evolutionary ecology of gastropods (snails) and bivalves (clams) in the late Eocene. A series of hypotheses will be tested in the La Meseta Formation, based on the predicted responses of mollusks to declining temperature and changing levels of predation. The shapes of gastropod shells, the activities of gastropods that prey on other mollusks by drilling holes in their shells, and the effects of predation on the thickness of mollusk shells should have changed significantly through late Eocene time. First, defensive features of gastropod shells, such as spines and ribbing, should decline as temperature and, therefore, the activity of skeleton-crushing predators declined. Second, drilling of bivalve prey by predatory gastropods should increase with time since the drillers should themselves have been subject to lower predation pressure as temperature declined. Drilled shells, therefore, should become more common through time. Third, patterns in the thickness of shells through time will make it possible to separate the direct, physiological effects of declining temperature (shells are more difficult to produce at cooler temperatures, and so should be thinner) from the indirect effects of temperature on evolving biological interactions (increased drilling predation should result in thicker shells). Seymour Island contains the only fossil outcrops readily accessible in Antarctica from this crucial period in Earth history. The La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island thus provides a unique opportunity to learn how climate change affected Antarctic marine communities. In practical terms, global climate change will probably increase upwelling over the next few decades to centuries in some temperate coastal regions. Recent ecological evidence suggests that the resultant lowering of sea temperatures could lower predation in those areas. Understanding the response of the La Meseta faunas to global cooling in the late Eocene will provide direct insight into the rapidly changing structure of modern benthic communities.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PRESSURE/HEIGHT METERS \u003e PRESSURE SENSORS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ADCP", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "R/V LMG", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Blake, Daniel", "platforms": "WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Global Climate Change and the Evolutionary Ecology of Antarctic Mollusks in the Late Eocene.", "uid": "p0000857", "west": null}, {"awards": "0122520 Gogineni, S. Prasad", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-110 -62,-105 -62,-100 -62,-95 -62,-90 -62,-85 -62,-80 -62,-75 -62,-70 -62,-65 -62,-60 -62,-60 -63.5,-60 -65,-60 -66.5,-60 -68,-60 -69.5,-60 -71,-60 -72.5,-60 -74,-60 -75.5,-60 -77,-65 -77,-70 -77,-75 -77,-80 -77,-85 -77,-90 -77,-95 -77,-100 -77,-105 -77,-110 -77,-110 -75.5,-110 -74,-110 -72.5,-110 -71,-110 -69.5,-110 -68,-110 -66.5,-110 -65,-110 -63.5,-110 -62))", "dataset_titles": "Antarctic Radar Echograms and Derived Ice Thickness Data from CReSIS", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "609414", "doi": "", "keywords": "Airborne Radar; Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Radar", "people": "Gogineni, Prasad", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Antarctic Radar Echograms and Derived Ice Thickness Data from CReSIS", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609414"}], "date_created": "Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "0122520\u003cbr/\u003eGogineni\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eSea level has been rising over the last century. Although the immediate impact of sea level rise may be less severe than other effects of global climate change, the long-term consequences can be much more devastating since nearly 60% of the world population lives in coastal regions. Scientists have postulated that excess water is being released from polar ice sheets due to long-term, global climate change, but there are insufficient data to confirm these theories. Understanding the interactions between the ice sheets, oceans and atmosphere is essential to quantifying the role of ice sheets in sea level rise. Toward that end, this research project involves the innovative application of information technology in the development and deployment of intelligent radar sensors for measuring key glaciological parameters. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eRadar instrumentation will consist of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that can operate in bistatic or monostatic mode. One important application of the SAR will be in the determination of basal conditions, particularly the presence and distribution of basal water. Basal water lubricates the ice/bed interface, enhancing flow, and increasing the amount of ice discharged into the ocean. Another application of the SAR will be to measure ice thickness and map internal layers in both shallow and deep ice. Information on near-surface internal layers will be used to estimate the average, recent accumulation rate, while the deeper layers provide a history of past accumulation and flow rates. A tracked vehicle and an automated snowmobile will be used to test and demonstrate the utility of an intelligent radar in glaciological investigations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe system will be developed to collect, process and analyze data in real time and in conjunction with a priori information derived from archived sources. The combined real time and archived information will be used onboard the vehicles to select and generate an optimum sensor configuration. This project thus involves innovative research in intelligent systems, sounding radars and ice sheet modeling. In addition it has a very strong public outreach and education program, which include near-real-time image broadcasts via the world wide web", "east": -60.0, "geometry": "POINT(-85 -69.5)", "instruments": "EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e IMAGING RADARS \u003e AIRSAR; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e IMAGING RADARS \u003e IMAGING RADAR SYSTEMS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e RADAR SOUNDERS \u003e RADAR; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e RADAR SOUNDERS \u003e RADAR ECHO SOUNDERS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e ACTIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e IMAGING RADARS \u003e SAR", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Radar Echo Sounding; Not provided; FIELD SURVEYS; Airborne Radar Sounding; Radar Echo Sounder; Antarctic Ice Sheet; LABORATORY; Antarctica; Ice Sheet Thickness; Antarctic; Ice Sheet; Synthetic Aperture Radar Imagery; Radar Altimetry; Ice Sheet Elevation; FIELD INVESTIGATION; Radar", "locations": "Antarctic; Antarctica; Antarctic Ice Sheet", "north": -62.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Gogineni, Prasad", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION; LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS; Not provided; OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.0, "title": "ITR/SI+AP: A Mobile Sensor Web for Polar Ice Sheet Measurements", "uid": "p0000583", "west": -110.0}, {"awards": "0338260 Chin, Yu-Ping; 0338342 Foreman, Christine", "bounds_geometry": "POINT(166.167 -77.55)", "dataset_titles": "Biogeochemistry of Dissolved Organic Matter in Pony Lake, Ross Island", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600168", "doi": "10.15784/600168", "keywords": "Antarctica; Chemistry:fluid; Chemistry:Fluid; Critical Zone; Ross Island; Sample/collection Description; Sample/Collection Description; Water Samples", "people": "Foreman, Christine; Chin, Yu-Ping", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Biogeochemistry of Dissolved Organic Matter in Pony Lake, Ross Island", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600168"}], "date_created": "Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a significant chemical component in aquatic systems because it acts as an important carbon source for microorganisms, absorbs harmful radiation in sunlight, is able to complex metals, and can participate in important biogeochemical reactions. This study will investigate the biogeochemical cycling of DOM in a small coastal Antarctic pond, Pony Lake, located on Cape Royds, Ross Island. Because there are no higher plants present at this site all of the DOM in this lake is derived from microorganisms. Thus, Pony Lake is an ideal site to study the effect of physical, chemical, and microbial processes on the composition and character of the DOM pool. Finally, Pony Lake is also an ideal site to collect an International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) fulvic acid standard. Unlike other IHSS standards, this standard will not contain DOM components derived from higher land plants. To better understand the role of physical influences, the project will study the changes in the DOM pool as the lake evolves from ice-covered to ice-free conditions during the summer, as well as the relationship of DOM to the observed turnover of dominant microbial communities in the lake. Scientists will also monitor changes in microbial abundance, diversity, and productivity that may occur during the ice to open-water transition period. This research will provide much needed information regarding the relationship between microbial diversity and DOM biogeochemistry. Middle school science students will be active participants in this project through the Internet, while scientists are in the field, and in the lab.", "east": 166.167, "geometry": "POINT(166.167 -77.55)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Not provided; FIELD SURVEYS", "locations": null, "north": -77.55, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems; Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Foreman, Christine; Chin, Yu-Ping", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS; Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -77.55, "title": "Collaborative Research: Biogeochemistry of Dissolved Organic Matter in Pony Lake, Ross Island", "uid": "p0000548", "west": 166.167}, {"awards": "0229546 MacAyeal, Douglas", "bounds_geometry": "POINT(-178 -78)", "dataset_titles": "collection of nascent rift images and description of station deployment; Continuous GPS (static) Data from the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica; Giant Icebergs of the Ross Sea, in situ Drift and Weather Measurements, Antarctica; Iceberg Firn Temperatures, Antarctica; Iceberg Harmonic Tremor, Seismometer Data, Antarctica; Iceberg Satellite imagery from stations and ice shelves (full data link not provided); Iceberg Tiltmeter Measurements, Antarctica; Ice Shelf Rift Time-Lapse Photography, Antarctica; Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology; Nascent Iceberg Webcam Images available during the deployment period; Ross Ice Shelf Firn Temperature, Antarctica; The files contain a short header (number of data samples, sample rate, start time, stop time, channel title)The time series data then follow the header above.; This site mirrors the NSIDC website archive.", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "609352", "doi": "10.7265/N5M61H55", "keywords": "Glaciology; Iceberg; Oceans; Ross Ice Shelf; Sea Ice; Snow/ice; Snow/Ice; Southern Ocean; Temperature", "people": "Thom, Jonathan; MacAyeal, Douglas; Sergienko, Olga", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Iceberg Firn Temperatures, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609352"}, {"dataset_uid": "609353", "doi": "10.7265/N5GF0RFF", "keywords": "Glaciology; Iceberg; Oceans; Ross Ice Shelf; Sea Ice; Southern Ocean; Tiltmeter", "people": "Kim, Young-Jin; Bliss, Andrew; MacAyeal, Douglas", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Iceberg Tiltmeter Measurements, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609353"}, {"dataset_uid": "609351", "doi": "10.7265/N5QV3JGV", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Photo/video; Photo/Video; Ross Ice Shelf", "people": "Brunt, Kelly; MacAyeal, Douglas", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Ice Shelf Rift Time-Lapse Photography, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609351"}, {"dataset_uid": "609350", "doi": "10.7265/N5VM496K", "keywords": "AWS; Glaciology; GPS; Iceberg; Meteorology; Oceans; Ross Sea; Sea Ice; Southern Ocean; Weatherstation", "people": "Okal, Emile; MacAyeal, Douglas; Aster, Richard; Bassis, Jeremy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Giant Icebergs of the Ross Sea, in situ Drift and Weather Measurements, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609350"}, {"dataset_uid": "609349", "doi": "10.7265/N5445JD6", "keywords": "Geology/Geophysics - Other; Glaciology; Iceberg; Oceans; Ross Sea; Sea Ice; Seismometer; Southern Ocean", "people": "MacAyeal, Douglas; Okal, Emile; Aster, Richard; Bassis, Jeremy", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Iceberg Harmonic Tremor, Seismometer Data, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609349"}, {"dataset_uid": "002504", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Project website", "science_program": null, "title": "Nascent Iceberg Webcam Images available during the deployment period", "url": "https://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/data/iceberg.html"}, {"dataset_uid": "001685", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "IRIS", "science_program": null, "title": "Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology", "url": "http://www.iris.edu/data/sources.htm"}, {"dataset_uid": "609347", "doi": "10.7265/N57W694M", "keywords": "Antarctica; Geodesy; Geology/Geophysics - Other; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; GPS; Ross Ice Shelf; Southern Ocean", "people": "Brunt, Kelly; MacAyeal, Douglas; King, Matthew", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Continuous GPS (static) Data from the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609347"}, {"dataset_uid": "001684", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "AMRDC", "science_program": null, "title": "This site mirrors the NSIDC website archive.", "url": "http://uwamrc.ssec.wisc.edu/"}, {"dataset_uid": "001639", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Project website", "science_program": null, "title": "collection of nascent rift images and description of station deployment", "url": "http://thistle.org/nascent/index.shtml"}, {"dataset_uid": "001598", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NSIDC", "science_program": null, "title": "The files contain a short header (number of data samples, sample rate, start time, stop time, channel title)The time series data then follow the header above.", "url": "http://nsidc.org"}, {"dataset_uid": "609354", "doi": "10.7265/N5BP00Q3", "keywords": "Antarctica; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Ross Ice Shelf; Snow/ice; Snow/Ice; Temperature", "people": "Muto, Atsu; Sergienko, Olga; MacAyeal, Douglas; Scambos, Ted", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Ross Ice Shelf Firn Temperature, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609354"}, {"dataset_uid": "002568", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "Project website", "science_program": null, "title": "Iceberg Satellite imagery from stations and ice shelves (full data link not provided)", "url": "http://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/"}], "date_created": "Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This award supports the study of the drift and break-up of Earth\u0027s largest icebergs, which were recently released into the Ross Sea of Antarctica as a result of calving from the Ross Ice Shelf. The scientific goals of the study are to determine the physics of iceberg motion within the dynamic context of ocean currents, winds, and sea ice, which determine the forces that drive iceberg motion, and the relationship between the iceberg and geographically and topographically determined pinning points on which the iceberg can ground. In addition, the processes by which icebergs influence the local environments (e.g., sea ice conditions near Antarctica, access to penguin rookeries, air-sea heat exchange and upwelling at iceberg margins, nutrient fluxes) will be studied. The processes by which icebergs generate globally far-reaching ocean acoustic signals that are detected within the global seismic (earthquake) sensing networks will also be studied. A featured element of the scientific research activity will be a field effort to deploy automatic weather stations, seismometer arrays and GPS-tracking stations on several of the largest icebergs presently adrift, or about to be adrift, in the Ross Sea. Data generated and relayed via satellite to home institutions in the Midwest will motivate theoretical analysis and computer simulation; and will be archived on an \"iceberg\" website (http://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/amrc/iceberg.html) for access by scientists and the general public. At the most broad level, the study is justified by the fact that icebergs released by the Antarctic ice sheet represent the largest movements of fresh water within the natural environment (e.g., several of the icebergs to be studied, B15, C19 and others calved since 2000 CE, represent over 6000 cubic kilometers of fresh water-an amount roughly equivalent to 100 years of the flow of the Nile River). A better understanding of the impact of iceberg drift through the environment, and particularly the impact on ocean stratification and mixing, is essential to the understanding of the abrupt global climate changes witnessed by proxy during the ice age and of concern under conditions of future greenhouse warming. On a more specific level, the study will generate a knowledge base useful for the better management of Antarctic logistical resources (e.g., the shipping lanes to McMurdo Station) that can occasionally be influenced by adverse effects icebergs have on sea ice conditions.", "east": -178.0, "geometry": "POINT(-178 -78)", "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e RECORDERS/LOGGERS \u003e AWS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e TEMPERATURE/HUMIDITY SENSORS \u003e THERMISTORS \u003e THERMISTORS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e TEMPERATURE/HUMIDITY SENSORS \u003e HUMIDITY SENSORS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e TEMPERATURE/HUMIDITY SENSORS \u003e TEMPERATURE SENSORS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS RECEIVERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e SEISMOMETERS \u003e SEISMOMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e RECORDERS/LOGGERS \u003e MMS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PHOTON/OPTICAL DETECTORS \u003e CAMERAS \u003e CAMERAS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PHOTON/OPTICAL DETECTORS \u003e CAMERAS \u003e CAMERAS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC/MOTION SENSORS \u003e SEISMOMETERS \u003e SEISMOMETERS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS RECEIVERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e RECORDERS/LOGGERS \u003e TEMPERATURE LOGGERS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e TEMPERATURE PROFILERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e TEMPERATURE/HUMIDITY SENSORS \u003e TEMPERATURE SENSORS", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "SEISMOLOGICAL STATIONS; Pressure; AWS; Velocity Measurements; Firn Temperature Measurements; Ice Velocity; Seismology; Ice Sheet Elevation; Harmonic Tremor; Ice Shelf Temperature; Wind Speed; Iceberg; Ice Surface Elevation; Non-Volcanic Tremor; Not provided; Antarctic; Iceberg Tremor; Solar Radiation; Antarctic Ice Sheet; Ross Ice Shelf; Elevation; GPS; Temperature Profiles; Ice Shelf Rift Camera; GROUND STATIONS; Latitude; GROUND-BASED OBSERVATIONS; Ice Shelf Weather; FIELD INVESTIGATION; ARWS; Surface Elevation; Ice Shelf Flow; Antarctica; FIELD SURVEYS; Camera; Seismometer; Iceberg Weather (aws); Ice Movement; Photo; Wind Direction; Iceberg Snow Accumulation; Tremor And Slow Slip Events; AWS Climate Data; Location; Iceberg Drift; Iceberg Collisions; Iceberg Tilt; Atmospheric Pressure; Iceberg Seismicity; Firn Temperature", "locations": "Antarctic; Antarctica; Antarctic Ice Sheet; Ross Ice Shelf", "north": -78.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Okal, Emile; Aster, Richard; Bassis, Jeremy; Kim, Young-Jin; Bliss, Andrew; Sergienko, Olga; Thom, Jonathan; Scambos, Ted; Muto, Atsu; Brunt, Kelly; King, Matthew; Parker, Tim; Okal, Marianne; Cathles, Mac; MacAyeal, Douglas", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD INVESTIGATION; LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS; LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e PERMANENT LAND SITES \u003e ARWS; LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e PERMANENT LAND SITES \u003e GROUND-BASED OBSERVATIONS; LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e PERMANENT LAND SITES \u003e GROUND STATIONS; LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e PERMANENT LAND SITES \u003e SEISMOLOGICAL STATIONS; Not provided; SPACE-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e NAVIGATION SATELLITES \u003e GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) \u003e GPS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "AMRDC; IRIS; NSIDC; Project website; USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "Collaborative Research of Earth\u0027s Largest Icebergs", "uid": "p0000117", "west": -178.0}, {"awards": "0238281 Marsh, Adam", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((163 -77,163.4 -77,163.8 -77,164.2 -77,164.6 -77,165 -77,165.4 -77,165.8 -77,166.2 -77,166.6 -77,167 -77,167 -77.1,167 -77.2,167 -77.3,167 -77.4,167 -77.5,167 -77.6,167 -77.7,167 -77.8,167 -77.9,167 -78,166.6 -78,166.2 -78,165.8 -78,165.4 -78,165 -78,164.6 -78,164.2 -78,163.8 -78,163.4 -78,163 -78,163 -77.9,163 -77.8,163 -77.7,163 -77.6,163 -77.5,163 -77.4,163 -77.3,163 -77.2,163 -77.1,163 -77))", "dataset_titles": "Marine Invertebrates of McMurdo Sound", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600034", "doi": "10.15784/600034", "keywords": "Antarctica; Biota; McMurdo Sound; Oceans; Photo/video; Photo/Video; Southern Ocean", "people": "Marsh, Adam G.", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Marine Invertebrates of McMurdo Sound", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600034"}], "date_created": "Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Although the cold ocean ecosystems comprise seventy-two percent of the biosphere on Earth by volume, they remain sparsely inhabited and relatively unexploited, particularly in terms of metazoan phyla. Consequently, the few animals that can exist at this border of intracellular freezing represent ideal systems for exploring genomic-level processes of environmental adaptations. Understanding life at a margin of the biosphere is likely to convey significant insights into the essential genomic processes necessary for survival under intense selection pressures. This study of adaptive mechanisms in genomic networks focuses on an experimental system that faces a formidable challenge for viability at low water temperatures: embryonic development at sea water temperatures of -1.8 o C in two Antarctic echinoderms, the sea star Odontaster validus and the sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri. The project strategy will quantify temperature effects on gene expression and protein turnover networks during early development using a Bayesian network analysis to identify clusters of genes and proteins whose expression levels are associated in fixed, synergistic interactions. Ultimately, there is a simple question to be addressed: Is it more or less difficult (complex) for an embryo to develop in an extreme environment? To answer this question, the research plan will decipher network topologies and subnet structuring to uncover gene connectivity patterns associated with embryo development in this polar environment. This is the new area of Environmental Genomics that the PI will explore by expanding his research experience into computational network analyses. Overall, there is a significant need for integrative biologists in the future development of environmental sciences, particularly for the application of genomic-scale technologies to answer ecological-scale questions. The educational goals of this CAREER proposal are focused at two levels in terms of interesting young students in the developing field of environmental genomics: 1) increasing the racial diversity of the scientists attracted to environmental research, and 2) increasing the awareness of career opportunities within environmental research.\u003cbr/\u003eThese educational objectives are incorporated into the research plan to engage students with the excitement of working in an extreme environment such as Antarctica and to interest them in the insights that genome-level research can reveal about how organisms are adapted to specific habitats. Working in a remote, extreme environment such as Antarctica is always a challenge. However, the adventurous nature of the work can be utilized to establish educational and outreach components of high interest to both undergraduate students and the public in general. The proposed plan will bring the experience of working in Antarctica to a larger audience through several means. These include the following: the project theme of environmental genomics will be incorporated into a new Bioinformatics curriculum currently being developed at the University of Delaware; an intern program will be implemented to involved minority undergraduate students in summer research in the United States and then to bring the students to Antarctica to participate in the research; and a K-12 education program will bring the excitement of working in Antarctica to the classrooms of thousands of children (U.S. and international) through a program produced with the Marine Science Public Education Office at the University of Delaware.", "east": 167.0, "geometry": "POINT(165 -77.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "FIELD SURVEYS", "locations": null, "north": -77.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Marsh, Adam G.", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e FIELD SITES \u003e FIELD SURVEYS", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -78.0, "title": "CAREER: Genomic Networks for Cold-Adaptation in Embryos of Polar Marine Invertebrates", "uid": "p0000240", "west": 163.0}, {"awards": "0537960 Beardsley, Robert", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-110 -50,-104 -50,-98 -50,-92 -50,-86 -50,-80 -50,-74 -50,-68 -50,-62 -50,-56 -50,-50 -50,-50 -52.5,-50 -55,-50 -57.5,-50 -60,-50 -62.5,-50 -65,-50 -67.5,-50 -70,-50 -72.5,-50 -75,-56 -75,-62 -75,-68 -75,-74 -75,-80 -75,-86 -75,-92 -75,-98 -75,-104 -75,-110 -75,-110 -72.5,-110 -70,-110 -67.5,-110 -65,-110 -62.5,-110 -60,-110 -57.5,-110 -55,-110 -52.5,-110 -50))", "dataset_titles": "NODC Accession #0039274", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "001519", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "NCEI", "science_program": null, "title": "NODC Accession #0039274", "url": "http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/search/prod/accessionsView.pl/details/0039274"}], "date_created": "Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Satellite-tracked drifters provide simple yet powerful tools to track the motion of near-surface water on time scales ranging from the tidal/inertial band to monthly and longer. The research described herein will deploy satellite-tracked surface drifters during the annual austral summer Palmer Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) cruises in January 2006 and 2007 in order to investigate the nearsurface Lagrangian currents over the western Antarctic Peninsula (wAP) shelf. This region is experiencing the highest surface air temperature increase (roughly +0.06 degrees C per year) in Antarctica, and LTER and other investigators have found that ecosystem responses to the rapid warming and sea ice decline are already apparent at all trophic levels from phytoplankton to penguins. Building a better understanding of the regional circulation and its variability seems an essential component to understand existing physical and biological processes and longer-term changes in this important and sensitive Antarctic ecosystem. These new Lagrangian measurements will complement those made during the 2001-2003 U.S. Southern Ocean (SO) GLOBEC program and provide the first detailed look at the near-surface flow in this important section of the wAP shelf. In particular, the combined 3-year LTER Lagrangian measurements should identify (a) the source region(s) of the buoyant coastal current discovered flowing southwest along the outer coast of Adelaide Island and into Marguerite Bay during SO GLOBEC and (b) if organized cross-shelf flows occur that help create a two gyre circulation over the shelf as suggested by Hofmann et al (1996) based on regional hydrography. The principal investigators will process and analyze the LTER 2005-2007 drifter data and collaborate with Palmer LTER investigators on the interpretation and integration of the Lagrangian data with their studies. The edited data, analysis results, and animations of the drifter data with surface weather data will be posted on the LTER website for use and viewing by scientists, students, and the public. Results will be presented at national meetings and published in referred journals.", "east": -50.0, "geometry": "POINT(-80 -62.5)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": null, "locations": null, "north": -50.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Organisms and Ecosystems", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Beardsley, Robert; Limeburner, Richard", "platforms": null, "repo": "NCEI", "repositories": "NCEI", "science_programs": "LTER", "south": -75.0, "title": "Palmer LTER Lagrangian Current Measurements", "uid": "p0000232", "west": -110.0}, {"awards": "0337858 Goodge, John", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This work will determine the age and provenance of glacially derived marine sediments from the coastal regions of Wilkes Land, Antarctica. These deposits may offer insight into the history of the East Antarctic Shield (EAS), which is amongst the oldest sections of continental crust on Earth, but cannot be studied directly because of nearly complete ice sheet coverage. The study will use Australian National University\u0027s SHRIMP ion microprobe to date zircon and monazite found in the sediments. Samples of interest include polymictic pebble and cobble clasts obtained from dredge hauls of tills, as well as sand-matrix fractions from cores of glacial diamicts on the continental margin. Individual clasts of igneous and metamorphic rocks from tills will be selected for zircon and/or monazite age dating, whereas detrital zircons from stratified and non-stratified diamictons will be analyzed for composite zircon provenance analysis. In addition, detrital zircon ages will be determined for Beacon Supergroup sandstones to evaluate recycling of zircon in Phanerozoic basins. Integration of ages obtained from both sources will provide a good representation of the EAS terrains underlying the Wilkes Land ice sheet. This project will allow us to learn more about the remote continental interior and improve our ability to interpret past ice-flow patterns without further environmental impact on Antarctica. The results will improve our understanding of Precambrian tectonics and crustal evolution, and help target future over-ice geophysical surveys and basement drilling projects currently under consideration. In terms of broader impacts, the project will provide educational and training opportunities for undergraduate students in Earth science.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "Not provided", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Goodge, John", "platforms": "Not provided", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Glacial proxies of East Antarctic shield basement in Wilkes Land, Antarctica", "uid": "p0000725", "west": null}, {"awards": "0003844 Case, Judd", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Expedition Data; Expedition data of LMG0309", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "001683", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition Data", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0309"}, {"dataset_uid": "002676", "doi": null, "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "R2R", "science_program": null, "title": "Expedition data of LMG0309", "url": "https://www.rvdata.us/search/cruise/LMG0309"}], "date_created": "Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This award, provided by the Antarctic Geology and Geophysics Program of the Office of Polar Programs, supports a collaborative research project between the Saint Mary\u0027s College of California, the South Dakota School of Mines and technology, and the Argentine Antarctic Institute (Instituto Antartico Argentino or IAA) to investigate the Late Mesozoic vertebrate paleontology of the James Ross Basin in the Antarctic Peninsula region. The Campanian through the Maastrichtian ages (80 to 65 million years ago) is an important time interval concerning vertebrate biogeography (i.e. dispersals and separations due to moving landmasses) and evolution between Antarctica and other Southern Hemisphere continents (including India, i.e. Gondwana). Moreover, the dispersal of terrestrial vertebrates (i.e. dinosaurs and marsupial mammals) from North America to Antarctica and beyond (e.g. Australia) via Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula, as well as the dispersal of modern birds from Antarctica northward are important unresolved questions in paleontology. These dispersal events include vertebrates not only in the terrestrial realms, but also in marine settings. Both widely distributed and localized marine reptile species have been identified in Antarctica, creating questions concerning their dispersal in conjunction with the terrestrial animals.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Antarctic Peninsula and Patagonia represent the western-most portion of the Weddellian Paleobiogeographic Province, a region that extends from Patagonia through the Antarctic Peninsula and western Antarctica to Australia and New Zealand. Within this province lie the dispersal routes for interchanges of vertebrates between South America and: 1) Madagascar and India, and 2) Australia. As the result of previous work by the principal investigators, it is postulated that an isthmus between more northern South America and the Antarctic craton has served to bring typical North American dinosaurs, such as hadrosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs) and presumably marsupials traveling overland, while marine reptiles swam along coastal waters, to Antarctica in the latest Cretaceous. Finally, this region has served as the cradle for the evolution, if not the origin, for groups of modern birds, and evolution of a suite of typical southern hemisphere plants.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eIn order to confirm and expand upon these hypotheses, investigations into the latest Cretaceous deposits of the James Ross Basin, Antarctica Peninsula must be continued. The Cape Lamb and Sandwich Bluff geological units, of the Lopez de Bertodano Formation in the James Ross Basin along the eastern Antarctic Peninsula, exhibit a mixture of marine and terrestrial deposits. The following vertebrates have been recovered from these sedimentary deposits during previous field seasons: plesiosaur and mosasaur marine reptiles; plant eating dinosaurs; a meat eating dinosaur; and a variety of modern bird groups, including shorebirds, wading birds and lagoonal birds.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis project will undertake new fieldwork to recover new specimens in order to test biogeographic and evolutionary hypotheses concerning Late Cretaceous vertebrates in Gondwana. Fieldwork is planned in January 2002 and 2003 to explore the eastern slopes of Cape Lamb, Sandwich Bluff and False Island Point on Vega Island, and the Santa Marta Cove area of James Ross Island.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis research will result in important new insights about the evolution and geographic dispersal of several vertebrate species. The results are important to understanding the development and evolution of life on Earth.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis is a collaborative research project with Argentinean scientists from the IAA and it continues a productive collaboration that began in 1995. In addition, collaboration with vertebrate paleontologists from the Museo de La Plata, both in the field and at our respective institutions in Argentina and in the United States, will continue.", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e CTD; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PRESSURE/HEIGHT METERS \u003e PRESSURE SENSORS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e POSITIONING/NAVIGATION \u003e GPS \u003e GPS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e ACOUSTIC SOUNDERS \u003e ADCP", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "Not provided; R/V LMG", "locations": null, "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": "PHANEROZOIC \u003e MESOZOIC \u003e CRETACEOUS", "persons": "Case, Judd; Blake, Daniel", "platforms": "Not provided; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e VESSELS \u003e SURFACE \u003e R/V LMG", "repo": "R2R", "repositories": "R2R", "science_programs": null, "south": null, "title": "Collaborative Research: Evolution and Biogeography of Late Cretaceous Vertebrates from the James Ross Basin, Antarctic Peninsula", "uid": "p0000129", "west": null}, {"awards": "0232042 Finn, Carol", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((139.27539 -82.35733,142.369695 -82.35733,145.464 -82.35733,148.558305 -82.35733,151.65261 -82.35733,154.746915 -82.35733,157.84122 -82.35733,160.935525 -82.35733,164.02983 -82.35733,167.124135 -82.35733,170.21844 -82.35733,170.21844 -82.516831,170.21844 -82.676332,170.21844 -82.835833,170.21844 -82.995334,170.21844 -83.154835,170.21844 -83.314336,170.21844 -83.473837,170.21844 -83.633338,170.21844 -83.792839,170.21844 -83.95234,167.124135 -83.95234,164.02983 -83.95234,160.935525 -83.95234,157.84122 -83.95234,154.746915 -83.95234,151.65261 -83.95234,148.558305 -83.95234,145.464 -83.95234,142.369695 -83.95234,139.27539 -83.95234,139.27539 -83.792839,139.27539 -83.633338,139.27539 -83.473837,139.27539 -83.314336,139.27539 -83.154835,139.27539 -82.995334,139.27539 -82.835833,139.27539 -82.676332,139.27539 -82.516831,139.27539 -82.35733))", "dataset_titles": null, "datasets": null, "date_created": "Tue, 16 Aug 2005 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This award, provided by the Antarctic Geology and Geophysics Program of the Office of Polar Programs, supports a project to investigate the Transantarctic Mountains and an adjacent region of East Antarctica. The East Antarctic shield is one of Earth\u0027s oldest and largest cratonic assemblies, with a long-lived Archean to early Paleozoic history. Long-standing interest in the geologic evolution of this shield has been rekindled over the past decade by tectonic models linking East Antarctica with other Precambrian crustal elements in the Rodinia and Gondwanaland supercontinents. It is postulated that the Pacific margin of East Antarctica was rifted from Laurentia during late Neoproterozoic breakup of Rodinia, and it then developed as an active plate boundary during subsequent amalgamation of Gondwanaland in the earliest Paleozoic. If true, the East Antarctic shield played a key role in supercontinent transformation at a time of global changes in plate configuration, terrestrial surficial process, sea level, and marine geochemistry and biota. A better understanding of the geological evolution of the East Antarctic shield is therefore critical for studying Precambrian crustal evolution in general, as well as resource distribution, biosphere evolution, and glacial and climate history during later periods of Earth history. Because of nearly complete coverage by the polar ice cap, however, Antarctica remains the single most geologically unexplored continent. Exposures of cratonic basement are largely limited to coastal outcrops in George V Land and Terre Adelie (Australian sector), the Prince Charles Mountains and Enderby Land (Indian sector), and Queen Maud Land (African sector), where the geology is reasonably well-known. By contrast, little is known about the composition and structure of the shield interior. Given the extensive ice cover, collection of airborne geophysical data is the most cost-effective method to characterize broad areas of sub-ice basement and expand our knowledge of the East Antarctic shield interior. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThis project will conduct an airborne magnetic survey (coupled with ground-based gravity measurements) across an important window into the shield where it is exposed in the Nimrod Glacier area of the central Transantarctic Mountains. Specific goals are to:\u003cbr/\u003e1. Characterize the magnetic and gravity signature of East Antarctic crustal basement exposed at the Ross margin (Nimrod Group),\u003cbr/\u003e2. Extend the magnetic data westward along a corridor across the polar ice cap in order to image the crust in ice-covered areas,\u003cbr/\u003e3. Obtain magnetic data over the Ross Orogen in order to image the ice-covered boundary between basement and supracrustal rocks, allowing us to better constrain the geometry of fundamental Ross structures, and\u003cbr/\u003e4. Use the shape, trends, wavelengths, and amplitudes of magnetic anomalies to define magnetic domains in the shield, common building blocks for continent-scale studies of Precambrian geologic structure and evolution.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eHigh-resolution airborne magnetic data will be collected along a transect extending from exposed rocks of the Nimrod Group across the adjacent polar ice cap. The Nimrod Group represents the only bona fide Archean-Proterozoic shield basement exposed for over 2500 km of the Pacific margin of Antarctica. This survey will characterize the geologically well-known shield terrain in this sector using geophysical methods for the first time. This baseline over the exposed shield will allow for better interpretation of geophysical patterns in other ice-covered regions and can be used to target future investigations. In collaboration with colleagues from the BGR (Germany), a tightly-spaced, \"draped\" helicopter magnetic survey will be flown during the 2003-04 austral summer, to be complemented by ground measurements of gravity over the exposed basement. Data reduction, interpretation and geological correlation will be completed in the second year. This project will enhance the education of students, the advancement of under-represented groups, the research instrumentation of the U.S. Antarctic Program, partnerships between the federal government and institutions of higher education, and cooperation between national research programs. It will benefit society through the creation of new basic knowledge about the Antarctic continent, which in turn may help with applied research in other fields such as the glacial history of Antarctica.", "east": 170.21844, "geometry": "POINT(154.746915 -83.154835)", "instruments": "SOLAR/SPACE OBSERVING INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAGNETIC FIELD/ELECTRIC FIELD INSTRUMENTS \u003e MAM", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "Central Transantarctic Mountains; Aeromagnetic Data; HELICOPTER; DHC-6; Not provided", "locations": "Central Transantarctic Mountains", "north": -82.35733, "nsf_funding_programs": null, "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Finn, C. A.; FINN, CAROL", "platforms": "AIR-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e PROPELLER \u003e DHC-6; AIR-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e ROTORCRAFT/HELICOPTER \u003e HELICOPTER; Not provided", "repositories": null, "science_programs": null, "south": -83.95234, "title": "Collaborative Research: Geophysical Mapping of the East Antarctic Shield Adjacent to the Transantarctic Mountains", "uid": "p0000249", "west": 139.27539}, {"awards": "9526979 White, James", "bounds_geometry": null, "dataset_titles": "Siple Dome Core Date from Measurement of the d18O of Paleoatmospheric Oxygen", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "609123", "doi": "10.7265/N5TX3C95", "keywords": "Antarctica; Chemistry:ice; Chemistry:Ice; Geochemistry; Glaciers/ice Sheet; Glaciers/Ice Sheet; Glaciology; Ice Core Records; Paleoclimate; Siple Dome; Siple Dome Ice Core; WAISCORES", "people": "Bender, Michael; White, James", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": "Siple Dome Ice Core", "title": "Siple Dome Core Date from Measurement of the d18O of Paleoatmospheric Oxygen", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/609123"}], "date_created": "Mon, 16 Jun 2003 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This award is for support for a program to measure the stable isotope (deuterium to hydrogen and oxygen-18 to oxygen-16) concentrations of ice cores retrieved from Siple Dome as part of the West Antarctic ice sheet program. In addition, the deuterium excess of samples from the Taylor Dome ice core will be determined. This project will approach the question of rapid climate change using ice cores to determine the history of temperature changes, moisture source changes, and elevational changes in the West Antarctic ice sheet. Results from ice cores taken to date in the interior of Antarctica (East and West) are surprisingly lacking in indications of abrupt climate changes, such as those that have been observed in the GISP2 ice core from Summit, Greenland. This work will address the question of whether rapid climate changes, which are known to have occurred in other parts of the southern hemi-sphere, may have also occurred in the coastal regions of West Antarctica. There is some indication from existing records of isotopes in ice cores that the West Antarctic ice sheet may have flushed ice in the past (as evidenced by large changes in elevation of the ice sheet).", "east": null, "geometry": null, "instruments": "IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CORERS \u003e CORING DEVICES", "is_usap_dc": true, "keywords": "Antarctica; LABORATORY; WAISCORES; GROUND STATIONS; Siple Coast; Glaciology; Snow; D18O; Isotope; Thermometry; Ice Sheet; Siple; Accumulation; Ice Core; Siple Dome; Stratigraphy; Densification; GROUND-BASED OBSERVATIONS; Not provided", "locations": "Antarctica; Siple; Siple Coast; Siple Dome", "north": null, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Glaciology", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "White, James; Bender, Michael", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e PERMANENT LAND SITES \u003e GROUND-BASED OBSERVATIONS; LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e PERMANENT LAND SITES \u003e GROUND STATIONS; Not provided; OTHER \u003e PHYSICAL MODELS \u003e LABORATORY", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": "Siple Dome Ice Core", "south": null, "title": "Isotopic Measurements on the WAIS/Siple Dome Ice Cores", "uid": "p0000063", "west": null}, {"awards": "9980538 Lohmann, Kyger", "bounds_geometry": "POINT(-56 -64)", "dataset_titles": "Stable isotope and minor element proxies for Eocene climate of Seymour Island, Antarctica", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "600019", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": "Lohmann, Kyger", "repository": "USAP-DC", "science_program": null, "title": "Stable isotope and minor element proxies for Eocene climate of Seymour Island, Antarctica", "url": "https://www.usap-dc.org/view/dataset/600019"}], "date_created": "Mon, 11 Jun 2001 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "This award, provided by the Antarctic Geology and Geophysics Program of the Office of Polar Programs, supports research for construction of a long-term record of climate during the late Cretaceous and early Paleogene to assess the annual seasonality in temperature on the coastal margin of Antarctica. Stable isotope and element compositions of well-preserved bivalve shells collected on Seymour Island will be the primary source of data used to reconstruct paleoenvironmental conditions. Seasonal temperature records collected through high-resolution sampling along growth structures in bivalve shells will allow seasonality to be assessed during different climate states and during periods of rapid climate change. In addition, high stratigraphic resolution will enable this project to detect the presence and frequency of short-lived thermal excursions that may have extended to such high latitudes. To compile a reliable temporal record of paleoclimate, two major avenues of investigation will be undertaken: 1) precise stratigraphic (and therefore, temporal) placement of fossils over a large geographic area will be employed through the use of a graphical technique employing geometric projections; 2) stable isotope and elemental analyses will be performed to derive paleotemperatures and to evaluate diagenetic alteration of shell materials. To provide realistic comparisons of paleotemperatures across stratigraphic horizons, this study will focus on a single taxon, thus avoiding complications due to the mixing of faunal assemblages that have been encountered in previous studies of this region. The near-shore marine fossil record on Seymour Island provides a unique opportunity to address many questions about the Antarctic paleoenvironment, including the relation between seasonality and different climate states, the influence of climate on biogeographic distribution of specific taxa, the effect of ice-volume changes on the stable isotope record from the late Cretaceous through the Eocene, and the plausibility of high-latitude bottom water formation during this time interval. In particular, information that will be collected concerning patterns of seasonality and the presence (or absence) of short-lived thermal excursions will be extremely valuable to an understanding of the response of high latitude sites during climate transitions from globally cool to globally warm conditions.", "east": -56.0, "geometry": "POINT(-56 -64)", "instruments": null, "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "Not provided; Bivalves; Geochemical Composition; Carbon Isotopes; Climate", "locations": null, "north": -64.0, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Earth Sciences", "paleo_time": "PHANEROZOIC \u003e CENOZOIC \u003e PALEOGENE \u003e EOCENE", "persons": "Lohmann, Kyger; Barrera, Enriqueta", "platforms": "Not provided", "repo": "USAP-DC", "repositories": "USAP-DC", "science_programs": null, "south": -64.0, "title": "Evolution of Sea Surface Temperatures in the Coastal Antarctic Paleoenvironment During the Late Cretaceous and Paleogene", "uid": "p0000613", "west": -56.0}, {"awards": "0838834 Lazzara, Matthew", "bounds_geometry": "POLYGON((-180 -62.83,-144 -62.83,-108 -62.83,-72 -62.83,-36 -62.83,0 -62.83,36 -62.83,72 -62.83,108 -62.83,144 -62.83,180 -62.83,180 -65.547,180 -68.264,180 -70.981,180 -73.698,180 -76.415,180 -79.132,180 -81.849,180 -84.566,180 -87.283,180 -90,144 -90,108 -90,72 -90,36 -90,0 -90,-36 -90,-72 -90,-108 -90,-144 -90,-180 -90,-180 -87.283,-180 -84.566,-180 -81.849,-180 -79.132,-180 -76.415,-180 -73.698,-180 -70.981,-180 -68.264,-180 -65.547,-180 -62.83))", "dataset_titles": "Access all real-time datasets; Access Antarctic Composite Images.; Access Antarctic Synoptic and METAR Observations.; Access McMurdo Radiosonde Observations; Access South Pole Radiosonde Observations; Archived METAR observational data; We have observations from three ships near Antarctica, the R/V Polar Duke the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer and the R/V Laurence M. Gould. Data from 23 August 1993 are available via ftp and the files are updated with the most recent observations every 7-10 days as we receive the information. The AMRC has been archiving general ship and buoy observational data for the Antarctic and surrounding regions since 2 December 1998.", "datasets": [{"dataset_uid": "001382", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "AMRDC", "science_program": null, "title": "Access Antarctic Synoptic and METAR Observations.", "url": "ftp://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu"}, {"dataset_uid": "001386", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "AMRDC", "science_program": null, "title": "Archived METAR observational data", "url": "ftp://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/archive/"}, {"dataset_uid": "001285", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "AMRDC", "science_program": null, "title": "Access Antarctic Composite Images.", "url": "http://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/data/view-data.php?action=list\u0026amp;amp;product=satellite/composite"}, {"dataset_uid": "001300", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "AMRDC", "science_program": null, "title": "Access all real-time datasets", "url": "http://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/"}, {"dataset_uid": "001288", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "AMRDC", "science_program": null, "title": "Access South Pole Radiosonde Observations", "url": "ftp://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/pub/southpole/radiosonde/"}, {"dataset_uid": "001299", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "AMRDC", "science_program": null, "title": "Access Antarctic Synoptic and METAR Observations.", "url": "ftp://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/"}, {"dataset_uid": "001289", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "AMRDC", "science_program": null, "title": "Access McMurdo Radiosonde Observations", "url": "ftp://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/pub/mcmurdo/radiosonde/"}, {"dataset_uid": "001290", "doi": "", "keywords": null, "people": null, "repository": "AMRDC", "science_program": null, "title": "We have observations from three ships near Antarctica, the R/V Polar Duke the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer and the R/V Laurence M. Gould. Data from 23 August 1993 are available via ftp and the files are updated with the most recent observations every 7-10 days as we receive the information. The AMRC has been archiving general ship and buoy observational data for the Antarctic and surrounding regions since 2 December 1998.", "url": "ftp://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/pub/shipobs/"}], "date_created": "Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 GMT", "description": "Abstract\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eThe Antarctic Meteorological Research Center (AMRC), located at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, serves several communities by maintaining and extending the stewardship of meteorological data pertinent to the Antarctic continent, its surrounding islands, ice sheets and ice margins and the adjacent Southern Ocean. This data will continue to be made freely available to interested researchers and the general public. Activities of particular interest for the current award include the development of an enhanced data portal to provide improved data and analysis tools to the research community, and to continue to add to the evolution of the Antarctic-Internet Data Distribution system, which is meant to overcome the costly and generally low bandwidth internet connectivity to and from the Antarctic continent. Operational forecasting for logistical activities in the Antarctic, as well as active Antarctic meteorological research programs, are clearly in need of a dependable, steady flow of meteorological observations, model output, and related data in what must be a collaborative environment in order to overcome the otherwise distributed nature of Antarctic meteorological and climatological observations.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003eAMRC interaction with the public through answering e-mail questions, giving informal public lectures and presentations to K-12 education institutions through visits to schools will help to raise science literacy with regards to meteorology and of the Antarctic and polar regions. \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e\"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).\"", "east": 180.0, "geometry": "POINT(0 -89.999)", "instruments": "EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e IMAGING SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e AVHRR; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e IMAGING SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e GOES I-M IMAGER; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e IMAGING SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e OLS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e IMAGING SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e VISSR; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e CURRENT/WIND METERS \u003e ANEMOMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e TEMPERATURE/HUMIDITY SENSORS \u003e THERMOMETERS \u003e THERMOMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e PRESSURE/HEIGHT METERS \u003e BAROMETERS; IN SITU/LABORATORY INSTRUMENTS \u003e TEMPERATURE/HUMIDITY SENSORS \u003e THERMOMETERS \u003e WET BULB THERMOMETERS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e RADIOSONDES; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e AMSU-A; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e IMAGING SPECTROMETERS/RADIOMETERS \u003e AVHRR; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e HIRS; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e HIRS/2; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e MSU; EARTH REMOTE SENSING INSTRUMENTS \u003e PASSIVE REMOTE SENSING \u003e PROFILERS/SOUNDERS \u003e TOVS", "is_usap_dc": false, "keywords": "Shortwave Composite Satellite Images; Radiosonde Data; Antarctic; Noaa Hrpt Raw Data; Synoptic Data; Water Vapor Composite Satellite Images; SATELLITES; Satellite Imagery; Infrared Imagery; NOAA POES; Visible Composite Satellite Images; BUOYS; Antarctica; Ship/buoy Data; FIXED OBSERVATION STATIONS; Longwave Composite Satellite Images; Not provided; COASTAL STATIONS; Metar Weather Observations", "locations": "Antarctic; Antarctica", "north": -62.83, "nsf_funding_programs": "Antarctic Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences", "paleo_time": null, "persons": "Lazzara, Matthew; Costanza, Carol", "platforms": "LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e PERMANENT LAND SITES \u003e COASTAL STATIONS; LAND-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e PERMANENT LAND SITES \u003e FIXED OBSERVATION STATIONS; Not provided; SPACE-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITES \u003e POLAR ORBITING ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITES (POES) \u003e NOAA POES; SPACE-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITES \u003e SATELLITES; WATER-BASED PLATFORMS \u003e BUOYS \u003e MOORED \u003e BUOYS", "repo": "AMRDC", "repositories": "AMRDC", "science_programs": null, "south": -90.0, "title": "Antarctic Meteorological Research Center (2009-2011)", "uid": "p0000264", "west": -180.0}]

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Formation, Transformation, and Northward Spreading of Dense Saline Water Derived from Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea, Antarctica

2332418

2025-04-28

Zappa, Christopher; Gordon, Arnold

No dataset link provided

Non-Technical Abstract The deep world ocean is flooded with near 0°C water, drawn from the margins of Antarctica. Antarctic Bottom Water, as it is referred to, is mainly derived from cold water formed the over the continental shelves of the Weddell and Ross Seas, where the coastal water is exposed to frigid polar air masses spreading off the Antarctic ice sheet. Antarctic Bottom Water is a key component of the global ocean overturning system, which is fundamental to the global ocean heat, carbon and nutrient inventories, and hence the climate and marine ecosystem. The processes producing the dense shelf waters involve small scale factors associated with ocean/atmosphere/sea and glacial ice interaction. What is lacking from previous work is a coordinated, synchronous observational study of the seaward spreading, from formation, to export across the continental shelf edge, to its descent into the deep ocean. This work fills the gap, by investigating the characteristics of dense shelf water formed within Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea, its transformation, modification and northward spreading within the Drygalski Trough in the western Ross Sea, feeding into the spill-over at the continental slope into the deep boundary current adjacent to Cape Adare. The sequence of events will be observed with a series of instrumented moorings along the pathway from Terra Nova Bay, along the Drygalski Trough and onto the boundary current adjacent to Cape Adare. The project is an international collaboration that involves the USA (this proposal), S. Korea, New Zealand and Italy. Technical Abstract The lower kilometer or two of the world ocean is flooded with near 0°C water derived from the Southern Ocean, the Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW). The cold end-member of AABW is formed over various sectors of the continental shelf of Antarctica, notable in the Weddell and Ross Seas. The governing processes producing the dense shelf waters involve small scale spatial and temporal factors associated with ocean/sea ice interaction, often related to coastal polynyas and katabatic winds, along with further modification by ocean-glacial ice interaction. There have been studies of the formation of dense shelf water, of export of shelf water over the shelf/slope, the descent of gravity currents into the AABW realm, and of flow paths of AABW spreading across the deep ocean well into the northern hemisphere. What is lacking is a coordinated, synchronous observational study of the seaward spreading, from formation of the dense shelf water to its spreading to the shelf/slope break and descent into the deep ocean. This program fills the gap, by investigating the characteristics of dense shelf water formed within Terra Nova Bay (TNB), Ross Sea, its transformation, modification and northward spreading within the Drygalski Trough in the western Ross Sea, feeding into the spill-over at the continental slope and the deep boundary current adjacent to Cape Adare. The team will deploy a series of moorings – two heavily instrumented full water column moorings within TNB to capture high-salinity shelf water (HSSW) production and a series of bottom-focused moorings to evaluate the transformation and northward spreading of the dense saline water. The broad science goals of the project will be addressed by this program through a coordinated analysis of these mooring measurements. The project is an international collaboration that involves the USA (this proposal), S. Korea, New Zealand and Italy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Atmospheric Mineral Nanoparticles in Antarctic Ice during the last Climatic Cycle

1744961

2025-01-06

Olesik, John

Taylor Glacier Atmospheric Mineral Nanoparticles and Microparticles in Antarctic Ice during the last Climatic Cycle	NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information World Data Service Paleo archive
Elemental composition of individual nanoparticles and fine particles in 28 Taylor Glacier ice core samples 9000 to 44000 yrs BP	USAP-DC

The main goal of this project is to identify and geochemically characterize atmospheric mineral nanoparticles in pre-industrial Antarctic ice during the last climatic cycle. Recent technological and industrial development is introducing a large number of natural and engineered nanoparticles into Earth's atmosphere. These constitute a concern for human health, mainly due to their high chemical reactivity. While many atmospheric nanoparticle studies have been performed in modern urban environments, there is essentially no information about their occurrence in a pristine pre-industrial atmosphere. This information is critical, as it constitutes an important benchmark for comparison to the modern atmosphere. Information on nanoparticles from the pre-industrial atmosphere can be obtained from atmospheric mineral nanoparticles that are entrapped in remote pre-industrial Antarctic ice covering the last climatic cycles. Mineral nanoparticles can also affect several climatic processes. First, they directly influence the global energy balance by reflecting solar radiation and indirectly influence through changes in cloud formation (and clouds also reflect solar radiation). Second, atmospheric mineral nanoparticles such as iron oxides could have fertilized the oceans, causing blooms of marine phytoplankton that may have drawn part of the atmospheric carbon dioxide into the oceans during glacial ages (the "biological pump"). Third, a significant amount of extraterrestrial material entering the Earth atmosphere is thought to be transported to the poles as nanoparticles called "meteoric smoke" that form polar stratospheric clouds implicated in changes of the ozone hole. This project aims to establish the natural background of unknown classes of glacial particles whose size is below the detection limit of the conventional dust analyzers. The team will take advantage of ice samples from the "horizontal ice core", already extracted from the remote Taylor Glacier (coastal East Antarctica) covering the last ~44,000 years. These ancient samples are particularly suited to project scope because i) a large ice volume is available ii) the team expects to find a markedly different geochemistry between nanoparticles deposited during the last glacial age and during the current interglacial. A set of advanced techniques including Transmission Electron Microscopy, Single Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (spICP-MS), spICP-Time of Flight MS, and Field Flow Fractionation will be employed to determine mineral nanoparticle sizes, number/volume, and chemical composition. So far, the elemental composition of dust entrapped in polar ice has been mainly determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Sector Field Mass Spectrometry and it is generally assumed to be descriptive of the coarse aeolian dust fraction. However, project will test whether or not the determined elemental composition is instead mainly linked to the previously unobserved smaller mineral nanoparticle content. Results on nanoparticles will be compared with a set of new experiments of total dust composition measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Sector Field Mass Spectrometry, using the same ice samples from Taylor Glacier. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Postdoctoral Fellowship: OPP-PRF: Tracing Polar Sediments with Short-lived Radioisotopes in 75 years of Arctic and Antarctic Sediment Cores

2317997

2024-10-17

Keogh, Molly

No dataset link provided

Climate change is disproportionately affecting polar regions, with the Arctic now warming nearly four times faster than the global average. Polar warming drives coastal erosion and increases sediment delivery to the coastal ocean, affecting ecosystem processes ranging from primary productivity to carbon sequestration. Tracking changes in sedimentation rate is urgently needed to determine current conditions and measure further change. In polar regions, however, two of the most globally reliable sediment tracers, the radioisotopes lead-210 (210Pb) and cesium-137 (137Cs), have yielded mixed results. To understand the distribution and usefulness of these radioisotopes at high latitudes, this research makes use of a wealth of polar sediment cores archived at the Oregon State University Marine and Geology Repository combined with data synthesized from the literature. Results provide the first systematic study of Arctic and Antarctic sediment accretion. Improving the tools we use to track changes in sedimentation will help coastal managers and decisionmakers understand how climate change is impacting polar coastlines and marine environments, and what local communities should expect in the future. Sediment cores will be subsampled and analyzed for the activities of 210Pb (half-life = 22.3 years) and 137Cs (half-life = 30.1 years) using alpha and gamma spectroscopy, respectively. To provide context related to depositional environment, select subsamples will also be analyzed for sediment bulk density, grain size distribution, and organic content. A subset of samples with no measurable 210Pb or 137Cs activity will be analyzed for 14C to determine whether the lack of radioisotopes in a sample is because the core is simply too old, the true surface layer is missing, or because the shorter-lived radioisotopes did not accumulate. By undertaking comprehensive spatial analysis of the distribution of 210Pb and 137Cs in Arctic and Antarctic sediments, this research will achieve three goals: first, measure the activity of short-lived radioisotopes in archived sediment cores, a service to the science community that is urgently needed before the isotopes decay beyond detection; second, produce a comprehensive pole-wide atlas of sediment accretion rates; and finally, conduct a temporal analysis of sedimentation rate changes over the last ~60 to 125 years along the Beaufort Sea coast of northern Alaska, an ecologically and economically important region experiencing environmental transformation due to climate warming. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Fe Behavior and Bioavailability in Sub-aerial Runoff into the Ross Sea

1841228

2024-10-16

Lyons, W. Berry; Gardner, Christopher B.

isotopic signature of massive buried ice, eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica	USAP-DC
Commonwealth Stream Diel Water Chemistry	USAP-DC
Hyporheic zone geochemistry of Wales Stream, Taylor Valley, Antarctica	USAP-DC

Phytoplankton, or microscopic marine algae, are an important part of the carbon cycle and can lower the rates of atmospheric carbon dioxide by transferring the atmospheric carbon into the oceans. The concentration of phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean is regularly limited by the availability of marine iron. This in turn influences the rate of carbon transfer from the atmosphere to the ocean. The primary source of iron in the Southern Ocean is eroded continental rock. Understanding the current and future sources of iron to the Southern Ocean as a result of increased melting of terrestrial glaciers is necessary for predicting future concentrations of Southern Ocean phytoplankton and the subsequent influence on the carbon cycle. A poorly understood source of iron to the Southern Ocean is stream input from ice-free regions such as the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica. This source of iron is likely to become larger if glaciers retreat. This study investigates the sources and amount of iron transported by McMurdo Dry Valley streams directly into the Southern Ocean. Because not all forms of iron can be used by phytoplankton, experiments will be performed to determine how available iron is to phytoplankton and how iron mixes with seawater. Immersive 360-degree video, infographics, and educational videos of findings from this project will be shared on social media, at schools and science events, and in an urban science center. In the Southern Ocean (SO) there is an excess of macronutrients but regional primary production is limited or co-limited due to iron. An addition of iron to the ocean will affect biochemical cycles, increase primary production, and affect the structure and composition of phytoplankton communities in the SO. Iron flux to the SO is globally significant, as increased Fe fertilization leads to increased carbon sequestration which acts as a negative feedback to increased atmospheric pCO2. One source of potentially bioavailable iron to the coastal regions of the SO is from direct sub-aerial stream discharge in ice-free areas of Antarctica, a source that may become more important if terrestrial glaciers retreat. It is imperative to understand the source, nature, potential fate, and flux of iron to the SO if better predictive models for the carbon cycle and atmospheric chemistry are to be developed. This project will investigate in-stream processes and characteristics controlling dissolved iron draining into the Ross Sea including photoreduction, temperature, and complexation with organic matter. The novel study will quantify bioavailability of particulate iron and bioavailability of dissolved iron in Antarctic in streams draining into the SO. On-site speciation measurements will be performed on dissolved iron species, particulate iron speciation will be determined using high-resolution spectroscopy, mixing experiments will be performed with coastal marine water, and the bioavailability of Fe will be determined through marine bioassays. This project will provide two students with valuable Antarctic field experience and reach thousands of individuals through existing partnerships with K-12 schools, public STEM events, an urban science center, and a strong social media presence. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Sea-ice Snow Microbial Communities’ Impact on Antarctic Bromocarbon Budgets and Processes

2031121

2024-07-30

Junge, Karen; Nunn, Brook L

No dataset link provided

The ozone hole that develops over the Antarctic continent every spring is one of the features attributed to human activity, in particular production of the CFC (chlorofluorocarbons in refrigerants) released to the atmosphere. In spite of the CFC ban from the Montreal Protocol established in the year 1987, the recovery has been slower than predicted. Bromocarbons, known to produce the stratospheric ozone depletion, have recently been estimated to contribute to the pool of bromines in the lower atmosphere. What is the origin of the bromocarbons in Antarctic sea ice? Is this an additional source of chemicals creating the ozone hole? This project will test if bromocarbons in sea ice are produced and degraded by microalgae and bacteria found in sea ice, in snow and the interface between the two. The project will collect a suite of chemical and biological measurements of sea ice and snow to determine bromocarbon concentrations, microbial activity associated with them, and intra-cellular genes and proteins involved in bromocarbon metabolism. This project benefits NSF’s goals of expanding fundamental knowledge of Antarctic systems, biota, and processes, and improving the understanding of interactions among the Antarctic systems, cryosphere and organisms. The work will be carried out at McMurdo Station in late austral spring, including sampling of snow and ice that will be concentrated in the laboratory, and 24-hour experiments to measure algal and bacterial activity. Genes controlling synthesis of enzymes involved in bromocarbon metabolism are of interest in biotechnology and bioremediation, including products that repair damaged skin from UltraViolet Radiation. The project will train undergraduate students on chemical and biological techniques. The Principal Investigators will be involved in the Pacific Science Center in Seattle with ~10,000 visitors per weekend where they will develop a project-specific exhibit. The microbial processes in snow and ice associated with bromocarbon synthesis and degradation have not been studied in Antarctica during winter and spring. This study will inform about microbial activity in relation to the release of bromocarbons compounds from the snow and ice surfaces, compounds known to degrade stratospheric ozone. The estimation of chemical bromocarbons will be combined with metagenomics and metaproteomics approaches for understanding the potential role of microbes in snow and sea ice. The environmental, chemical and biological data will be synthesized with multivariate analysis and significant differences between sites and experimental treatments with ANOVA. A collaborator from the University of Goteborg in Sweden will collaborate on bromocarbon analyses. The study will also address “saline snow” a new environment not previously studied for microbial life. In addition, this is the first study of meta-proteomics in snow and ice. The Principal Investigators expect their results will help inform ozone hole recovery in the 21st century. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Benthic Iron Fluxes and Cycling in the Amundsen Sea

None

2024-06-13

None

No dataset link provided

The Amundsen Sea, near the fastest melting Antarctic glaciers, hosts one of the most productive polar ecosystems in the world. Phytoplankton serve as the base of the food chain, and their growth also removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Phytoplankton growth is fertilized in this area by nutrient iron, which is only present at low concentrations in seawater. Prior studies have shown the seabed sediments may provide iron to the Amundsen Sea ecosystem. However, sediment sources of iron have never been studied here directly. This project fills this gap by analyzing sediments from the Amundsen Sea and investigating whether sediment iron fertilizes plankton growth. The results will help scientists understand the basic ecosystem drivers and predict the effects of climate change on this vibrant, vulnerable region. This project also emphasizes inclusivity and openness to the public. The researchers will establish a mentoring network for diverse polar scientists through the Polar Impact Network and communicate their results to the public through the website CryoConnect.org. This project leverages samples already collected from the Amundsen Sea (NBP22-02) to investigate sediment iron (Fe) cycling and fluxes. The broad questions driving this research are 1) does benthic Fe fertilize Antarctic coastal primary productivity, and 2) what are the feedbacks between benthic Fe release and carbon cycling in the coastal Antarctic? To answer these questions, the researchers will analyze pore water Fe content and speciation and calculate fluxes of Fe across the sediment-water interface. These results will be compared to sediment characteristics (e.g., organic carbon content, reactive Fe content, proximity to glacial sources) to identify controls on benthic Fe release. This research dovetails with and expands on the science goals of the ?Accelerating Thwaites Ecosystem Impacts for the Southern Ocean? (ARTEMIS) project through which the field samples were collected. In turn, the findings of ARTEMIS regarding modeled and observed trace metal dynamics, surface water productivity, and carbon cycling will inform the conclusions of this project, allowing insight into the impact of benthic Fe in the whole system. This project represents a unique opportunity for combined study of the water column and sediment biogeochemistry which will be of great value to the marine biogeochemistry community and will inform future sediment-ocean studies in polar oceanography and beyond. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Historical and Contemporary Drivers of Macroalgal Reproductive System Variation along the Western Antarctic Peninsula

2301026

2024-05-16

Amsler, Charles; Krueger-Hadfield, Stacy

No dataset link provided

General abstract Most organisms alternate between life stages that vary in the number and arrangement of their chromosomes, in the number of cells they possess, and in the environmental conditions in which they are best adapted to live. Much of what we understand about these alternations comes from organisms like animals and land plants in which one of the two stages dominates the life cycle with the other small and short-lived. However, across the tree of life there are countless examples of organisms in which both stages are of long duration, multicellular, or both. These life cycles challenge common ideas used to explain ecological and evolutionary patterns we see in nature. Macroalgae (seaweeds) display a wide range of life cycle types and consequently are excellent models to test and expand ideas about how life cycles evolve. Undersea forests of seaweeds with a variety of life cycle types dominate the shallow waters of the western Antarctic Peninsula where they are ecologically important and, for most of the species, at the southern end of their geographic range. Using existing samples from previous expeditions to Antarctica, the investigators are uniquely positioned to test and expand knowledge of life cycle evolution and how this intersects with reproductive mode variation. This project will also further the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists and of making scientific discoveries available to the public. The project will support a postdoctoral scholar as well as a faculty member new to US Antarctic research. The investigators will take advantage of an existing program to include high school or undergraduate students in the work which will also expand mentorship experience for the postdoc. All team members will contribute by writing for blogs produced by professional societies for the public. Technical abstract Existing macroalgal taxa samples from across a latitudinal gradient in the western Antarctic Peninsula will be used to explore patterns of genetic diversity from the center to the southern latitudinal limits of their range. Not only will genetic diversity be documented for an understudied and critical group of Antarctic organisms, but how it changes with latitude, compounded by high levels of endemism, will be explored. This will be accomplished by (i) characterization of latitudinal gradients in genetic diversity of many species and (ii) determination of the reproductive system of five focal foundation species. At present, there are few genetic data for macroalgae, dominant primary producers in coastal ecosystems around the world. This gap is particularly acute along Antarctic coastlines that are experiencing rapid climate change. Furthermore, Antarctica is isolated by the Southern Ocean, decreasing the likelihood of regular migration from other land masses. Latitudinal reproductive system patterns are predicted to be largely driven by recolonization events that increase with latitude due to changes in iceberg scour and sea ice coverage. Thus, Antarctica is the best place to understand what processes underlie reproductive mode variation in populations that are isolated, including many endemic taxa, while simultaneously extending our knowledge about how marginal environments converge with complex life cycles. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

New constraints on 14C reservoirs around the Antarctic Peninsula and the Southern Ocean based on historically-harvested whale bones

2200448

2024-05-09

Simms, Alexander

Constraining the Radiocarbon Reservoir Age for the Southern Ocean Using Whale Bones Salvaged from Early 20th Century Whaling Stations

USAP-DC

Much of our understanding of ice sheet behavior due to warming temperatures is based on how past ice sheets responded to warming associated with the end of the last ice age, 20,000 years ago. These studies rely on accurate dating of features left behind by the past ice sheets. The most commonly used method for determining the age of these features over the last ~40,000 years is radiocarbon dating. However, radiocarbon dating is not without its nuances, which are particularly pronounced around Antarctica. One of these nuances is determining the offset between the materials measured radiocarbon age and its true age. The purpose of this research is to use historically harvested whale bones from the Antarctic Peninsula, whose age is independently known, to determine that offset. A better understanding of that offset will allow more accurate estimates of past rates of ice sheet and sea-level changes across the Antarctic Peninsula over the last ~40,000 years. Much of our understanding of how the Antarctic Ice Sheet will respond to future climate changes is based on studies of its past behavior. Those studies often rely on reconstructing its evolution since the Last Glacial Maximum, 20,000 years ago. Radiocarbon dating is the most commonly used method of dating Quaternary deposits for these reconstructions. However, the use of radiocarbon in Antarctica is hampered by some of the largest and least constrained radiocarbon reservoirs on the planet. The purpose of this research is to determine the radiocarbon reservoir for whale bones. This research will leverage an existing collection of 25 whale bones used for prior DNA research to determine the late Holocene radiocarbon reservoir for the Antarctic Peninsula. The whale bones are from specimens harvested at the turn of the 20th century prior to nuclear testing in the 1950s. Thus, their radiocarbon age will provide valuable new constraints on the radiocarbon reservoir for shallow waters around Antarctica. An added benefit of this approach is that given the DNA determination, we will also be able to determine if that radiocarbon reservoir varies across three species of whales, thus testing the common assumption that the radiocarbon reservoir does not vary significantly across different species. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSFGEO-NERC: Understanding the Response to Ocean Melting for Two of East Antarctica's Most Vulnerable Glaciers: Totten and Denman

2231230

2024-02-29

Joughin, Ian; Shapero, Daniel; Smith, Benjamin E

No dataset link provided

The snow that falls on Antarctica compresses to ice that flows toward the coast as a large sheet, returning it to the ocean over periods of centuries to millennia. In many places around Antarctica, the ice sheet extends from the land to over the ocean, forming floating ice shelves on the periphery. If this cycle is in balance, the ice sheets help maintain a stable sea level. When the climate cools or warms, however, sea level falls or rises as the ice sheet gains or loses ice. The peripheral ice shelves are important for regulating sea level because they help hold back the flow of ice to the ocean. Warming ocean waters thin ice shelves by melting their undersides, allowing ice to flow faster to the ocean, and raising sea level globally. Thus, an important question is how much sea level will rise in response to warming ocean temperatures over the next century(s) that further thin Antarctica’s ice shelves. Currently, West Antarctica produces the majority of the continent’s contribution to sea level. Albeit with large uncertainty, ice-sheet models indicate that Totten and Denman glaciers in East Antarctica could also produce substantial sea-level rise in the next century(s). This international study will focus on improving understanding of how much these glaciers will contribute to sea level under various warming scenarios. The project will use numerical models constrained by oceanographic and remote sensing observations to determine how Totten and Denman glaciers will respond to increased melting. Remote sensing data will provide updated and improved estimates of the melt rate for each ice shelf. Two float profilers will be deployed from aircraft by British and Australian partners in front of each ice shelf to repeatedly measure the temperature and salinity of the water column, with the results telemetered back via satellite link. The melt and oceanographic data will be used to constrain parameterized transfer functions for ice-shelf cavity melting in response to ocean temperature, improving on current parameterizations based on limited data. These melt functions will be used with ocean temperatures from climate models to force an open-source ice-flow numerical model for each glacier to determine the century-scale response for a variety of scenarios, helping to reduce uncertainty in sea level contributions from this part of Antarctica. Processes other than melt that might further alter the contribution to sea level over the next few centuries will also be examined. On the observational side, the demonstrated deployment of float profilers from a sonobuoy launch tube in polar settings would help raise the technology readiness of operational in-situ monitoring of the rapidly changing polar shelf seas, paving the way for an expansion of observations of ocean hydrographic properties from remote areas that currently are poorly understood. In addition to being of scientific value, reduced uncertainty in sea-level rise projections has strong societal benefit to coastal communities struggling with long-range planning to mitigate the effects of sea-level rise over the coming decades to centuries. Outreach activities by team members will help raise public awareness of Antarctica's dramatic changes and the resulting consequences. This is a project jointly funded by the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Geosciences (NSF/GEO) and the National Environment Research Council (NERC) of the United Kingdom (UK) via the NSF/GEO-NERC Lead Agency Agreement. This Agreement allows a single joint US/UK proposal to be submitted and peer-reviewed by the Agency whose investigator has the largest proportion of the budget. Upon successful joint determination of an award recommendation, each Agency funds the proportion of the budget that supports scientists at institutions in their respective countries. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Planning: Formulating and Sustaining a System-Level Understanding of a Large Marine Ecosystem in the Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area to Better Conserve and Guide Policy

2233187

2024-02-28

Stammerjohn, Sharon; Brooks, Cassandra

No dataset link provided

The Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area (RSRMPA), one of the world’s largest MPAs, encompasses one of the healthiest marine ecosystems remaining on this planet; however, it is exposed to increasing stress from ongoing climate change and fishing pressure. Numerous gaps in our understanding of the highly coupled nature of the Ross Sea marine ecosystem need to be addressed to support conservation efforts in the Ross Sea region, including informing the efficacy and management of the RSRMPA into the coming decades. The overarching goal of this research is to formulate an innovative and sustainable world-class research program aimed at better understanding, conserving, and managing the RSRMPA through the coordination of multi-faceted system-level approaches. There will be a coordinated effort to facilitate international collaboration; create education, outreach, and Diverse Equitable and Inclusive (DEI) opportunities; and increase conservation awareness. Coordinating Ross Sea marine ecosystem research will contribute to enhancing system-level global research, sustainable data networks, DEI, and climate equity. This program will also provide opportunity to develop similar frameworks for other large-scale, globally important systems. The trans-disciplinary aspiration can also serve to guide the NSF in sustaining or initiating new funding opportunities while addressing several of the 10 NSF BIG IDEAS and engaging multiple NSF Directorates. The project will help maintain NSF’s mission of scientific leadership by networking the Antarctic community by providing science-based conservation plans to help mitigate environmental changes in this pristine region of the Southern Ocean. The researchers will convene a workshop to strategize the implementation of an internationally networked, world class program that is based on inter- and trans-disciplinary approaches (including bridging science, cyberinfrastructure, policy, management, and conservation), while also providing opportunities for STEM education, early career development, and core DEI principles. To effectively facilitate the prioritization of research related to the regional and global interconnectedness of the Ross Sea marine ecosystem, the workshop will involve leading experts in Ross Sea marine research and other researchers, stakeholders, and policy experts involved in the greater oceanographic, climate and ecosystem/food web modeling communities. The workshop will determine a long-term decadal plan comprising the following phases: (1) initial data synthesis and ecosystem/food web model development; (2) field observations and modeling, networked through an internationally coordinated Ross Sea Observing System; and (3) data synthesis and modeling, including a “sunset” plan to support ongoing RSRMPA management and preservation of the Ross Sea marine ecosystem. Outcomes will include a workshop report detailing the long-term research plan, a peer-reviewed article, educational and outreach materials, and a list of proposed research topics for implementing a world class research program and Principal Investigators who will help coordinate the multiple efforts aimed at addressing major gaps in our knowledge of the Ross Sea system. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: Testing the Linchpin of WAIS Collapse with Diatoms and IRD in Pleistocene and Late Pliocene Strata of the Resolution Drift, Amundsen Sea, Antarctica

1939139
1939146

2024-02-20

Scherer, Reed Paul; Siddoway, Christine

Pliocene diatom abundance, IODP 379-U1532	USAP-DC
U-Pb zircon and apatite fission track dates for IRD (ice-rafted cobbles and mineral grains) from IODP379 drill sites	USAP-DC
Population morphometrics of the Southern Ocean diatom Fragilariopsis kerguelensis related to Sea Surface Temperature	USAP-DC

Part I, Non-technical Abstract Concerns that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) might be susceptible to releasing its ice as giant icebergs into the Southern Ocean due to a warming climate, raising global sea level, were first expressed more than 40 years ago. To best-assess this threat, scientists need to know whether such events occurred in the geologically recent past, during warm intervals of past glacial-interglacial cycles. Ocean drilling near the most vulnerable sector of the WAIS, in 2019, yielded seafloor geologic records demonstrating times when icebergs dropped large volumes of sands and pebbles, called ice-rafted detritus (IRD) in deep water of the Amundsen Sea. Occurring together with IRD that was eroded from bedrock beneath the ice sheets, there are abundant microfossils of diatoms (algal plankton), which indicate high biological productivity in the open ocean. The new sediment cores provide a complete, uninterrupted record of a time of dramatic fluctuations of ice sheet extent that occurred over the last 3 million years. Therefore, they provide the means to obtain clear answers to the question whether ice sheet collapse occurred in the past and offering clues to its potential future. This project will investigate sediment intervals where IRD coincides with evidence of high diatom production, to test whether these two criteria indicate rapid ice sheet collapse. Geochemical analysis of IRD pebbles will help trace the source of the icebergs to likely on-land sites. By analyzing conditions of high diatom and IRD accumulation in deep ocean sediment, where local coastal influences can be avoided, we will assess oceanographic and climatic conditions associated with past ice sheet collapse events. Diatoms provide powerful evidence of temperature and ocean productivity changes in the past, that, when linked to time, can translate into rates of ice sheet drawdown. These results will provide critical data for designing, constraining and testing the next suite computer models that can determine the likelihood and timing of future ice sheet collapse in a warming world. The project will include training of undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds, and the public will be introduced to Antarctic science and engaged through several different outreach efforts. Part 2, Technical Abstract New drillcores from the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica (IODP Expedition 379) contain a continuous record of oceanographic changes and iceberg rafted debris (IRD) spanning the last 5 million years. This study aims to identify the signature of retreat/collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) in these continental margin, deep-sea sediments by quantitatively analyzing, in detail, diatom and IRD records across glacial-interglacial lithostratigraphic transitions to establish the timing and frequency of Late Pliocene and Pleistocene WAIS collapse events. The investigators will secure age constraints and diagnostic observations of marine paleoenvironmental conditions for selected interglacial intervals of cores from sites U1532 and U1533, using high resolution micropaleontology of diatom assemblages coupled with microstratigraphic analysis of IRD depositional events, while petrography, geochronology and thermochronology of iceberg rafted clasts will provide evidence of iceberg sources and pathways. Depositional paleotemperatures will be assessed via a new paleotemperature proxy based on quantitative assessment of morphologic changes in the dominant Southern Ocean diatom Fragilariopsis kerguelensis. Their results will contribute to parameterization of new ice sheet models that seek to reconstruct and forecast West Antarctic Ice Sheet behavior. This project will directly contribute to undergraduate education at an undergraduate-only college and at a public university that serves a demographic typified by first generation university students and underrepresented groups. Spanning geology, geochemistry, sedimentology, paleontology and paleoceanography, the proposed work will allow undergraduate students to develop diverse skills through hands-on research within a collaborative team that is dedicated to societally relevant research. The two graduate students will conduct original research and work alongside/mentor undergraduates, making for a well-rounded research experience that prepares them for success in future academic or employment sectors. The discoveries that come from this deep-sea record from West Antarctica will be communicated by students and investigators at national and international conferences and an array of public science outreach events. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: Physical Mechanisms Driving Food Web Focusing in Antarctic Biological Hotspots

None

2024-02-12

None

No dataset link provided

Undersea canyons play disproportionately important roles as oceanic biological hotspots and are critical for our understanding of many coastal ecosystems. Canyon-associated biological hotspots have persisted for thousands of years Along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, despite significant climate variability. Observations of currents over Palmer Deep canyon, a representative hotspot along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, indicate that surface phytoplankton blooms enter and exit the local hotspot on scales of ~1-2 days. This time of residence is in conflict with the prevailing idea that canyon associated hotspots are primarily maintained by phytoplankton that are locally grown in association with these features by the upwelling of deep waters rich with nutrients that fuel the phytoplankton growth. Instead, the implication is that horizontal ocean circulation is likely more important to maintaining these biological hotspots than local upwelling through its physical concentrating effects. This project seeks to better resolve the factors that create and maintain focused areas of biological activity at canyons along the Western Antarctic Peninsula and create local foraging areas for marine mammals and birds. The project focus is in the analysis of the ocean transport and concentration mechanisms that sustain these biological hotspots, connecting oceanography to phytoplankton and krill, up through the food web to one of the resident predators, penguins. In addition, the research will engage with teachers from school districts serving underrepresented and underserved students by integrating the instructors and their students completely with the science team. Students will conduct their own research with the same data over the same time as researchers on the project. Revealing the fundamental mechanisms that sustain these known hotspots will significantly advance our understanding of the observed connection between submarine canyons and persistent penguin population hotspots over ecological time, and provide a new model for how Antarctic hotspots function. To understand the physical mechanisms that support persistent hotspots along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), this project will integrate a modeling and field program that will target the processes responsible for transporting and concentrating phytoplankton and krill biomass to known penguin foraging locations. Within the Palmer Deep canyon, a representative hotspot, the team will deploy a High Frequency Radar (HFR) coastal surface current mapping network, uniquely equipped to identify the eddies and frontal regions that concentrate phytoplankton and krill. The field program, centered on surface features identified by the HFR, will include (i) a coordinated fleet of gliders to survey hydrography, chlorophyll fluorescence, optical backscatter, and active acoustics at the scale of the targeted convergent features; (ii) precise penguin tracking with GPS-linked satellite telemetry and time-depth recorders (TDRs); (iii) and weekly small boat surveys that adaptively target and track convergent features to measure phytoplankton, krill, and hydrography. A high resolution physical model will generalize our field measurements to other known hotspots along the WAP through simulation and determine which physical mechanisms lead to the maintenance of these hotspots. The project will also engage educators, students, and members of the general public in Antarctic research and data analysis with an education program that will advance teaching and learning as well as broadening participation of under-represented groups. This engagement includes professional development workshops, live connections to the public and classrooms, student research symposia, and program evaluation. Together the integrated research and engagement will advance our understanding of the role regional transport pathways and local depth dependent concentrating physical mechanisms play in sustaining these biological hotspots. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSFGEO-NERC: Investigating the Direct Influence of Meltwater on Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics

2053169

2023-09-15

Kingslake, Jonathan; Sole, Andrew; Livingstone, Stephen; Winter, Kate; Ely, Jeremy

No dataset link provided

When ice sheets and glaciers lose ice faster than it accumulates from snowfall, they shrink and contribute to sea-level rise. This has consequences for coastal communities around the globe by, for example, increasing the frequency of damaging storm surges. Sea-level rise is already underway and a major challenge for the geoscience community is improving predictions of how this will evolve. The Antarctic Ice Sheet is the largest potential contributor to sea-level rise and its future is highly uncertain. It loses ice through two main mechanisms: the formation of icebergs and melting at the base of floating ice shelves on its periphery. Ice flows under gravity towards the ocean and the rate of ice flow controls how fast ice sheets and glaciers shrink. In Greenland and Antarctica, ice flow is focused into outlet glaciers and ice streams, which flow much faster than surrounding areas. Moreover, parts of the Greenland Ice Sheet speed up and slow down substantially on hourly to seasonal time scales, particularly where meltwater from the surface reaches the base of the ice. Meltwater reaching the base changes ice flow by altering basal water pressure and consequently the friction exerted on the ice by the rock and sediment beneath. This phenomenon has been observed frequently in Greenland but not in Antarctica. Recent satellite observations suggest this phenomenon also occurs on outlet glaciers in the Antarctic Peninsula. Meltwater reaching the base of the Antarctic Ice Sheet is likely to become more common as air temperature and surface melting are predicted to increase around Antarctica this century. This project aims to confirm the recent satellite observations, establish a baseline against which to compare future changes, and improve understanding of the direct influence of meltwater on Antarctic Ice Sheet dynamics. This is a project jointly funded by the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Geosciences (NSF/GEO) and the National Environment Research Council (NERC) of the United Kingdom (UK) via the NSF/GEO-NERC Lead Agency Agreement. This Agreement allows a single joint US/UK proposal to be submitted and peer-reviewed by the Agency whose investigator has the largest proportion of the budget. Upon successful joint determination of an award recommendation, each Agency funds the proportion of the budget that supports scientists at institutions in their respective countries. This project will include a field campaign on Flask Glacier, an Antarctic Peninsula outlet glacier, and a continent-wide remote sensing survey. These activities will allow the team to test three hypotheses related to the Antarctic Ice Sheet’s dynamic response to surface meltwater: (1) short-term changes in ice velocity indicated by satellite data result from surface meltwater reaching the bed, (2) this is widespread in Antarctica today, and (3) this results in a measurable increase in mean annual ice discharge. The project is a collaboration between US- and UK-based researchers and will be supported logistically by the British Antarctic Survey. The project aims to provide insights into both the drivers and implications of short-term changes in ice flow velocity caused by surface melting. For example, showing conclusively that meltwater directly influences Antarctic ice dynamics would have significant implications for understanding the response of Antarctica to atmospheric warming, as it did in Greenland when the phenomenon was first detected there twenty years ago. This work will also potentially influence other fields, as surface meltwater reaching the bed of the Antarctic Ice Sheet may affect ice rheology, subglacial hydrology, submarine melting, calving, ocean circulation, and ocean biogeochemistry. The project aims to have broader impacts on science and society by supporting early-career scientists, UK-US collaboration, education and outreach, and adoption of open data science approaches within the glaciological community. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

CAREER: Experimentally Testing the Role of Sympagic Algae in Sea-ice Environments using a Laboratory Scale Ice-tank.

2142491

2023-07-26

Young, Jodi

No dataset link provided

Sea ice in Antarctic coastal waters shape ecosystems, both in the surface waters and at the bottom of the ocean, environments that depend on algae living in sea ice for their productivity. With high variability in sea ice formation and melt between years and as a response to climate change, it is of importance to obtain better understanding of the interaction of sea ice with algae, as well as provide better data for global climate models. This project will accomplish those goals by measuring phytoplankton growth and cellular properties in sea ice with experiments performed using an ice tank. Laboratory experiments will be based on previous observations in the Antarctic Peninsula coastal waters, providing realistic conditions to emulate. The scientific importance of the proposed work aligns with the National Science Foundation goals to understand the biological and chemical properties of sea ice bio-geo-chemistry and its feedbacks with seasonal sea ice dynamics and climate. The finding from this project will be of interest to a broad scientific community, including oceanographers, biologists, chemists, and ecosystem and ocean modelers. To address the scarcity of data on sea ice microbes that limits our ability to predict future Antarctic climate with accuracy, the principal investigator will develop an Antarctic Science Minor in order to train future scientists with an environmental perspective and prepare the future US workforce with a strong scientific background on Earth and Biological Sciences. There is a paucity of data to understand the processes underlying observed patters in sea ice quality and their interaction with the sea-ice microbial community. This project will provide a mechanistic understanding of primary production and physiology of sympagic algae over the seasonal cycle of formation and melt of Antarctic sea ice. Although sea ice is central to the Antarctic coastal ecosystems, little is known of how they affect, and are in turn affected, by sea-ice algae. This project concentrates on first-year sea ice, forming and melting each year, creating unique and very dynamic habitats. The study will be structured by 4 main objectives: 1) how different algal species adapt to the seasonal changes in sea ice conditions, 2) how different methods to measure primary production (carbon dioxide drawdown, oxygen production and variable fluorescence) relate in sea ice and differ from sea water measurements, 3) how sympagic algae influence the physical structure of sea ice, 4) how sympagic algae contribute to organic matter cycling during ice melt. Due to expected changes in sea ice due to climate change, this study is uniquely positioned to provide needed data on short-term and seasonal processes. Results from this study will be useful to refine models of algal production in Antarctic and Arctic ecosystems, data not available to date as sea ice and its biogeochemistry are often poorly represented in earth system models. This project will also provide education for graduate and undergraduate students as well as material to develop class curriculum for middle-school students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

RAPID: In-situ Observations to Characterize Multi-Scale Turbulent Atmospheric Processes Impacting Climate at Southern High Latitudes

2326960

2023-05-20

Doddi, Abhiram; Lawrence, Dale

No dataset link provided

This international collaboration between the University of Colorado, the University of Kyoto, and the National Institute of Polar Research in Tokyo, will investigate the sources of atmospheric turbulence in coastal Antarctica. Strong winds forced against terrain produce waves called atmospheric gravity waves, which can grow in amplitude as they propagate to higher altitudes, becoming unstable, breaking, and causing turbulence. Another source of turbulence is shear layers in the atmosphere, where one layer of air slides over another, resulting in Kelvin-Helmholtz Instabilities. Collectively, both play important roles in accurately representing the Antarctic climate in weather prediction models. Collecting new turbulence observations in these remote southern high latitudes will improve wind and temperature forecasts of the Antarctic climate. This project will observe gravity wave and shear-induced turbulence dynamics by deploying custom high-altitude balloon systems in coordination and collaboration with a powerful remote sensing radar and multiple long-duration balloons during an observational field campaign at the Japanese Antarctic Syowa station. This research is motivated by the fact that the sources representing realistic multi-scale gravity wave (GW) drag, and Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability (KHI) dynamics, along with their contributions to momentum and energy budgets due to turbulent transport/mixing, are largely missing in the current General Circulation Model (GCM) parameterization schemes, resulting in degraded synoptic-scale forecasts at southern high latitudes. This project utilizes high-resolution in-situ turbulence instruments to characterize the large-scale dynamics of 1) orographic GWs produced by katabatic forcing, 2) non-orographic GWs produced by low-pressure synoptic-scale events, and 3) KHI instabilities emerging in a wide range of scales and background environments in the coastal Antarctic region. The project will deploy dozens of low-cost balloon systems equipped with custom in-situ turbulence and radiosonde instruments at the Japanese Syowa station in Eastern Antarctica. Balloon payloads descend slowly from an apogee of 20 km to provide high- resolution, wake-free turbulence observations, with deployment guidance from the PANSY radar at Syowa, in coordination with the LODEWAVE long duration balloon experiment. The combination of in-situ and remote sensing turbulence observations will quantify the structure and dynamics of small-scale turbulent atmospheric processes associated with GWs and KHI, thought to be ubiquitous in polar environments but rarely observed. Momentum fluxes and turbulence dissipation rates measured over a wide range of scales and background environments will provide datasets to validate current GCM parameterizations for atmospheric GW drag and turbulence diffusion coefficients in the lower and middle atmospheres at southern high latitudes, increasing our understanding of these processes and their contribution to Antarctic circulation and climate. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Future Directions for Southern Ocean and Antarctic Nearshore and Coastal Research

2232737

2022-10-07

Bell, Caroline

No dataset link provided

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will conduct a consensus study to provide guidance on future science research and technology directions needed to ensure continued U.S. science abilities and leadership in the Southern Ocean and Antarctic nearshore and coastal zone. The study will identify the highest-priority science directions for Southern Ocean and Antarctic nearshore and coastal research, determine research vessel capabilities needed to support these science directions, assess technologies and tools that can extend ship capabilities and/or directly support new science directions, and note gaps between the science directions, ship capabilities, and tools. The study will gather input from a broad and diverse group of oceanographers and coastal scientists, which will enhance community engagement and optimize the future use of Antarctic research vessels. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will conduct a consensus study that identifies high-priority science research directions for Southern Ocean and Antarctic nearshore and coastal research, as well as the tools, technologies, and ship capabilities needed to ensure continued U.S. science abilities and leadership in the region. An ad hoc committee of carefully selected volunteers will provide disciplinary expertise and will gather information from a base of published literature, public meetings, and a workshop with invited scientific community members. This workshop is envisioned as a main information-gathering aspect to identify science directions and the ship and technological capabilities needed to support them. The committee members will deliberate on information provided throughout the information-gathering process and will produce a written report, which undergoes a rigorous peer review. The report is publicly released after approval from the National Academies and is available as a free pdf. This consensus study approach has previously been successfully used by federal agencies to obtain strategic guidance on research priorities and future needs, thereby enabling limited resources to be used most effectively. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Estimation of Antarctic Ice Melt using Stable Isotopic Analyses of Seawater

1644118

2022-09-21

Dunbar, Robert

Antarctic Seawater d18O isotope data from SE Amundsen Sea: 2000, 2007, 2009, 2019, 2020

USAP-DC

Estimating Antarctic ice sheet growth or loss is important to predicting future sea level rise. Such estimates rely on field measurements or remotely sensed based observations of the ice sheet surface, ice margins, and or ice shelves. This work examines the introduction of freshwater into the ocean to surrounding Antarctica to track meltwater from continental ice. Polar ice is depleted in two stable isotopes, 18O and D, deuterium, relative to Southern Ocean seawater and precipitation. Measurements of seawater isotopic composition in conjunction with precise observations of seawater temperature and salinity, will permit discrimination of freshwater derived from melting glacial ice from that derived from regional precipitation or sea ice melt. This research describes an accepted method for determining rates and locations of meltwater entering the oceans from polar ice sheets. As isotopic and salinity perturbations are cumulative in many Antarctic coastal seas, the method allows for the detection of any marked acceleration in meltwater introduction in specific regions, using samples collected and analyzed over a period of years to decades. Impact of the project derives from use of an independent method capable of constraining knowledge about current ice sheet melt rates, their stability and potential impact on sea level rise. The project allows for sample collection taken from foreign vessels of opportunity sailing in Antarctic waters, and subsequent sharing and interpretation of data. Research partners include the U.S., Korea, China, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Participating collaborators will collect seawater samples for isotopic and salinity analysis at Stanford University. USAP cruises will concentrate on sampling the Ross Sea, and the West Antarctic. The work plan includes interpretation of isotopic data using box model and mixing curve analyses as well as using isotope enabled ROMS (Regional Ocean Modeling System) models. The broader impacts of the research will include development of an educational module that illustrates the scientific method and how ocean observations help society understand how Earth is changing.

Measuring Dissolved Gases to Reveal the Processes that Drive the Solubility Pump and Determine Gas Concentration in Antarctic Bottom Water

1744562

2022-09-14

Loose, Brice

Expedition Data of NBP1704	MGDS
NBP1704 Expedition Data	R2R
PIPERS Noble Gases	USAP-DC

Near the Antarctic coast, polynyas are open-water regions where extreme heat loss in winter causes seawater to become cold, salty, and dense enough to sink into the deep sea. The formation of this dense water has regional and global importance because it influences the ocean current system. Polynya processes are also tied to the amount of sea ice formed, ocean heat lost to atmosphere, and atmospheric CO2 absorbed by the Southern Ocean. Unfortunately, the ocean-atmosphere interactions that influence the deep ocean water properties are difficult to observe directly during the Antarctic winter. This project will combine field measurements and laboratory experiments to investigate whether differences in the concentration of noble gasses (helium, neon, argon, xenon, and krypton) dissolved in ocean waters can be linked to environmental conditions at the time of their formation. If so, noble gas concentrations could provide insight into the mechanisms controlling shelf and bottom-water properties, and be used to reconstruct past climate conditions. Project results will contribute to the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) theme of The Future and Consequences of Carbon Uptake in the Southern Ocean. The project will also train undergraduate and graduate students in environmental monitoring, and earth and ocean sciences methods. Understanding the causal links between Antarctic coastal processes and changes in the deep ocean system requires study of winter polynya processes. The winter period of intense ocean heat loss and sea ice production impacts two important Antarctic water masses: High-Salinity Shelf Water (HSSW), and Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), which then influence the strength of the ocean solubility pump and meridional overturning circulation. To better characterize how sea ice cover, ocean-atmosphere exchange, brine rejection, and glacial melt influence the physical properties of AABW and HSSW, this project will analyze samples and data collected from two Ross Sea polynyas during the 2017 PIPERS winter cruise. Gas concentrations will be measured in seawater samples collected by a CTD rosette, from an underwater mass-spectrometer, and from a benchtop Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometer. Noble gas concentrations will reveal the ocean-atmosphere (dis)equilibrium that exists at the time that surface water is transformed into HSSW and AABW, and provide a fingerprint of past conditions. In addition, nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), argon, and CO2 concentration will be used to determine the net metabolic balance, and to evaluate the efficacy of N2 as an alternative to O2 as glacial meltwater tracer. Laboratory experiments will determine the gas partitioning ratios during sea ice formation. Findings will be synthesized with PIPERS and related projects, and so provide an integrated view of the role of the wintertime Antarctic coastal system on deep water composition. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: US GEOTRACES GP17-ANT: Dissolved concentrations, isotopes, and colloids of the bioactive trace metals

2123491
2123333
2123354

2022-09-08

Conway, Timothy; Fitzsimmons, Jessica; John, Seth

No dataset link provided

The goal of the international GEOTRACES program is to understand the distributions of trace chemical elements and their isotopes (TEIs) in the oceans. Many trace metals such as iron are essential for life and thus considered nutrients for phytoplankton growth, with trace metal cycling being especially important for influencing carbon cycling in the iron-limited Southern Ocean, where episodic supply of iron from a range of different external sources is important. The primary goal of this project is to measure the dissolved concentrations, size partitioning, and dissolved isotope signature of Fe on a transect of water-column stations throughout the Amundsen Sea and surrounding region of the Antarctic Margin, as part of the GP17-ANT Expedition. The secondary goal of this project is to analyze the concentrations and size partitioning of the trace metals manganese, zinc, copper, cadmium, nickel, and lead in all water-column samples, measure the isotope ratios of zinc, cadmium, nickel, and copper in a subset of water column samples, and measure the Fe isotopic signature of aerosols, porewaters, and particles. Observations from this project will be incorporated into regional and global biogeochemistry models to assess TEI cycling within the Amundsen Sea and implications for the wider Southern Ocean. This project spans three institutions, four graduate students, undergraduate students, and will provide ultrafiltered samples and data to other PIs as service. The US GEOTRACES GP17 ANT expedition, planned for austral summer 2023/2024 aims to determine the distribution and cycling of trace elements and their isotopes in the Amundsen Sea Sector (100-135°W) of the Antarctic Margin. The cruise will follow the Amundsen Sea ‘conveyor belt’ by sampling waters coming from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current onto the continental shelf, including near the Dotson and Pine Island ice shelves, the productive Amundsen Sea Polynya (ASP), and outflowing waters. Episodic addition of dissolved Fe and other TEIs from dust, ice-shelves, melting ice, and sediments drive seasonal primary productivity and carbon export over the Antarctic shelf and offshore into Southern Ocean. Seasonal coastal polynyas such as the highly productive ASP thus act as key levers on global carbon cycling. However, field observations of TEIs in such regions remain scarce, and biogeochemical cycling processes are poorly captured in models of ocean biogeochemistry. The investigators will use their combined analytical toolbox, in collaboration with the diagnostic chemical tracers and regional models of other funded groups to address four main objectives: 1) What is the relative importance of different sources in supplying Fe and other TEIs to the ASP? 2) What is the physiochemical speciation of this Fe, and its potential for transport? 3) How do biological uptake, scavenging and regeneration in the ASP influence TEI distributions, stoichiometry, and nutrient limitation? 4) What is the flux and signature of TEIs transported offshore to the ACC and Southern Ocean? This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: Investigating the Role of Coastal Polynya Variability in Modulating Antarctic Marine-Terminating Glacier Drawdown

2205008

2022-08-07

Walker, Catherine; Zhang, Weifeng; Seroussi, Helene

No dataset link provided

Most of the mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet, a major contributor to sea level rise, occurs at its margins, where ice meets the ocean. Glaciers and ice streams flow towards the coast and can go afloat over the water, forming ice shelves. Ice shelves make up almost half of the entire Antarctic coastline, and hold back the flow of inland ice in Antarctica continent; thus they are integral to the overall stability of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Ice shelves lose mass by two main processes: iceberg calving and basal melting. Temporal and spatial fluctuations in both are driven by various processes; a major driver of ice shelf melt is the heat provided by the neighboring Southern Ocean. Ocean heat, in turn, is driven by various aspects of the ice shelf environment. One of the most significant contributors to changes in the ocean’s heat content is the presence of sea ice. This research will focus on the effects of coastal polynyas (areas of open water amidst sea ice), how they modulate the local ocean environment, and how that environment drives ice shelf basal melting. To date, the relationship between polynyas and ice shelf melt has not been characterized on an Antarctic-wide scale. Understanding the feedbacks between polynya size and duration, ocean stratification, and ice shelf melt, and the strength of those feedbacks, will improve the ability to characterize influences on the long-term stability of ice shelves, and in turn, the Antarctic Ice Sheet as a whole. A critical aspect of this study is that it will provide a framework for understanding ice shelf-ocean interaction across a diverse range of geographic settings. This, together with improvements of various models, will help interpret the impacts of future climate change on these systems, as their responses are likely quite variable and, overall, different from the large-scale response of the ice sheet. This project will also provide a broader context to better design future observational studies of specific coastal polynya and ice shelf processes. This study focuses on four main hypotheses: 1) Variations of coastal polynya extent are correlated with those of the ice shelf melt rates, and this correlation varies around Antarctica; 2) Polynya extent modulates a feedback between ice shelf melt and accretion regimes through stratification of local waters; 3) Polynya extent together with seafloor bathymetry regulate the volume of warm offshore waters that reach ice margins; and 4) The strength of the feedback between polynya and glacier ice varies with geographic setting and influences the long-term stability of the glacial system. Observational data, including ice-penetrating radar, radar and laser altimetry, and in situ hydrographic data, and derived data sets from the Southern Ocean State Estimate (SOSE) project and BedMachine Antarctica, will be used in conjunction with ocean (MIT global circulation model, MITgcm) and ice sheet (Ice sheet and Sea-level System Model, ISSM) models to reveal underlying dynamics. The joint analysis of the observational data enables an investigation of polynya, ocean, and ice shelf signals and their interplay over time across a range of settings. The results of this data analysis also provide inputs and validation data for the modeling tasks, which will allow for characterization of the feedbacks in our observations. The coupled modeling will enable us to examine the interaction between polynya circulation and ice shelves in different dynamical regimes and to understand ice and ocean feedback over time. Diagnosing and interpreting the pan-Antarctic spatial variability of the polynya-ice shelf interaction are the main objectives of this research and separates this study from other projects targeted at the interactive processes in specific regions. As such, this research focuses on seven preliminary target sites around the Antarctic coast to establish a framework for interpreting coupled ice shelf-ocean variability across a diverse range of geographic settings. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

OPP-PRF: Benthic Iron Fluxes and Cycling in the Amundsen Sea

2212904
2407093

2022-08-07

Herbert, Lisa

No dataset link provided

The Amundsen Sea, near the fastest melting Antarctic glaciers, hosts one of the most productive polar ecosystems in the world. Phytoplankton serve as the base of the food chain, and their growth also removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Phytoplankton growth is fertilized in this area by nutrient iron, which is only present at low concentrations in seawater. Prior studies have shown the seabed sediments may provide iron to the Amundsen Sea ecosystem. However, sediment sources of iron have never been studied here directly. This project fills this gap by analyzing sediments from the Amundsen Sea and investigating whether sediment iron fertilizes plankton growth. The results will help scientists understand the basic ecosystem drivers and predict the effects of climate change on this vibrant, vulnerable region. This project also emphasizes inclusivity and openness to the public. The researchers will establish a mentoring network for diverse polar scientists through the Polar Impact Network and communicate their results to the public through the website CryoConnect.org. This project leverages samples already collected from the Amundsen Sea (NBP22-02) to investigate sediment iron (Fe) cycling and fluxes. The broad questions driving this research are 1) does benthic Fe fertilize Antarctic coastal primary productivity, and 2) what are the feedbacks between benthic Fe release and carbon cycling in the coastal Antarctic? To answer these questions, the researchers will analyze pore water Fe content and speciation and calculate fluxes of Fe across the sediment-water interface. These results will be compared to sediment characteristics (e.g., organic carbon content, reactive Fe content, proximity to glacial sources) to identify controls on benthic Fe release. This research dovetails with and expands on the science goals of the “Accelerating Thwaites Ecosystem Impacts for the Southern Ocean” (ARTEMIS) project through which the field samples were collected. In turn, the findings of ARTEMIS regarding modeled and observed trace metal dynamics, surface water productivity, and carbon cycling will inform the conclusions of this project, allowing insight into the impact of benthic Fe in the whole system. This project represents a unique opportunity for combined study of the water column and sediment biogeochemistry which will be of great value to the marine biogeochemistry community and will inform future sediment-ocean studies in polar oceanography and beyond. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Ice Dynamics at the Intersection of the West and East Antarctic Ice Sheets

1744649

2022-08-02

Christianson, Knut; Hoffman, Andrew; Holschuh, Nicholas

Hercules Dome ApRES Data	USAP-DC
Ice Dynamics at the Intersection of the West and East Antarctic Ice Sheets	USAP-DC
Hercules Dome High-Frequency Impulse Ice-Penetrating Radar Data	USAP-DC
Hercules Dome Ice-Penetrating Radar Swath Topographies	USAP-DC
ITASE Impulse Radar Hercules Dome to South Pole	USAP-DC

The response of the Antarctic ice sheet to climate change is a central issue in projecting global sea-level rise. While much attention is focused on the ongoing rapid changes at the coastal margin of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, obtaining records of past ice-sheet and climate change is the only way to constrain how an ice sheet changes over millennial timescales. Whether the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsed during the last interglacial period (~130,000 to 116,000 years ago), when temperatures were slightly warmer than today, remains a major unsolved problem in Antarctic glaciology. Hercules Dome is an ice divide located at the intersection of the East Antarctic and West Antarctic ice sheets. It is ideally situated to record the glaciological and climatic effects of changes in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. This project will establish whether Hercules Dome experienced major changes in flow due to changes in the elevation of the two ice sheets. The project will also ascertain whether Hercules Domes is a suitable site from which to recover climate records from the last interglacial period. These records could be used to determine whether the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsed during that period. The project will support two early-career researchers and train students at the University of Washington. Results will be communicated through outreach programs in coordination the Ice Drilling Project Office, the University of Washington's annual Polar Science Weekend in Seattle, and art-science collaboration. This project will develop a history of ice dynamics at the intersection of the East and West Antarctic ice sheets, and ascertain whether the site is suitable for a deep ice-coring operation. Ice divides provide a unique opportunity to assess the stability of past ice flow. The low deviatoric stresses and non-linearity of ice flow causes an arch (a "Raymond Bump") in the internal layers beneath a stable ice divide. This information can be used to determine the duration of steady ice flow. Due to the slow horizontal ice-flow velocities, ice divides also preserve old ice with internal layering that reflects past flow conditions caused by divide migration. Hercules Dome is an ice divide that is well positioned to retain information of past variations in the geometry of both the East and West Antarctic Ice Sheets. This dome is also the most promising location at which to recover an ice core that can be used to determine whether the West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsed during the last interglacial period. Limited ice-penetrating radar data collected along a previous scientific surface traverse indicate well-preserved englacial stratigraphy and evidence suggestive of a Raymond Bump, but the previous survey was not sufficiently extensive to allow thorough characterization or determination of past changes in ice dynamics. This project will conduct a dedicated survey to map the englacial stratigraphy and subglacial topography as well as basal properties at Hercules Dome. The project will use ground-based ice-penetrating radar to 1) image internal layers and the ice-sheet basal interface, 2) accurately measure englacial attenuation, and 3) determine englacial vertical strain rates. The radar data will be combined with GPS observations for detailed topography and surface velocities and ice-flow modeling to constrain the basal characteristics and the history of past ice flow. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: Diversity and ecological impacts of Antarctic mixotrophic phytoplankton

1744767

2022-07-27

Sanders, Robert; Gast, Rebecca; Jeffrey, Wade H.

Expedition Data of NBP1910	R2R
NBP1910_protist_community_RNA Raw sequence reads; NBP2205_protist_community_RNA Raw sequence reads will be made available here after processing is completed	NCBI
Companion datasets to Diversity of microbial eukaryotes along the West Antarctic peninsula in austral spring.	Figshare
Expedition Data of NBP 2205	R2R
LMG1904 expedition data	R2R

Traditional models of oceanic food chains have consisted of photosynthetic algae (phytoplankton) being ingested by small animals (zooplankton), which were ingested by larger animals (fish). These traditional models changed as new methods allowed recognition of the importance of bacteria and other non-photosynthetic protozoa in more complex food webs. More recently, the wide-spread existence of mixotrophs (organisms that can both photosynthesize and ingest food particles) and their importance as microbial predators has been recognized in many oceanographic areas. In the Southern Ocean, the only two surveys of mixotrophs have suggested that there may be seasonal differences in their importance as predators. During the long polar night (winter), the ability of mixotrophs to ingest particulate food may aid in their survival thus ensuring a sufficient population in spring to support a phytoplankton bloom once photosynthesis rates can increase. Thus mixotrophs may provide a critical early food source upon which zooplankton and larger animals depend on for growth and reproduction. This project will advance understanding of mixotroph diversity and their ecological impact within the Southern Ocean microbial food web. Specifically, efforts will be focused on mixotrophy in the western Antarctica peninsula region during the austral spring and autumn when there are likely to be changes in the relative importance of photosynthesis and ingestion to mixotrophs. The project will provide research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and a post-doctoral researcher. There will be real-time outreach from the Southern Ocean to the public via blogs and interviews, and to high school art students through an established program that blends science and art education. Despite traditional views of protists as either "phototrophic" or "heterotrophic," there are many photosynthetic protists that consume prey (mixotrophy). Mixotrophy is a widespread phenomenon in aquatic systems and phytoplankton groups with known mixotrophic species, notably chrysophytes, cryptophytes, prymnesiophytes, prasinophytes and dinoflagellates, are present and often abundant in Antarctic waters. However, in the Southern Ocean, the presence of mixotrophic phytoflagellates has been surveyed only twice: in the Ross Sea during Austral spring 2008 and summer 2011. The primary goals of the project are to gain better understanding of mixotroph diversity and their ecological impact with respect to the Southern Ocean microbial food web. The contribution of mixotrophs to primary production and bacterial consumption is likely linked to the taxonomic composition of the community and the abundance of particular species. Abundances of novel mixotrophic species will be evaluated via qPCR, which will be coupled with assessments of rates of feeding and photosynthesis with the goal of describing how active mixotrophs direct the movement of carbon through food webs. These experiments will help the determination of how viable and widespread mixotrophy is as a nutritional strategy in polar waters and give direct information on the currently unknown diversity of mixotrophic taxa under different environmental conditions occurring in austral spring and autumn. Furthermore, the methods will simultaneously yield information on the whole communities of protists - mixotrophic, phototrophic and heterotrophic. In addition, a method to examine aspects of the taxonomic and functional diversities of the bacterivorous/mixotrophic community will be employed. A thymidine analog (BrdU) will be used to label DNA of eukaryotes feeding on bacteria. The BrdU-labeled eukaryotic DNA will be isolated using immunoprecipitation. High-throughput sequencing of the labeled DNA (bacterivores) versus unlabeled community DNA will determine the diversity of bacterivorous mixotrophs relative to other microeukaryotes. Flow cytometric sorting based on chlorophyll to focus on mixotrophic species. These approaches will elucidate a gap in current knowledge of the influence of microbial interactions in the Southern Ocean under different conditions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: Common Environmental Drivers Determine the Occupation Chronology of Adélie Penguins and Moss Peatbanks on the Western Antarctic Peninsula

2012365
2012247
2012444

2022-07-24

Groff, Dulcinea; Cimino, Megan; Johnston, David

Data from: Terrestrial spatial distribution and summer abundance of Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) near Palmer Station, Antarctica, from drone surveys	Dryad
Aerial data from drone surveys of coastal habitats on the West Antarctic Peninsula during austral summer (January–March 2020 and February–March 2019)	Duke Research Repository

This award is funded in whole or part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). Part I: Non-technical description: Adélie penguin colonies are declining and disappearing from the western Antarctic Peninsula. However, not all colonies in a certain area decline or disappear at the same rate. This research project will evaluate the influence of terrestrial surface properties on Adélie penguin colonies, leveraging five decades of research on seabirds near Palmer Station where an Adélie colony on Litchfield Island became extinct in 2007 while other colonies nearby are still present. The researchers will combine information obtained from remote sensing, UAS (Unoccupied Aircraft System, or drones) high-resolution maps, reconstruction of past moss banks and modeling with machine learning tools to define suitable penguin and peatbank moss habitats and explore the influence of microclimate on their distributions. In particular, the researchers are asking if guano from penguin colonies could act as fertilizers of moss banks in the presence of localized wind patters that can carry airborne nitrogen to the mosses. Modeling will relate penguin and peatbank moss spatial patterns to environmental variables and provide a greater understanding of how continued environmental change could impact these communities. The project allows for documentation of terrestrial Antarctic ecosystems in support of seabirds and provisioning of such information to the broader science community that seeks to study penguins, educating graduate and undergraduate students and a post-doctoral researcher. The research team includes two young women as Principal Investigators, one of them from an under-represented ethnic minority, first time Antarctic Principal Investigator, from an EPSCoR state (Wyoming), broadening participation in Antarctic research. Researchers will serve as student mentors through the Duke Bass Connections program entitled Biogeographic Assessment of Antarctic Coastal Habitats. This program supports an interdisciplinary team of graduate and undergraduate students collaborating with project faculty and experts on cutting-edge research bridging the classroom and the real world. Part II: Technical description: This research aims to understand the changes at the microclimate scale (meters) by analyzing present and past Adélie penguin colonies and moss peatbanks in islands around Palmer Station in the western Antarctic Peninsula – interlinked systems that are typically considered in isolation. By integrating in situ and remote data, this project will synthesize the drivers of biogeomorphology on small islands of the Antarctic Peninsula, a region of rapid change where plants and animals often co-occur and animal presence often determines the habitation of plants. A multi-disciplinary approach combine field measurements, remote sensing, UAS (Unoccupied Aircraft Systems) maps, paleoecology and modeling with machine learning to define suitable habitats and the influence of microclimates on penguin and peatbank distributions. The link between the two aspects of this study, peatbanks and penguins, is the potential source of nutrients for peat mosses from penguin guano. Peatbank and penguin distribution will be modeled and all models will be validated using in situ information from moss samples that will identify mechanistic processes. This project leverages 5 decades of seabird research in the area and high-definition remote sensing provided by the Polar Geospatial center to study the microclimate of Litchfield Island where an Adélie colony became extinct in 2007 when other colonies nearby are still present. The research team includes two early career women as Principal Investigators, one of them from an under-represented ethnic minority, first time Antarctic Principal Investigator, from an EPSCoR state (Wyoming). Researchers will serve as mentors for students through the Duke Bass Connections program entitled Biogeogrpahic Assessment of Antarctic Coastal Habitats which bridges the classroom and the real world. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: Linking Predator Behavior and Resource Distributions: Penguin-directed Exploration of an Ecological Hotspot

1744885

2022-07-18

Moline, Mark; Benoit-Bird, Kelly; Cimino, Megan

No dataset link provided

This research project will use specially designed autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to investigate interactions between Adelie and Gentoo penguins (the predators) and their primary food source, Antarctic krill (prey). While it has long been known that penguins feed on krill, details about how they search for food and target individual prey items is less well understood. Krill aggregate in large swarms, and the size or the depth of these swarms may influence the feeding behavior of penguins. Similarly, penguin feeding behaviors may differ based on characteristics of the environment, krill swarms, and the presence of other prey and predator species. This project will use specialized smart AUVs to simultaneously collect high-resolution observations of penguins, their prey, and environmental conditions. Data will shed light on strategies used by penguins prove foraging success during the critical summer chick-rearing period. This will improve predictions of how penguin populations may respond to changing environmental conditions in the rapidly warming Western Antarctic Peninsula region. Greater understanding of how individual behaviors shape food web structure can also inform conservation and management efforts in other marine ecosystems. This project has a robust public education and outreach plan linked with the Birch and Monterey Bay Aquariums. Previous studies have shown that sub-mesoscale variability (1-10 km) in Antarctic krill densities and structure impact the foraging behavior of air-breathing predators. However, there is little understanding of how krill aggregation characteristics are linked to abundance on fine spatial scales, how these patterns are influenced by the habitat, or how prey characteristics influences the foraging behavior of predators. These data gaps remain because it is extremely challenging to collect detailed data on predators and prey simultaneously at the scale of an individual krill patch and single foraging event. Building on previously successful efforts, this project will integrate echosounders into autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), so that oceanographic variables and multi-frequency acoustic scattering from both prey and penguins can be collected simultaneously. This will allow for quantification of the environment at the scale of individual foraging events made by penguins during the critical 50+ day chick-rearing period. Work will be centered near Palmer Station, where long-term studies have provided significant insight into predator and prey population trends. The new data to be collected by this project will test hypotheses about how penguin prey selection and foraging behaviors are influenced by physical and biological features of their ocean habitat at extremely fine scale. By addressing the dynamic relationship between individual penguins, their prey, and habitat at the scale of individual foraging events, this study will begin to reveal the important processes regulating resource availability and identify what makes this region a profitable foraging habitat and breeding location. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: Physical Mechanisms Driving Food Web Focusing in Antarctic Biological Hotspots

1745081
1745018
1745009
1744884
1745023
1745011

2022-07-05

Bernard, Kim; Oliver, Matthew; Kohut, Josh; Fraser, William; Klinck, John M.; Statcewich, Hank

High Frequency Radar, Palmer Deep	BCO-DMO
SWARM Glider Data near Palmer Deep	IOOS Glider DAAC
Winds from Joubin and Wauwerman Islands	BCO-DMO
WAP model float data	BCO-DMO
SWARM AMLR moorings - acoustic data	BCO-DMO
Relative Particle Density	BCO-DMO
IFCB Image Data	BCO-DMO
Finite Time Lyapunov Exponent Results, Calculated from High Frequency Radar Observed Surface Currents	BCO-DMO
CTD Data from IFCB Sampling	BCO-DMO
Antarctic ACROBAT data	BCO-DMO

Undersea canyons play disproportionately important roles as oceanic biological hotspots and are critical for our understanding of many coastal ecosystems. Canyon-associated biological hotspots have persisted for thousands of years Along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, despite significant climate variability. Observations of currents over Palmer Deep canyon, a representative hotspot along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, indicate that surface phytoplankton blooms enter and exit the local hotspot on scales of ~1-2 days. This time of residence is in conflict with the prevailing idea that canyon associated hotspots are primarily maintained by phytoplankton that are locally grown in association with these features by the upwelling of deep waters rich with nutrients that fuel the phytoplankton growth. Instead, the implication is that horizontal ocean circulation is likely more important to maintaining these biological hotspots than local upwelling through its physical concentrating effects. This project seeks to better resolve the factors that create and maintain focused areas of biological activity at canyons along the Western Antarctic Peninsula and create local foraging areas for marine mammals and birds. The project focus is in the analysis of the ocean transport and concentration mechanisms that sustain these biological hotspots, connecting oceanography to phytoplankton and krill, up through the food web to one of the resident predators, penguins. In addition, the research will engage with teachers from school districts serving underrepresented and underserved students by integrating the instructors and their students completely with the science team. Students will conduct their own research with the same data over the same time as researchers on the project. Revealing the fundamental mechanisms that sustain these known hotspots will significantly advance our understanding of the observed connection between submarine canyons and persistent penguin population hotspots over ecological time, and provide a new model for how Antarctic hotspots function. To understand the physical mechanisms that support persistent hotspots along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), this project will integrate a modeling and field program that will target the processes responsible for transporting and concentrating phytoplankton and krill biomass to known penguin foraging locations. Within the Palmer Deep canyon, a representative hotspot, the team will deploy a High Frequency Radar (HFR) coastal surface current mapping network, uniquely equipped to identify the eddies and frontal regions that concentrate phytoplankton and krill. The field program, centered on surface features identified by the HFR, will include (i) a coordinated fleet of gliders to survey hydrography, chlorophyll fluorescence, optical backscatter, and active acoustics at the scale of the targeted convergent features; (ii) precise penguin tracking with GPS-linked satellite telemetry and time-depth recorders (TDRs); (iii) and weekly small boat surveys that adaptively target and track convergent features to measure phytoplankton, krill, and hydrography. A high resolution physical model will generalize our field measurements to other known hotspots along the WAP through simulation and determine which physical mechanisms lead to the maintenance of these hotspots. The project will also engage educators, students, and members of the general public in Antarctic research and data analysis with an education program that will advance teaching and learning as well as broadening participation of under-represented groups. This engagement includes professional development workshops, live connections to the public and classrooms, student research symposia, and program evaluation. Together the integrated research and engagement will advance our understanding of the role regional transport pathways and local depth dependent concentrating physical mechanisms play in sustaining these biological hotspots. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: Reconstructing Carbon-14 of Atmospheric Carbon Monoxide from Law Dome, Antarctica to Constrain Long-Term Hydroxyl Radical Variability

1643664
1643669
1643716

2022-06-17

Petrenko, Vasilii; Murray, Lee T; Buizert, Christo; Petrenko, Vasilii; Murray, Lee T

Law Dome firn air and ice core 14CO concentration	USAP-DC
Concentration and isotopic composition of atmospheric N2O over the last century	USAP-DC
Law Dome DE08-OH firn air 15N, O2/N2, Ar/N2, 18O of O2	USAP-DC
Law Dome DE08-OH site noble gases in ice: testing the 86Krexcess proxy	USAP-DC

Hydroxyl radicals are responsible for removal of most atmospheric trace gases, including pollutants and important greenhouse gases. They have been called the "detergent of the atmosphere". Changes in hydroxyl radical concentration in response to large changes in reactive trace gas emissions, which may happen in the future, are uncertain. This project aims to provide the first estimates of the variability of atmospheric hydroxyl radicals since about 1880 AD when anthropogenic emissions of reactive trace gases were minimal. This will improve understanding of their stability in response to large changes in emissions. The project will also investigate whether ice cores record past changes in Southern Hemisphere westerly winds. These winds are a key component of the global climate system, and have an important influence on ocean circulation and possibly on atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. The project team will include three early career scientists, a postdoctoral researcher, and graduate and undergraduate students, working in collaboration with senior scientists and Australian collaborators. Firn air and shallow ice to a depth of about 233 m will be sampled at the Law Dome high-accumulation coastal site in East Antarctica. Trapped air will be extracted from the ice cores on site immediately after drilling. Carbon-14 of carbon monoxide (14CO) will be analyzed in firn and ice-core air samples. Corrections will be made for the in situ cosmogenic 14CO component in the ice, allowing for the atmospheric 14CO history to be reconstructed. This 14CO history will be interpreted with the aid of a chemistry-transport model to place the first observational constraints on the variability of Southern Hemisphere hydroxyl radical concentration after about 1880 AD. An additional component of the project will analyze Krypton-86 in the firn-air and ice-core samples. These measurements will explore whether ice-core Krypton-86 acts as a proxy for barometric pressure variability, and whether this proxy can be used in Antarctic ice cores to infer past movement of the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: Reconstructing Late Holocene Ecosystem and Climate Shifts from Peat Records in the Western Antarctic Peninsula

1745082
1745068

2022-06-10

Beilman, David; Booth, Robert

LMG2002 Expedtition Data

R2R

Warming on the western Antarctic Peninsula in the later 20th century has caused widespread changes in the cryosphere (ice and snow) and terrestrial ecosystems. These recent changes along with longer-term climate and ecosystem histories will be deciphered using peat deposits. Peat accumulation can be used to assess the rate of glacial retreat and provide insight into ecological processes on newly deglaciated landscapes in the Antarctic Peninsula. This project builds on data suggesting recent ecosystem transformations that are linked to past climate of the western Antarctic Peninsula and provide a timeline to assess the extent and rate of recent glacial change. The study will produce a climate record for the coastal low-elevation terrestrial region, which will refine the major climate shifts of up to 6 degrees C in the recent past (last 12,000 years). A novel terrestrial record of the recent glacial history will provide insight into observed changes in climate and sea-ice dynamics in the western Antarctic Peninsula and allow for comparison with off-shore climate records captured in sediments. Observations and discoveries from this project will be disseminated to local schools and science centers. The project provides training and career development for a postdoctoral scientist as well as graduate and undergraduate students. The research presents a new systematic survey to reconstruct ecosystem and climate change for the coastal low-elevation areas on the western Antarctic Peninsula (AP) using proxy records preserved in late Holocene peat deposits. Moss and peat samples will be collected and analyzed to generate a comprehensive data set of late-Holocene climate change and ecosystem dynamics. The goal is to document and understand the transformations of landscape and terrestrial ecosystems on the western AP during the late Holocene. The testable hypothesis is that coastal regions have experienced greater climate variability than evidenced in ice-core records and that past warmth has facilitated dramatic ecosystem and cryosphere response. A primary product of the project is a robust reconstruction of late Holocene climate changes for coastal low-elevation terrestrial areas using multiple lines of evidence from peat-based biological and geochemical proxies, which will be used to compare with climate records derived from marine sediments and ice cores from the AP region. These data will be used to test several ideas related to novel peat-forming ecosystems (such as Antarctic hairgrass bogs) in past warmer climates and climate controls over ecosystem establishment and migration to help assess the nature of the Little Ice Age cooling and cryosphere response. The chronology of peat cores will be established by radiocarbon dating of macrofossils and Bayesian modeling. The high-resolution time series of ecosystem and climate changes will help put the observed recent changes into a long-term context to bridge climate dynamics over different time scales. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

CAREER: The Transformation, Cross-shore Export, and along-shore Transport of Freshwater on Antarctic Shelves

1945127

2022-06-03

Moffat, Carlos

No dataset link provided

Collaborative Research: Biogeography, Population Genetics, and Ecology of two Common Species of Fleshy Red Algae in McMurdo Sound

2037670
2037598

2022-05-23

Heine, John; Goldberg, Nisse; Alberto, Filipe

No dataset link provided

Climate change is changing the number of sea-ice free days in coastal polar environments, which is impacting Antarctic communities. This study will evaluate the change in macroalgae (seaweed) communities to increased light availability in order to predict if macroalgae will be able to spread to newly ice-free locations faster than invertebrates (e.g., sponges, bryozoans, tunicates, and polychaetes) in shallow underwater rocky habitats. Study sites will include multiple locations in McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea, Antarctica. This study will establish patterns in plant properties, genetic diversity and reproductive characteristics of two species of seaweeds, Phyllophora antarctica and Iridaea cordata in relation to depth and light. Long-term changes will be assesed by comparing to results from a survey in 1980. This will be the first study in the region to estimate the potential effects of climate, in particular reductions in annual sea ice cover and resulting increase in light intensity and duration, on shifts in macroalgal communities in McMurdo Sound. Three-dimensional photogrammetry will also be used to evaluate benthic community structure on the newly discovered offshore Dellbridge Seamount. Visualization from the video footage will be shared with web-based interactive applications to engage and educate the public in polar ecology and factors causing changes in marine community ecosystem structure in this important region. This project is evaluating macroalgae biogeography in Antarctic coastal waters near McMurdo Sound, a relatively understudied region that is experiencing large changes in fast sea ice coverage. The population ecology and genetic diversity of nearshore shallow and deeper offshore benthic macroalgal communities of Phyllophora antarctica and Iridaea cordata will be assessed for percentage cover, biomass, blade length, and reproductive characteristics at seven locations: Cape Royds, Cape Evans, Little Razorback Islands, Turtle Rock, Arrival Heights, Granite Harbor, and Dellbridge Seamount in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. The team is also assessing differential reproductive successes at different depths and comparing results to populations surveyed in 1980. The genetic diversity of the two species is being estimated using a combination of whole genome sequencing and species-specific microsatellite genetic markers. Samples from this study will be compared to samples collected from other regions in Antarctica such as the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula. In addition, a macroalgal assemblage and 3D models of the community structure will be generated using photogrammetry from the newly discovered Dellbridge Seamount that is located 2 km offshore in McMurdo Sound. With the addition of photogrammetry and 3D visualization to this research, web-based applications will be used to engage and educate the public in subtidal polar ecology, population genetics, and the importance of Antarctic science to their lives. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

The Role of the Epigenetic Mechanism, DNA Methylation, in the Tolerance and Resistance of Antarctic Pteropods to Ocean Acidification and Warming

2053726

2022-04-14

Hofmann, Gretchen

Analyses combining ATAC-seq, RRBS, and RNA-seq data for purple urchins

GitHub

Part 1: Non-technical description: With support from the Office of Polar Programs, this project will evaluate how an important part of the food web in the coastal ocean of Antarctica will respond to climate change. The focal study organism in the plankton is a shelled mollusk, the Antarctic pteropod, Limacina helicina antarctica, an Southern Ocean organism that this known to respond to climate driven changes in ocean acidification and ocean warming. Ocean acidification, the lowering of ocean pH via the absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide in the surface of the ocean, is a change in the ocean that is expected to cross deleterious thresholds of pH within decades. This study will improve understanding of how pteropods will respond, which will provide insight into predicting the resilience of the Antarctic marine ecosystem during future changes, one of the planet’s last marine wildernesses. The project will use tools of molecular biology to examine specifically how gene expression is modulated in the pteropods, and further, how the changes and regulation of genes act to resist the stress of low pH and high temperature. In addition, this project supports the training of Ph.D. graduate students and advances the goal of inclusive excellence in STEM and in marine sciences, in particular. The students involved in this project are from groups traditionally under-represented in marine science including first-generation college students. Overall, the project contributes to the development of the U.S. work force and contributes to diversity and inclusive excellence in the geosciences. Part 2: Technical description: The overarching goal of this project is to investigate the molecular response of the Antarctic thecosome pteropod, Limacina helicina antarctica to ocean acidification (OA) and ocean warming. The project will investigate changes in the epigenome of juvenile L. h. antarctica, by assessing the dynamics of DNA methylation in response to three scenarios of environmental conditions that were simulated in laboratory mesocosm CO2 experiments: (1) present-day pCO2 conditions for summer and winter, (2) future ocean acidification expected within 10-15 years, and (3) a multiple stressor experiment to investigate synergistic interaction of OA and high temperature stress. Recent lab-based mesocosm experiment research showed significant changes in the dynamics of global DNA methylation in the pteropod genome, along with variation in gene expression in response to abiotic changes. Thus, it is clear that juvenile L. h. antarctica are capable of mounting a substantial epigenetic response to ocean acidification. However, it is not known how DNA methylation, as an epigenetic process, is modulating changes in the transcriptome. In order to address this gap in the epigenetic knowledge regarding pteropods, the project will use next-generation sequencing approaches (e.g., RNA sequencing and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing) to integrate changes in methylation status with changes in gene expression in juvenile pteropods. Overall, this investigation is an important step in exploring environmental transcriptomics and phenotypic plasticity of an ecologically important member of Southern Ocean macrozoooplankton in response to anthropogenic climate change. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

OPP-PRF: High-resolution Nested Antarctic Ice Sheet Modeling to Reconcile Marine and Terrestrial Geologic Data

2138556

2021-11-09

Halberstadt, Anna Ruth

5 million year transient Antarctic ice sheet model run with "desensitized" marine ice margin instabilities	USAP-DC
5 million year transient Antarctic ice sheet model run with "sensitized" marine ice margin instabilities	USAP-DC

Geologic data provide crucial insights into Antarctic Ice Sheet dynamics; for example, progressive exposure of mountain peaks emerging from the ice sheet reveal ice elevation changes, and the past ‘footprint’ of marine-based ice sheets is imprinted on the seafloor. Numerical ice sheet simulations can link these geologic records in space and time to make larger-scale inferences about continent-wide ice sheet evolution. This work integrates both marine and terrestrial geologic datasets with numerical simulations to investigate Antarctic Ice Sheet behavior (and contribution to global sea level) throughout the last deglaciation, ~20,000 years ago until present. Specifically, this research addresses two issues regarding the relationship between simulations and data and their use in reconstructing past ice-sheet behavior: (1) Geologic records from the modern seafloor suggest significantly earlier retreat of marine-based ice compared to terrestrial records of mountain peak exposure (ice thinning). Computer experiments investigate several hypotheses for this mismatch in timing. (2) Exposure age data (terrestrial measurements recording ice elevation changes) are often interpreted to reflect ice dynamics hundreds of kilometers away from the study site. This work uses simulations to explore the linkage between ice elevation changes ‘upstream’ as glaciers flow through mountainous regions and ice dynamics further ‘downstream’ where ice contacts the ocean. This work will produce a publicly available, customizable, and easily accessible toolkit for comparing simulations and data, including a database of geologic records to use as constraints. The project is interdisciplinary, bridging a communication gap between the ice-sheet simulations and geologic data-collecting communities. This project combines numerical simulations and geologic data to explore fundamental knowledge gaps regarding the interpretation and use of marine and terrestrial datasets. This work will produce an ensemble of continent-wide coupled ice sheet and glacial isostatic adjustment simulations, constrained with comprehensive existing geologic data, to reproduce a history of deglacial Antarctic Ice Sheet evolution that is compatible with the geologic record as well as glaciologically and gravitationally self-consistent. Comparison between simulations and data is improved through high-resolution nested ice sheet modeling techniques, which provide unprecedented context for exposure age data generally located in regions of complex topography. Numerical simulations will be performed with systematically varied parameters and boundary conditions, and can thus support an investigation of (1) chronological mismatches between terrestrial thinning and marine ice sheet retreat during the mid-Holocene, and (2) how marine grounding-line dynamics are propagated upstream to coastal outlet glaciers and further interior under a variety of different scenarios. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: Constraining West Antarctic Ice Sheet elevation during the last interglacial

1745015
1744927
1744949

2021-10-22

Braddock, Scott; Campbell, Seth; Ackert, Robert; Zimmerer, Matthew; Mitrovica, Jerry

Mt. Waesche ground-penetrating radar data 2018-2019

USAP-DC

This study will collect a novel dataset to determine how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) responded to a warmer climate during the last interglacial period (~125,000 years ago) by reconstructing the glacial history at the Mt. Waesche volcano. Reconstructing WAIS geometry when the ice sheet was smaller than present is difficult and data are lacking because the evidence lies beneath the present ice sheet. This study will drill through the ice sheet and recover bedrock that can be analyzed for its surface exposure history to help determine when the surface became overridden by the ice sheet. This study will provide constraints on the past maximum and minimum spatial extent of WAIS during the last glacial-interglacial cycle. Understanding the geometry of a reduced WAIS during intervals when the planet was warmer than present may provide a possible analogue for future environmental conditions given predicted temperature trends. A reduction of WAIS results in rising sea levels which threatens coastal communities across the globe. The data will help improve numerical ice sheet models to better predict WAIS response to current and future climate trends. The project supports a teacher educational workshop and the training of graduate and undergraduate students. The goal of this project is to obtain rock samples from beneath the WAIS through shallow (<80 m) drilling at Mt. Waesche, a volcano in Marie Byrd Land, near an ice dome of WAIS (2000 m elevation). The lithologies of lava flows exposed on the flank of the volcano are well-suited for cosmogenic 3He and 36Cl as well as 40Ar/39Ar measurements which will establish eruption and exposure age. Existing 40Ar/39Ar data indicate basaltic lava flows on the volcano flank as young as 350 ka. Thus, measured cosmogenic nuclides measured in rock cores from beneath the ice surface will be indicative of relatively recent exposure during periods of reduced ice elevation, most likely, during the last interglacial. The first field season is focused on identifying appropriate locations for drilling and a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey of the subglacial topography <100m under the blue ice area. Mapping and dating the adjacent exposed lava flows will allow tracing of lava flows of known age and composition below the ice margin that will be targeted for drilling the following year. The second field season activities include drilling 8 boreholes (two transects) through blue ice with the Winkie drill near the ice margin to 80 m depth to obtain rock cores from the sub-ice lava flows. 3He exposure ages will constrain the duration and minimum extent of past surface lowering of the WAIS in Marie Byrd Land. Deeper GPR imaging (up to 700 m) will hope to reveal additional evidence of lava/ice interactions that would independently place constraints on lower ice levels during past eruptions. Results from this study will be compared with the modeled ice elevation histories at Mt. Waesche to validate ice sheet modeling efforts. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: Impacts of Local Oceanographic Processes on Adelie Penguin Foraging Ecology Over Palmer Deep

1327248
1324313
1326167
1331681
1326541

2021-09-27

Bernard, Kim; Kohut, Josh; Oliver, Matthew; Fraser, William; Winsor, Peter

Expedition Data	R2R
Expedition data of LMG1509	R2R

CAREER: Coastal Antarctic Snow Algae and Light Absorbing Particles: Snowmelt, Climate and Ecosystem Impacts

2046240

2021-09-10

Khan, Alia

No dataset link provided

________________________________________________________________________________________________ Part I: Non-technical Summary The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the most rapidly warming regions on the planet. This 5-yr time-series program will build on an ongoing international collaboration with scientists from the Chilean Antarctic Program to evaluate the role of temperature, light absorbing particles, snow-algae growth, and their radiative forcing effects on snow and ice melt in the Western Antarctic Peninsula. There is strong evidence that these effects may be intensifying due to a warming climate. Rising temperatures can increase the growth rate of coastal snow algae as well as enhance the input of particles from sources such as the long-range transport of black carbon to the Antarctic continent from intensifying Southern Hemisphere wildfire seasons. Particle and algae feedbacks can have immediate local impacts on snow melt and long-term regional impacts on climate because reduced snow cover alters how the Antarctic continent interacts with the rest of the global climate. A variety of ground-based and remote sensing data collected across multiple spatial scales will be used. Ground measurements will be compared to satellite imagery to develop novel computer algorithms to map ice algal bloom effects under changing climates. The project is expected to fundamentally advance knowledge of the spatial and temporal snow algae growing season, which is needed to quantify impacts on regional snow and ice melt. The program also has a strong partnership with the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators to involve cruise passengers as citizen scientists for sample collection. Antarctic research results will be integrated into undergraduate curricula and research opportunities through studies to LAPs and snow algae in the Pacific Northwest. The PI will recruit and train a diverse pool of students in cryosphere climate related research methods on Mt. Baker in Western Washington. Trained undergraduate will then serve as instructors for a local Snow School that takes middle school students to Mt. Baker to learn about snow science. Resulting datasets from Antarctica and Mt. Baker will be used in University classes to explore regional effects of climate change. Along with enhancing cryosphere-oriented place-based undergraduate field courses in the Pacific Northwest, the PI will recruit and train a diverse pool of undergraduate students to serve as instructors for the Mt. Baker Snow School program. This award will advance our understanding of cryosphere-climate feedbacks, which are likely changing and will continue to evolve in a warming world, while also increasing under-represented student engagement in the polar geosciences. Part 2: Technical Summary Rapid and persistent climate warming in the Western Antarctic Peninsula is likely resulting in intensified snow-algae growth and an extended bloom season in coastal areas. Similarly, deposition of light absorbing particles (LAPs) onto Antarctica cryosphere surfaces, such as black carbon from intensifying Southern Hemisphere wildfire seasons, and dust from the expansion of ice-free regions in the Antarctic Peninsula, may be increasing. The presence of snow algae blooms and LAPs enhance the absorption of solar radiation by snow and ice surfaces. This positive feedback creates a measurable radiative forcing, which can have immediate local and long-term regional impacts on albedo, snow melt and downstream ecosystems. This project will investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of snow algae, black carbon and dust across the Western Antarctica Peninsula region, their response to climate warming, and their role in regional snow and ice melt. Data will be collected across multiple spatial scales from in situ field measurements and sample collection to imagery from ground-based photos and high resolution multi-spectral satellite sensors. Ground measurements will inform development and application of novel algorithms to map algal bloom extent through time using 0.5-3m spatial resolution multi-spectral satellite imagery. Results will be used to improve snow algae parameterization in a new version of the Snow Ice Aerosol Radiation model (SNICARv3) that includes bio-albedo feedbacks, eventually informing models of ice-free area expansion through incorporation of SNICARv3 in the Community Earth System Model. Citizen scientists will be mentored and engaged in the research through an active partnership with the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators that frequently visits the region. The cruise ship association will facilitate sampling to develop a unique snow algae observing network to validate remote sensing algorithms that map snow algae with high-resolution multi-spectral satellite imagery from space. These time-series will inform instantaneous and interannual radiative forcing calculations to assess impacts of snow algae and LAPs on regional snow melt. Quantifying the spatio-temporal growing season of snow algae and impacts from black carbon and dust will increase our ability to model their impact on snow melt, regional climate warming and ice-free expansion in the Antarctic Peninsula region. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

West Antarctic Ice-sheet Change and Paleoceanography in the Amundsen Sea Across the Pliocene Climatic Optimum

2114839

2021-08-25

Passchier, Sandra

Grain-size data for the Pliocene section at IODP Site U1533, Amundsen Sea	USAP-DC
Argon thermochronological data on Pliocene ice-rafted detrital mineral grains from IODP Expedition 379 in the Amundsen Sea sector	USAP-DC

The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is the most vulnerable polar ice mass to warming and already a major contributor to global mean sea level rise. Its fate in the light of prolonged warming is a topic of major uncertainty. Accelerated sea level rise from ice mass loss in the polar regions is a major concern as a cause of increased coastal flooding affecting millions of people. This project will disclose a unique geological archive buried beneath the seafloor off the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica, which will reveal how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet behaved in a warmer climate in the past. The data and insights can be used to inform ice-sheet and ocean modeling used in coastal policy development. The project will also support the development of a competitive U.S. STEM workforce. Online class exercises for introductory geology classes will provide a gateway for qualified students into undergraduate research programs and this project will enhance the participation of women in science by funding the education of current female Ph.D. students. The project targets the long-term variability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet over several glacial-interglacial cycles in the early Pliocene sedimentary record drilled by the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 379 in the Amundsen Sea. Data collection includes 1) the sand provenance of ice-rafted debris and shelf diamictites and its sources within the Amundsen Sea and Antarctic Peninsula region; 2) sedimentary structures and sortable silt calculations from particle size records and reconstructions of current intensities and interactions; and 3) the bulk provenance of continental rise sediments compared to existing data from the Amundsen Sea shelf with investigations into downslope currents as pathways for Antarctic Bottom Water formation. The results are analyzed within a cyclostratigraphic framework of reflectance spectroscopy and colorimetry (RSC) and X-ray fluorescence scanner (XRF) data to gain insight into orbital forcing of the high-latitude processes. The early Pliocene Climatic Optimum (PCO) ~4.5-4.1 Ma spans a major warm period recognized in deep-sea stable isotope and sea-surface temperature records. This period also coincides with a global mean sea level highstand of > 20 m requiring contributions in ice mass loss from Antarctica. The following hypotheses will be tested: 1) that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreated from the continental shelf break through an increase in sub iceshelf melt and iceberg calving at the onset of the PCO ~4.5 Ma, and 2) that dense shelf water cascaded down through slope channels after ~4.5 Ma as the continental shelf became exposed during glacial terminations. The project will reveal for the first time how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet operated in a warmer climate state prior to the onset of the current “icehouse” period ~3.3 Ma. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSFGEO-NERC: Collaborative Research: Accelerating Thwaites Ecosystem Impacts for the Southern Ocean (ARTEMIS)

1941304
1941308
1941483
1941327
1941292

2021-08-20

Yager, Patricia; Medeiros, Patricia; Sherrell, Robert; St-Laurent, Pierre; Fitzsimmons, Jessica; Stammerjohn, Sharon

Vertical ocean profiles collected by a Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) package in the Amundsen Sea	USAP-DC
Dataset: A numerical simulation of the ocean, sea ice and ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea (Antarctica) over the period 2006-2022 and its associated code and input files	William & Mary ScholarWorks
Numerical experiments examining the response of onshore oceanic heat supply to yearly changes in the Amundsen Sea icescape (Antarctica)	SEANOE
Expedition Data of NBP2202	R2R

Part I: Non-technical summary: The Amundsen Sea is adjacent to the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) and hosts the most productive coastal ecosystem in all of Antarctica, with vibrant green waters visible from space and an atmospheric carbon dioxide uptake rate ten times higher than the Southern Ocean average. The region is also an area highly impacted by climate change and glacier ice loss. Upwelling of warm deep water is causing melt under the ice sheet, which is contributing to sea level rise and added nutrient inputs to the region. This is a project that is jointly funded by the National Science Foundation’s Directorate of Geosciences (NSF/GEO) and the National Environment Research Council (NERC) of the United Kingdom (UK) via the NSF/GEO-NERC Lead Agency Agreement. This Agreement allows a single joint US/UK proposal to be submitted and peer-reviewed by the Agency whose investigator has the largest proportion of the budget. Upon successful joint determination of an award, each Agency funds the proportion of the budget and the investigators associated with its own country. In this collaboration, the US team will undertake biogeochemical sampling alongside a UK-funded physical oceanographic program to evaluate the contribution of micronutrients such as iron from glacial meltwater to ecosystem productivity and carbon cycling. Measurements will be incorporated into computer simulations to examine ecosystem responses to further glacial melting. Results will help predict future impacts on the region and determine whether the climate sensitivity of the Amundsen Sea ecosystem represents the front line of processes generalizable to the greater Antarctic. This study is aligned with the large International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC) and will make data available to the full scientific community. The program will provide training for undergraduate, graduate, post-doctoral, and early-career scientists in both science and communication. The team will also develop out-of-school science experiences for middle and high schoolers related to climate change and Antarctica. Part II: Technical summary: The Amundsen Sea hosts the most productive polynya in all of Antarctica, with atmospheric carbon dioxide uptake rates ten times higher than the Southern Ocean average. The region is vulnerable to climate change, experiencing rapid losses in sea ice, a changing icescape and some of the fastest melting glaciers flowing from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, a process being studied by the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration. The biogeochemical composition of the outflow from the glaciers surrounding the Amundsen Sea is largely unstudied. In collaboration with a UK-funded physical oceanographic program, ARTEMIS is using shipboard sampling for trace metals, carbonate system, nutrients, organic matter, and microorganisms, with biogeochemical sensors on autonomous vehicles to gather data needed to understand the impact of the melting ice sheet on both the coastal ecosystem and the regional carbon cycle. These measurements, along with access to the advanced physical oceanographic measurements will allow this team to 1) bridge the gap between biogeochemistry and physics by adding estimates of fluxes and transport of limiting micronutrients; 2) provide biogeochemical context to broaden understanding of the global significance of ocean-ice shelf interactions; 3) determine processes and scales of variability in micronutrient supply that drive the ten-fold increase in carbon dioxide uptake, and 4) identify small-scale processes key to iron and carbon cycling using optimized field sampling. Observations will be integrated into an ocean model to enhance predictive capabilities of regional ocean function. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

ANT LIA: Hypoxia Tolerance in Notothenioid Fishes

1954241

2021-08-17

O'Brien, Kristin

No dataset link provided

Part 1: Non-technical description: Global climate warming is increasing the frequency and severity of low oxygen events in marine and freshwater environments worldwide, and these events threaten the health of aquatic ecosystems and the viability of fish populations. The Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica has historically been a stable, icy-cold, and oxygen-rich environment, but is now warming at an unprecedented rate and faster than all other regions in the Southern hemisphere. Antarctic fishes have evolved in sub-zero temperatures that have been stable over long periods of time with traits allowing them to thrive in frigid waters, but with diminished resilience to warming temperatures. Presently little is known about the ability of Antarctic fishes to withstand hypoxic, or low-oxygen, conditions that often accompany warming. This research will investigate the hypoxia tolerance of four species of Antarctic fishes, including two species of icefishes that lack the oxygen-carrying protein, hemoglobin, which may compromise their ability to oxygenate tissues under hypoxic conditions. The hypoxia tolerance of four Antarctic fish species will be compared to that of a related fish species inhabiting warmer coastal regions of South America. Physiological and biochemical responses to hypoxia will be evaluated and compared amongst the five species to bolster our predictions of the capacity of Antarctic fishes to cope with a changing environment. This research will provide training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, and a postdoctoral research fellow. A year-long seminar series hosted by the Aquarium of the Pacific will feature female scientists who work in Antarctica to inspire youth in the greater Los Angeles area to pursue careers in science. Part 2: Technical description: The overarching hypothesis to be tested in this project is that the long evolution of Antarctic notothenioid fishes in a cold, oxygen-rich environment has reduced their capacity to mount a robust physiological, biochemical, and molecular response to hypoxia compared to related, cold-temperate fish species. Hypoxia tolerance will be compared among the red-blooded Antarctic notothenioids, Notothenia coriiceps and Notothenia rossii; the hemoglobinless Antarctic icefishes, Chaenocephalus aceratus and Chionodraco rastrospinosus; and the basal, cold-temperate notothenioid, Eleginops maclovinus, a species that has never inhabited waters south of the Polar Front. The minimum level of oxygen required to sustain maintenance metabolic requirements (O2crit) will be quantified. Animals will then be exposed to 65% of O2crit for 48 hours, and responses to hypoxia will be evaluated by measuring hematocrit and hemoglobin levels, as well as metabolites in brain, liver, glycolytic and cardiac muscles. Maximal activities of key enzymes of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism will be quantified to assess capacities for synthesizing ATP in hypoxic conditions. Gill remodeling will be analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy. The molecular response to hypoxia will be characterized in liver and brains by quantifying levels of the master transcriptional regulator of oxygen homeostasis, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), and hypoxic gene expression will be quantified using RNA-Seq. Cell cultures will be used to determine if a previously identified insertion mutation in notothenioid HIF-1 affects the ability of HIF-1 to drive gene expression and thus, hypoxia tolerance. The results of this project will provide the most comprehensive assessment of the hypoxia tolerance of Antarctic fishes to date. Broader impacts include research training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and a postdoctoral research associate, with a focus on involving Native Alaskan students in research. In partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific, a year-long public seminar series will be held, showcasing the research and careers of 9 women who conduct research in Antarctica. The goal of the series is to cultivate and empower a community of middle and high school students in the greater Los Angeles area to pursue their interests in science and related fields, and to enhance the public engagement capacities of research scientists so that they may better inspire youth and early career scientists in STEM fields. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

U-Series Comminution Age Constraints on Taylor Valley Erosion

1644171

2021-08-13

Blackburn, Terrence; Tulaczyk, Slawek

U-Th isotopes and major elements in sediments from Taylor Valley, Antarctica	USAP-DC
Isotopic ratios for subglacial precipitates from East Antarctica	EarthChem

A nontechnical description of the project The primary scientific goal of the project is to test whether Taylor Valley, Antarctica has been eroded significantly by glaciers in the last ~2 million years (Ma). Taylor Valley is one of the Dry Valleys of the Transantarctic Mountains, which are characterized by low mean annual temperatures, low precipitation, and limited erosion. These conditions have allowed fragile glacial landforms to be preserved for up to 15 Ma. Sediment eroded and deposited by glaciers is found on the valley walls and floors, with progressively younger deposits preserved at lower elevations. Scientists can date glacial deposits to understand the process and timing of past glacial erosion. Previous work in the Dry Valleys region suggested that extremely cold glaciers like Taylor Glacier, a major outlet glacier entering the valleys, were not erosive during the last several million years. This research will test a new hypothesis that glacial erosion and sediment production beneath Taylor Glacier have been active in the last few million years. This hypothesis will be tested using a new isotopic dating method called "comminution dating' which determines when fine-grained sediment particles called silt were formed. If the sediment age is young, then the results will suggest that glacial processes have been more dynamic than previously thought. Overall, this study will increase our understanding of the nature and extent of past glaciations in Antarctica. Because the silt produced by erosion sediment is a nutrient for local ecosystems, the results will also shed light on delivery of nutrients to soils, streams, and coastal zones in high polar regions. This project will be led by an early career scientist and includes training of a Ph.D. student. A technical description of the project There is a long-standing scientific controversy about the stability of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet with much evidence centered in the Dry Valleys region of South Victoria Land. A prevailing view of geomorphologists is that the landscape has been very stable and that the effects of glaciation have been minimal for the past ~15 Ma. This project will distinguish between two end-member scenarios of glacial erosion and deposition by Taylor Glacier, an outlet glacier of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet that terminates in Taylor Valley in the Dry Valleys region of Antarctica. In the first scenario, all valley relief is generated prior to 15 Ma when non-polar climates enabled warm-based glaciers to incise and widen ancient river channels. In this case, younger glacial deposits record advances of cold-based glaciers of decreasing ice volume and limited glacial erosion, and sediment generation resulted in glacial deposits composed primarily of older recycled sediments. In the second scenario, selective erosion of the valley floor has continued to deepen Taylor Valley but has not affected the adjacent peaks over the last 2 Ma. In this scenario, the "bathtub rings" of Quaternary glacial deposits situated at progressively lower elevations through time could be due to the lowering of the valley floor by subglacial erosion and with it, production of new sediment which is now incorporated into these deposits. While either scenario would result in the present-day topography, they differ in the implied evolution of regional glacial ice volume over time and the timing of both valley relief production and generation of fine-grained particles. The two scenarios will be tested by placing time constraints on fine particle production using U-series comminution dating. This new geochronologic tool exploits the loss of 234U due to alpha-recoil. The deficiency in 234U only becomes detectable in fine-grained particles with a sufficiently high surface-area-to-volume ratio which can incur appreciable 234U loss. The timing of comminution and particle size controls the magnitude of 234U loss. While this geochronologic tool is in its infancy, the scientific goal of this proposal can be achieved by resolving between ancient and recently comminuted fine particles, a binary question that the preliminary modeling and measured data show is readily resolved.

The nitrogen isotopic composition of diatom resting spores in Southern Ocean sediments: A source of bias and/or paleoenvironmental information?

1744871

2021-07-28

Robinson, Rebecca

Diatom-bound and bulk sedimentary N isotopes from ODP Site 1098, Western Antarctic Peninsula	USAP-DC
Diatom assemblage from IODP Site U1357	USAP-DC
Dissolved nutrients, cell counts, and nitrogen isotope measurements from Chaetoceros socialis culture experiments	USAP-DC
ODP Site 1098 deglacial diatom assemblage	USAP-DC
Sediment chemistry of ODP Site 1098	USAP-DC
Diatom-bound and bulk sedimentary nitrogen isotopes from IODP Site U1357	USAP-DC

The chemical composition of diatom fossils in the Southern Ocean provides information about the environmental history of Antarctica, including sea ice extent, biological production, and ocean nutrient distribution. The sea ice zone is an important habitat for a group of diatoms, largely from the genus Chaetoceros, that have a unique life cycle stage under environmental stress, when they produce a structure called a resting spore. Resting spores are meant to reseed the surface ocean when conditions are more favorable. The production of these heavy resting spores tends to remove significant amounts of carbon and silicon, essential nutrients, out of the surface ocean. As a result, this group has the potential to remove carbon from the surface ocean and can impact the sedimentary record scientists use to reconstruct environmental change. This project explores the role of resting spores in the sedimentary record using the nitrogen isotopic signature of these fossils and how those measurements are used to estimate carbon cycle changes. The work will include laboratory incubations of these organisms to answer if and how the chemistry of the resting spores differs from that of a typical diatom cell. The incubation results will be used to evaluate nutrient drawdown in sea ice environments during two contrasting intervals in earth history, the last ice age and the warm Pliocene. This work should have significant impact on how the scientific community considers the impact of seasonal sea ice cover in the Southern Ocean in terms of how it responds to and regulates global climate. The project provides training and research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Ongoing research efforts in Antarctic earth sciences will be disseminated through an interactive display at the home institution. The work proposed here will address uncertainties in how Chaetoceros resting spores record surface nutrient conditions in their nitrogen stable isotopic composition, the relative impact of their specific signal with respect to the full sedimentary assemblage, and their potential to bias or enhance environmental reconstructions in the sea ice zone. Measurements of nitrogen stable isotopes of nitrate, biomass, and diatom-bound nitrogen and silicon-to-nitrogen ratios of individual species grown in the laboratory will be used to quantify how resting spores record nutrient drawdown in the water column and to what degree their signature is biased toward low nutrient conditions. These relationships will be used to inform diatom-bound nitrogen isotope reconstructions of nutrient drawdown from a Pliocene coastal polyna and an open ocean core that spans the last glacial maximum. This proposal capitalizes on the availability of Southern Ocean isolates of Chaetoceros spp. collected in 2017 for the proposed culture work and archived sediment cores and/or existing data. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

RAPID: Meta-genomic and Transcriptomic Investigation of Complex Organic Matter Degradation in Antarctic Benthic Sediments

2031442

2021-07-28

Learman, Deric

Physical and geochemical data from shelf sediments near the Antartic Pennisula

USAP-DC

Western Antarctica is one of the fastest warming locations on Earth. Its changing climate will lead to an increase in sea-level and will also alter regional water temperature and chemistry. These changes will directly alter the microbes that inhabit the ecosystem. Microbes are the smallest forms of life on Earth, but they are also the most abundant. They drive cycling of essential nutrients, such as carbon and nitrogen that are found in ocean sediments. In this way they form the foundation of the food chain that supports larger and more complex life. However, we do not know much about how different communities of microbes break down sediments in Antarctica and this will influence the chemistry of those waters. This research will determine how communities of microbes on the coastal shelf of Antarctica degrade complex organic sediments using genetic and chemical data. This data will identify the species in the community, what enzymes they are producing and what chemical reactions they are driving. This research will create broader impacts as the data will be used to create in-class activities that improve a student’s data analysis and critical thinking skills. The data will be used in graduate, undergraduate and K-12 classrooms. This research will provide genetic and enzymatic insight into how microbial communities in benthic sediments on the coastal shelf of Antarctica degrade complex organic matter. The current understanding of how benthic microbial communities respond to and then degrade complex organic matter in Antarctica is fragmented. Recent work suggests benthic microbial communities are shaped by organic matter availability. However, those studies were observational and did not directly examine community function. A preliminary study of metagenomic data from western Antarctic marine sediments, indicates a genetic potential for organic matter degradation but functional data was not been collected. Other studies have examined either enzyme activity or metagenomic potential, but few have been able to directly connect the two. To address this gap in knowledge, this study will utilize metagenomics and metatranscriptomics, coupled with microcosm experiments, enzyme assays, and geochemical data. It will examine Antarctic microbial communities from the Ross Sea, the Bransfield Strait and Weddell Sea to document how the relationship between a communities’ enzymatic activity and the genes used to degrade complex organic matter is related to sediment breakdown. The data will expand our current knowledge of microbial genetic potential and provide a solid understanding of enzyme function as it relates to degradation of complex organic matter in those marine sediments. It will thereby improve our understanding of temperature change on the chemistry of Antarctic seawater. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

The Antarctic Ice Sheet Large Ensemble (AISLENS) Project: Assessing the Role of Climate Variability in Past and Future Ice Sheet Mass Loss

1947882

2021-07-01

Robel, Alexander

No dataset link provided

Uncertainty in projections of future sea level rise comes, in part, from ice-sheet melting under the influence of unpredictable variations in ocean and atmospheric temperature near ice sheets. Using state-of-the-art modeling techniques, the Antarctic Ice Sheet Large Ensemble (AISLENS) Project will estimate the range of possible Antarctic Ice Sheet melt during the recent past and over the next several centuries that could result from such climate variations. The AISLENS Project will also facilitate research by providing modeling output as an open product to the broader climate and glaciology communities. The project will support an early career faculty member, and interdisciplinary training for a graduate student, postdoctoral fellow and undergraduate student. As a part of this project, an undergraduate course on "Sea Level Rise and Coastal Engineering" will be also developed, bringing together Earth Science and Civil Engineering students in an interdisciplinary setting and contributing to their education in sea level science and coastal adaptation. This will be done in the geographic context of the Southeastern US, the region of most concentrated vulnerability to sea-level rise in the US. The primary goal of the proposed research is to understand and quantify the role of internal climate variability in driving ice loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet over the recent past and into the future. The AISLENS Project will encompass hundreds of simulations of Antarctic ice sheet evolution from 1950 to 2300 forced by realistic variations in climate, including snowfall and melt from fluctuating oceanic and atmospheric temperatures. Plausible realizations of Antarctic climate forcing will be generated from stochastic emulation of output from the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) under past and future emissions scenarios. These realizations of variable climate will be used to force the MPAS Albany Land Ice (MALI) model, a state-of-the-art model of ice flow in the Antarctic Ice Sheet. In this project, AISLENS will be used to conduct uncertainty and attribution analyses. In the uncertainty analysis, the evolution of ensemble spread in simulations of the future evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet will be systematically decomposed to determine which temporal and spatial scales of climate variability contribute the most to future ice-sheet projection uncertainty. In the attribution analysis, a range of satellite-based observations of recent Antarctic ice loss will be compared to the envelope of internal variability of Antarctic ice loss simulated in AISLENS simulations encompassing the recent past. This analysis will provide context to recent observations indicating significant variability of Antarctic climate forcing and provide a possible path forward for conducting robust statistical inference studies for observed ice-sheet changes. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Antarctic Submarine Melt Variability from Remote Sensing of Icebergs

1933764
1643455

2021-06-28

Enderlin, Ellyn

Crane Glacier centerline observations and modeling results	USAP-DC
Remotely-sensed iceberg geometries and meltwater fluxes	USAP-DC

Enderlin/1643455 This award supports a project that will use a novel remote sensing method, which was initially developed to investigate melting of icebergs around Greenland, to examine spatial and temporal variations in ocean forcing around the Antarctic ice sheet periphery. Nearly three-quarters of the Antarctic ice sheet is fringed by regions of floating glacier ice called ice shelves. These ice shelves play an important role in modulating the flow of ice from the ice sheet interior towards the coast, similar to how dams regulate the downstream flow of water from reservoirs. Therefore, a reduction in ice shelf size due to changing air and ocean temperatures can have serious implications for the flux of glacier ice reaching the Antarctic coast, and thus, sea level change. Observations of recent ocean warming in the Amundsen Sea, thinning of the ice shelves, and increased ice flux from the West Antarctic ice sheet interior suggests that ice shelf destabilization triggered by ocean warming may already be underway in some regions. Although detailed observations are available in the Amundsen Sea region, our understanding of spatial and temporal variations in ocean conditions and their influence on ice shelf stability is limited by the scarceness of observations spanning the ice sheet periphery. The project will yield insights into variability in the submarine melting of ice shelves and will help advance the career of a female early-career scientist in a male-dominated field. The project will use repeat, very high-resolution (~0.5 m pixel width and length) satellite images acquired by the WorldView satellites, to estimate rates of iceberg melting in key coastal regions around Antarctica. The satellite images will be used to construct maps of iceberg surface elevation, which will be differenced in time to derive time series of iceberg volume change and area-averaged melt rates. Where ocean data are available, the melt rates will be compared to these data to assess whether variations in ocean temperature can explain observed iceberg melt variability. Large spatial gradients in melt rates will be compared to estimates of iceberg drift rates, which will be inferred from the repeat satellite images as well as numerically modeled drift rates produced by (unfunded) collaborators, to quantify the effects of water shear on iceberg melt rates. Spatial and temporal patterns in iceberg melting will also be compared to independently derived ice shelf thickness datasets. Overall, the analysis should yield insights into the effects of changes in ocean forcing on the submarine melting of Antarctic ice shelves and icebergs. The project does not require field work in Antarctica.

CAREER: Understanding microbial heterotrophic processes in coastal Antarctic waters

1846837

2021-06-25

Bowman, Jeff; Connors, Elizabeth

PRJNA894514	NCBI SRA
PRJNA901488	NCBI SRA

The coastal Antarctic is undergoing great environmental change. Physical changes in the environment, such as altered sea ice duration and extent, have a direct impact on the phytoplankton and bacteria species which form the base of the marine foodweb. Photosynthetic phytoplankton are the ocean's primary producers, transforming (fixing) CO2 into organic carbon molecules and providing a source of food for zooplankton and larger predators. When phytoplankton are consumed by zooplankton, or killed by viral attack, they release large amounts of organic carbon and nutrients into the environment. Heterotrophic bacteria must eat other things, and function as "master recyclers", consuming these materials and converting them to bacterial biomass which can feed larger organisms such as protists. Some protists are heterotrophs, but others are mixotrophs, able to grow by photosynthesis or heterotrophy. Previous work suggests that by killing and eating bacteria, protists and viruses may regulate bacterial populations, but how these processes are regulated in Antarctic waters is poorly understood. This project will use experiments to determine the rate at which Antarctic protists consume bacteria, and field studies to identify the major bacterial taxa involved in carbon uptake and recycling. In addition, this project will use new sequencing technology to obtain completed genomes for many Antarctic marine bacteria. To place this work in an ecosystem context this project will use microbial diversity data to inform rates associated with key microbial processes within the PALMER ecosystem model. This project addresses critical unknowns regarding the ecological role of heterotrophic marine bacteria in the coastal Antarctic and the top-down controls on bacterial populations. Previous work suggests that at certain times of the year grazing by heterotrophic and mixotrophic protists may meet or exceed bacterial production rates. Similarly, in more temperate waters bacteriophages (viruses) are thought to contribute significantly to bacterial mortality during the spring and summer. These different top-down controls have implications for carbon flow through the marine foodweb, because protists are grazed more efficiently by higher trophic levels than are bacteria. This project will use a combination of grazing experiments and field observations to assess the temporal dynamics of mortality due to temperate bacteriophage and protists. Although many heterotrophic bacterial strains observed in the coastal Antarctic are taxonomically similar to strains from other regions, recent work suggest that they are phylogenetically and genetically distinct. To better understand the ecological function and evolutionary trajectories of key Antarctic marine bacteria, their genomes will be isolated and sequenced. Then, these genomes will be used to improve the predictions of the paprica metabolic inference pipeline, and our understanding of the relationship between heterotrophic bacteria and their major predators in the Antarctic marine environment. Finally, researchers will modify the Regional Test-Bed Model model to enable microbial diversity data to be used to optimize the starting conditions of key parameters, and to constrain the model's data assimilation methods. There is an extensive education and outreach component to this project that is designed to engage students and the public in diverse activities centered on Antarctic microbiota and marine sciences. A new module on Antarctic marine science will be developed for the popular Sally Ride Science program, and two existing undergraduate courses at UC San Diego will be strengthened with laboratory modules introducing emerging technology, and with cutting-edge polar science. A PhD student and a post-doctoral researcher will be supported by this project. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF-NERC: Thwaites Interdisciplinary Margin Evolution (TIME): The Role of Shear Margin Dynamics in the Future Evolution of the Thwaites Drainage Basin

1739027

2021-06-24

Tulaczyk, Slawek

No dataset link provided

This project contributes to the joint initiative launched by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.K. Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to substantially improve decadal and longer-term projections of ice loss and sea-level rise originating from Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica. Collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) could raise the global sea level by about 5 meters (16 feet) and the scientific community considers it the most significant risk for coastal environments and cities. The risk arises from the deep, marine setting of WAIS. Although scientists have been aware of the precarious setting of this ice sheet since the early 1970s, it is only now that the flow of ice in several large drainage basins is undergoing dynamic change consistent with a potentially irreversible disintegration. Understanding WAIS stability and enabling more accurate prediction of sea-level rise through computer simulation are two of the key objectives facing the polar science community today. This project will directly address both objectives by: (1) using state-of-the-art technologies to observe rapidly deforming parts of Thwaites Glacier that may have significant control over the future evolution of WAIS, and (2) using these new observations to improve ice-sheet models used to predict future sea-level rise. This project brings together a multidisciplinary team of UK and US scientists. This international collaboration will result in new understanding of natural processes that may lead to the collapse of the WAIS and will boost infrastructure for research and education by creating a multidisciplinary network of scientists. This team will mentor three postdoctoral researchers, train four Ph.D. students and integrate undergraduate students in this research project. The project will test the overarching hypothesis that shear-margin dynamics may exert powerful control on the future evolution of ice flow in Thwaites Drainage Basin. To test the hypothesis, the team will set up an ice observatory at two sites on the eastern shear margin of Thwaites Glacier. The team argues that weak topographic control makes this shear margin susceptible to outward migration and, possibly, sudden jumps in response to the drawdown of inland ice when the grounding line of Thwaites retreats. The ice observatory is designed to produce new and comprehensive constraints on englacial properties, including ice deformation rates, ice crystal fabric, ice viscosity, ice temperature, ice water content and basal melt rates. The ice observatory will also establish basal conditions, including thickness and porosity of the till layer and the deeper marine sediments, if any. Furthermore, the team will develop new knowledge with an emphasis on physical processes, including direct assessment of the spatial and temporal scales on which these processes operate. Seismic surveys will be carried out in 2D and 3D using wireless geophones. A network of broadband seismometers will identify icequakes produced by crevassing and basal sliding. Autonomous radar systems with phased arrays will produce sequential images of rapidly deforming internal layers in 3D while potentially also revealing the geometry of a basal water system. Datasets will be incorporated into numerical models developed on different spatial scales. One will focus specifically on shear-margin dynamics, the other on how shear-margin dynamics can influence ice flow in the whole drainage basin. Upon completion, the project aims to have confirmed whether the eastern shear margin of Thwaites Glacier can migrate rapidly, as hypothesized, and if so what the impacts will be in terms of sea-level rise in this century and beyond. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Assemblage-wide effects of ocean acidification and ocean warming on ecologically important macroalgal-associated crustaceans in Antarctica

1848887

2021-06-21

Amsler, Charles; McClintock, James

Palatability of Palmaria decipiens thallus from ambient and low pH treatments	USAP-DC
2020 and 2023 Underwater video transect community analysis data	USAP-DC
Amphipod counts from 2020 ocean acidification experiment	USAP-DC
Palatability of Desmarestia menziesii extracts from ambient and low pH treatments	USAP-DC
2023 daily seawater carbonate chemistry	USAP-DC
2020 daily seawater carbonate chemistry	USAP-DC
Underwater transect videos used for 2020 and 2023 community analyses	USAP-DC
Feeding of Gondogeneia antarctica maintained under ambient and low pH treatments	USAP-DC

Undersea forests of seaweeds dominate the shallow waters of the central and northern coast of the western Antarctic Peninsula and provide critical structural habitat and carbon resources (food) for a host of marine organisms. Most of the seaweeds are chemically defended against herbivores yet support very high densities of herbivorous shrimp-like grazers (crustaceans, primarily amphipods) which greatly benefit their hosts by consuming filamentous and microscopic algae that otherwise overgrow the seaweeds. The amphipods benefit from the association with the chemically defended seaweeds by gaining an associational refuge from fish predation. The project builds on recent work that has demonstrated that several species of amphipods that are key members of crustacean assemblages associated with the seaweeds suffer significant mortality when chronically exposed to increased seawater acidity (reduced pH) and elevated temperatures representative of near-future oceans. By simulating these environmental conditions in the laboratory at Palmer Station, Antarctica, the investigators will test the overall hypothesis that ocean acidification and ocean warming will play a significant role in structuring crustacean assemblages associated with seaweeds. Broader impacts include expanding fundamental knowledge of the impacts of global climate change by focusing on a geographic region of the earth uniquely susceptible to climate change. This project will also further the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists and of making scientific discoveries available to the general public. This includes training graduate students and early career scientists with an emphasis on diversity, presentations to K-12 groups and the general public, and a variety of social media-based outreach programs. The project will compare population and assemblage-wide impacts of natural (ambient), carbon dioxide enriched, and elevated temperature seawater on assemblages of seaweed-associated crustacean grazers. Based on prior results, it is likely that some species will be relative "winners" and some will be relative "losers" under the changed conditions. The project will then aim to carry out measurements of growth, calcification, mineralogy, the incidence of molts, and biochemical and energetic body composition for two key amphipod "winners" and two key amphipod "losers". These measurements will allow an assessment of what factors drive species-specific enhanced or diminished performance under conditions of ocean acidification and sea surface warming. The project will expand on what little is known about prospective impacts of changing conditions on benthic marine Crustacea, in Antarctica, a taxonomic group that faces the additional physiological stressor of molting. The project is likely to provide additional insight on the indirect regulation of the seaweeds that comprise Antarctic undersea forests that provide key architectural components of the coastal marine ecosystem. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: RAPID/Workshop - Antarctic Ecosystem Research following Ice Shelf Collapse and Iceberg Calving Events

1750903
1750630
1750888

2021-06-21

Ingels, Jeroen; Aronson, Richard; Smith, Craig

No dataset link provided

Collaborative Research: Elucidating Environmental Controls of Productivity in Polynas and the Western Antarctic Peninsula

1643652
1643618

2021-04-29

van Dijken, Gert; Arrigo, Kevin; Dinniman, Michael; Hofmann, Eileen

Antarctic dFe model dyes	BCO-DMO
Antarctic biological model output	BCO-DMO

Coastal waters surrounding Antarctica represent some of the most biologically rich and most untouched ecosystems on Earth. In large part, this biological richness is concentrated within the numerous openings that riddle the expansive sea ice (these openings are known as polynyas) near the Antarctic continent. These polynyas represent regions of enhanced production known as hot-spots and support the highest animal densities in the Southern Ocean. Many of them are also located adjacent to floating extensions of the vast Antarctic Ice Sheet and receive a substantial amount of meltwater runoff each year during the summer. However, little is known about the specific processes that make these ecosystems so biologically productive. Of the 46 Antarctic coastal polynyas that are presently known, only a handful have been investigated in detail. This project will develop ecosystem models for the Ross Sea polynya, Amundsen polynya, and Pine Island polynya; three of the most productive Antarctic coastal polynyas. The primary goal is to use these models to better understand the fundamental physical, chemical, and biological interacting processes and differences in these processes that make these systems so biologically productive yet different in some respects (e.g. size and productivity) during the present day settings. Modeling efforts will also be extended to potentially assess how these ecosystems may have functioned in the past and how they might change in the future under different physical and chemical and climatic settings. The project will advance the education of underrepresented minorities through Stanford?s Summer Undergraduate Research in Geoscience and Engineering (SURGE) Program. SURGE will provide undergraduates the opportunity to gain mentored research experiences at Stanford University in engineering and the geosciences. Old Dominion University also will utilize an outreach programs for local public and private schools as well as an ongoing program supporting the Boy Scout Oceanography merit badge program to create outreach and education impacts. Polynyas (areas of open water surrounded by sea ice) are disproportionately productive regions of polar ecosystems, yet controls on their high rates of production are not well understood. This project will provide quantitative assessments of the physical and chemical processes that control phytoplankton abundance and productivity within polynyas, how these differ for different polynyas, and how polynyas may change in the future. Of particular interest are the interactions among processes within the polynyas and the summertime melting of nearby ice sheets, including the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers. In this proposed study, we will develop a set of comprehensive, high resolution coupled physical-biological models and implement these for three major, but diverse, Antarctic polynyas. These polynyas, the Ross Sea polynya, the Amundsen polynya, and Pine Island polynya, account for >50% of the total Antarctic polynya production. The research questions to be addressed are: 1) What environmental factors exert the greatest control of primary production in polynyas around Antarctica? 2) What are the controlling physics that leads to the heterogeneity of dissolved iron (dFe) supply to the euphotic zone in polynyas around the Antarctic continental shelf? What effect does this have on local rates of primary production? 3) What are the likely changes in the supply of dFe to the euphotic zone in the next several decades due to climate-induced changes in the physics (winds, sea-ice, ice shelf basal melt, cross-shelf exchange, stratification and vertical mixing) and how will this affect primary productivity around the continent? The Ross Sea, Amundsen, and Pine Island polynyas are some of the best-sampled polynyas in Antarctica, facilitating model parameterization and validation. Furthermore, these polynyas differ widely in their size, location, sea ice dynamics, relationship to melting ice shelves, and distance from the continental shelf break, making them ideal case studies. For comparison, the western Antarctic Peninsula (wAP), a productive continental shelf where polynyas are a relatively minor contributor to biological production, will also be modeled. Investigating specific processes within different types Antarctic coastal waters will provide a better understand of how these important biological oases function and how they might change under different environmental conditions.

Collaborative Research: Chemoautotrophy in Antarctic Bacterioplankton Communities Supported by the Oxidation of Urea-derived Nitrogen

1643345
1643466

2020-12-18

Hollibaugh, James T.; Popp, Brian

"Collaborative research: Chemoautotrophy in Antarctic bacterioplankton communities supported by the oxidation of urea-derived nitrogen"	BCO-DMO
Expedition data of LMG1801	R2R

Part 1: Nitrification is the conversion of ammonium to nitrate by a two-step process involving two different guilds of microorganisms: ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizers. The process is central to the global nitrogen cycle, affecting everything from retention of fertilizer on croplands to removal of excess nitrogen from coastal waters before it can cause blooms of harmful algae. It also produces nitrous oxide, an ozone-destroying, greenhouse gas. The energy derived from both steps of nitrification is used to convert inorganic carbon into microbial biomass. The biomass produced contributes to the overall food web production of the Southern Ocean and may be a particularly important subsidy during winter when low light levels restrict the other major source of biomass, primary production by single-celled plants. This project addresses three fundamental questions about the biology and geochemistry of polar oceans, with a focus on the process of nitrification. The first question the project will address concerns the contribution of chemoautotrophy (based on nitrification) to the overall supply of organic carbon to the food web of the Southern Ocean. Previous measurements indicate that it contributes about 9% to the Antarctic food web on an annual basis, but those measurements did not include the additional production associated with nitrite oxidation. The second question to be addressed is related to the first and concerns the coupling between the steps of the process. The third seeks to determine the significance of the contribution of other sources of nitrogen, (specifically organic nitrogen and urea released by other organisms) to nitrification because these contributions may not be assessed by standard protocols. Measurements made by others suggest that urea in particular might be as important as ammonium to nitrification in polar regions. This project will result in training a postdoctoral researcher and provide undergraduate students opportunities to gain hand-on experience with research on microbial geochemistry. The Palmer LTER (PAL) activities have focused largely on the interaction between ocean climate and the marine food web affecting top predators. Relatively little effort has been devoted to studying processes related to the microbial geochemistry of nitrogen cycling as part of the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program, yet these are a major themes at other sites. This work will contribute substantially to understanding an important aspect of nitrogen cycling and bacterioplankton production in the PAL-LTER study area. The team will be working synergistically and be participating fully in the education and outreach efforts of the Palmer LTER, including making highlights of the findings available for posting to their project web site and participating in any special efforts they have in the area of outreach. Part 2: The proposed work will quantify oxidation rates of 15N supplied as ammonium, urea and nitrite, allowing us to estimate the contribution of urea-derived N and complete nitrification (ammonia to nitrate) to chemoautotrophy and bacterioplankton production in Antarctic coastal waters. The project will compare these estimates to direct measurements of the incorporation of 14C into organic matter the dark for an independent estimate of chemoautotrophy. The team aims to collect samples spanning the water column: from surface water (~10 m), winter water (50-100 m) and circumpolar deep water (>150 m); on a cruise surveying the continental shelf and slope west of the Antarctic Peninsula in the austral summer of 2018. Other samples will be taken to measure the concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, ammonia and urea, for qPCR analysis of the abundance of relevant microorganisms, and for studies of related processes. The project will rely on collaboration with the existing Palmer LTER to ensure that ancillary data (bacterioplankton abundance and production, chlorophyll, physical and chemical variables) will be available. The synergistic activities of this project along with the LTER activities will provide a unique opportunity to assess chemoautotrophy in context of the overall ecosystem?s dynamics- including both primary and secondary production processes.

Collaborative Research in IPY: Abrupt Environmental Change in the Larsen Ice Shelf System, a Multidisciplinary Approach - Marine Ecosystems.

0732711
0732917
0732450
0732983

2020-10-09

McCormick, Michael; Vernet, Maria; Van Dover, Cindy; Smith, Craig

LARISSA: Impact of ice-shelf loss on geochemical profiles and microbial community composition in marine sediments of the Larsen A embayment, Antarctic Peninsula	USAP-DC
NBP1001 cruise data	R2R
NBP1203 cruise data	R2R
Species Abundance Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf Ice acquired during R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1203	USAP-DC

A profound transformation in ecosystem structure and function is occurring in coastal waters of the western Weddell Sea, with the collapse of the Larsen B ice shelf. This transformation appears to be yielding a redistribution of energy flow between chemoautotrophic and photosynthetic production, and to be causing the rapid demise of the extraordinary seep ecosystem discovered beneath the ice shelf. This event provides an ideal opportunity to examine fundamental aspects of ecosystem transition associated with climate change. We propose to test the following hypotheses to elucidate the transformations occurring in marine ecosystems as a consequence of the Larsen B collapse: (1) The biogeographic isolation and sub-ice shelf setting of the Larsen B seep has led to novel habitat characteristics, chemoautotrophically dependent taxa and functional adaptations. (2) Benthic communities beneath the former Larsen B ice shelf are fundamentally different from assemblages at similar depths in the Weddell sea-ice zone, and resemble oligotrophic deep-sea communities. Larsen B assemblages are undergoing rapid change. (3) The previously dark, oligotrophic waters of the Larsen B embayment now support a thriving phototrophic community, with production rates and phytoplankton composition similar to other productive areas of the Weddell Sea. To document rapid changes occurring in the Larsen B ecosystem, we will use a remotely operated vehicle, shipboard samplers, and moored sediment traps. We will characterize microbial, macrofaunal and megafaunal components of the seep community; evaluate patterns of surface productivity, export flux, and benthic faunal composition in areas previously covered by the ice shelf, and compare these areas to the open sea-ice zone. These changes will be placed within the geological, glaciological and climatological context that led to ice-shelf retreat, through companion research projects funded in concert with this effort. Together these projects will help predict the likely consequences of ice-shelf collapse to marine ecosystems in other regions of Antarctica vulnerable to climate change. The research features international collaborators from Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. The broader impacts include participation of a science writer; broadcast of science segments by members of the Jim Lehrer News Hour (Public Broadcasting System); material for summer courses in environmental change; mentoring of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows; and showcasing scientific activities and findings to students and public through podcasts.

Collaborative Research: New Constraints on Post-Glacial Rebound and Holocene Environmental History along the Northern Antarctic Peninsula from Raised Beaches

1644197

2020-10-08

Simms, Alexander; DeWitt, Regina

Granulometry of Joinville and Livingston Island beaches	USAP-DC
Ground Penetrating Radar Profiles from Beaches on Joinville Island, Antarctic Peninsula	USAP-DC
Joinville and Livingston Islands - rock and sediment OSL ages	USAP-DC
Ground-Penetrating Radar data from Livingston Island in the Antarctic Peninsula	USAP-DC
Electron Microprobe Analysis of feldspar separates from rock and sediment OSL samples from Joinville and Livingston Island Beaches	USAP-DC
OSL data - Joinville and Livingston Islands - Raw data	USAP-DC
Radiocarbon Ages from Beaches on Joinville Island, Antarctic Peninsula	USAP-DC

Nontechnical Description Glacier ice loss from Antarctica has the potential to lead to a significant rise in global sea level. One line of evidence for accelerated glacier ice loss has been an increase in the rate at which the land has been rising across the Antarctic Peninsula as measured by GPS receivers. However, GPS observations of uplift are limited to the last two decades. One goal of this study is to determine how these newly observed rates of uplift compare to average rates of uplift across the Antarctic Peninsula over a longer time interval. Researchers will reconstruct past sea levels using the age and elevation of ancient beaches now stranded above sea level on the low-lying coastal hills of the Antarctica Peninsula to determine the rate of uplift over the last 5,000 years. The researchers will also analyze the structure of the beaches using ground-penetrating radar and the characteristics of beach sediments to understand how sea-level rise and past climate changes are recorded in beach deposits. The benefits of these new records will be threefold: (1) they will help determine the natural variability of the Antarctic Ice Sheet and relative sea level (2) they will provide new insight about uplift and the structure of the Earth's interior; and 3) they will help researchers refine the methods used to determine the age of geologic deposits. The study results will be shared in outreach events at K-12 schools and with visitors of the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. Three graduate students will be supported through this project. Technical description Paleo sea-level data is critical for reconstructing the size and extent of past ice sheets, documenting increased uplift following glacial retreat, and correcting gravity-based measurements of ice-mass loss for the impacts of post-glacial rebound. However, there are only 14 sites with relative sea-level data for Antarctica compared to over 500 sites used in a recent study of the North American Ice-Sheet complex. The purpose of this project is to use optically stimulated luminescence to date a series of newly discovered raised beaches along the eastern Antarctic Peninsula and an already known, but only preliminarily dated, series of raised beaches in the South Shetland Islands. Data to be collected at the raised beaches include the age and elevation, ground-penetrating radar profiles, and the roundness of cobbles and the lithology of ice-rafted debris. The study will test three hypotheses: (1) uplift rates have increased in modern times relative to the late Holocene across the Antarctic Peninsula, (2) the sea-level history at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula is distinctly different than that of the South Shetland Islands, and (3) cobble roundness and the source of ice-rafted debris on raised beaches varied systematically through time reflecting the climate history of the northern Antarctic Peninsula.

Water Mass Structure and Bottom Water Formation in the Ice-age Southern Ocean

1542962

2020-09-25

Anderson, Robert; Fleisher, Martin; Pavia, Frank

Water Mass Structure and Bottom Water Formation in the Ice-age Southern Ocean (SNOWBIRDS)	BCO-DMO
Water Mass Structure and Bottom Water Formation in the Ice-age Southern Ocean	NCEI
Expedition Data of NBP1702	R2R

Scientists established more than 30 years ago that the climate-related variability of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere over Earth's ice-age cycles was regulated by the ocean. Hypotheses to explain how the ocean regulates atmospheric carbon dioxide have long been debated, but they have proven to be difficult to test. Work proposed here will test one leading hypothesis, specifically that the ocean experienced greater density stratification during the ice ages. That is, with greater stratification during the ice ages and slower replacement of deep water by cold dense water formed near the poles, the deep ocean would have held more carbon dioxide, which is produced by biological respiration of the organic carbon that constantly rains to the abyss in the form of dead organisms and organic debris that sink from the sunlit surface ocean. To test this hypothesis, the degree of ocean stratification during the last ice age and the rate of deep-water replacement will be constrained by comparing the radiocarbon ages of organisms that grew in the surface ocean and at the sea floor within a critical region around Antarctica, where most of the replacement of deep waters occurs. Completing this work will contribute toward improved models of future climate change. Climate scientists rely on models to estimate the amount of fossil fuel carbon dioxide that will be absorbed by the ocean in the future. Currently the ocean absorbs about 25% of the carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels. Most of this carbon is absorbed in the Southern Ocean (the region around Antarctica). How this will change in the future is poorly known. Models have difficulty representing physical conditions in the Southern Ocean accurately, thereby adding substantial uncertainty to projections of future ocean uptake of carbon dioxide. Results of the proposed study will provide a benchmark to test the ability of models to simulate ocean processes under climate conditions distinctly different from those that occur today, ultimately leading to improvement of the models and to more reliable projections of future absorption of carbon dioxide by the ocean. The proposed work will add a research component to an existing scientific expedition to the Southern Ocean, in the region between the Ross Sea and New Zealand, that will collect sediment cores at three to five locations down the northern flank of the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge at approximately 170°W. The goal is to collect sediments at each location deposited since early in the peak of the last ice age. This region is unusual in the Southern Ocean in that sediments deposited during the last ice age contain foraminifera, tiny organisms with calcium carbonate shells, in much greater abundance than in other regions of the Southern Ocean. Foraminifera are widely used as an archive of several geochemical tracers of past ocean conditions. In the proposed work the radiocarbon age of foraminifera that inhabited the surface ocean will be compared with the age of contemporary specimens that grew on the seabed. The difference in age between surface and deep-swelling organisms will be used to discriminate between two proposed mechanisms of deep water renewal during the ice age: formation in coastal polynyas around the edge of Antarctica, much as occurs today, versus formation by open-ocean convection in deep-water regions far from the continent. If the latter mechanism prevails, then it is expected that surface and deep-dwelling foraminifera will exhibit similar radiocarbon ages. In the case of dominance of deep-water formation in coastal polynyas, one expects to find very different radiocarbon ages in the two populations of foraminifera. In the extreme case of greater ocean stratification during the last ice age, one even expects the surface dwellers to appear to be older than contemporary bottom dwellers because the targeted core sites lie directly under the region where the oldest deep waters return to the surface following their long circuitous transit through the deep ocean. The primary objective of the proposed work is to reconstruct the water mass age structure of the Southern Ocean during the last ice age, which, in turn, is a primary factor that controls the amount of carbon dioxide stored in the deep sea. In addition, the presence of foraminifera in the cores to be recovered provides a valuable resource for many other paleoceanographic applications, such as: 1) the application of nitrogen isotopes to constrain the level of nutrient utilization in the Southern Ocean and, thus, the efficiency of the ocean?s biological pump, 2) the application of neodymium isotopes to constrain the transport history of deep water masses, 3) the application of boron isotopes and boron/calcium ratios to constrain the pH and inorganic carbon system parameters of ice-age seawater, and 4) the exploitation of metal/calcium ratios in foraminifera to reconstruct the temperature (Mg/Ca) and nutrient content (Cd/Ca) of deep waters during the last ice age at a location near their source near Antarcitca.

Collaborative Research: Antarctic Airborne ElectroMagnetics (ANTAEM) - Revealing Subsurface Water in Coastal Antarctica

1644187

2020-09-13

Tulaczyk, Slawek; Mikucki, Jill

ANTAEM project airborne EM resistivity data from McMurdo Region

USAP-DC

In Antarctica, millions of years of freezing have led to the development of hundreds of meters of thick permafrost (i.e., frozen ground). Recent research demonstrated that this slow freezing has trapped and concentrated water into local and regional briny aquifers, many times more salty than seawater. Because salt depresses the freezing point of water, these saline brines are able to persist as liquid water at temperatures well below the normal freezing point of freshwater. Such unusual groundwater systems may support microbial life, supply nutrients to coastal ocean and ice-covered lakes, and influence motion of glaciers. These briny aquifers also represent potential terrestrial analogs for deep life habitats on other planets, such as Mars, and provide a testing ground for the search for extraterrestrial water. Whereas much effort has been invested in understanding the physics, chemistry, and biology of surface and near-surface waters in cold polar regions, it has been comparably difficult to investigate deep subsurface aquifers in such settings. Airborne ElectroMagnetics (AEM) subsurface imaging provides an efficient way for mapping salty groundwater. An international collaboration with the University of Aarhus in Denmark will enable knowledge and skill transfer in AEM techniques that will enhance US polar research capabilities and provide US undergraduates and graduate students with unique training experiences. This project will survey over 1000 km2 of ocean and land near McMurdo Station in Antarctica, and will reveal if cold polar deserts hide a subsurface pool of liquid water. This will have significant implications for understanding cold polar glaciers, ice-covered lakes, frozen ground, and polar microbiology as well as for predictions of their response to future change. Improvements in permafrost mapping techniques and understanding of permafrost and of underlying groundwaters will benefit human use of high polar regions in the Antarctic and the Arctic. The project will provide the first integrative system-scale overview of subsurface water distribution and hydrological connectivity in a partly ice-free coastal region of Antarctica, the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Liquid water is relatively scarce in this environment but plays an outsized role by influencing, and integrating, biological, biogeochemical, glaciological, and geological processes. Whereas surface hydrology and its role in ecosystem processes has been thoroughly studied over the last several decades, it has been difficult to map out and characterize subsurface water reservoirs and to understand their interactions with regional lakes, glaciers, and coastal waters. The proposed project builds on the "proof-of-concept" use of AEM technology in 2011. Improvements in sensor and data processing capabilities will result in about double the depth of penetration of the subsurface during the new data collection when compared to the 2011 proof-of-concept survey, which reached depths of 300-400m. The first field season will focus on collecting deep soundings with a ground-based system in key locations where: (i) independent constraints on subsurface structure exist from past drilling projects, and (ii) the 2011 resistivity dataset indicates the need for deeper penetration and high signal-to-noise ratios achievable only with a ground-based system. The regional airborne survey will take place during the second field season and will yield subsurface electrical resistivity data from across several valleys of different sizes and different ice cover fractions.

Ocean Tides around Antarctica and in the Southern Ocean

0125252
0125602

2020-07-07

Howard, Susan L.; Padman, Laurence; Erofeeva, Svetlana; King, Matt

CATS2008: Circum-Antarctic Tidal Simulation version 2008	USAP-DC
Antarctic Tide Gauge Database, version 1	USAP-DC
pyTMD	GitHub
AntTG_Database_Tools	GitHub
TMD_Matlab_Toolbox_v2.5	GitHub
CATS2008_v2023: Circum-Antarctic Tidal Simulation 2008, version 2023	USAP-DC

Impact of Convective Processes and Sea Ice Formation on the Distribution of Iron in the Ross Sea: Closing the Seasonal Cycle

1543483

2020-06-22

Sedwick, Peter

Impact of Convective Processes and Sea Ice Formation on the Distribution of Iron in the Ross Sea: Closing the Seasonal Cycle	BCO-DMO
NBP1704 Expedition Data	R2R

Collaborative Research: Sea ice as a driver of Antarctic benthic macroalgal community composition and nearshore trophic connectivity

1744570
1744550
1744584
1744602

2020-06-04

Amsler, Charles; McClintock, James; Iken, Katrin; Galloway, Aaron; Klein, Andrew

Underwater transect videos used for community analyses	USAP-DC
Initial release of code and data associated with Whippo et al. (2024) Fatty acid profiles and stable isotope composition of Antarctic macroalgae: A baseline for a combined biomarker approach in food web studies.	Zendo
LMG1904 expedition data	R2R
Latitude and longitude data for project study sites	USAP-DC
Underwater video transect community analysis data	USAP-DC
Computed fetch for project study sites	USAP-DC
VIIRS KD(490) diffuse attenuation coefficients for study sites	USAP-DC
Average global horizontal solar irradiance at study sites	USAP-DC
Sea Ice Concentration Timeseries for study sites	USAP-DC
Gridded sea ice concentrations from National Ice Center (NIC) Charts 2014-2019 for Western Antarctic Peninsula	USAP-DC
Five year mean annual and summer sea ice concentration grids for the Western Antarctic Peninsula from AMSR2, National Ice Center Charts and the Sea Ice Index	USAP-DC
Modelled Solar Irradiance for Western Antarctic Pennisula	USAP-DC
Carbon and nitrogen isotope data along a gradient at the Antarctic Peninsula	USAP-DC
Landsat Sea Ice/Cloud classifications surrounding project study sites	USAP-DC
Macroalgal species collected along horizontal transect components	USAP-DC
Chemical composition data for Desmarestia menziesii	USAP-DC
Chemical composition data for Himantothallus grandifolius	USAP-DC
Chemical composition data for Iridaea	USAP-DC
Chemical composition data for Sarcopeltis antarctica	USAP-DC

The western Antarctic Peninsula has become a model for understanding cold water communities and how they may be changing in Antarctica and elsewhere. Brown macroalgae (seaweeds) form extensive undersea forests in the northern portion of this region where they play a key role in providing both physical structure and a food (carbon) source for shallow water communities. Yet between Anvers Island (64 degrees S latitude) and Adelaide Island (67 S latitude) these macroalgae become markedly less abundant and diverse. This is probably because the habitat to the south is covered by more sea ice for a longer period, and the sea ice reduces the amount of light that reaches the algae. The reduced macroalgal cover undoubtedly impacts other organisms in the food web, but the ways in which it alters sea-floor community processes and organization is unknown. This project will quantitatively document the macroalgal communities at multiple sites between Anvers and Adelaide Islands using a combination of SCUBA diving, video surveys, and algal collections. Sea ice cover, light levels, and other environmental parameters on community structure will be modelled to determine which factors have the largest influence. Impacts on community structure, food webs, and carbon flow will be assessed through a mixture of SCUBA diving and video surveys. Broader impacts include the training of graduate students and a postdoctoral researcher, as well as numerous informal public education activities including lectures, presentations to K-12 groups, and a variety of social media-based outreach. Macroalgal communities are more abundance and diverse to the north along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, perhaps due to the greater light availability that is associated with shorter period of sea-ice cover. This project will determine the causes and community level consequence of this variation in algal community structure. First, satellite data on sea ice extent and water turbidity will be used to select study sites between 64 S and 69 S where the extent of annual sea ice cover is the primary factor influencing subsurface light levels. Then, variations in macroalgal cover across these study sites will be determined by video line-transect surveys conducted by SCUBA divers. The health, growth, and physiological status of species found at the different sites will be determined by quadrat sampling. The relative importance of macroalgal-derived carbon to the common invertebrate consumers in the foodweb will be assessed with stable isotope and fatty acid biomarker techniques. This will reveal how variation in macroalgal abundance and species composition across the sea ice cover gradient impacts sea floor community composition and carbon flow throughout the food web. In combination, this work will facilitate predictions of how the ongoing reductions in extent and duration of sea ice cover that is occurring in the region as a result of global climate change will impact the structure of nearshore benthic communities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Timing and Spatial Distribution of Antarctic Ice Sheet Growth and Sea-ice Formation across the Eocene-Oligocene Transition

1743643

2020-05-26

Passchier, Sandra

Major and trace element analyses of Eocene-Oligocene marine sediments from ODP Site 696, South Orkney Microcontinent	USAP-DC
Particle-size distributions of Eocene-Oligocene sediment from ODP Site 696, South Orkney Microcontinent	USAP-DC

Abstract (non-technical) Sea level rise is a problem of global importance and it is increasingly affecting the tens of millions of Americans living along coastlines. The melting of glaciers in mountain areas worldwide in response to global warming is a major cause of sea level rise and increases in nuisance coastal flooding. However, the world's largest land-based ice sheets are situated in the Polar Regions and their response under continued warming is very difficult to predict. One reason for this uncertainty is a lack of observations of ice behavior and melt under conditions of warming, as it is a relatively new global climate state lasting only a few generations so far. Researchers will investigate ice growth on Antarctica under past warm conditions using geological archives embedded in the layers of sand and mud under the sea floor near Antarctica. By peeling back at the layers beneath the seafloor investigators can read the history book of past events affecting the ice sheet. The Antarctic continent on the South Pole, carries the largest ice mass in the world. The investigator's findings will substantially improve scientists understanding of the response of ice sheets to global warming and its effect on sea level rise. Abstract (technical) The melt of land based ice is raising global sea levels with at present only minor contributions from polar ice sheets. However, the future role of polar ice sheets in climate change is one of the most critical uncertainties in predictions of sea level rise around the globe. The respective roles of oceanic and atmospheric greenhouse forcing on ice sheets are poorly addressed with recent measurements of polar climatology, because of the extreme rise in greenhouse forcing the earth is experiencing at this time. Data on the evolution of the West Antarctic ice sheet is particularly sparse. To address the data gap, researchers will reconstruct the timing and spatial distribution of Antarctic ice growth through the last greenhouse to icehouse climate transition around 37 to 33 Ma. They will collect sedimentological and geochemical data on core samples from a high-latitude paleoarchive to trace the shutdown of the chemical weathering system, the onset of glacial erosion, ice rafting, and sea ice development, as East and West Antarctic ice sheets coalesced in the Weddell Sea sector. Their findings will lead to profound increases in the understanding of the role of greenhouse forcing in ice sheet development and its effect on the global climate system. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Collaborative Research: Role of the Central Scotia Sea Floor and North Scotia Ridge in the Onset and Development of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current

1246111

2020-01-28

Dalziel, Ian W.; Lawver, Lawrence; Krissek, Lawrence

BAS Geological Collection: Central Scotia Sea (full data link not provided)	British Antarctic Survey
Nathaniel B Palmer NBP 1408	MGDS
South Georgia: SOG1, SOG2, SOG3	UNAVCO

Antarctic Notothenioid Fishes: Sentinel Taxa for Southern Ocean Warming

1444167

2019-12-04

Detrich, H. William

Expedition Data of LMG1604	R2R
E-MTAB-6759: RNA-seq across tissues in four Notothenioid species (Antarctic icefish)	Array Express
SRP047484 RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Notothenia coriiceps embryos	NCBI SRA
PRJNA531677: Sequencing Data for Daane et al. (2019)	NCBI BioProject
Expedition Data of LMG1605	R2R
S-BSST132: Assembled Transcriptomes for Berthelot et al. (2018)	BioStudies
PRJNA420419: Genome and Transcriptome Data for Kim et al. (2019) Blackfin Icefish Genome	NCBI BioProject
SRP118539: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Chaenocephalus aceratus Embryos	NCBI SRA
Transposable element sequences and genome sizes, refs 142597 to MF142757	NCBI GenBank
Full raw data set, computer code, and evolutionary trajectories for all species in Damsgaard et al. (2019)	GitHub
Histology-, CT-, ultrasound-, and MRI-scans (~2 TB) for Damsgaard et al. (2019)	eLife
Expedition Data of LMG1804	R2R
Expedition Data of LMG1603	R2R
Expedition Data of LMG1803	R2R
Assembled Contig Dat for Daane et al. (2019)	Zenodo
Expedition Data of LMG1805	R2R

Antarctic fish and their early developmental stages are an important component of the food web that sustains life in the cold Southern Ocean (SO) that surrounds Antarctica. They feed on smaller organisms and in turn are eaten by larger animals, including seals and killer whales. Little is known about how rising ocean temperatures will impact the development of Antarctic fish embryos and their growth after hatching. This project will address this gap by assessing the effects of elevated temperatures on embryo viability, on the rate of embryo development, and on the gene "toolkits" that respond to temperature stress. One of the two species to be studied does not produce red blood cells, a defect that may make its embryos particularly vulnerable to heat. The outcomes of this research will provide the public and policymakers with "real world" data that are necessary to inform decisions and design strategies to cope with changes in the Earth's climate, particularly with respect to protecting life in the SO. The project will also further the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists, including providing scientific training for undergraduate and graduate students, and of making scientific discoveries available to the general public. This includes the unique educational opportunity for undergraduates to participate in research in Antarctica and engaging the public in several ways, including the development of professionally-produced educational videos with bi-lingual closed captioning. Since the onset of cooling of the SO about 40 million years ago, evolution of Antarctic marine organisms has been driven by the development of cold temperatures. Because body temperatures of Antarctic fishes fall in a narrow range determined by their habitat (-1.9 to +2.0 C) they are particularly attractive models for understanding how organismal physiology and biochemistry have been shaped to maintain life in a cooling environment. The long-term objective of this project is to understand the capacities of Antarctic fishes to acclimatize and/or adapt to rapid oceanic warming through analysis of their underlying genetic "toolkits." This objective will be accomplished through three Specific Aims: 1) assessing the effects of elevated temperatures on gene expression during development of embryos; 2) examining the effects of elevated temperatures on embryonic morphology and on the temporal and spatial patterns of gene expression; and 3) evaluating the evolutionary mechanisms that have led to the loss of the red blood cell genetic program by the white-blooded fishes. Aims 1 and 2 will be investigated by acclimating experimental embryos of both red-blooded and white-blooded fish to elevated temperatures. Differential gene expression will be examined through the use of high throughput RNA sequencing. The temporal and spatial patterns of gene expression in the context of embryonic morphology (Aim 2) will be determined by microscopic analysis of embryos "stained" with (hybridized to) differentially expressed gene probes revealed by Aim 1; other developmental marker genes will also be used. The genetic lesions resulting from loss of red blood cells by the white-blooded fishes (Aim 3) will be examined by comparing genes and genomes in the two fish groups.

Collaborative Research: Evaluating Retreat in the Amundsen Sea Embayment: Assessing Controlling Processes, Uncertainties, and Projections

1443190

2019-09-16

Pollard, David; Parizek, Byron R.

No dataset link provided

Accurate reconstructions and predictions of glacier movement on timescales of human interest require a better understanding of available observations and the ability to model the key processes that govern ice flow. The fact that many of these processes are interconnected, are loosely constrained by data, and involve not only the ice, but also the atmosphere, ocean, and solid Earth, makes this a challenging endeavor, but one that is essential for Earth-system modeling and the resulting climate and sea-level forecasts that are provided to policymakers worldwide. Based on the amount of ice present in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and its ability to flow and/or melt into the ocean, its complete collapse would result in a global sea-level rise of 3.3 to 5 meters, making its stability and rate of change scientific questions of global societal significance. Whether or not a collapse eventually occurs, a better understanding of the potential West Antarctic contribution to sea level over the coming decades and centuries is necessary when considering the fate of coastal population centers. Recent observations of the Amundsen Sea Embayment of West Antarctica indicate that it is experiencing faster mass loss than any other region of the continent. At present, the long-term stability of this embayment is unknown, with both theory and observations suggesting that collapse is possible. This study is focused on this critical region. We will test an ice-sheet model against existing observations, improve treatment of key processes in the model, and make projections with uncertainty assessments. This is a three-year modeling study using the open-source Ice Sheet System Model in coordination with other models to improve projections of future sea-level change. Project goals are to: 1. hindcast the past two-to-three decades of evolution of the Amundsen Sea Embayment sector to determine controlling processes, incorporate and test parameterizations, and assess and improve model initialization, spinup, and performance; 2. improve the model by utilizing sensitivity studies with regional process-oriented models to create numerically efficient parameterizations for key sub-grid-scale processes; 3. project a range of likely evolutions of the Amundsen Sea Embayment sector and their respective contributions to sea level in the next several centuries; 4. attribute sources of errors in the hindcast and provide an assessment of the uncertainties in the projections, including a range of likely outcomes given various forcings and inclusion or omission of physical processes in the model. At present, the long-term stability of the Amundsen Sea Embayment is unknown, with both theory (the "marine ice sheet instability hypothesis") and observations (rapid thinning and grounding-line retreat approaching regions where the bed deepens inland) suggesting that collapse is possible. But incompletely understood physical processes (e.g., basal hydrology, rheology, and sliding; tidal effects; ice-ocean interaction along the shelf and within the grounding zone) and lack of resolution in basal topography datasets making the ultimate outcome uncertain. Thus, there is a pressing need for high-resolution simulations of this region that include numerical representations of controlling physical processes (many of which are applicable elsewhere) within a higher-order ice-sheet model capable of assimilating recent observations and providing uncertainty analyses associated with model and data limitations. By focusing on the Amundsen Sea Embayment as a connected region across the 10-10,000-meter scales using a hierarchy of one, two, and three-dimensional models along with the sensitivity analysis tools built into the Ice Sheet System Model, this project aims to produce (1) the most reliable results to date when compared with studies that consider only one ice stream or the entire ice sheet and (2) estimates of differing dynamic responses arising from errors in data, model parameterizations, and forcings. Given the uncertainties, the project will produce a range of predictions with characteristic trends that can be recognized within future observational data sets. As new data become available, some predicted rates of change could be culled from the predictive paths generated by this study.

Collaborative Research: High-resolution Reconstruction of Holocene Deglaciation in the Southern Ross Embayment

1443248
1443346

2019-09-05

Hall, Brenda; Stone, John

Cosmogenic nuclide data from glacial deposits along the Liv Glacier coast	USAP-DC
Ice-D Antarctic Cosmogenic Nuclide database - site MAASON	ICE-D
Ice-D Antarctic Cosmogenic Nuclide database - site DUNCAN	ICE-D
Liv and Amundsen Glacier Radiocarbon Data	USAP-DC

The response of the Antarctic Ice Sheet to future climatic changes is recognized as the greatest uncertainty in projections of future sea level. An understanding of past ice fluctuations affords insight into ice-sheet response to climate and sea-level change and thus is critical for improving sea-level predictions. This project will examine deglaciation of the southern Ross Sea over the past few thousand years to document oscillations in Antarctic ice volume during a period of relatively stable climate and sea level. We will help quantify changes in ice volume, improve understanding of the ice dynamics responsible, and examine the implications for future sea-level change. The project will train future scientists through participation of graduate students, as well as undergraduates who will develop research projects in our laboratories. Previous research indicates rapid Ross Sea deglaciation as far south as Beardmore Glacier early in the Holocene epoch (which began approximately 11,700 years before present), followed by more gradual recession. However, deglaciation in the later half of the Holocene remains poorly constrained, with no chronological control on grounding-line migration between Beardmore and Scott Glaciers. Thus, we do not know if mid-Holocene recession drove the grounding line rapidly back to its present position at Scott Glacier, or if the ice sheet withdrew gradually in the absence of significant climate forcing or eustatic sea level change. The latter possibility raises concerns for future stability of the Ross Sea grounding line. To address this question, we will map and date glacial deposits on coastal mountains that constrain the thinning history of Liv and Amundsen Glaciers. By extending our chronology down to the level of floating ice at the mouths of these glaciers, we will date their thinning history from glacial maximum to present, as well as migration of the Ross Sea grounding line southwards along the Transantarctic Mountains. High-resolution dating will come from Beryllium-10 surface-exposure ages of erratics collected along elevation transects, as well as Carbon-14 dates of algae within shorelines from former ice-dammed ponds. Sites have been chosen specifically to allow close comparison of these two dating methods, which will afford constraints on Antarctic Beryllium-10 production rates.

Collaborative Research: Cobalamin and Iron Co-Limitation Of Phytoplankton Species in Terra Nova Bay

1644073
1643684

2019-08-08

DiTullio, Giacomo; Lee, Peter

Algal pigment concentrations from the Ross Sea	USAP-DC
Biogenic silica concentrations from the Ross Sea	USAP-DC
NBP1801 Expedition data	R2R
Nutrients from NBP18-01 CICLOPS	USAP-DC

Phytoplankton blooms in the coastal waters of the Ross Sea, Antarctica are typically dominated by either diatoms or Phaeocystis Antarctica (a flagellated algae that often can form large colonies in a gelatinous matrix). The project seeks to determine if an association of bacterial populations with Phaeocystis antarctica colonies can directly supply Phaeocystis with Vitamin B12, which can be an important co-limiting micronutrient in the Ross Sea. The supply of an essential vitamin coupled with the ability to grow at lower iron concentrations may put Phaeocystis at a competitive advantage over diatoms. Because Phaeocystis cells can fix more carbon than diatoms and Phaeocystis are not grazed as efficiently as diatoms, the project will help in refining understanding of carbon dynamics in the region as well as the basis of the food web webs. Such understanding also has the potential to help refine predictive ecological models for the region. The project will conduct public outreach activities and will contribute to undergraduate and graduate research. Engagement of underrepresented students will occur during summer student internships. A collaboration with Italian Antarctic researchers, who have been studying the Terra Nova Bay ecosystem since the 1980s, aims to enhance the project and promote international scientific collaborations. The study will test whether a mutualistic symbioses between attached bacteria and Phaeocystis provides colonial cells a mechanism for alleviating chronic Vitamin B12 co-limitation effects thereby conferring them with a competitive advantage over diatom communities. The use of drifters in a time series study will provide the opportunity to track in both space and time a developing algal bloom in Terra Nova Bay and to determine community structure and the physiological nutrient status of microbial populations. A combination of flow cytometry, proteomics, metatranscriptomics, radioisotopic and stable isotopic labeling experiments will determine carbon and nutrient uptake rates and the role of bacteria in mitigating potential vitamin B12 and iron limitation. Membrane inlet and proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry will also be used to estimate net community production and release of volatile organic carbon compounds that are climatically active. Understanding how environmental parameters can influence microbial community dynamics in Antarctic coastal waters will advance an understanding of how changes in ocean stratification and chemistry could impact the biogeochemistry and food web dynamics of Southern Ocean ecosystems.

Collaborative Research: Polynyas in Coastal Antarctica (PICA): Linking Physical Dynamics to Biological Variability

1643735
1643901
2021245

2019-08-07

Zhang, Weifeng; Ji, Rubao; Jenouvrier, Stephanie; Maksym, Edward; Li, Yun

Dynamic fine-scale sea-icescape shapes adult emperor penguin foraging habitat in East Antarctica	USAP-DC
Monthly Stratification Climatology (1978-2021) in Antarctic Coastal Polynyas	USAP-DC

During winter, sea-ice coverage along the Antarctic coast is punctuated by numerous polynyas--isolated openings of tens to hundreds of kilometer wide. These coastal polynyas are hotspots of sea ice production and the primary source regions of the bottom water in the global ocean. They also host high levels of biological activities and are the feeding grounds of Emperor penguins and marine mammals. The polynyas are a key component of the Antarctic coastal system and crucial for the survival of penguins and many other species. These features also differ dramatically from each other in timing of formation, duration, phytoplankton growth season, and overall biological productivity. Yet, the underlying reasons for differences among them are largely unknown. This project studies the fundamental biophysical processes at a variety of polynyas, examines the connection between the physical environment and the phytoplankton and penguin ecology, and investigates the mechanisms behind polynya variability. The results of this interdisciplinary study will provide a context for interpretation of field measurements in Antarctic coastal polynyas, set a baseline for future polynya studies, and examine how polynya ecosystems may respond to local and large-scale environmental changes. The project will include educational and outreach activities that convey scientific messages to a broad audience. It aims to increase public awareness of the interconnection between large-scale environmental change and Antarctic coastal systems. The main objectives of this study are to form a comprehensive understanding of the temporal and spatial variability of Antarctic coastal polynyas and the physical controls of polynya ecosystems. The project takes an interdisciplinary approach and seeks to establish a modeling system centered on the Regional Ocean Modeling System. This system links the ice and ocean conditions to the plankton ecology and penguin population. Applications of the modeling system in representative polynyas, in conjunction with analysis of existing observations, will determine the biophysical influences of individual forcing factors. In particular, this study will test a set of hypothesized effects of winds, offshore water intrusion, ice-shelf melting, sea-ice formation, glacier tongues, and ocean stratification on the timing of polynya phytoplankton bloom and the overall polynya biological productivity. The project will also examine how changing polynya state affects penguin breeding success, adult survival, and population growth. The team will conduct idealized sensitivity analysis to explore implications of forcing variability, including local and large-scale environmental change, on Antarctic coastal ecosystems.

Collaborative Research: Determining Factors Affecting Distribution and Population Variability of the Ice-obligate Weddell Seal

1543311
1543230
1543003
1542791

2019-08-02

LaRue, Michelle; Stamatiou, Kostas

Counting seals from space tutorial	Publication
Fast Ice Tool	GitHub
Weddell seals habitat suitability model for the Ross Sea	GitHub
ContinentalWESEestimates	GitHub

The Weddell seal is the southern-most mammal in the world, having a circumpolar distribution around Antarctica; the McMurdo Sound population in Antarctica is one of the best-studied mammal populations on earth. However, despite this, an understanding of how populations around the continent will fare under climate change is poorly understood. A complicating matter is the potential effects of a commercial enterprise in the Antarctic: a fishery targeting toothfish, which are important prey for Weddell seals. Although the species is easily detected and counted during the breeding season, no reliable estimates of continent-wide Weddell seal numbers exist, due to the logistic difficulties of surveying vast regions of Antarctica. Large-scale estimates are needed to understand how seal populations are responding to the fishery and climate change, because these drivers of change operate at scales larger than any single population, and may affect seals differently in different regions of the continent. We will take advantage of the ease of detectability of darkly colored seals when they the on ice to develop estimates of abundance from satellite images. This project will generate baseline data on the global distribution and abundance of Weddell seals around the Antarctic and will link environmental variables to population changes to better understand how the species will fare as their sea ice habitat continues to change. These results will help disentangle the effects of climate change and fishery operations, results that are necessary for appropriate international policy regarding fishery catch limits, impacts on the environment, and the value of marine protected areas. The project will also further the NSF goals of training new generations of scientists and of making scientific discoveries available to the general public. It will engage "arm-chair" scientists of all ages through connections with several non-governmental organizations and the general public. Anyone with access to the internet, including people who are physically unable to participate in field research directly, can participate in this project while simultaneously learning about multiple aspects of polar ecology through the project's interactive website. Specifically, this research project will: 1) Quantify the distribution of Weddell seals around Antarctica and 2) Determine the impact of environmental variables (such as fast ice extent, ocean productivity, bathymetry) on habitat suitability and occupancy. To do this, the project will crowd-source counting of seals on high-resolution satellite images via a commercial citizen science platform. Variation in seal around the continent will then be related to habitat variables through generalized linear models. Specific variables, such as fast ice extent will be tested to determine their influence on population variability through both space and time. The project includes a rigorous plan for ensuring quality control in the dataset including ground truth data from other, localized projects concurrently funded by the National Science Foundation's Antarctic Science Program.

RAPID: Collaborative Research: Marine Ecosystem Response to the Larsen C Ice-Shelf Breakout: "Time zero"

1822256
1822289

2019-05-15

Vernet, Maria; Smith, Craig

Yoyo camera survey transects, King George Island and Bransfield Strait	USAP-DC
CTD stations and logs for Araon 2018 ANA08D expedition to Larson C	USAP-DC

Marine ecosystems under large ice shelves are thought to contain sparse, low-diversity plankton and seafloor communities due the low supply of food from productive sunlight waters. Past studies have shown sub-ice shelf ecosystems to change in response to altered oceanographic processes resulting from ice-shelve retreat. However, information on community changes and ecosystem structure under ice shelves are limited because sub-ice-shelf ecosystems have either been sampled many years after ice-shelf breakout, or have been sampled through small boreholes, yielding extremely limited spatial information. The recent breakout of the A-68 iceberg from the Larsen C ice shelf in the western Weddell Sea provides an opportunity to use a ship-based study to evaluate benthic communities and water column characteristics in an area recently vacated by a large overlying ice shelf. The opportunity will allow spatial assessments at the time of transition from an under ice-shelf environment to one initially exposed to conditions more typical of a coastal Antarctic marine setting. This RAPID project will help determine the state of a coastal Antarctic ecosystem newly exposed from ice-shelf cover and will aid in understanding of rates of community change during transition. The project will conduct a 10-day field program, allowing contrasts to be made of phytoplankton and seafloor megafaunal communities in areas recently exposed by ice-shelf loss to areas exposed for many decades. The project will be undertaken in a collaborative manner with the South Korean Antarctic Agency, KOPRI, by participating in a cruise in March/May 2018. Combining new information in the area of Larsen C with existing observations after the Larsen A and B ice shelf breakups further to the north, the project is expected to generate a dataset that can elucidate fundamental processes of planktonic and benthic community development in transition from food-poor to food-rich ecosystems. The project will provide field experience to two graduate students, a post-doctoral associate and an undergraduate student. Material from the project will be incorporated into graduate courses and the project will communicate daily work and unfolding events through social media and blogs while they explore this area of the world that is largely underexplored. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Seasonality, Summer Cooling, and Calibrating the Approach of the Icehouse in Late Eocene Antarctica

1543031

2019-04-23

Ivany, Linda; Lu, Zunli; Junium, Christopher; Samson, Scott

Oxygen isotope data from serially sampled Eocene bivalves from the La Meseta Fm., Seymour Island, Antarctica	USAP-DC
NetCDF outputs from middle Eocene climate simulation using the GENESIS global circulation model	USAP-DC
Organic carbon isotope data from serially sampled Eocene driftwood from the La Meseta Fm., Seymour	USAP-DC

In order to understand what environmental conditions might look like for future generations, we need to turn to archives of past times when the world was indeed warmer, before anyone was around to commit them to collective memory. The geologic record of Earth's past offers a glimpse of what could be in store for the future. Research by Ivany and her team looks to Antarctica during a time of past global warmth to see how seasonality of temperature and rainfall in coastal settings are likely to change in the future. They will use the chemistry of fossils (a natural archive of these variables) to test a provocative hypothesis about near-monsoonal conditions in the high latitudes when the oceans are warm. If true, we can expect high-latitude shipping lanes to become more hazardous and fragile marine ecosystems adapted to constant cold temperatures to suffer. With growing information about how human activities are likely to affect the planet in the future, we will be able to make more informed decisions about policies today. This research involves an international team of scholars, including several women scientists, training of graduate students, and a public museum exhibit to educate children about how we study Earth's ancient climate and what we can learn from it. Antarctica is key to an understanding how Earth?s climate system works under conditions of elevated CO2. The poles are the most sensitive regions on the planet to climate change, and the equator-to-pole temperature gradient and the degree to which high-latitude warming is amplified are important components for climate models to capture. Accurate proxy data with good age control are therefore critical for testing numerical models and establishing global patterns. The La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island is the only documented marine section from the globally warm Eocene Epoch exposed in outcrop on the continent; hence its climate record is integral to studies of warming. Early data suggest the potential for strongly seasonal precipitation and runoff in coastal settings. This collaboration among paleontologists, geochemists, and climate modelers will test this using seasonally resolved del-18O data from fossil shallow marine bivalves to track the evolution of seasonality through the section, in combination with independent proxies for the composition of summer precipitation (leaf wax del-D) and local seawater (clumped isotopes). The impact of the anticipated salinity stratification on regional climate will be evaluated in the context of numerical climate model simulations. In addition to providing greater clarity on high-latitude conditions during this time of high CO2, the combination of proxy and model results will provide insights about how Eocene warmth may have been maintained and how subsequent cooling came about. As well, a new approach to the analysis of shell carbonates for 87Sr/86Sr will allow refinements in age control so as to allow correlation of this important section with other regions to clarify global climate gradients. The project outlined here will develop new and detailed paleoclimate records from existing samples using well-tuned as well as newer proxies applied here in novel ways. Seasonal extremes are climate parameters generally inaccessible to most studies but critical to an understanding of climate change; these are possible to resolve in this well-preserved, accretionary-macrofossil-bearing section. This is an integrated study that links marine and terrestrial climate records for a key region of the planet across the most significant climate transition in the Cenozoic.

Protein Folding and Embryogenesis in Antarctic Fishes: A Comparative Approach to Environmental Stress

1247510

2019-04-08

Detrich, H. William

SRA091269: Notothenia coriiceps RNA Raw Sequence Reads	NCBI SRA
SRP047484: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Notothenia coriiceps Embryos	NCBI SRA
S-BSST 132: Assembled Transcriptomes for Berthelot et al. (2018)	BioStudies
E-MTAB-6759: RNA-seq across tissues in four Notothenioid species (Antarctic icefish)	Array Express
PRJNA420419: Chaenocephalus aceratus Genome sequencing	NCBI BioProject
Expedition Data	R2R
PRJNA66471: Notothenia coriiceps Genome Sequencing Notothenia coriiceps isolate:Sejong01 (black rockcod)	NCBI BioProject
SRP118539: RAD-tag Sequences of Genetically Mapped Chaenocephalus aceratus Embryos	NCBI SRA
Expedition data of LMG1004	R2R
Expedition data of LMG1003	R2R
Expedition Data	R2R

Since the advent of Antarctic continental glaciation, the opening of the Drake Passage between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula, and the onset of cooling of the Southern Ocean ~40-25 million years ago, evolution of the Antarctic marine biota has been driven by the development of extreme cold temperatures. As circum-Antarctic coastal temperatures declined during this period from ~20°C to the modern ?1.9 to +2.0°C (reached ~8-10 million years ago), the psychrophilic (cold-loving) ectotherms of the Southern Ocean evolved compensatory molecular, cellular, and physiological traits that enabled them to maintain normal metabolic function at cold temperatures. Today, these organisms are threatened by rapid warming of the Southern Ocean over periods measured in centuries (as much as 5°C/100 yr), a timeframe so short that re-adaptation and/or acclimatization to the ?new warm? may not be possible. Thus, the long-term goals of this research project are: 1) to understand the biochemical and physiological capacities of the embryos of Antarctic notothenioid fish to resist or compensate for rapid oceanic warming; and 2) to assess the genetic toolkit available to support the acclimatization and adaptation of Antarctic notothenioid embryos to their warming habitat. The specific aims of this work are: 1) to determine the capacity of the chaperonin complex of notothenioid fishes to assist protein folding at temperatures between ?4 and +20°C; and 2) to evaluate the genetic responses of notothenioid embryos, measured as global differential gene transcription, to temperature challenge, with ?1.9°C as the ?normal? control and +4 and +10°C as high temperature insults. The physiology of embryonic development of marine stenotherms under future climate change scenarios is an important but understudied problem. This project will provide valuable insights into the capacity of Antarctic fish embryos to acclimatize and adapt to plausible climate change scenarios by examining multiple levels of biological organization, from the biochemical to the organismal. The results should also be broadly applicable to understanding the impact of global warming on marine biota worldwide. The research will also introduce graduate and REU undergraduate students to state-of-the-art biochemical, cellular, and molecular-biological research relevant to ecological and environmental issues of the Antarctic marine ecosystem.

Methylmercury in Antarctic Krill Microbiomes

1543412

2019-03-31

Schaefer, Jeffra; Reinfelder, John; Barkar, T.

Microbial gene libraries of krill gut microbial communities	NCBI GenBank
16S rRNA gene libraries of krill gut microbial communities	USAP-DC

Marine food webs can concentrate monomethylmercury (MMHg), a neurotoxin in mammals, in upper trophic level consumers. Despite their remoteness, coastal Antarctic marine ecosystems accumulate and biomagnify MMHg to levels observed at lower latitudes and in the Arctic. Marine sediments and other anoxic habitats in the oceans are typical areas where methylation of mercury occurs and these are likely places where MMHg is being produced. Krill, and more specifically their digestive tracts, may be a previously unaccounted for site where the production of MMHg may be occurring in the Antarctic. If monomethylmercury production is occurring in krill, current views regarding bioaccumulation in the food web and processes leading to the production and accumulation of mercury in the Antarctic Ocean could be better informed, if not transformed. This project will conduct a preliminary assessment of the krill gut microbiomes, the microbiome's genomic content and potential for production of monomethyl mercury by detecting the genes involved in mercury transformations. By analyzing the krill gut microbiome, the project will provide insights regarding animal-microbe interactions and their potential role in globally important biogeochemical cycles. This project will conduct a preliminary assessment of the krill gut microbiomes, the microbiomes genomic content and potential for production of monomethylmercury. The diversity and metabolic profiles of microorganisms in krill digestive tracts will be evaluated using massively parallel Illumina DNA sequencing technology to produce 16S rRNA gene libraries and assembled whole metagenomes. The project will also quantify the abundance and expression of Hg methylation genes, hgcAB, and identify their taxonomic affiliations in the microbiome communities. Environmental metagenomes, 16S rRNA gene inventories produced from this project will provide the polar science community with valuable databases and experimental tools with which to examine coastal Antarctic microbial ecology and biogeochemistry. The project will seek to provide a wider window into the diversity of extremophile microbial communities and the identification of potentially unique and useful bioactive compounds. In addition to public education and outreach. This project will train graduate students and provide educational and outreach opportunities at the participating institutions

Collaborative Research: The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - continuing

1341339
1341333

2019-03-05

Amsler, Charles; Baker, Bill; McClintock, James

Raw gastropod collection data from Amsler et al. 2022 Antarctic Science	USAP-DC
Plocamium reproductive system data and R code	USAP-DC
Plocamium cartilagineum field chemotyping	USAP-DC
Data from Amsler et al. 2019 Antarctic Science	USAP-DC
Synoicum adareanum sampling underwater video Mar 2011 Palmer Station Antarctica	Dryad
Plocamium transect and transplant data	USAP-DC
The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - 2010 experimental data	USAP-DC
The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - 2011 Clad Outplant	USAP-DC
The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - 2013 Chemo Phylo data	USAP-DC
The Chemical Ecology of Shallow-water Marine Macroalgae and Invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula - 2010 field data	USAP-DC
Supplementary information provided with Murray et al.: Discovery of an Antarctic ascidian-associated uncultivated Verrucomicrobia with antimelanoma palmerolide biosynthetic potential	Dryad

The coastal environments of the western Antarctic Peninsula harbor rich assemblages of marine animals and algae. The importance of the interactions between these groups of organisms in the ecology of coastal Antarctica are well known and often mediated by chemical defenses in the tissues of the algae. These chemicals are meant to deter feeding by snails and other marine animals making the Antarctic Peninsula an excellent place to ask important questions about the functional and evolutionary significance of chemical compound diversity for marine communities. This project will focus on three main objectives: the first objective is to expand the current understanding of the relationship between algae and their associated marine animals. The second objective focuses on the diversity of chemical compounds used to defend algae from being consumed. The third objective seeks to understand how marine animals can benefit from these compounds by consuming the algae that contain them, and then using those compounds to chemically deter predators. The field components of this research will be performed during three expeditions to the US Palmer Station, Antarctica. During these expeditions, a variety of laboratory feeding bioassays, manipulative field and laboratory experiments, and on-site chemical analyses will be performed. The investigators will also foster opportunities to integrate their NSF research with a variety of educational activities. As in the past they will support undergraduate research, both through NSF programs as well as home, university-based, programs, and they will also continue to support and foster graduate education. Through their highly successful University of Alabama in Antarctica interactive web program (two time recipient of awards of excellence from the US Council for Advancement and Support of Education), they will continue to involve large numbers of teachers, K-12 students, and other members of the community at large in their scientific endeavors in Antarctica. In addition, the investigators have hosted K-12 teachers on their Antarctic field teams through the former NSF Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic program and will pursue participation in PolarTREC, the successor to this valuable program. Moreover, they will actively participate in outreach efforts by presenting numerous talks on their research to local school and community groups. The near shore environments of the western Antarctic Peninsula harbor rich assemblages of macroalgae and macroinvertebrates. The importance of predator-prey interactions and chemical defenses in mediating community-wide trophic interactions makes the western Antarctic Peninsula an excellent place to ask important questions about the functional and evolutionary significance of defensive compound diversity for marine communities. This project will focus on three main objectives which are a direct outcome of the past studies of the chemical ecology of shallow-water marine macroalgae and invertebrates on the Antarctic Peninsula by this group of investigators. The first objective is to expand the current understanding of a community-wide mutualism between macroalgae and their associated amphipods to include gastropods, which are also abundant on many macroalgae. The second objective focuses on the diversity of chemical compounds used to defend macroalgae from being consumed, particularly in the common red alga Plocamium cartilagineum. The third objective seeks to understand the relationship between P. cartilagineum and the amphipod Paradexamine fissicauda, including the ecological benefits and costs to P. fissicauda resulting from the ability to consume P. cartilagineum and other chemically defended red algae. The investigators will focus on the costs and benefits related to the ability of P. fissicauda to sequester defensive compounds from the alga P. cartilagineum and use those chemicals to defend itself from predation. The field components of this research will be performed during three expeditions to Palmer Station, Antarctica. During these expeditions, a variety of laboratory feeding bioassays, manipulative field and laboratory experiments, and on-site chemical analyses will be performed. Phylogenetic analyses, detailed secondary metabolite chemical analyses and purifications, and other data analyses will also be performed at the investigators' home institutions between and after their field seasons.

Collaborative Research: RAPID/Workshop- Antarctic Ecosystem Research following Ice Shelf Collapse and Iceberg Calving Events

1750630

2019-02-15

Smith, Craig

No dataset link provided

Worldwide publicity surrounding the calving of an iceberg the size of Delaware in July 2017 from the Larsen C Ice Shelf on the eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula presents a unique and time-sensitive opportunity for research and education on polar ecosystems in a changing climate. The goal of this project was to convene a workshop, drawing from the large fund of intellectual capital in the US and international Antarctic research communities. The two-day workshop was designed to bring scientists with expertise in Antarctic biological, ecological, and ecosystem sciences to Florida State University to share knowledge, identify important research knowledge gaps, and outline strategic plans for research. Major outcomes from the project were as follows. The international workshop to share and review knowledge concerning the response of Antarctic ecosystems to ice-shelf collapse was held at the Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory (FSUCML) on 18-19 November 2017. Thirty-eight U.S. and international scientists attended the workshop, providing expertise in biological, ecological, geological, biogeographical, and glaciological sciences. Twenty-six additional scientists were either not able to attend or were declined because of having reached maximum capacity of the venue or for not responding to our invitation before the registration deadline. The latest results of ice-shelf research were presented, providing an overview of the current scientific knowledge and understanding of the biological, ecological, geological and cryospheric processes associated with ice-shelf collapse and its ecosystem-level consequences. In addition, several presentations focused on future plans to investigate the impacts of the recent Larsen C collapse. The following presentations were given at the meeting: 1) Cryospheric dynamics and ice-shelf collapse – past and future (M. Truffer, University of Alaska, Fairbanks) 2) The geological history and geological impacts of ice-shelf collapse on the Antarctic Peninsula (Scottt Ishman, Amy Leventer) 3) Pelagic ecosystem responses to ice-shelf collapse (Mattias Cape, Amy Leventer) 4) Benthic ecosystem response to ice-shelf collapse (Craig Smith, Pavica Sršen, Ann Vanreusel) 5) Larsen C and biotic homogenization of the benthos (Richard Aronson, James McClintock, Kathryn Smith, Brittany Steffel) 6) British Antarctic Survey: plans for Larsen C investigations early 2018 and in the future (Huw Griffiths) 7) Feedback on the workshop “Climate change impacts on marine ecosystems: implications for management of living resources and conservation” held 19-22 September 2017, Cambridge, UK (Alex Rogers) 8) Past research activities and plans for Larsen field work by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Germany (Charlotte Havermans, Dieter Piepenburg. One of the salient points emerging from the presentations and ensuing discussions was that, given our poor abilities to predict ecological outcomes of ice-shelf collapses, major cross-disciplinary efforts are needed on a variety of spatial and temporal scales to achieve a broader, predictive understanding of ecosystem consequences of climatic warming and ice-shelf failure. As part of the workshop, the FSUCML Polar Academy Team—Dr. Emily Dolan, Dr. Heidi Geisz, Barbara Shoplock, and Dr. Jeroen Ingels—initiated AntICE: "Antarctic Influences of Climate Change on Ecosystems" (AntICE). They reached out to various groups of school children in the local area (and continue to do so). The AntICE Team have been interacting with these children at Wakulla High School and Wakulla Elementary in Crawfordville; children from the Cornerstone Learning Community, Maclay Middle School, Gilchrist Elementary, and the School of Arts and Sciences in Tallahassee; and the Tallahassee-area homeschooling community to educate them about Antarctic ecosystems and ongoing climate change. The underlying idea was to make the children aware of climatic changes in the Antarctic and their effect on ecosystems so they, in turn, can spread this knowledge to their communities, family and friends – acting as ‘Polar Ambassadors’. We collaborated with the Polar-ICE project, an NSF-funded educational project that established the Polar Literacy Initiative. This program developed the Polar Literacy Principles, which outline essential concepts to improve public understanding of Antarctic and Arctic ecosystems. In the Polar Academy work, we used the Polar Literacy principles, the Polar Academy Team’s own Antarctic scientific efforts, and the experience of the FSU outreach and education program to engage with the children. We focused on the importance of Antarctic organisms and ecosystems, the uniqueness of its biota and the significance of its food webs, as well as how all these are changing and will change further with climate change. Using general presentations, case studies, scientific methodology, individual experiences, interactive discussions and Q&A sessions, the children were guided through the many issues Antarctic ecosystems are facing. Over 300 'Polar ambassadors' attended the interactive lectures and afterwards took their creativity to high latitudes by creating welcome letters, displays, dioramas, sculptures, videos and online media to present at the scientific workshop. Over 50 projects were created by the children (Please see supporting files for images). We were also joined by a photographer, Ryan David Reines, to document the event. More information, media and links to online outreach products are available at https://marinelab.fsu.edu/labs/ingels/outreach/polar-academy/

Collaborative Research: Fjord Ecosystem Structure and Function on the West Antarctic Peninsula - Hotspots of Productivity and Biodiversity? (FjordEco)

1443733
1443680
1443705

2019-02-13

Winsor, Peter; Truffer, Martin; Smith, Craig; Powell, Brian; Merrifield, Mark; Vernet, Maria; Kohut, Josh

Andvord Bay sediment core data collected during the FjordEco project (LMG1510 and NBP1603)	USAP-DC
Fjord-Eco Sediment OrgC OrgN Data - Craig Smith	USAP-DC
Andvord Bay Glacier Timelapse	USAP-DC
LMG1510 Expedition data	R2R
Sediment macrofaunal abundance and family richness from inner Andvord Bay to the open continental shelf	USAP-DC
NBP1603 Expedition data	R2R
Expedition data of LMG1702	R2R
FjordEco Phytoplankton Ecology Dataset in Andvord Bay	USAP-DC
Expedition Data	R2R
Expedition Data	R2R

Marine communities along the western Antarctic Peninsula are highly productive ecosystems which support a diverse assemblage of charismatic animals such as penguins, seals, and whales as well as commercial fisheries such as that on Antarctic krill. Fjords (long, narrow, deep inlets of the sea between high cliffs) along the central coast of the Peninsula appear to be intense, potentially climate sensitive, hotspots of biological production and biodiversity, yet the structure and dynamics of these fjord ecosystems are very poorly understood. Because of this intense biological activity and the charismatic fauna it supports, these fjords are also major destinations for a large Antarctic tourism industry. This project is an integrated field and modeling program to evaluate physical oceanographic processes, glacial inputs, water column community dynamics, and seafloor bottom community structure and function in these important yet little understood fjord systems. These Antarctic fjords have characteristics that are substantially different from well-studied Arctic fjords, likely yielding much different responses to climate warming. This project will provide major new insights into the dynamics and climate sensitivity of Antarctic fjord ecosystems, highlighting contrasts with Arctic sub-polar fjords, and potentially transforming our understanding of the ecological role of fjords in the rapidly warming west Antarctic coastal marine landscape. The project will also further the NSF goal of training new generations of scientists, providing scientific training for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students. This includes the unique educational opportunity for undergraduates to participate in research cruises in Antarctica and the development of a novel summer graduate course on fjord ecosystems. Internet based outreach activities will be enhanced and extended by the participation of a professional photographer who will produce magazine articles, websites, radio broadcasts, and other forms of public outreach on the fascinating Antarctic ecosystem. This project will involve a 15-month field program to test mechanistic hypotheses concerning oceanographic and glaciological forcing, and phytoplankton and benthic community response in the Antarctic fjords. Those efforts will be followed by a coupled physical/biological modeling effort to evaluate the drivers of biogeochemical cycles in the fjords and to explore their potential sensitivity to enhanced meltwater and sediment inputs. Fieldwork over two oceanographic cruises will utilize moorings, weather stations, and glacial, sea-ice and seafloor time-lapse cameras to obtain an integrated view of fjord ecosystem processes. The field team will also make multiple shipboard measurements and will use towed and autonomous underwater vehicles to intensively evaluate fjord ecosystem structure and function during spring/summer and autumn seasons. These integrated field and modeling studies are expected to elucidate fundamental properties of water column and sea bottom ecosystem structure and function in the fjords, and to identify key physical-chemical-glaciological forcing in these rapidly warming ecosystems.

Collaborative Research: Assessing the Global Climate Response to Melting of the Antarctic Ice Sheet

1443394
1443347

2019-02-04

Pollard, David; Condron, Alan; DeConto, Robert

Simulated changes in Southern Ocean salinity	USAP-DC
Future climate response to Antarctic Ice Sheet melt caused by anthropogenic warming	USAP-DC
Antarctic Ice Sheet simulations for role of freshwater in future warming scenarios	USAP-DC

There is compelling historical evidence that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is vulnerable to rapid retreat and collapse. Recent observations, compared to observations made 20-30 years before, indicate that both ice shelves (thick ice with ocean below) and land ice (thick ice with land below), are now melting at a much faster rate. Some numerical models suggest that significant ice retreat may begin within many of our lifetimes, starting with the abrupt collapse of Pine Island and Thwaites Glaciers in the next 50 years. This may be followed by retreat of much of the WAIS and then the collapse of parts of the East Antarctic ice sheet (EAIS). This research project will assess the extent to which global ocean circulation and climate will be impacted if enormous volumes of fresh water and ice flow into the Southern Ocean. It will establish whether a rapid collapse of WAIS in the near-future poses any significant threat to the stability of modern-day climate and human society. This is a topic that has so far received little attention as most prior research has focused on the response of climate to melting the Greenland ice sheet. Yet model simulations predict that the volumes of fresh water and ice released from Antarctica in the next few centuries could be up at least ten-times larger than from Greenland. The Intellectual Merit of this project stems from its ability to establish a link between the physical Antarctic system (ice sheet dynamics, fresh water discharge and iceberg calving) and global climate. The PIs (Principal Investigators) will assess the sensitivity of ocean circulation and climate to increased ice sheet melt using a combination of ocean, iceberg, ice sheet and climate models. Results from this study will help identify areas of the ice sheet that are vulnerable to collapse and also regions of the ocean where a significant freshening will have a considerable impact on climate, and serve to guide the deployment of an observational monitoring system capable of warning us when ice and fresh water discharge start to approach levels capable of disrupting ocean circulation and global climate. This project will support and train two graduate students, and each PI will be involved with local primary and secondary schools, making presentations, mentoring science fair projects, and contributing to curriculum development. A novel, web-based, interactive, cryosphere learning tool will be developed to help make school children more aware of the importance of the Polar Regions in global climate, and this software will be introduced to science teachers at a half day workshop organized by the UMass STEM Education Institute. Recent numerical simulations using a continental ice sheet/shelf model show the potential for more rapid and greater Antarctic ice sheet retreat in the next 50-300 years (under the full range of IPCC RCP (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Representative Concentration Pathways) future warming scenarios) than previously projected. Exactly how the release of enormous volumes of ice and fresh water to the Southern Ocean will impact global ocean circulation and climate has yet to be accurately assessed. This is in part because previous model simulations were too coarse to accurately resolve narrow coastal boundary currents, shelf breaks, fronts, and mesoscale eddies that are all very important for realistically simulating fresh water transport in the ocean. In this award, future projections of fresh water discharge and iceberg calving from Antarctic will be used to force a high resolution eddy-resolving ocean model (MITgcm) coupled to a new iceberg module and a fully-coupled global climate model (CCSM4). High resolution ocean/iceberg simulations will determine the role of mesoscale eddies in freshwater transport and give new insight into how fresh water is advected to far-field locations, including deep water formation sites in the North Atlantic. These simulations will provide detailed information about subsurface temperatures and changes in ocean circulation close to the ice front and grounding line. An accompanying set of fully coupled climate model simulations (NCAR CCSM4) will identify multidecadal-to-centennial changes in the climate system triggered by increased high-latitude Southern Ocean freshwater forcing. Particular attention will be given to changes in the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), wind stress, sea ice formation, and global temperatures. In doing so, this project will more accurately determine whether abrupt and potentially catastrophic changes in global climate are likely to be triggered by changes in the Antarctic system in the near-future.

A Preliminary Assessment of the Influence of Ice Cover on Microbial Carbon and Energy Acquisition during the Antarctic Winter-spring Seasonal Transition

1656344

2019-01-31

Bowman, Jeff

Western Antarctic Peninsula Marine Metatranscriptomes Sep 29 2018	NCBI SRA
Metadata accompanying BioProject SUB4579142	USAP-DC

Collaborative Research: Phytoplankton Phenology in the Antarctic: Drivers, Patterns, and Implications for the Adelie Penguin

1341440
1341558
1341547

2018-11-20

Jin, Meibing; Stroeve, Julienne; Ji, Rubao

Ice-ocean-ecosystem model output	USAP-DC
Sea ice chlorophyll concentrations in Antarctic coastal polynyas and seasonal ice zones	USAP-DC
Antarctic MIZ, Pack Ice and Polynya Maps from Passive Microwave Satellite Data	USAP-DC

The aim of study is to understand how climate-related changes in snow and ice affect predator populations in the Antarctic, using the Adélie penguin as a focal species due to its long history as a Southern Ocean 'sentinel' species and the number of long-term research programs monitoring its abundance, distribution, and breeding biology. Understanding the environmental factors that control predator population dynamics is critically important for projecting the state of populations under future climate change scenarios, and for designing better conservation strategies for the Antarctic ecosystem. For the first time, datasets from a network of observational sites for the Adélie penguin across the entire Antarctic will be combined and analyzed, with a focus on linkages among the ice environment, primary production, and the population responses of Adélie penguins. The project will also further the NSF goals of making scientific discoveries available to the general public and of training new generations of scientists. The results of this project can be used to illustrate intuitively to the general public the complex interactions between ice, ocean, pelagic food web and top predators. This project also offers an excellent platform to demonstrate the process of climate-change science - how scientists simulate climate change scenarios and interpret model results. This project supports the training of undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of polar oceanography, plankton and seabird ecology, coupled physical-biological modeling and mathematical ecology. The results will be broadly disseminated to the general oceanographic research community through scientific workshops, conferences and peer-reviewed journal articles, and to undergraduate and graduate education communities, K-12 schools and organizations, and the interested public through web-based servers using existing infrastructure at the investigators' institutions. The key question to be addressed in this project is how climate impacts the timing of periodic biological events (phenology) and how interannual variation in this periodic forcing influences the abundance of penguins in the Antarctic. The focus will be on the timing of ice algae and phytoplankton blooms because the high seasonality of sea ice and associated pulsed primary productivity are major drivers of the Antarctic food web. This study will also examine the responses of Adélie penguins to changes in sea ice dynamics and ice algae-phytoplankton phenology. Adélie penguins, like many other Antarctic seabirds, are long-lived, upper trophic-level predators that integrate the effects of sea ice on the food web at regional scales, and thus serve as a reliable biological indicator of environmental changes. The proposed approach is designed to accommodate the limits of measuring and modeling the intermediate trophic levels between phytoplankton and penguins (e.g., zooplankton and fish) at the pan-Antarctic scale, which are important but latent variables in the Southern Ocean food web. Through the use of remotely sensed and in situ data, along with state of the art statistical approaches (e.g. wavelet analysis) and numerical modeling, this highly interdisciplinary study will advance our understanding of polar ecosystems and improve the projection of future climate change scenarios.

Tephrochronology of the WAIS Divide Ice Core: Linking Ice Cores through Volcanic Records

1142115

2018-06-10

Dunbar, Nelia

No data submitted yet, but submission to Antarctic tephra database is planned

in progress

Dunbar/1142115 This award supports a project to investigate the extremely rich volcanic record in the WAIS Divide ice core as part of this ongoing tephrochronology research in Antarctica. Ice cores in Polar Regions offer unparalleled records of earth's climate over the past 500,000 years. Accurate chronology of individual ice cores and chronological correlations between different ice cores is critically important to the interpretation of the climate record. The field of Antarctic tephrochronology has been progressing steadily, and is on the cusp of having a fully integrated tephra framework for large parts of the continent. Major advances in this field have been made due to the acquisition of a number of ice cores with strong volcanic records, improvement of analytical techniques and better characterization of source eruptions due in part to through studies of englacial tephra from several major blue ice areas. The intellectual merit of this work is that the tephrochonological studies will provide independently dated time-stratigraphic markers in the ice core, particularly for the deepest ice, linking tephra layers between the WAIS Divide core and the Siple Dome core which will allow detailed comparisons to be made of coastal and inland climate. It will also contribute to a better understanding of eruption magnitude, dispersal patterns and geochemical evolution of West Antarctic volcanoes. The work will also contribute to a new tephra dataset to the literature for use in future ice core studies. The broader impacts of this project fall into the areas of education, outreach and international cooperation. This project will employ one New Mexico Tech graduate student, but will also be featured in outreach programs for NMT undergraduates, as well as teacher and student groups and outreach for the general public in New Mexico. NMT is an Hispanic serving institution (25% Hispanic students) and also found by NSF to rank 15th nationwide in "baccalaureate-origin" institutions for doctoral recipients in science and engineering, thereby having a disproportionately large effect on producing Hispanic scientists and engineers. However, probably the most significant broader impact of this project will be the continued efforts of the PI in fostering and promoting of international cooperation in the tephra-in-ice community. Dunbar has been collaborating with European tephra researchers for a number of years, sharing data and working collaboratively on tephra correlations, and these activities have lead to, and will continue to promote, forward progress in integrating the Antarctic tephrochronology record. This proposal does not require field work in the Antarctic.

Collaborative Research in IPY: Abrupt Environmental Change in the Larsen Ice Shelf System, a Multidisciplinary Approach -- Cryosphere and Oceans

0732711
0732625
0732655
0732602
0732651
0732983

2018-02-01

Truffer, Martin; Gordon, Arnold; Huber, Bruce; Mosley-Thompson, Ellen; Leventer, Amy; Vernet, Maria; Smith, Craig; Thompson, Lonnie G.

Macrofauna Species Abundance Raw Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1001	USAP-DC
Processed CTD Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf near Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1203	USAP-DC
Biology Species Abundance from the Larsen Ice Shelf acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expeditions NBP1001 and NBP1203	MGDS
Abrupt Environmental Change in the Larsen Ice Shelf System (LARISSA) - Marine Ecosystems	USAP-DC
Bruce Plateau Accumulation O18 2009-1900	USAP-DC
Processed ship-based LADCP Sonar Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf in Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1001	USAP-DC
Radioisotope data (C-14 and Pb-210) from bulk sediments, Larsen A Ice Shelf	USAP-DC
Easten Antarctic Peninsula Surface Sediment Diatom Data	USAP-DC
Sediment samples (full data link not provided)	AMGRF
NBP1001 cruise data	R2R
LMG13-11 JKC-1 Paleoceanographic data	USAP-DC
NBP1203 cruise data	R2R
Processed ship-based LADCP Sonar Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf near Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1203	USAP-DC
Megafauna Species Abundance Raw Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1001	USAP-DC
Processed CTD Data from the Larsen Ice Shelf in Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1001	USAP-DC

Like no other region on Earth, the northern Antarctic Peninsula represents a spectacular natural laboratory of climate change and provides the opportunity to study the record of past climate and ecological shifts alongside the present-day changes in one of the most rapidly warming regions on Earth. This award supports the cryospheric and oceano-graphic components of an integrated multi-disciplinary program to address these rapid and fundamental changes now taking place in Antarctic Peninsula (AP). By making use of a marine research platform (the RV NB Palmer and on-board helicopters) and additional logistical support from the Argentine Antarctic program, the project will bring glaciologists, oceanographers, marine geologists and biologists together, working collaboratively to address fundamentally interdisciplinary questions regarding climate change. The project will include gathering a new, high-resolution paleoclimate record from the Bruce Plateau of Graham Land, and using it to compare Holocene- and possibly glacial-epoch climate to the modern period; investigating the stability of the remaining Larsen Ice Shelf and rapid post-breakup glacier response ? in particular, the roles of surface melt and ice-ocean interactions in the speed-up and retreat; observing the contribution of, and response of, oceanographic systems to ice shelf disintegration and ice-glacier interactions. Helicopter support on board will allow access to a wide range of glacial and geological areas of interest adjacent to the Larsen embayment. At these locations, long-term in situ glacial monitoring, isostatic uplift, and ice flow GPS sites will be established, and high-resolution ice core records will be obtained using previously tested lightweight drilling equipment. Long-term monitoring of deep water outflow will, for the first time, be integrated into changes in ice shelf extent and thickness, bottom water formation, and multi-level circulation by linking near-source observations to distal sites of concentrated outflow. The broader impacts of this international, multidisciplinary effort are that it will significantly advance our understanding of linkages amongst the earth's systems in the Polar Regions, and are proposed with international participation (UK, Spain, Belgium, Germany and Argentina) and interdisciplinary engagement in the true spirit of the International Polar Year (IPY). It will also provide a means of engaging and educating the public in virtually all aspects of polar science and the effects of ongoing climate change. The research team has a long record of involving undergraduates in research, educating high-performing graduate students, and providing innovative and engaging outreach products to the K-12 education and public media forums. Moreover, forging the new links both in science and international Antarctic programs will provide a continuing legacy, beyond IPY, of improved understanding and cooperation in Antarctica.

Collaborative Research: Totten Glacier System and the Marine Record of Cryosphere - Ocean Dynamics

1143834
1430550
1143836
1143833

2018-01-26

Orsi, Alejandro; Huber, Bruce; Leventer, Amy; Domack, Eugene Walter

NBP14-02 JPC-55 Bulk Sediment Carbon and Nitrogen data	USAP-DC
Near-bottom Videos from the Southern Ocean acquired during R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1402	USAP-DC
Bottom photos from the Southern Ocean acquired during R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1402	USAP-DC
NBP1402 Final CTD data	USAP-DC
NBP14-02 JPC-54 and JPC-55 Pollen Assemblage data	USAP-DC
AU1402 mooring data	USAP-DC
AU1402 Final UCTD data	USAP-DC
NBP1402 Final UCTD data	USAP-DC
NBP14-02 JPC-55 foraminifer assemblage data	USAP-DC
NBP1402 diatom data	USAP-DC
NBP1402 JPC43 Diatom Data	USAP-DC
NBP1402 Lowered ADCP data	USAP-DC
Sabrina Coast mooring data - sediment trap mooring 2014	USAP-DC

This project will investigate the marine component of the Totten Glacier and Moscow University Ice Shelf, East Antarctica. This system is of critical importance because it drains one-eighth of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet and contains a volume equivalent to nearly 7 meters of potential sea level rise, greater than the entire West Antarctic Ice Sheet. This nearly completely unexplored region is the single largest and least understood marine glacial system that is potentially unstable. Despite intense scrutiny of marine based systems in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, little is known about the Totten Glacier system. This study will add substantially to the meager oceanographic and marine geology and geophysics data available in this region, and will significantly advance understanding of this poorly understood glacial system and its potentially sensitive response to environmental change. Independent, space-based platforms indicate accelerating mass loss of the Totten system. Recent aerogeophysical surveys of the Aurora Subglacial Basin, which contains the deepest ice in Antarctica and drains into the Totten system, have provided the subglacial context for measured surface changes and show that the Totten Glacier has been the most significant drainage pathway for at least two previous ice flow regimes. However, the offshore context is far less understood. Limited physical oceanographic data from the nearby shelf/slope break indicate the presence of Modified Circumpolar Deep Water within a thick bottom layer at the mouth of a trough with apparent access to Totten Glacier, suggesting the possibility of sub-glacial bottom inflow of relatively warm water, a process considered to be responsible for West Antarctic Ice Sheet grounding line retreat. This project will conduct a ship-based marine geologic and geophysical survey of the region, combined with a physical oceanographic study, in order to evaluate both the recent and longer-term behavior of the glacial system and its relationship to the adjacent oceanographic system. This endeavor will complement studies of other Antarctic ice shelves, oceanographic studies near the Antarctic Peninsula, and ongoing development of ice sheet and other ocean models.

Resolving CO2 System Seasonality in the West Antarctic Peninsula with Autonomous Observations

1543380

2017-12-29

Shadwick, Elizabeth; Shadwick, Elizabeth

Expedition data of LMG1704	R2R
Expedition Data	R2R

Antarctic Cloud Physics: Fundamental Observations from Ross Island

1141939

2017-12-20

Lubin, Dan

Shortwave Spectroradiometer Data from Ross Island, Antarctica

USAP-DC

Collaborative Research: Microbial Community Assembly in Coastal Waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula

1141993

2017-06-15

Rich, Jeremy

Seasonal Succession of Bacterial Communities in Coastal Waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula

USAP-DC

Ocean Acidification Seascape: Linking Natural Variability and Anthropogenic changes in pH and Temperature to Performance in Calcifying Antarctic Marine Invertebrates

1246202

2016-09-13

Hofmann, Gretchen

Nearshore pH, temperature, (salinity, depth) at mooring sites in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, Overwinter 2011-2016	USAP-DC
mRNA sequencing - RNAseq	BCO-DMO
pH temp sal measurement data	BCO-DMO

Collaborative Research: Ocean-Ice-Atmosphere Interactions in the Terra Nova Bay Polynya, Antarctica

1043657

2015-10-22

Cassano, John; Palo, Scott

Ocean-Ice-Atmosphere Interactions in the Terra Nova Bay Polynya, Antarctica

USAP-DC

Collaborative Research: Late Quaternary History of Reedy Glacier

0229314

2015-03-30

Stone, John

Reedy Glacier Exposure Ages, Antarctica

USAP-DC

The stability of the marine West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) remains an important, unresolved problem for predicting future sea level change. Recent studies indicate that the mass balance of the ice sheet today may be negative or positive. The apparent differences may stem in part from short-term fluctuations in flow. By comparison, geologic observations provide evidence of behavior over much longer time scales. Recent work involving glacial-geologic mapping, dating and ice-penetrating radar surveys suggests that deglaciation of both the Ross Sea Embayment and coastal Marie Byrd Land continued into the late Holocene, and leaves open the possibility of ongoing deglaciation and grounding-line retreat. However, previous work in the Ross Sea Embayment was based on data from just three locations that are all far to the north of the present grounding line. Additional data from farther south in the Ross Sea Embayment are needed to investigate whether recession has ended, or if the rate and pattern of deglaciation inferred from our previous study still apply to the present grounding line. This award provides support to reconstruct the evolution of Reedy Glacier, in the southern Transantarctic Mountains, since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Because Reedy Glacier emerges from the mountains above the grounding line, its surface slope and elevation should record changes in thickness of grounded ice in the Ross Sea up to the present day. The deglaciation chronology of Reedy Glacier therefore can indicate whether Holocene retreat of the WAIS ended thousands of years ago, or is still continuing at present. This integrated glaciologic, glacial-geologic, and cosmogenic-isotope exposure- dating project will reconstruct past levels of Reedy Glacier. Over two field seasons, moraines will be mapped, dated and correlated at sites along the length of the glacier. Radar and GPS measurements will be made to supplement existing ice thickness and velocity data, which are needed as input for a model of glacier dynamics. The model will be used to relate geologic measurements to the grounding-line position downstream. Ultimately, the mapping, dating and ice-modeling components of the study will be integrated into a reconstruction that defines changes in ice thickness in the southern Ross Sea since the LGM, and relates these changes to the history of grounding-line retreat. This work directly addresses key goals of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Initiative, which are to understand the dynamics, recent history and possible future behavior of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Age and Composition of the East Antarctic Shield by Isotopic Analysis of Granite and Glacial Till

0944645

2015-02-11

Goodge, John

No dataset link provided

Intellectual Merit: Because of extensive ice cover and sparse remote-sensing data, the geology of the Precambrian East Antarctic Shield (EAS) remains largely unexplored with information limited to coastal outcrops from the African, Indian and Australian sectors. The East Antarctic lithosphere is globally important: as one of the largest coherent Precambrian shields, including rocks as old as ~3.8 Ga, it played an important role in global crustal growth; it is a key piece in assembly of the Rodinia and Gondwana supercontinents; it is the substrate to Earth?s major ice cap, including numerous sub-glacial lakes, and influences its thermal state and mechanical stability; and its geotectonic association with formerly adjacent continental blocks in South Africa, India and Australia suggest that it might harbor important mineral resources. This project will increase understanding of the age and composition of the western EAS lithosphere underlying and adjacent to the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) using U-Pb ages, and Hf- and O-isotope analysis of zircon in early Paleozoic granitoids and Pleistocene glacial tills. TAM granites of the early Paleozoic Ross Orogen represent an areally extensive continental-margin arc suite that can provide direct information about the EAS crust from which it melted and/or through which it passed. Large rock clasts of igneous and metamorphic lithologies entrained in glacial tills at the head of major outlet glaciers traversing the TAM provide eroded samples of the proximal EAS basement. Zircons in these materials will provide data about age and inheritance (U-Pb), crustal vs. mantle origin (O isotopes), and crustal sources and evolution (Hf isotopes). Integrated along a significant part of the TAM, these data will help define broader crustal provinces that can be correlated with geophysical data and used to test models of crustal assembly. Broader impacts: This project will provide a research opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduates will be involved as Research Assistants in sample preparation, imaging, and analytical procedures, and conducting their own independent research. The two main elements of this project will form the basis of MS thesis projects for two graduate students at UMD. Through this project they will gain a good understanding of petrology, isotope geochemistry, and analytical methods. The broader scientific impacts of this work are that it will help develop a better understanding of the origin and evolution of East Antarctic lithosphere underlying and adjacent to the TAM, which will be of value to the broader earth science and glaciological community. Furthermore, knowledge of East Antarctic geology is of continuing interest to the general public because of strong curiosity about past supercontinents, what?s under the ice, and the impact of global warming on ice-sheet stability.

Ocean Acidification Category 1: Identifying Adaptive Responses of Polar Fishes in a Vulnerable Ecosystem

1447291
1040945
1040957

2015-01-12

Place, Sean; Sarmiento, Jorge; Dudycha, Jeffry; Kwon, Eun-Young

NCBI links to BioProjects of total RNA isolated from Trematomus bernacchii gill tissues acclimated to elevated temperature and pCO2, July 2015	BCO-DMO
NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Pagothenia borchgrevinki	NCBI GenBank
NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Trematomus bernacchii	NCBI GenBank
NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Trematomus bernacchii	NCBI GenBank
Does the strength of the carbonate pump change with ocean stratification and acidification and how? Project data	BCO-DMO
NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Trematomus newnesi	NCBI GenBank
NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Pagothenia borchgrevinki	NCBI GenBank
NCBI GenBank RNA sequences, Trematomus newnesi	NCBI GenBank

Effect of Ocean Acidification on Early Life History Stages of the Antarctic Sea Urchins Sterechinus Neumayeri

0944201

2014-12-23

Hofmann, Gretchen

Effect of Ocean Acidification on Early Life History Stages of the Antarctic Sea Urchins Sterechinus Neumayeri

USAP-DC

Abstract The research examine the effects of ocean acidification on embryos and larvae of a contemporary calcifier in the coastal waters of Antarctica, the sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri. The effect of future ocean acidification is projected to be particularly threatening to calcifying marine organisms in coldwater, high latitude seas, making tolerance data on these organisms a critical research need in Antarctic marine ecosystems. Due to a high magnesium (Mg) content of their calcitic hard parts, echinoderms are especially vulnerable to dissolution stress from ocean acidification because they currently inhabit seawater that is barely at the saturation level to support biogenic calcification. Thus, cold-water, high latitude species with a high Mg-content in their hard parts are considered to be the 'first responders' to chemical changes in the surface oceans. Studies in this proposal will use several metrics to examine the physiological plasticity of contemporary urchin embryos and larvae to CO2-acidified seawater, to mimic the scenarios defined by IPCC models and by analyses of future acidification predicted for the Southern Ocean. The research also will investigats the biological consequences of synergistic interactions of two converging climate change-related stressors - CO2- driven ocean acidification and ocean warming. Specifically the research will (1) assess the effect of CO2-acidified seawater on the development of early embryos and larvae, (2) using morphometrics, examine changes in the larval endoskeleton in response to development under the high-CO2 conditions of ocean acidification, (3) using a DNA microarray, profile changes in gene expression for genes involved in biomineralization and other important physiological processes, and (4) measure costs and physiological consequences of development under conditions of ocean acidification. The proposal will support the training of undergraduates, graduate students and a postdoctoral fellow. The PI also will collaborate with the UC Santa Barbara Gevirtz Graduate School of Education to link the biological effects of ocean acidification to the chemical changes expected for the Southern Ocean using the 'Science on a Sphere' technology. This display will be housed in an education and public outreach center, the Outreach Center for Teaching Ocean Science (OCTOS), a new state-of-the-art facility under construction at UC Santa Barbara.

History of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet since the mid-Miocene: New Evidence from Provenance of Ice-rafted Debris

0944489

2014-08-13

Williams, Trevor; Hemming, Sidney R.

History of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet since the mid-Miocene: New Evidence from Provenance of Ice-rafted Debris

USAP-DC

Collaborative Research: Hunting in Darkness: Behavioral and Energetic Strategies of Weddell Seals in Winter

0739390

2014-01-17

Davis, Randall

No dataset link provided

Intellectual Merit: Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) locate and capture sparsely distributed and mobile prey under shore-fast ice throughout the year, including the austral winter when ambient light levels are very low and access to breathing holes is highly limited. This is one of the most challenging environments occupied by an aquatic mammalian predator, and it presents unique opportunities to test hypotheses concerning: 1) behavioral strategies and energetic costs for foraging and 2) sensory modalities used for prey capture under sea ice. To accomplish these objectives, we will attach digital video and data recorders to the backs of free-ranging Weddell seals during the autumn, winter and early spring. These instruments simultaneously record video of prey pursuit and capture and three-dimensional movements, swimming performance, ambient light level and other environmental variables. Energetic costs for entire dives and portions of dives will be estimated from stroking effort and our published relationship between swimming performance and energetics for Weddell seals. The energetic cost of different dive types will be evaluated for strategies that maximize foraging efficiency, range (distance traveled), and duration of submergence. The proposed study will provide a more thorough understanding of the role of vision and changing light conditions in foraging behavior, sensory ecology, energetics and habitat use of Weddell seals and the distribution of encountered prey. It also will provide new insights into survival strategies that allow Weddell seals to inhabit the Antarctic coastal marine ecosystem throughout the year. Broader Impacts: The proposed study will train two graduate students and a Post-doctoral Fellow. Outreach activities will include interviews, written material and photographs provided to print and electronic media, project web sites, high school email exchanges from McMurdo Station, hosting visiting artists at our field camp, and public lectures. We will provide a weekly summary of our research findings to teachers and students in elementary school programs through our websites, one of which received an educational award. Our previous projects have attracted an extraordinary amount of press coverage that effectively brings scientific research to the public. This coverage and the video images generated by our work excite the imagination and help instill an interest in science and wildlife conservation in children and adults.

Collaborative Research: Atmosphere-Ocean-Ice Interaction in a Coastal Polynya

0739464

2012-09-13

Cassano, John; Maslanik, Jim

Atmosphere-Ocean-Ice Interaction in a Coastal Polynya

USAP-DC

IPY: Flow Dynamics of the Amundsen Sea Glaciers: Thwaites and Pine Island.

0632198

2012-08-29

Anandakrishnan, Sridhar

Synthesis of Thwaites Glacier Dynamics: Diagnostic and Prognostic Sensitivity Studies of a West Antarctic Outlet System

USAP-DC

IPY: Collaborative Proposal: Constraining the Mass-Balance Deficit of the Amundsen Coast's Glaciers

0631973
0632031

2012-06-20

Joughin, Ian; Medley, Brooke; Das, Sarah

No dataset link provided

Joughin 0631973 This award supports a project to gather data to better understand the mass balance of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, in the Pine Island and Thwaites region, through the combination of radar altimetry and surface-based ice-core measurements of accumulation. The intellectual merit of the project is that the results of the field work will provide information on decadal-scale average accumulation extending back through the last century and will help constrain a modeling effort to determine how coastal changes propagate inland, to allow better prediction of future change. Comparison of the basin averaged accumulation with ice discharge determined using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) velocity data will provide improved mass-balance estimates. Study of changes in flow speed will produce a record of mass balance over the last three decades. Analysis of the satellite altimeter record in conjunction with annual accumulation estimates also will provide estimates of changes and variability in mass balance. The broader impacts of the work are that it will make a significant contribution to future IPCC estimates of sea level, which are important for projection of the impacts of increased sea level on coastal communities. The research will contribute to the graduate education of students at the Universities of Washington and Kansas and will enrich K-12 education through the direct participation of the PIs in classroom activities. Informal science education includes 4-day glacier flow demonstrations at the Polar Science Weekend held annually at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle. The project also will communicate results through Center for the Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) outreach effort. All field and remotely-sensed data sets will be archived and distributed by the National Snow and Ice Data Center. This project is relevant to IPY in that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is losing mass, in large part because of rapid thinning of the Amundsen Coast glaciers so, it will directly address the NSF IPY emphasis on "ice sheet history and dynamics." The project is also international in scope.

Collaborative Research: Ice-flow history of the Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica

0739654
0739372

2012-05-30

Conway, Howard; Catania, Ginny; Markowski, Michael; Macgregor, Joseph A.; Andrews, Alan G.; Fudge, T. J.

Ice Flow History of the Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica	USAP-DC
Coastal and Terminus History of the Eastern Amundsen Sea Embayment, West Antarctica, 1972 - 2011	USAP-DC

Catania 0739654 This award supports a project to study the Amundsen Sea drainage system and improve understanding of the impact of recent glaciological changes as an aid to predicting how this region will change in the future. The intellectual merit of the work is that the Amundsen Sea drainage system has been a recent focus for glaciological research because of rapid changes occurring there as a result of grounding line retreat. The work will focus on the regions of flow transition and will map the internal stratigraphy of the ice sheet across the Thwaites Glacier shear margins and use the age and geometry of radar-detected internal layers to interpret ice flow history. Thwaites Glacier (one of the main pathways for ice drainage in the region) has recently widened and may continue to do so in the near future. Thwaites Glacier may be particularly vulnerable to grounding line retreat because it lacks a well-defined subglacial channel. The subglacial environment exerts strong control on ice flow and flow history will be mapped in the context of bed topography and bed reflectivity. The plan is to use existing ice-penetrating radar data and coordinate with planned upcoming surveys to reduce logistical costs. The work proposed here will take three years to complete but no additional fieldwork in Antarctica is required. More detailed ground-based geophysical (radar and seismic) experiments will be needed at key locations to achieve our overall goal and the work proposed here will aid in identifying those regions. The broader impacts of the project are that it will initiate a new collaboration among radar communities within the US including those that are on the forefront of radar systems engineering and those that are actively involved in radar-derived internal layer and bed analysis. The project will also provide support for a postdoctoral researcher and a graduate student, thus giving them exposure to a variety of methodologies and scientific issues. Finally, there are plans to further develop the "Wired Antarctica" website designed by Ginny Catania with the help of a student-teacher. This will allow for the existing lesson plans to be updated to Texas State standards so that they can be used more broadly within state middle and high schools.

Collaborate Research:Modified Circumpolar Deep Water Intrusions as an Iron Source to the Summer Ross Sea Ecosystem

0839039

2012-01-17

Kohut, Josh

Expedition data of NBP1101	R2R
Processed CurrentMeter Data from the Adare Basin near Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP1101	USAP-DC

Quantifying the Role of Short-Period Gravity Waves on the Antarctic Mesospheric Dynamics Using an Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper

0542164

2011-10-21

Taylor, Michael

Quantifying the Role of Short-Period Gravity Waves on the Antarctic Mesospheric Dynamics Using an Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper

USAP-DC

WAPflux - New Tools to Study the Fate of Phytoplankton Production in the West Antarctic Peninsula

0838866

2011-08-31

Buesseler, Ken; Valdes, James

data deposited with Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) repository.

LTER

Collaborative research: Possible climate-induced change in the distribution of Pleuragramma antarcticum on the Western Antarctic Peninsula shelf

0741348

2011-03-03

Torres, Joseph

Expedition data of NBP1002

R2R

Intellectual Merit: Pleuragramma antarcticum, the Antarctic silverfish, play a key role in the trophic pyramid of the Antarctic coastal ecosystem, acting as food for larger fishes, flying and non-flying seabirds, pinnipeds, and whales. In turn, they are predators on coastal euphausiids, including both Euphausia superba and crystallorophias. Historically, Pleuragramma have been an important food source for Adélie Penguins of the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), but during the last decade Pleuragramma have disappeared from the Adélie diet. We suggest that Pleuragramma?s absence from the diets of top predators is linked to the declining sea ice canopy, which serves as a nursery for eggs and larvae during the austral spring. The research will investigate four hydrographic regimes over the WAP continental shelf with the following features: (1) persistent gyral flows that act to retain locally spawned larvae, (2) spring sea ice that has declined in recent years (3) the prevalence of adult silverfish, and (4) the presence of breeding Adélie penguins whose diets vary in the proportions of silverfish consumed. The research will evaluate the importance of local reproduction versus larval advection, and the extent to which populations in the subregions of study are genetically distinct, via analysis of population structure, otolith microchemistry and molecular genetics of fish. The Pleuragramma data will be compared with penguin diet samples taken synoptically. Broader Impacts: The proposed research brings together an international group of scientists with highly complimentary suites of skills to address the fate of Pleuragramma on the WAP shelf. Graduate students will use the data acquired as part of their Ph.D research, and will receive cross-training in ornithological field techniques, molecular genetic methods and otolith isotope chemistry. The PIs will work actively with the St. Petersburg Times to produce a blog in real time with pictures and text, which will be used to interact with local schools while we are at sea and after our return. The investigators also will collaborate with the COSEE center at USF and at local schools and museums to disseminate results to the K-12 community throughout the region.

A VLF Beacon Transmitter at South Pole

0636928

2010-09-01

Gill, John; Inan, Umran

No dataset link provided

IPY: Bacterioplankton Genomic Adaptations to Antarctic Winter

0632389
0632278

2010-07-08

Murray, Alison; Grzymski, Joseph; Ducklow, Hugh

IPY: Bacterioplankton Genomic Adaptations to Antarctic Winter

USAP-DC

The Western Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing one of the most rapid rates of climate warming on Earth, with an increase of 5degrees C in the mean winter temperature in 50 years. Impacts on upper trophic levels are evident, though there have been few, if any studies that have considered the impacts on bacterioplankton in the Southern Ocean. This proposal will characterize the winter bacterioplankton genome, transcriptome, and proteome and discover those features (community composition, genes up-regulated, and proteins expressed) that are essential to winter bacterioplankton survival and livelihood. We have assembled a polar ocean ecology and genomics network including strategic partnerships with Palmer LTER, the British Antarctic Survey's ocean metagenome program, US and Canadian scientists studying the Arctic Ocean genome, an Australian colleague who specialized in archaeal proteomics, and French colleagues studying Sub-Antarctic and Coastal Adelie Land marine bacterioplankton. The primary objectives of this program are: 1 Describe the differences in diversity and genomic content between austral winter and summer bacterioplankton communities. 2. Investigate the winter-time bacterioplankton growth and cellular signals (mRNA and proteins expressed) in order to understand the specific adaptations key to survival. Our results will extend from the Antarctic to the Arctic - as the cold, dark, carbon-limited deep seas linking these two systems have many common features. Education and outreach activities target (i) undergraduate and graduate students, hopefully including minority students recruited through the Diversity in Research in Environmental and Marine Sciences (DREAMS) Program at VIMS; (ii) a broad audience with our education and outreach partnerships with The Cousteau Society and with the Census for Antarctic Marine Life program. Data and links to external databases will be listed on the http://genex2.dri.edu website. Sequence data will be publicly accessible in GenBank and IMG-M databases.

Collaborative Research: Bentho-Pelagic Coupling on the West Antarctic Peninsula Shelf: The Impact and Fate of Bloom Material at the Seafloor

9816049

2010-05-04

DeMaster, David; Smith, Craig

Expedition data of LMG0003	R2R
Expedition Data	R2R

OPP98-15823 P.I. Craig Smith OPP98-16049 P.I. David DeMaster Primary production in Antarctic coastal waters is highly seasonal, yielding an intense pulse of biogenic particles to the continental shelf floor. This seasonal pulse may have major ramifications for carbon cycling, benthic ecology and material burial on the west Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) shelf. Thus, we propose a multii-disciplinary program to evaluate the seafloor accumulation, fate and benthic community impacts of bloom material along a transect of three stations crossing the Antarctic shelf in the Palmer LTER study area. Using a seasonal series of five cruises to our transect, we will test the following hypostheses: (1) A substantial proportion of spring/summer export production is deposited ont eh WAP shelf as phytodetritus or fecal pellets. (2) The deposited bloom production is a source of labile particulate organic carbon for benthos for an extended period of time (months). (3) Large amounts of labile bloom POC are rapidly subducted into the sediment column by the deposit-feeding and caching activities of benthos. (4) Macrobenthic detritivores sustain a rapid increase in biomass and abundance following the spring/summer particulate organic carbon pulse. To test these hypotheses, we will evaluate seabed deposition and lability of particulate organic carbon, patterns of particulate organic carbon mixing into sediments, seasonal variations in macrofaunal and megafaunal abundance, biomass and reproductive condition, and rates of particulate organic carbon and silica mineralization and accumulation in the seabed. Fluxes of biogenic materials and radionuclides into midwater particle traps will be contrasted with seabed deposition and burial rates to establish water-column and seabed preservation efficiencies for these materials. The project will substantially improve our understanding of the spring/summer production pulse on the WAP shelf and its impacts on seafloor communities and carbon cycling in Antarctic coastal systems.

Interannual Variability in the Antarctic-Ross Sea (IVARS): Nutrients and Seasonal Production

0087401

2010-05-04

Smith, Walker; Gordon, Arnold

Expedition data of NBP0601A	R2R
Fluorometer Data acquired on Moorings deployed the Ross Sea and recovered during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0601A (2006)	USAP-DC
Current Meter Data from the Ross Sea acquired with a Mooring deployed in December 2005 and recovered during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0601A (2006)	USAP-DC
Expedition data of NBP0501	R2R
Processed Fluid Chemistry Data from the Ross Sea acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0601A	USAP-DC
Expedition data of NBP0501	R2R
Expedition data of NBP0301B	R2R
Expedition data of NBP0305A	R2R

During the past few decades of oceanographic research, it has been recognized that significant variations in biogeochemical processes occur among years. Interannual variations in the Southern Ocean are known to occur in ice extent and concentration, in the composition of herbivore communities, and in bird and marine mammal distributions and reproductive success. However, little is known about the interannual variations in production of phytoplankton or the role that these variations play in the food web. This project will collect time series data on the seasonal production of phytoplankton in the southern Ross Sea, Antarctica. Furthermore, it will assess the interannual variations of the production of the two major functional groups of the system, diatoms and Phaeocystis Antarctica, a colonial haptophyte. The Ross Sea provides a unique setting for this type of investigation for a number of reasons. For example, a de facto time-series has already been initiated in the Ross Sea through the concentration of a number of programs in the past ten years. It also is well known that the species diversity is reduced relative to other systems and its seasonal production is as great as anywhere in the Antarctic. Most importantly, seasonal production of both the total phytoplankton community (as well as its two functional groups) can be estimated from late summer nutrient profiles. The project will involve short cruises on the US Coast Guard ice breakers in the southern Ross Sea that will allow the collection of water column nutrient and particulate after data at specific locations in the late summer of each of five years. Additionally, two moorings with in situ nitrate analyzers moored at fifteen will be deployed, thus collecting for the first time in the in the Antarctic a time-series of euphotic zone nutrient concentrations over the entire growing season. All nutrient data will be used to calculate seasonal production for each year in the southern Ross Sea and compared to previously collected information, thereby providing an assessment of interannual variations in net community production. Particulate matter data will allow us to estimate the amount of export from the surface layer by late summer, and therefore calculate the interannual variability of this ecosystem process. Interannual variations of seasonal production (and of the major taxa of producers) are a potentially significant feature in the growth and survival of higher trophic levels within the food web of the Ross Sea. They are also important in order to understand the natural variability in biogeochemical processes of the region. Because polar regions such as the Ross Sea are predicted to be impacted by future climate change, biological changes are also anticipated. Placing these changes in the context of natural variability is an essential element of understanding and predicting such alterations. This research thus seeks to quantify the natural variability of an Antarctic coastal system, and ultimately understand its causes and impacts on food webs and biogeochemical cycles of the Ross Sea.

Structure, Function, and Expression of Tubulins, Globins, and Microtubule-Dependent Motors from Cold-Adapted Antarctic Fishes

0089451

2010-05-04

Sidell, Bruce; Detrich, H. William

Expedition Data	R2R
Expedition data of LMG0304A	R2R
Expedition Data	R2R

Abstract OPP-0089451 P.I. William Detrich As the Southern Ocean cooled during the past 25 million years, the fishes of Antarctic coastal waters evolved biochemical and physiological adaptations that maintain essential cellular processes such as cytoskeletal function and gene transcription. Their microtubules, for example, assemble and function at body temperatures (-1.8 to +1 oC) well below those of homeotherms and temperate poikilotherms. The long range goals of the proposed research are to determine, at the molecular level, the adaptations that enhance the assembly of microtubules, the function of kinesin motors, and the expression of globin and tubulin genes. The specific objectives are three: 1) to determine the primary sequence changes and posttranslational modifications that contribute to the efficient polymerization of Antarctic fish tubulins at low temperatures; 2) to evaluate the biochemical adaptations required for efficient function of the brain kinesin motor of Antarctic fishes at low temperatures; and 3) to characterize the structure, organization, and promoter-driven expression of globin and tubulin genes from an Antarctic rockcod (Notothenia coriiceps) and a temperate congener (N. angustata). Brain tubulins from Antarctic fishes differ from those of temperate and warm-blooded vertebrates both in unusual primary sequence substitutions (located primarily in lateral loops and the cores of tubulin monomers) and in posttranslational C-terminal glutamylation. Potential primary sequence adaptations of the Antarctic fish tubulins will be tested directly by production of wild-type and site directed tubulin mutants for functional analysis in vitro. The capacity of mutated and wild-type fish tubulins to form "cold-stable" microtubules will be determined by measurement of their critical concentrations for assembly and by analysis of their dynamics by video-enhanced microscopy. Three unusual substitutions in the kinesin motor domain of Chionodraco rastrospinosus may enhance mechanochemical activity at low temperature by modifying the binding of ATP and/or the velocity of the motor. To test the functional significance of these changes, the fish residues will be converted individually, and in concert, to those found in mammalian brain kinesin. Reciprocal substitutions will be introduced into the framework of the mammalian kinesin motor domain. After production in Escherichia coli and purification, the functional performance of the mutant motor domains will be evaluated by measurement of the temperature dependence of their ATPase and motility activities. Molecular adaptation of gene expression in N. coriiceps will be analyzed using an a-globin/b-globin gene pair and an a-tubulin gene cluster. Structural features of N. coriiceps globin and tubulin gene regulatory sequences (promoters and enhancers) that support efficient expression will be assessed by transient transfection assay of promoter/luciferase reporter plasmid constructs in inducible erythrocytic and neuronal model cell systems followed by assay of luciferase reporter activity. Together, these studies should reveal the molecular adaptations of Antarctic fishes that maintain efficient cytoskeletal assembly, mechanochemical motor function, and gene expression at low temperatures. In the broadest sense, this research program should advance the molecular understanding of the poikilothermic mode of life.

Bentho-Pelagic Coupling on the West Antarctic Peninsula Shelf: The Impact and Fate of Bloom Material at the Seafloor

9815823

2010-05-04

Smith, Craig

Expedition Data	R2R
Expedition data of LMG0009	R2R
Expedition Data	R2R
Expedition Data	R2R

OPP98-15823 P.I. Craig Smith OPP98-16049 P.I. David DeMaster Primary production in Antarctic coastal waters is highly seasonal, yielding an intense pulse of biogenic particles to the continental shelf floor. This seasonal pulse may have major ramifications for carbon cycling, benthic ecology and material burial on the west Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) shelf. Thus, we propose a multii-disciplinary program to evaluate the seafloor accumulation, fate and benthic community impacts of bloom material along a transect of three stations crossing the Antarctic shelf in the Palmer LTER study area. Using a seasonal series of five cruises to our transect, we will test the following hypostheses: (1) A substantial proportion of spring/summer export production is deposited ont eh WAP shelf as phytodetritus or fecal pellets. (2) The deposited bloom production is a source of labile particulate organic carbon for benthos for an extended period of time (months). (3) Large amounts of labile bloom POC are rapidly subducted into the sediment column by the deposit-feeding and caching activities of benthos. (4) Macrobenthic detritivores sustain a rapid increase in biomass and abundance following the spring/summer particulate organic carbon pulse. To test these hypotheses, we will evaluate seabed deposition and lability of particulate organic carbon, patterns of particulate organic carbon mixing into sediments, seasonal variations in macrofaunal and megafaunal abundance, biomass and reproductive condition, and rates of particulate organic carbon and silica mineralization and accumulation in the seabed. Fluxes of biogenic materials and radionuclides into midwater particle traps will be contrasted with seabed deposition and burial rates to establish water-column and seabed preservation efficiencies for these materials. The project will substantially improve our understanding of the spring/summer production pulse on the WAP shelf and its impacts on seafloor communities and carbon cycling in Antarctic coastal systems.

Global Climate Change and the Evolutionary Ecology of Antarctic Mollusks in the Late Eocene

9908828

2010-05-04

Aronson, Richard; Domack, Eugene Walter

Expedition Data	R2R
Expedition data of NBP0107	R2R

9908828 Aronson This award, provided by the Antarctic Geology and Geophysics Program of the Office of Polar Programs, supports a paleoecological and paleoenvironmental study of Seymour Island. Global climate change late in the Eocene epoch had an important influence in Antarctica. This was the beginning of the transition from a cool-temperate climate in Antarctica to the polar climate that exists there today. The cooling trend strongly influenced the structure of shallow-water, Antarctic marine communities, and these effects are still evident in the peculiar ecological relationships among species living in modern Antarctic communities. Cooling late in the Eocene reduced the abundance of fish and crabs, which in turn reduced skeleton-crushing predation on invertebrates. Reduced predation allowed dense populations of ophiuroids (brittlestars) and crinoids (sea lilies) to appear in shallow-water settings at the end of the Eocene. These low-predation communities appear as dense fossil echinoderm assemblages in the upper portion of the late Eocene La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula. Today, dense ophiuroid and crinoid populations are common in shallow-water habitats in Antarctica but generally have been eliminated by predators from similar habitats at temperate and tropical latitudes; their persistence in Antarctica to this day is an important ecological legacy of climatic cooling in the Eocene. Although the influence of declining predation on Antarctic ophiuroids and crinoids is now well documented, the effects of cooling on the more abundant mollusks have not been investigated. This study will examine the evolutionary ecology of gastropods (snails) and bivalves (clams) in the late Eocene. A series of hypotheses will be tested in the La Meseta Formation, based on the predicted responses of mollusks to declining temperature and changing levels of predation. The shapes of gastropod shells, the activities of gastropods that prey on other mollusks by drilling holes in their shells, and the effects of predation on the thickness of mollusk shells should have changed significantly through late Eocene time. First, defensive features of gastropod shells, such as spines and ribbing, should decline as temperature and, therefore, the activity of skeleton-crushing predators declined. Second, drilling of bivalve prey by predatory gastropods should increase with time since the drillers should themselves have been subject to lower predation pressure as temperature declined. Drilled shells, therefore, should become more common through time. Third, patterns in the thickness of shells through time will make it possible to separate the direct, physiological effects of declining temperature (shells are more difficult to produce at cooler temperatures, and so should be thinner) from the indirect effects of temperature on evolving biological interactions (increased drilling predation should result in thicker shells). Seymour Island contains the only fossil outcrops readily accessible in Antarctica from this crucial period in Earth history. The La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island thus provides a unique opportunity to learn how climate change affected Antarctic marine communities. In practical terms, global climate change will probably increase upwelling over the next few decades to centuries in some temperate coastal regions. Recent ecological evidence suggests that the resultant lowering of sea temperatures could lower predation in those areas. Understanding the response of the La Meseta faunas to global cooling in the late Eocene will provide direct insight into the rapidly changing structure of modern benthic communities.

The Amundsen Continental Shelf and the Antarctic Ice Sheet

0440775

2010-05-04

Jacobs, Stanley

NBP0702 surface sediment sample information and images	USAP-DC
Expedition data of NBP0702	R2R
Amundsen Sea Continental Shelf Mooring Data (2006-2007)	USAP-DC

Collaborative Research: Do Crustacean Zooplankton Play a Pivotal Role in Structuring Heterotrophic Plankton Communities in the Ross Sea?

0542456
0542111

2010-05-04

Lonsdale, Darcy; Caron, Bruce

Expedition Data	R2R
NBP0802 data	R2R
Processed CurrentMeter Data from the Ross Sea near Antarctica acquired during the Nathaniel B. Palmer expedition NBP0801	USAP-DC
Do Crustacean Zooplankton Play a Pivotal Role in Structuring Heterotrophic Plankton Communities in the Ross Sea?	USAP-DC

Recent studies of marine ecosystems show conflicting evidence for trophic cascades, and in particular the relative strength of the crustacean zooplankton-phytoplankton link. The Ross Sea is a natural laboratory for investigating this apparent conflict. It is a site of seasonally high abundances of phytoplankton, characterized by regions of distinct phytoplankton taxa; the southcentral polynya is strongly dominated by the colony-forming prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis antarctica, while coastal regions of this sea are typically dominated by diatoms or flagellate species. Recent studies indicate that, while the south-central polynya exhibits a massive phytoplankton bloom, the poor food quality of P. antarctica for many crustacean zooplankton prevents direct utilization of much of this phytoplankton bloom. Rather, evidence suggests that indirect utilization of this production may be the primary mechanism by which carbon and energy become available to those higher trophic levels. Specifically, we hypothesize that nano and microzooplankton constitute an important food source for crustacean zooplankton (largely copepods and juvenile euphausiids) during the summer period in the Ross Sea where the phytoplankton assemblage is dominated by the prymnesiophyte. In turn, we also hypothesize that predation by copepods (and other Crustacea) controls and structures the species composition of these protistan assemblages. We will occupy stations in the south-central Ross Sea Polynya (RSP) and Terra Nova Bay (TNB) during austral summer to test these hypotheses. We hypothesize that the diatom species that dominate the phytoplankton assemblage in TNB constitute a direct source of nutrition to herbivorous/omnivorous zooplankton (relative to the situation in the south-central RSP). That is, the contribution of heterotrophic protists to crustacean diets will be reduced in TNB. Our research will address fundamental gaps in our knowledge of food web structure and trophic cascades, and provide better understanding of the flow of carbon and energy within the biological community of this perennially cold sea. The PIs will play active roles in public education (K-12) via curriculum development (on Antarctic biology) and teacher trainer activities in the Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE-West), an innovative, NSF-funded program centered at USC and UCLA.

Shelf and Bottom Water Formation Near East Antarctic Polynyas and Glaciers

9909374

2010-05-04

Fairbanks, Richard; Jacobs, Stanley

Summer Oceanographic Measurements near the Mertz Polynya NBP0008	USAP-DC
Expedition Data	R2R

Influence of Seasonal Ice Cover on Pelagic and Benthic Communities: Long Time-Series Studies

9727077

2010-05-04

Smith, Kenneth

Expedition data of LMG0002	R2R
Expedition Data	R2R
Expedition data of LMG0005	R2R

New Approaches to Measuring and Understanding the Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Photosynthesis by Antarctic Phytoplankton

9615342

2010-05-04

Mopper, Kenneth; Neale, Patrick

Expedition data of LMG9809	R2R
Expedition data of LMG9809	R2R

Neale 9615342 Increases in ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B, 280-320) associated with the Antarctic ozone hole have been shown to inhibit the photosynthesis of phytoplankton, but the overall effect on water column production is still a matter of debate and continued investigation. Investigations have also revealed that even at "normal" levels of Antarctic stratospheric ozone, UV-B and UV-A (320-400 nm) appear to have strong effects on water column production. The role of UV in the ecology of phytoplankton primary production has probably been underappreciated in the past and could be particularly important to the estimation of primary production in the presence of vertical mixing. This research focuses on quantifying UV effects on photosynthesis of Antarctic phytoplankton by defining biological weighting functions for UV-inhibition. In the past, techniques were developed to describe photosynthesis as a function of UV and visible irradiance using laboratory cultures. Further experimentation with natural assemblages from McMurdo Station in Antarctica showed that biological weighting functions are strongly related to light history. Most recently, measurements in the open waters of the Southern Ocean confirmed that there is substantial variability in the susceptibility of phytoplankton assemblages to UV. It was also discovered that inhibition of photosynthesis in Antarctic phytoplankton got progressively worse on the time scale of hours, with no evidence of recovery. Even under benign conditions, losses of photosynthetic capability persisted unchanged for several hours. This was in contrast with laboratory cultures and some natural assemblages which quickly attained a steady- state rate of photosynthesis during exposure to UV, reflecting a balance between damage and recovery processes. Slow reversal of UV-induced damage has profound consequences for water-column photosynthesis, especially during vertical mixing. Results to date have been used to model th e influence of UV, ozone depletion and vertical mixing on photosynthesis in Antarctic waters. Data indicate that normal levels of UV can have a significant impact on natural phytoplankton and that the effects can be exacerbated by ozone depletion as well as vertical mixing. Critical questions remain poorly resolved, however, and these are the focus of the present proposal. New theoretical and experimental approaches will be used to investigate UV responses in both the open waters of the Weddell-Scotia confluence and coastal waters near Palmer Station. In particular, measurements will be made of the kinetics of UV inhibition and recovery on time scales ranging from minutes to days. Variability in biological weighting functions between will be calculated for pelagic and coastal phytoplankton in the Southern Ocean. The results will provide absolute estimates of photosynthesis under in situ, as well as under altered, UV irradiance; broaden the range of assemblages for which biological weighting functions have been determined; and clarify how kinetics of inhibition and recovery should be represented in mixed layer models.

Global Climate Change and the Evolutionary Ecology of Antarctic Mollusks in the Late Eocene.

9908856

2010-05-04

Blake, Daniel

Expedition data of LMG0309	R2R
Expedition Data	R2R

9908856 Blake This award, provided by the Antarctic Geology and Geophysics Program of the Office of Polar Programs, supports a paleoecological and paleoenvironmental study of Seymour Island. Global climate change late in the Eocene epoch had an important influence in Antarctica. This was the beginning of the transition from a cool-temperate climate in Antarctica to the polar climate that exists there today. The cooling trend strongly influenced the structure of shallow-water, Antarctic marine communities, and these effects are still evident in the peculiar ecological relationships among species living in modern Antarctic communities. Cooling late in the Eocene reduced the abundance of fish and crabs, which in turn reduced skeleton-crushing predation on invertebrates. Reduced predation allowed dense populations of ophiuroids (brittlestars) and crinoids (sea lilies) to appear in shallow-water settings at the end of the Eocene. These low-predation communities appear as dense fossil echinoderm assemblages in the upper portion of the late Eocene La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island, off the Antarctic Peninsula. Today, dense ophiuroid and crinoid populations are common in shallow-water habitats in Antarctica but generally have been eliminated by predators from similar habitats at temperate and tropical latitudes; their persistence in Antarctica to this day is an important ecological legacy of climatic cooling in the Eocene. Although the influence of declining predation on Antarctic ophiuroids and crinoids is now well documented, the effects of cooling on the more abundant mollusks have not been investigated. This study will examine the evolutionary ecology of gastropods (snails) and bivalves (clams) in the late Eocene. A series of hypotheses will be tested in the La Meseta Formation, based on the predicted responses of mollusks to declining temperature and changing levels of predation. The shapes of gastropod shells, the activities of gastropods that prey on other mollusks by drilling holes in their shells, and the effects of predation on the thickness of mollusk shells should have changed significantly through late Eocene time. First, defensive features of gastropod shells, such as spines and ribbing, should decline as temperature and, therefore, the activity of skeleton-crushing predators declined. Second, drilling of bivalve prey by predatory gastropods should increase with time since the drillers should themselves have been subject to lower predation pressure as temperature declined. Drilled shells, therefore, should become more common through time. Third, patterns in the thickness of shells through time will make it possible to separate the direct, physiological effects of declining temperature (shells are more difficult to produce at cooler temperatures, and so should be thinner) from the indirect effects of temperature on evolving biological interactions (increased drilling predation should result in thicker shells). Seymour Island contains the only fossil outcrops readily accessible in Antarctica from this crucial period in Earth history. The La Meseta Formation on Seymour Island thus provides a unique opportunity to learn how climate change affected Antarctic marine communities. In practical terms, global climate change will probably increase upwelling over the next few decades to centuries in some temperate coastal regions. Recent ecological evidence suggests that the resultant lowering of sea temperatures could lower predation in those areas. Understanding the response of the La Meseta faunas to global cooling in the late Eocene will provide direct insight into the rapidly changing structure of modern benthic communities.

ITR/SI+AP: A Mobile Sensor Web for Polar Ice Sheet Measurements

0122520

2009-07-01

Gogineni, Prasad

Antarctic Radar Echograms and Derived Ice Thickness Data from CReSIS

USAP-DC

0122520 Gogineni Sea level has been rising over the last century. Although the immediate impact of sea level rise may be less severe than other effects of global climate change, the long-term consequences can be much more devastating since nearly 60% of the world population lives in coastal regions. Scientists have postulated that excess water is being released from polar ice sheets due to long-term, global climate change, but there are insufficient data to confirm these theories. Understanding the interactions between the ice sheets, oceans and atmosphere is essential to quantifying the role of ice sheets in sea level rise. Toward that end, this research project involves the innovative application of information technology in the development and deployment of intelligent radar sensors for measuring key glaciological parameters. Radar instrumentation will consist of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that can operate in bistatic or monostatic mode. One important application of the SAR will be in the determination of basal conditions, particularly the presence and distribution of basal water. Basal water lubricates the ice/bed interface, enhancing flow, and increasing the amount of ice discharged into the ocean. Another application of the SAR will be to measure ice thickness and map internal layers in both shallow and deep ice. Information on near-surface internal layers will be used to estimate the average, recent accumulation rate, while the deeper layers provide a history of past accumulation and flow rates. A tracked vehicle and an automated snowmobile will be used to test and demonstrate the utility of an intelligent radar in glaciological investigations. The system will be developed to collect, process and analyze data in real time and in conjunction with a priori information derived from archived sources. The combined real time and archived information will be used onboard the vehicles to select and generate an optimum sensor configuration. This project thus involves innovative research in intelligent systems, sounding radars and ice sheet modeling. In addition it has a very strong public outreach and education program, which include near-real-time image broadcasts via the world wide web

Collaborative Research: Biogeochemistry of Dissolved Organic Matter in Pony Lake, Ross Island

0338260
0338342

2009-03-16

Foreman, Christine; Chin, Yu-Ping

Biogeochemistry of Dissolved Organic Matter in Pony Lake, Ross Island

USAP-DC

Collaborative Research of Earth's Largest Icebergs

0229546

2008-09-19

Okal, Emile; Aster, Richard; Bassis, Jeremy; Kim, Young-Jin; Bliss, Andrew; Sergienko, Olga; Thom, Jonathan; Scambos, Ted; Muto, Atsu; Brunt, Kelly; King, Matthew; Parker, Tim; Okal, Marianne; Cathles, Mac; MacAyeal, Douglas

Iceberg Firn Temperatures, Antarctica	USAP-DC
Iceberg Tiltmeter Measurements, Antarctica	USAP-DC
Ice Shelf Rift Time-Lapse Photography, Antarctica	USAP-DC
Giant Icebergs of the Ross Sea, in situ Drift and Weather Measurements, Antarctica	USAP-DC
Iceberg Harmonic Tremor, Seismometer Data, Antarctica	USAP-DC
Nascent Iceberg Webcam Images available during the deployment period	Project website
Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology	IRIS
Continuous GPS (static) Data from the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica	USAP-DC
This site mirrors the NSIDC website archive.	AMRDC
collection of nascent rift images and description of station deployment	Project website
The files contain a short header (number of data samples, sample rate, start time, stop time, channel title)The time series data then follow the header above.	NSIDC
Ross Ice Shelf Firn Temperature, Antarctica	USAP-DC
Iceberg Satellite imagery from stations and ice shelves (full data link not provided)	Project website

This award supports the study of the drift and break-up of Earth's largest icebergs, which were recently released into the Ross Sea of Antarctica as a result of calving from the Ross Ice Shelf. The scientific goals of the study are to determine the physics of iceberg motion within the dynamic context of ocean currents, winds, and sea ice, which determine the forces that drive iceberg motion, and the relationship between the iceberg and geographically and topographically determined pinning points on which the iceberg can ground. In addition, the processes by which icebergs influence the local environments (e.g., sea ice conditions near Antarctica, access to penguin rookeries, air-sea heat exchange and upwelling at iceberg margins, nutrient fluxes) will be studied. The processes by which icebergs generate globally far-reaching ocean acoustic signals that are detected within the global seismic (earthquake) sensing networks will also be studied. A featured element of the scientific research activity will be a field effort to deploy automatic weather stations, seismometer arrays and GPS-tracking stations on several of the largest icebergs presently adrift, or about to be adrift, in the Ross Sea. Data generated and relayed via satellite to home institutions in the Midwest will motivate theoretical analysis and computer simulation; and will be archived on an "iceberg" website (http://amrc.ssec.wisc.edu/amrc/iceberg.html) for access by scientists and the general public. At the most broad level, the study is justified by the fact that icebergs released by the Antarctic ice sheet represent the largest movements of fresh water within the natural environment (e.g., several of the icebergs to be studied, B15, C19 and others calved since 2000 CE, represent over 6000 cubic kilometers of fresh water-an amount roughly equivalent to 100 years of the flow of the Nile River). A better understanding of the impact of iceberg drift through the environment, and particularly the impact on ocean stratification and mixing, is essential to the understanding of the abrupt global climate changes witnessed by proxy during the ice age and of concern under conditions of future greenhouse warming. On a more specific level, the study will generate a knowledge base useful for the better management of Antarctic logistical resources (e.g., the shipping lanes to McMurdo Station) that can occasionally be influenced by adverse effects icebergs have on sea ice conditions.

CAREER: Genomic Networks for Cold-Adaptation in Embryos of Polar Marine Invertebrates

0238281

2008-06-09

Marsh, Adam G.

Marine Invertebrates of McMurdo Sound

USAP-DC

Although the cold ocean ecosystems comprise seventy-two percent of the biosphere on Earth by volume, they remain sparsely inhabited and relatively unexploited, particularly in terms of metazoan phyla. Consequently, the few animals that can exist at this border of intracellular freezing represent ideal systems for exploring genomic-level processes of environmental adaptations. Understanding life at a margin of the biosphere is likely to convey significant insights into the essential genomic processes necessary for survival under intense selection pressures. This study of adaptive mechanisms in genomic networks focuses on an experimental system that faces a formidable challenge for viability at low water temperatures: embryonic development at sea water temperatures of -1.8 o C in two Antarctic echinoderms, the sea star Odontaster validus and the sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri. The project strategy will quantify temperature effects on gene expression and protein turnover networks during early development using a Bayesian network analysis to identify clusters of genes and proteins whose expression levels are associated in fixed, synergistic interactions. Ultimately, there is a simple question to be addressed: Is it more or less difficult (complex) for an embryo to develop in an extreme environment? To answer this question, the research plan will decipher network topologies and subnet structuring to uncover gene connectivity patterns associated with embryo development in this polar environment. This is the new area of Environmental Genomics that the PI will explore by expanding his research experience into computational network analyses. Overall, there is a significant need for integrative biologists in the future development of environmental sciences, particularly for the application of genomic-scale technologies to answer ecological-scale questions. The educational goals of this CAREER proposal are focused at two levels in terms of interesting young students in the developing field of environmental genomics: 1) increasing the racial diversity of the scientists attracted to environmental research, and 2) increasing the awareness of career opportunities within environmental research. These educational objectives are incorporated into the research plan to engage students with the excitement of working in an extreme environment such as Antarctica and to interest them in the insights that genome-level research can reveal about how organisms are adapted to specific habitats. Working in a remote, extreme environment such as Antarctica is always a challenge. However, the adventurous nature of the work can be utilized to establish educational and outreach components of high interest to both undergraduate students and the public in general. The proposed plan will bring the experience of working in Antarctica to a larger audience through several means. These include the following: the project theme of environmental genomics will be incorporated into a new Bioinformatics curriculum currently being developed at the University of Delaware; an intern program will be implemented to involved minority undergraduate students in summer research in the United States and then to bring the students to Antarctica to participate in the research; and a K-12 education program will bring the excitement of working in Antarctica to the classrooms of thousands of children (U.S. and international) through a program produced with the Marine Science Public Education Office at the University of Delaware.

Palmer LTER Lagrangian Current Measurements

0537960

2008-03-03

Beardsley, Robert; Limeburner, Richard

NODC Accession #0039274

NCEI

Satellite-tracked drifters provide simple yet powerful tools to track the motion of near-surface water on time scales ranging from the tidal/inertial band to monthly and longer. The research described herein will deploy satellite-tracked surface drifters during the annual austral summer Palmer Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) cruises in January 2006 and 2007 in order to investigate the nearsurface Lagrangian currents over the western Antarctic Peninsula (wAP) shelf. This region is experiencing the highest surface air temperature increase (roughly +0.06 degrees C per year) in Antarctica, and LTER and other investigators have found that ecosystem responses to the rapid warming and sea ice decline are already apparent at all trophic levels from phytoplankton to penguins. Building a better understanding of the regional circulation and its variability seems an essential component to understand existing physical and biological processes and longer-term changes in this important and sensitive Antarctic ecosystem. These new Lagrangian measurements will complement those made during the 2001-2003 U.S. Southern Ocean (SO) GLOBEC program and provide the first detailed look at the near-surface flow in this important section of the wAP shelf. In particular, the combined 3-year LTER Lagrangian measurements should identify (a) the source region(s) of the buoyant coastal current discovered flowing southwest along the outer coast of Adelaide Island and into Marguerite Bay during SO GLOBEC and (b) if organized cross-shelf flows occur that help create a two gyre circulation over the shelf as suggested by Hofmann et al (1996) based on regional hydrography. The principal investigators will process and analyze the LTER 2005-2007 drifter data and collaborate with Palmer LTER investigators on the interpretation and integration of the Lagrangian data with their studies. The edited data, analysis results, and animations of the drifter data with surface weather data will be posted on the LTER website for use and viewing by scientists, students, and the public. Results will be presented at national meetings and published in referred journals.

Glacial proxies of East Antarctic shield basement in Wilkes Land, Antarctica

0337858

2007-06-05

Goodge, John

No dataset link provided

Collaborative Research: Evolution and Biogeography of Late Cretaceous Vertebrates from the James Ross Basin, Antarctic Peninsula

0003844

2007-03-28

Case, Judd; Blake, Daniel

Expedition Data	R2R
Expedition data of LMG0309	R2R

This award, provided by the Antarctic Geology and Geophysics Program of the Office of Polar Programs, supports a collaborative research project between the Saint Mary's College of California, the South Dakota School of Mines and technology, and the Argentine Antarctic Institute (Instituto Antartico Argentino or IAA) to investigate the Late Mesozoic vertebrate paleontology of the James Ross Basin in the Antarctic Peninsula region. The Campanian through the Maastrichtian ages (80 to 65 million years ago) is an important time interval concerning vertebrate biogeography (i.e. dispersals and separations due to moving landmasses) and evolution between Antarctica and other Southern Hemisphere continents (including India, i.e. Gondwana). Moreover, the dispersal of terrestrial vertebrates (i.e. dinosaurs and marsupial mammals) from North America to Antarctica and beyond (e.g. Australia) via Patagonia and the Antarctic Peninsula, as well as the dispersal of modern birds from Antarctica northward are important unresolved questions in paleontology. These dispersal events include vertebrates not only in the terrestrial realms, but also in marine settings. Both widely distributed and localized marine reptile species have been identified in Antarctica, creating questions concerning their dispersal in conjunction with the terrestrial animals. The Antarctic Peninsula and Patagonia represent the western-most portion of the Weddellian Paleobiogeographic Province, a region that extends from Patagonia through the Antarctic Peninsula and western Antarctica to Australia and New Zealand. Within this province lie the dispersal routes for interchanges of vertebrates between South America and: 1) Madagascar and India, and 2) Australia. As the result of previous work by the principal investigators, it is postulated that an isthmus between more northern South America and the Antarctic craton has served to bring typical North American dinosaurs, such as hadrosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs) and presumably marsupials traveling overland, while marine reptiles swam along coastal waters, to Antarctica in the latest Cretaceous. Finally, this region has served as the cradle for the evolution, if not the origin, for groups of modern birds, and evolution of a suite of typical southern hemisphere plants. In order to confirm and expand upon these hypotheses, investigations into the latest Cretaceous deposits of the James Ross Basin, Antarctica Peninsula must be continued. The Cape Lamb and Sandwich Bluff geological units, of the Lopez de Bertodano Formation in the James Ross Basin along the eastern Antarctic Peninsula, exhibit a mixture of marine and terrestrial deposits. The following vertebrates have been recovered from these sedimentary deposits during previous field seasons: plesiosaur and mosasaur marine reptiles; plant eating dinosaurs; a meat eating dinosaur; and a variety of modern bird groups, including shorebirds, wading birds and lagoonal birds. This project will undertake new fieldwork to recover new specimens in order to test biogeographic and evolutionary hypotheses concerning Late Cretaceous vertebrates in Gondwana. Fieldwork is planned in January 2002 and 2003 to explore the eastern slopes of Cape Lamb, Sandwich Bluff and False Island Point on Vega Island, and the Santa Marta Cove area of James Ross Island. This research will result in important new insights about the evolution and geographic dispersal of several vertebrate species. The results are important to understanding the development and evolution of life on Earth. This is a collaborative research project with Argentinean scientists from the IAA and it continues a productive collaboration that began in 1995. In addition, collaboration with vertebrate paleontologists from the Museo de La Plata, both in the field and at our respective institutions in Argentina and in the United States, will continue.

Collaborative Research: Geophysical Mapping of the East Antarctic Shield Adjacent to the Transantarctic Mountains

0232042

2005-08-16

Finn, C. A.; FINN, CAROL

No dataset link provided

This award, provided by the Antarctic Geology and Geophysics Program of the Office of Polar Programs, supports a project to investigate the Transantarctic Mountains and an adjacent region of East Antarctica. The East Antarctic shield is one of Earth's oldest and largest cratonic assemblies, with a long-lived Archean to early Paleozoic history. Long-standing interest in the geologic evolution of this shield has been rekindled over the past decade by tectonic models linking East Antarctica with other Precambrian crustal elements in the Rodinia and Gondwanaland supercontinents. It is postulated that the Pacific margin of East Antarctica was rifted from Laurentia during late Neoproterozoic breakup of Rodinia, and it then developed as an active plate boundary during subsequent amalgamation of Gondwanaland in the earliest Paleozoic. If true, the East Antarctic shield played a key role in supercontinent transformation at a time of global changes in plate configuration, terrestrial surficial process, sea level, and marine geochemistry and biota. A better understanding of the geological evolution of the East Antarctic shield is therefore critical for studying Precambrian crustal evolution in general, as well as resource distribution, biosphere evolution, and glacial and climate history during later periods of Earth history. Because of nearly complete coverage by the polar ice cap, however, Antarctica remains the single most geologically unexplored continent. Exposures of cratonic basement are largely limited to coastal outcrops in George V Land and Terre Adelie (Australian sector), the Prince Charles Mountains and Enderby Land (Indian sector), and Queen Maud Land (African sector), where the geology is reasonably well-known. By contrast, little is known about the composition and structure of the shield interior. Given the extensive ice cover, collection of airborne geophysical data is the most cost-effective method to characterize broad areas of sub-ice basement and expand our knowledge of the East Antarctic shield interior. This project will conduct an airborne magnetic survey (coupled with ground-based gravity measurements) across an important window into the shield where it is exposed in the Nimrod Glacier area of the central Transantarctic Mountains. Specific goals are to: 1. Characterize the magnetic and gravity signature of East Antarctic crustal basement exposed at the Ross margin (Nimrod Group), 2. Extend the magnetic data westward along a corridor across the polar ice cap in order to image the crust in ice-covered areas, 3. Obtain magnetic data over the Ross Orogen in order to image the ice-covered boundary between basement and supracrustal rocks, allowing us to better constrain the geometry of fundamental Ross structures, and 4. Use the shape, trends, wavelengths, and amplitudes of magnetic anomalies to define magnetic domains in the shield, common building blocks for continent-scale studies of Precambrian geologic structure and evolution. High-resolution airborne magnetic data will be collected along a transect extending from exposed rocks of the Nimrod Group across the adjacent polar ice cap. The Nimrod Group represents the only bona fide Archean-Proterozoic shield basement exposed for over 2500 km of the Pacific margin of Antarctica. This survey will characterize the geologically well-known shield terrain in this sector using geophysical methods for the first time. This baseline over the exposed shield will allow for better interpretation of geophysical patterns in other ice-covered regions and can be used to target future investigations. In collaboration with colleagues from the BGR (Germany), a tightly-spaced, "draped" helicopter magnetic survey will be flown during the 2003-04 austral summer, to be complemented by ground measurements of gravity over the exposed basement. Data reduction, interpretation and geological correlation will be completed in the second year. This project will enhance the education of students, the advancement of under-represented groups, the research instrumentation of the U.S. Antarctic Program, partnerships between the federal government and institutions of higher education, and cooperation between national research programs. It will benefit society through the creation of new basic knowledge about the Antarctic continent, which in turn may help with applied research in other fields such as the glacial history of Antarctica.

Isotopic Measurements on the WAIS/Siple Dome Ice Cores

9526979

2003-06-16

White, James; Bender, Michael

Siple Dome Core Date from Measurement of the d18O of Paleoatmospheric Oxygen

USAP-DC

Evolution of Sea Surface Temperatures in the Coastal Antarctic Paleoenvironment During the Late Cretaceous and Paleogene

9980538

2001-06-11

Lohmann, Kyger; Barrera, Enriqueta

Stable isotope and minor element proxies for Eocene climate of Seymour Island, Antarctica

USAP-DC

This award, provided by the Antarctic Geology and Geophysics Program of the Office of Polar Programs, supports research for construction of a long-term record of climate during the late Cretaceous and early Paleogene to assess the annual seasonality in temperature on the coastal margin of Antarctica. Stable isotope and element compositions of well-preserved bivalve shells collected on Seymour Island will be the primary source of data used to reconstruct paleoenvironmental conditions. Seasonal temperature records collected through high-resolution sampling along growth structures in bivalve shells will allow seasonality to be assessed during different climate states and during periods of rapid climate change. In addition, high stratigraphic resolution will enable this project to detect the presence and frequency of short-lived thermal excursions that may have extended to such high latitudes. To compile a reliable temporal record of paleoclimate, two major avenues of investigation will be undertaken: 1) precise stratigraphic (and therefore, temporal) placement of fossils over a large geographic area will be employed through the use of a graphical technique employing geometric projections; 2) stable isotope and elemental analyses will be performed to derive paleotemperatures and to evaluate diagenetic alteration of shell materials. To provide realistic comparisons of paleotemperatures across stratigraphic horizons, this study will focus on a single taxon, thus avoiding complications due to the mixing of faunal assemblages that have been encountered in previous studies of this region. The near-shore marine fossil record on Seymour Island provides a unique opportunity to address many questions about the Antarctic paleoenvironment, including the relation between seasonality and different climate states, the influence of climate on biogeographic distribution of specific taxa, the effect of ice-volume changes on the stable isotope record from the late Cretaceous through the Eocene, and the plausibility of high-latitude bottom water formation during this time interval. In particular, information that will be collected concerning patterns of seasonality and the presence (or absence) of short-lived thermal excursions will be extremely valuable to an understanding of the response of high latitude sites during climate transitions from globally cool to globally warm conditions.

Antarctic Meteorological Research Center (2009-2011)

0838834

1970-01-01

Lazzara, Matthew; Costanza, Carol

Access Antarctic Synoptic and METAR Observations.	AMRDC
Archived METAR observational data	AMRDC
Access Antarctic Composite Images.	AMRDC
Access all real-time datasets	AMRDC
Access South Pole Radiosonde Observations	AMRDC
Access Antarctic Synoptic and METAR Observations.	AMRDC
Access McMurdo Radiosonde Observations	AMRDC
We have observations from three ships near Antarctica, the R/V Polar Duke the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer and the R/V Laurence M. Gould. Data from 23 August 1993 are available via ftp and the files are updated with the most recent observations every 7-10 days as we receive the information. The AMRC has been archiving general ship and buoy observational data for the Antarctic and surrounding regions since 2 December 1998.	AMRDC

USAP-DC

U.S. ANTARCTIC PROGRAM DATA CENTER

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