Palmer Station Timeline
2005-present
Summer 2005-06
IMS building completed and occupied
Here is a January 2006 view of the new building, partially hidden behind CAF and T5 which it replaces...this photo is by Dr. Gregory Zaar of the Keeling air sampling group at UCSD. See the above link for more photos...
Winter 2006
Manager: Brett Pickering; population 15-17 (list and photos)
Marine tech Joshua Spillane disappears from the Laurence M. Gould
Veteran marine tech Joshua Spillane disappeared, apparently overboard, on 17 April LMG transit north to PA, and has been declared dead. Here is more information from RPSC/USAP and a NSF press statement. The photo at left shows him operating a Zodiac at Deception Island in 2000, it is an NSF photo included with the above RPSC/USAP information page.
One of the 1988 vintage 3406 generators in the power plant replaced with a similar new model
Accidental CO2 discharge in the power plant produces some excitement and a brief power outage (but no harm or injury) on 16 May during the annual PM when an empty bottle was being replaced
Summer 2006-07
Winter 2007
Manager: Eric Pohlman; population 17-31 (list and photo)
Summer 2007-08
Amsler Island named after long-time researchers Maggie and Chuck (October)
The 1.3-mile long strip of island lies between Arthur Harbor and Loudwater Cove...until recently this was a peninsula until the receding glacier exposed open water connecting the harbor and the cove. It includes Norsel Point as well as the site of BAS Base and Old Palmer.
Chuck Amsler, a marine algal ecophysiologist and chemical ecologist, is an expert on Antarctic macroalgae (seaweeds). He's made 11 trips to the ice, seven of them (the first in 1985-96) to Palmer Station. Wife Maggie is an invertebrate zoologist, she's made 16 ventures to Palmer Station, the first in 1979-80. The two of them have completed more than 500 Antarctic research dives; their most recent trip to Palmer concluded in June 2008. Their photo at left came from this University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) press release; here is a map.
MS Explorer sinks (23 November)
The 250-foot ship hit an unidentified underwater object at about 2345 local time (GMT-3) on 22 November, at 62°S- 57°W, and quickly started filling with water from a reported 4x10 inch gash in the hull. By 0430 the 91 passengers, 9 guides and 54 crew had been evacuated to lifeboats. They were picked up by the Norwegian cruise ship MS Nodnorge and transported to KGI, while the Explorer sank around 1530 in 1300m of water.
The ice-strengthened vessel, originally built in 1969 as the Lindblad Explorer, was the first ship specifically constructed to bring tourists to Antarctic waters. As such it made many visits to Palmer Station beginning in the early 1970s. For more details on the incident, here are 3 reports presented at the June 2008 Antarctic Treaty meeting (ATCM) in Kiev: an official investigation by Liberia (the flag state of the vessel); a report on Chilean involvement in the search and rescue; and a Chilean report on the environmental impacts and response. (Photo from Reinhard Jahn, Creative Commons license).
Winter 2008
Manager: Eric Pohlman; population 20-24 (list and photos)
Summer 2008-09
Winter 2009
Manager: Ken Keenan; May population 30/August population 16 (list and photos)
Hugo Island AWS reinstalled (April)
The site was formerly named Santa Claus Island...after some failed efforts it was replaced in April 2009, here you see Kevin Pedigo, LMGould computer/instrument specialist, doing the installation (2009 Palmer Area Users Committee documentation).
Oprah Winfrey show segment presented from Palmer Station (aired 21 May)
The taped show was part of a "Skype Around the World" series that Oprah was presenting. Interestingly, the use of Skype is normally verboten at USAP stations and facilities, so the IT and comms folks had some work to do to get things set up. Fortunately, weather the day of the taping was good, with clear skies, appropriate for discussion of global warming. Here are two pages from the Skype section of the program web site...one showing Neal Sheibe...and another showing Bruce Sidell. Sadly, this was Bruce's last trip to Palmer Station...he passed away less than 2 years later in February 2011 (obituary). The page image at left is courtesy of Neal Scheibe, he has more photos of the event on this blog page.
Summer 2009-10
NASA "Operation Icebridge" DC-8 flight overflies the station
The project is a six-year program to obtain three-dimensional view of Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets, ice shelves and sea ice. In this photo, Palmer residents in float coats document their presence (NASA photo by John Arvesen). The continuing 6-year project overflew Pole in November 2010. During the boreal summer the team operates over the Arctic, usually based in Kanger or Thule, Greenland.
First new area penguin rookery in 10 years observed...gentoo penguins on an unnamed island near Dream Island
Divers visit to repair the pier
The diving team of Rob Robbins, Steve Rupp and Travis Matoush visited in the second year of the project to patch holes in the sheet pile by welding patches underwater. Rather than dry suits usually worn by science divers, the team wore modified wet suits which had a hose that supplied 105° warm water from the surface, to allow for longer dives. The holes in the sheet pile were allowing the fill dirt/rocks to spill out, creating sink holes on the surface. In the photo at left (by Peter Rejcek), Travis Matoush is cutting a steel patch for one of the holes. This Antarctic Sun article has the story and more pictures. Oh yes, there still is an $8 million project out there to replace the pier.
Winter 2010
Manager: Lisa Trotter; population 18 (list and photos)
Dennis Calhoun shows up to give one of my now-ancient 3406B generators (#2) a rebuild; #1 was scheduled for early summer 2010-11.
Interferometer room constructed in Terralab.
The room was constructed in the center of Terralab...a darkroom and an instrument platform on the roof above (more information and photos).
Directional signpost erected
The signpost, constructed in a traditional style common at inland stations in the earlier days of the Antarctic program, is a first of its kind at Palmer Station (more information).
Summer 2010-11
Generator rework completed--#1 repaired restoring full load capacity...then Gen #2 was rebuilt.
New boat ramp added
Not exactly a ramp...but a large deck platform in front of the boathouse, allowing storage for more Zodiacs than the old small ramp (photo courtesy of Brian Nelson).
Maine biologist and long-time Palmer researcher Bruce Sidell passes away (8 February)
In commemoration of his long-time work at Palmer and on the research vessels, this plaque was installed in the main entrance/float coat vestibule (An identical plaque has also been installed on the Laurence M. Gould.) Here's more information and his obituary.
Winter 2011
Manager: Perri Barbour; population 15 (list and photos)
A rare visitor...an emperor penguin takes up residence in the backyard (March). Global warming? Has one been seen here before? Well, they ARE getting around...another one turned up in New Zealand in June 2011.
100-foot antenna tower removed from Bonaparte Point (April).
New Wisconsin project shows up to study land formations and monitor soil and permafrost temperatures at Palmer, and Deception and Livingston Islands (Dr. James Bockheim, PI).
Significant construction project...a new backbar!
Fast ice strong enough for foot travel surrounds the station in September/October for the first time in 10 years. Pack ice was severe off and on through November.
Summer 2011-12
Yacht Spirit of Sydney calls (December)...one of the crew members on this "Spirit of Amundsen" expedition was Jørgen Amundsen, the great-grand nephew of Roald. Their venture included skiing on the Peninsula, and climbing an unnamed peak on 14 December, the centenary of Amundsen's arrival at Pole. Here's a video of their station visit.
Rutgers team sends a "drone" (or ROV or whatever, actually they call it an AUV--Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) from Palmer to Rothera, collecting data along the way. The trip took about 60 days.