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United States Antarctic Program The Antarctic Sun - Sunset at McMurdo Station
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McMurdo Station during the 2009 winter, when 24-hour darkness blankets much of Antarctica.
McMurdo Station during the 2009 winter, when 24-hour darkness blankets much of Antarctica.

RPSC marine technician Justin Smith, left, and Chance Miller deploy a net off the stern of the ARSV Laurence M. Gould during the Palmer LTER science cruise in January 2010. The ship has supported the month-long cruise since 1997. Gould Charter Extended
Raytheon Polar Services Co. recently announced an extension to the charter for the ARSV Laurence M. Gould with Edison Chousest Offshore, Inc. The charter has been extended for five years, until July 2015, with an option for an additional five years.

McMurdo Station after a summer dusting of snow. The research station is the logistics hub of the U.S. Antarctic Program. The NSF has asked Congress for $2 million to help fund energy efficiencies at McMurdo, among other budget requests. NSF FY11 Budget Request
The National Science Foundation is asking the U.S. Congress for $7.4 billion for the 2011 fiscal year, an 8 percent increase over 2010. The NSF's Office of Polar Program, which manages the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) and funds Arctic research, would increase to $528 million, 17 percent above the FY 2010 level of $451.16 million.

Photo Credit: NASA Collision Course
An iceberg the size of Rhode Island collided with a glacier tongue, spawning a second berg nearly as big. Now some scientists are concerned the dislocation of ice in front of the Mertz Glacier could alter ocean currents.

Palmer Station sits at the edge of Anvers Island. The tsunami warning that resulted from the Feb. 27 earthquake in Chile prompted station personnel to initiate an emergency plan, pulling boats out of the water and moving material to higher ground. Not Shaken
The powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck central Chile Feb. 27 and spawned tsunami warnings did not affect any of the U.S. Antarctic Program research stations or research vessels. However, ongoing disruptions to Chilean infrastructure and transportation may delay an upcoming science cruise later this month.

Site Curator: Peter Rejcek, Raytheon Polar Services | NSF Official: Winifred Reuning, OPP | Last Updated: 10/26/2007
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