USAP Station Schedules & Overviews
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USAP Station Schedules & Overviews | ||||
| Project Indexes | USAP Program overviews | Station schedules & overviews | Technical Events | |||
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Austral
Summer Season Openings
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Austral
Summer Season Closing
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Estimated
Population
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Station
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Operational
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Science
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Summer
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Winter
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McMurdo
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19 August
2002
(WinFly*) |
02 October
2002
(mainbody) |
22 February
2003
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1,000 (weekly
average)
2,900 (total) |
200
(winter total) |
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South Pole
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23 October
2002
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30 October
2002
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15 February
2003
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220 (weekly
average)
600 (total) |
60
(winter total) |
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Palmer
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29-September-2002
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17 October
2002
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May 2003
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37-44 (weekly
average)
60 (total) |
35
(winter total) |
| Research Vessels |
Year-round
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RV / IB
NBP
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RV LMG
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39 science
& staff
25 crew |
32 science
& staff
25 crew |
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| *Four research projects begin at McMurdo. |
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McMurdo Station |
McMurdo Station is the largest of the United States Antarctic stations, and is the main operational center for the continental U.S. Antarctic Program. It has two landing strips and more than 100 buildings ranging in size from a small radio shack to large, three-story structures linked by above ground water, sewer, telephone, and power lines. Read more about it... Support contractor staff at McMurdo Station provide support to temporary and long-term field camps. Read more about it... McMurdo-based air operations personnel and contractors provide air support to deep field camps, to South Pole Station and for project logistics. Read more about it... List this year's McMurdo-based projects
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Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station |
Established in 1957, the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station has always been operated year-round. Station elevation is 2900 meters (?? feet) and is the coldest, driest, windiest place on earth?. No landmarks are visible on the 3,000-meter-thick plateau of ice 1,350 km (? miles) from McMurdo Station. Scientific research at the station falls into the general disciplines of upper-atmosphere physics, meteorology, earth sciences, geophysics, glaciology, biomedicine, and astrophysics. Air transportation is provided by the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing. |
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Palmer Station |
Palmer Station is the only United States Antarctic Program station on the Antarctic Peninsula, and is a base for Aeronomy, Biology, Geology & Geophysics, and Oceans & Climate Systems research. The station receives all logistics support from the Research Vessel Laurence M. Gould, a USAP-chartered research and supply vessel. The Gould transports cargo and personnel to and from the station throughout the entire year. Therefore, unlike the McMurdo and South Pole stations, Palmer Station does not have the long period of winter isolation associated with "wintering-over" in Antarctica. |
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USAP Research Vessels |
The USAP operates two scientific research vessels, the Nathaniel B. Palmer (NBP) and the Laurence M. Gould (LMG). Both vessels are managed for the NSF by the support contractor, Raytheon Polar Services Company (Denver, CO), on a long-term charter from Edison Chouest Offshore (Galliano, LA). Unlike continent-based research stations, the USAP vessels operate on year-round schedules. Each cruise is identified by a unique cruise number. Three letters indicate the ship (NBP or LMG). The first two digits indicate the calendar year and the next two indicate the sequential cruise number. At the time of this printing, the NBP is scheduled through April 2003 to support eight science projects. Other projects will be added when their requirements and logistics needs are determined. Look for the latest scheduling information on the Internet at http://www.usap.gov/science/marine. |
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Other (not station-based) |
Every year, the NSF supports projects that are not tied to any of the USAP stations. Some of these entail collaboration with other U.S. governmental entities, such as NOAA, NASA, or the USGS;. Others involve collaboration with other national Antarctic programs, including projects invited to work at the bases or on the research vessels of other nations. Most of these non-station-based projects deploy around the periphery of the Antarctic continent, often at island locations or at sea in the Southern Ocean. All have their own unique requirements for planning and logistical support. |
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