The National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs places automatic weather station (AWS) units in remote areas in Antarctica in support of meteorological research, applications, and operations. The basic AWS units measure air temperature, air pressure, wind speed, and wind direction. Some units measure relative humidity and the air temperature difference (delta-T) between 3 meters and 0.5 meters above the surface at the time of installation. The data are collected by the ARGOS Data Collection System on board the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration series of polar-orbiting satellites. Holmes, et al. (1993) and Stearns, et al. (1994) describe the AWS activities during the two previous austral summers.
Location information for the AWS units in operation in 1994 is given in the table. The AWS units are located in arrays for meteorological experiments and at other sites for operational purposes. Any one AWS may contribute to several experiments and all can contribute to operational purposes.
Some of the areas supported are:
The 1994-1995 Antarctic field season began on 10 November 1994 when G. A. Weidner and R. E. Holmes left Madison, Wisconsin for McMurdo Station, Antarctica, arriving on 13 November 1995.
On 18 November 1994 a NSFA helicopter flight was made to Linda site. One 1.8 m tower section was installed and the lower delta-T sensor was raise to a height of 1.0 m. AWS 8915 was removed and returned to McMurdo for repair.
On 23 November, a NSFA helicopter flight was made to Marble Point AWS site. The four 100 amp-hr lead-acid batteries were replaced by six 40 amp-hr gel cell batteries.
On 28 November, R. E. Holmes left McMurdo Station for CWA via LC-130. On 29 November, Twin Otter flights were made to J.C., Erin, Theresa, Harry, and Doug sites and AWS units were installed. On 30 November, Twin Otter flights were made to Brianna and Elizabeth sites and AWS units were installed. R. E. Holmes left CWA for Byrd Surface Camp via LC-130. On 2 December, Byrd AWS site was visited by snowmobile. One 1.5 m tower section was installed as were six 40 amp-hr gel cell batteries.
On 7 December, a NSFA helicopter flight was made to Linda AWS site. AWS 8915 was reinstalled, and six 40 amp-hr gel cell batteries were installed.
On 8 December Willie Field AWS site was visited by truck. The data storage module for the Ultrasonic Depth Gauge (UDG) was replaced with a new module.
A NSFA helicopter flight was made to Minna Bluff AWS site on 9 December. The R. M. Young wind sensor had been severely damaged and only the vertical shaft remained on the tower. A new R. M. Young wind sensor was installed.
On 15 December 1994, J. J. Cassano and M. W. Seefeldt left Madison, WI for the USCG Polar Star in Hobart, Tasmania, arriving there on 17 December. On 26 December, a USCG helicopter flight was made to D-10 AWS site. One 1.8 m tower section was added and the antenna was replaced. A second helicopter flight was made to Sutton AWS site and AWS 8939 was installed. A third USCG helicopter flight was made to Port Martin AWS site. The 0.9 m boom was replaced with a 1.2 m boom, and both an aerovane and a Hydro-tech high wind system were installed. AWS 8930 was removed and returned to the ship to modify the electronics for use with the Hydro-tech high wind system.
A helicopter flight was made back to Port Martin on 27 December and AWS 8930 was replaced. Cape Denison AWS site was also visited by USCG helicopter on 27 December. The 0.9 m boom was replaced with a 1.2 m boom, and both a replacement aerovane and a Hydro-tech high wind system were installed. A new antenna was installed and AWS 8933 was replaced with 8907.
On 28 December a USCG helicopter flight was made to Penguin Point AWS site. An new antenna was installed. Also on 28 December, a flight was made to Cape Webb and AWS 8933 was installed.
On 3 January, 1995, a USCG flight was made to Manuela AWS site. The site was not located due to poor visibility. A second flight was made to Whitlock site and AWS 8929 was replaced with AWS 8921.
A USCG helicopter flight was made to both Pegasus North and Pegasus South AWS sites on 7 January. Both stations were in good working order. Willy Field AWS site was visited by truck on 7 January. New batteries for the CR-10 data logger were installed as well as a solar panel to charge the batteries.
In the Antarctic Peninsula area, AWS 8910 was installed by Tony Amos, assisted by members of the LTER, at Hugo Island group and named "Santa Claus." The Bonaparte Point and Racer Rock AWS units had battery connections that were loose and corroded. The AWS units will need to be modified to cope with the salt laden air.
Two AWS units were shipped to the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition for installation at the Relay Station and Dome Fuji by Dr. Takeo Kameda. The units are operating and the Dome Fuji AWS unit is the highest in Antarctica. These are the first inland meteorological measurements in the NE sector of the Antarctic continent since Plateau Station closed.
We were assisted in Antarctica by John Cassano and Mark Seefeldt of the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Geoff Miller and Claire Olin of Antarctic Support Associates, NSFA-Meteorology, and by the crews of the Twin Otters, LC-130s, NSFA helicopters, USCG helicopters, and the USCG Polar Star. The AWS program is supported by National Science Foundation grant OPP 93-03569.
Holmes, R.E., G.A. Weidner, and C.R. Stearns. 1993. Antarctic automatic weather stations: Austral Summer 1992-1993. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 28(5), 296-299.
Stearns, C.R., G.A. Weidner, and R.E. Holmes. 1994. Antarctic automatic weather stations: Austral Summer 1993-1994. Submitted to Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 29(5).