File - Antarctic Treaty Secretariat

51 Pages·2008·1.71 MB·English

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

ANTARCTIC TREATY

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION
UNDER ARTICLES III (1) AND VII (5)
FOR 2007 - 2008

PART II

ANNUAL REPORT

Federal Ministry
for Foreign Affairs

Berlin

April 2008
2. ANNUAL REPORT (01 October 2006 – 30 September 2007)......................................................................3
2.1 Scientific Information...............................................................................................................................3
2.1.1 Forward Plans......................................................................................................................................3
2.1.2 Science Activities in the previous year (01 October 2006 – 30 September 2007)...............................3
2.2 Operational Information........................................................................................................................17
2.2.1 National Expeditions..........................................................................................................................17
2.3 Permit Information.................................................................................................................................46
2.3.1 Visits to Protected Areas................................................................................................................46
2.3.2 Taking and harmful interference with flora and fauna................................................................46
2.3.3 Introduction of non-native species...............................................................................................47
2.4 Environmental Information...................................................................................................................47
2.4.1 Compliance with the Protocol........................................................................................................47
2.4.2 List of IEEs and CEEs.....................................................................................................................47
2.4.3 Monitoring activities report............................................................................................................48
2.4.4 Waste Management Plans..............................................................................................................48
2.5. Relevant National Legislation..............................................................................................................48
2.6 Other Information...................................................................................................................................48
2.6.1 Inspection Reports..........................................................................................................................48
2.6.2 Notice of Activities undertaken in Case of Emergencies..................................................................48
a) Accidents and Medical Evacuations within the German Antarctic Program..........................................48
b) Report on an aircraft accident and aircraft removal during DROMLAN operations...............................50
2. ANNUAL REPORT (01 October 2006 – 30 September 2007)
2.1 Scientific Information
2.1.1 Forward Plans

Germany as one of the consultative parties since 1981 maintains its long-term commitment of scientific
research in Antarctica. The Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) as the national co-
ordinator enables Germany to maintain this role from its research and long-term monitoring and survey
activities. In addition to AWI, the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), the German
Aerospace Centre (DLR) undertake long-term survey and remote sensing activities in Antarctica. The DFG
Priority Program “Antarctic Research with comparative investigations in ice covered Arctic regions” supports
Antarctic research projects of German universities. Scientific activities will also be coordinated with other
national programs.
AWI provides the main infrastructure for polar research, maintains the permanent German presence in
Antarctica, and supports international objectives through collaborative scientific and logistic links with many
other national programs. AWI will keep mobile and stationary infrastructures not only in top condition but also
adapt to ever changing requirements posed by new scientific experiments and field observations. As an
important contribution for long-term scientific activities will be the replacement of the present Neumayer
Station II by a new permanently occupied research station Neumayer Station III being commissioned in
February 2009.
In parallel efforts will be continued to further develop logistic infrastructure in the frame of international
collaboration. As a priority the international project Dronning Maud Land Air Network (DROMLAN) will be
supported by AWI in order to maintain and further improve an intercontinental air-link from Cape Town to
destinations in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica.

2.1.2 Science Activities in the previous year (01 October 2006 – 30 September 2007)

The Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) coordinated all German Antarctic activities.
The following German institutions performed in the frame of their research programs Antarctic expeditions as
well as operated stations or camps in Antarctica:

Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI)
German Aerospace Centre (DLR)
Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG)
Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR)
Further Antarctic activities were performed in co-operation with other national institutions and universities.
(a) Ship operations

RV Polarstern - Leg ANT XXIII/7

Period: 24 August 2006 -29 October 2006

Scientific Leader: Peter Lemke (AWI)

Area of activity: North-western Weddell Sea

Scientific activities report:

RV Polarstern left port in Cape Town (South Africa) early morning on 25 August 2006 to perform
oceanographic, sea ice, biological, air chemistry and bathymetric investigations in the north-western Weddell
Sea southward of the South Orkney Islands.

The oceanographic work was dedicated to investigate the winter conditions in the dominant regions of deep
and bottom water production and export to the world’s oceans. Dense sections across the main passages
east and west of the South Orkney Islands and a section to the south to the Larsen-A region comprised the
main hydrographical activities, which were aimed at the understanding of the formation, the distribution, the
pathways and the export of the deep water masses. The hydrographical work was complemented by tracer
measurements (Helium isotopes 3He and 4He, Neon and CFCs), which will also be used to characterise
water mass formation and transport, and by iceberg marking to provide a better estimate on their drift
trajectories and the freshwater input to the Weddell Sea due to iceberg melting. In addition, total CO2 and
total alkalinity were measured during the cruise which, in combination with auxiliary data, will allow deriving
the anthropogenic CO2 signal in Weddell Sea waters. It is expected that these data will provide an estimate of
the total annual anthropogenic CO2 uptake by the Weddell Sea water masses.

Furthermore, six bottom pressure sensors were deployed on the sea floor in the area of the Antarctic
Circumpolar Current (ACC) to acquire multi-year time-series of ocean bottom pressure and acoustic travel
time to the surface for the validation of gravity field variability measurements by the GRACE satellite mission,
for estimates of the variability of ocean currents, transport, heat content and mass in the South Atlantic part of
the ACC. Sea ice plays a major role in determining the exchange between ocean and atmosphere in polar
regions and affects the climate system also on the global scale. The sea ice characteristics in winter in the
Weddell Sea are poorly known and were investigated in detail, especially concerning the regional and
temporal variability of snow and sea ice thickness, which were determined from a helicopter-borne thickness
sensor, from the ship’s sea ice monitoring system and from in-situ measurements on the ice. The main
emphasis was given to the characteristics of first-year and second-year ice and especially to the modification
of the ecosystem after survival of the summer melt.

Increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that salty frost flowers on newly formed sea ice represented the
long-sought major source of polar tropospheric bromine. In order to shed light on this, trace gas
measurements over the sea ice surface were performed, to collect samples of frost flowers, and to analyze
the results using surface information from both ship observations and from satellite. The aim was to verify the
potential bromine sources and to possibly quantify and parameterize the bromine fluxes.

The main focus of the sea ice – biogeochemistry and biodiversity work was directed on the characterization of
the physical, chemical and biological interactions in the Weddell Sea during winter, in order to understand the
evolution of the biomass production in this part of the seasonal cycle. As part of these activities photosynthetic
parameters and bio-optical properties of sea ice were determined to understand the influence and forcing
factors on sea ice primary production.
The distribution of organisms in and below the sea ice was investigated with respect to species composition,
vertical distribution, abundance, biomass, as well as their living conditions, physiological performance and
adaptation strategies. Of special importance were sea ice copepodes and their pelagic counterparts.
Investigations were performed in order to understand the respective physiological and biochemical adaptation,
energy requirements and life strategies to utilize short-term food-pulses and to endure periods of food
scarcity. Another topic was the production of dimethyl sulphide (DMS) through biophysical processes in the
sea ice and the surface ocean layer. DMS is transported into the atmosphere as aerosol and plays a major
role in the development of fog and clouds, with effects on precipitation, on radiative properties and energy
absorption in the atmosphere. The investigations will provide an extended basis for process understanding,
climate model parameterizations, and interpretation of ice cores.

The polar oceans play a central role in the global carbon cycle. The formation of deep and bottom water in
these regions removes high amounts of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from the active carbon cycles for
thousands of years. The knowledge of the chemical structure of DOM is of major importance because only
biogeochemical stable, refractory substances survive the transport to the deep ocean. DOM in the area of
Antarctic bottom water formation was analyzed on a molecular level by modern analytical techniques.
Transformation processes of DOM resulting in refractory organic substances were identified for the
quantification of the so called “DOM-pump”. This knowledge will help to improve models for the global carbon
cycle.

During the entire cruise bathymetric investigations have been undertaken to collect multi-beam data to enlarge
the data bases for different ocean mapping programs and to improve Nautical Charts in the Antarctic INT
Scheme. The hydrographic work was supported through surveys around oceanographic sampling sites,
especially in the regions of ocean passages. A special survey will be performed in the vicinity of an earth
quake epicenter to detect a possible change in bottom topography.

After the conclusion of the work programme RV Polarstern steamed towards Cape Town and reached port in
the morning of 29 October 2006.

See also Operational Information, topic 2.2.1

See also Permanent Information, topic 3.1.2

RV Polarstern - leg ANT XXIII/8

Period: 23 November 2006 - 30 January 2007
Scientific Leader: Julian Gutt (AWI)

Area of activity: South Atlantic Ocean, Weddell Sea, Drake Passage

Scientific activities report:
ANT XXXIII/8 (PS-69) started in Cape Town on 23 November 2006 at 6:00 pm local time. The main objectives
of the 52 participating scientists from 12 countries were contributions to “Census of Antarctic Marine Life”
(CAML) and the “Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources” (CCAMLR). Objects
of scientific investigation spanned the size range of microbes to whales, including meiofauna,
macroinvertebrates, and fish. The Polarstern hit the first pack ice at 58 degrees south. On 8th December the
Neumayer supply of fuel was accomplished using an approx. 40m high ice shelf edge west of the so called
“Nordanleger” and on 10th December the remaining cargo was placed on the sea ice at the mouth of Atka Bay.
During transit and in both “boxes”, around Elephant Island and at Larsen A/B, successful cetacean
observations were from helicopter and. Mink whale sightings were exclusively made close the pack ice edge.
Very rare beaked whale species were predominantly sighted near Elephant Island.
CCAMLR related fisheries biological investigations started on 19th December around Elephant Island. First
results showed that the biomass of two notothenoiidae species, Marbled notothen (Notothenia rossii) and
Bullhead notothen (Notothenia coriiceps) increased in comparison with survey conducted in 2003. However,
at the same time stocks Blackfin icefish (Chaenocephalus aceratus) and Mackerel icefish (Chaenocephalus
aceratus) decreased. Those investigations were successfully continued around the Shetland Islands starting
from 27th December, where Notothenia coriiceps accounted for the most abundant fish species. This
CCAMLR program finished with 13 hauls at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula on 6th January 2007. This survey
was completed after 85 hauls with up to six hauls per day. During this phase of the expedition other sampling
gear such as the Agassiz trawl, Rauschert dredge, CTD, multicorer, gravity core, photo sled, and amphipod
and fish traps were used at night to obtain additional samples for research projects covering taxonomy,
physiology, genetics, pollutants and trophic interactions.

On 6th January Polarstern passed through the Antarctic Sound into the northern Weddell Sea. Investigations
of the Larsen B area ecosystem began on the 9th January 2007 in order to answer the following questions:
What form of life exists under the ice shelf? How did the ice shelf and its subsequent collapse impact the
marine ecosystem? What will the future bring for the present fauna? Can we confirm reports of a U.S. working
group about a cold seep and its associated chemotrophic community? Four core stations were sampled by
almost all sampling gear – towed, stationary, sedimentological, benthological, and oceanographical. Large
differences in sediment type were conspicuous. A variety of plain rock, especially around station “B-South”,
boulder fields, sandy bottoms, and very fine-grained sediments could be observed. The epifauna of this area
was also variable. The high abundance of sea squirts was very intriguing. Because these organisms are
considered to be fast-growing a hypothesis potentially explaining this observation can be put forward. Sea
squirts were only able to colonize the Larsen B area after the break off of the ice shelf. Hydroacoustic surveys
were undertaken to optimise gear deployment and to obtain ecologically relevant environmental parameters. A
sediment trap with current meter was deployed for nine days. A preliminary look at the recorded data showed
at an unusually high current velocity close to the seafloor.

A cold seep, which has so far only been recorded by underwater videography, was rediscovered with the help
of an ROV at approx. 830 m water depths. Corresponding characteristic places were covered with small
clusters of clam shells. On a macroscopical level these are obviously dead specimens. Deep-sea species of
sea cucumbers which were also found in the shallow were the most abundant. The recovery of two US
moorings failed despite eager attempts to retrieve them. On 20th January the Polarstern steamed to the
Larsen A area to successfully sample two more core stations. Close to the rocky coast which is cut off by a
glacier very fine sediment with a rich but species-poor infauna was found. At a different station the number of
larger slow-growing glass sponges was highest for the entire Larsen area but smaller forms have also been
observed which could indicate re-colonization. In order to accomplish a comparative approach independent of
the ice shelf theme two reference stations near Seymour and Paulet Island were sampled. Deployment of
scientific gear in shallow water depths, especially the ROV, showed destruction of the seafloor by icebergs
thus low epibenthic diversity. Epibenthic diversity was considerably higher at approx. 220m water depths but
disrupted by fresh iceberg scours. North of 60°S two drifter buoys for a French and a South American working
group were deployed. With the arrival in Punta Arenas (Chile) on 30th January 2007 at 8 am Polarstern
successfully finished the expedition ANT XXIII/8 (PS-69) on time.

See also Operational Information, topic 2.2.1

Scientific equipment:
On RV Polarstern: bottom trawl, Agassiz trawl, triangular dredge, multi-box corer, multi-corer, gravity corer,
plankton net, CTD with water sampler, Remotely Operated Vehicle, moorings, traps, multibeam bathymetry
(Hydrosweep)
On helicopter: Videography and photography

See also Permanent Information, topic 3.1.2
RV Polarstern - leg ANT XXIII/9

Period: 2 February 2007 - 10 April 2007

Scientific Leader: Hans-Wolfgang Hubberten (AWI)

Area of activity: Prydz Bay and shelf and slope and deep sea north to the Kerguelen
Islands. Kerguelen Plateau

Scientific activities report:
The scientific program of the Antarctic expedition ANT XXIII/9 of RV Polarstern concentrated mainly on
geophysical and marine geological studies to investigate the geodynamic and tectonic development of the
continental margin of the region as well as to reconstruct the glaciomarine environmental history of the late
Quaternary.
The expedition started on February 2, 2007 in Punta Arenas, Chile and took direct course to the Neumayer
Station. Before arriving at the shelf ice border, the Italian ocean floor observatory “MABEL”, which was
deployed from Polarstern on 5 December 2005, could not be recovered as planned due to technical problems
of the system. The subsequent annual supply of the German over-wintering station Neumayer was
undertaken in a record time of only one day.
On the transect from Neumayer to Prydz Bay, 14 floats were deployed under the umbrella of the Argo project,
accompanied by several CTD casts.
After arrival in Prydz Bay the first land groups were flown out with the helicopters to the Larsemann Hills to
start with geomicrobiological studies in permafrost soils as well as sampling of rocks for petrological
investigations. Parallel to these activities the permanent stations Progress (Russia) and Zhongshan (China)
were visited. As the planned field work in the Amery Oasis had to be cancelled due to bad weather conditions,
a larger group was transported to the Rauer Islands to sample lake sediments from freshwater and epishelf
lakes. A seismological “Reftec” station and a magnetometer were installed on one of the Rauer islands.
Marine geological sampling was carried out at several stations during this period.
After these operations began the comprehensive geophysical program, which focused on the investigation of
the geodynamic and tectonic development of the continental margin in the Prydz Bay area. In the first deep
crustal seismic refraction profile, 19 OBS and 3 OBH were deployed from the continental boundary to the
north. The profile was studied in a two-vessel experiment together with the Russian RV “Akademik Alexander
Karpinsky” using a state-of-the-art seismic reflection system including a 5-6 km long digital streamer. A
second seismic profile was measured, after leaving the Prydz Bay area, in a S-N transect east of the first
profile. On the track of the first seismic profile and closer to the continent west of this line, several marine
geological stations were realized. Parallel to the seismic studies, densely-spaced parallel magnetic survey
lines were flown by the RV “Polarstern” helicopters equipped with a towed Caesium magnetometer system
and completed by the shipboard fluxgate magnetometer system.
Returning to Prydz Bay, a seismic profile planned in this area had to be cancelled due to strong new ice
formation. The work in the Bay was concentrated on flight operations for investigations on land and the final
transport of all land camps back to Polarstern. An Antarctic IPY summit was held on board Polarstern with the
leaders of the stations Davis (Australia), Progress (Russia), and Zhongshan (China).
After finishing the second seismic profile, an intensive marine geological sampling started from the continental
margin to the Kerguelen Islands with a maximum recovery of 28.15 m of sediment. Further stations planned
west of Kerguelen had to be cancelled due to bad weather conditions.
Surface water samples were taken to support paleoceanographic reconstructions of nutrient cycling in the
Southern Ocean and their impact on atmospheric CO over past climate cycles almost continuously along the
2
cruise track from Punta Arenas to Cape Town via Prydz Bay and the Kerguelen Plateau.
The RV Polarstern expedition ANT XXIII/9 ended in Cape Town on 10 April 2007, one day earlier than
planned.
See also Operational Information, topic 2.2.1

Scientific equipment:
On RV Polarstern: multibeam bathymetry (Hydrosweep), sediment-echography (Parasound), seismic
reflection, seismic refraction, ocean-bottom seismographs, gravity meter, magnetometer, piston corer, gravity
corer, grab sampler, dredge, CTD, water sampler
On helicopter: magnetometer

In the field: GPS recorders, geological sampling

See also Permanent Information, topic 3.1.2

(b) Aircraft operations
Dornier aircraft Do228-101 (Polar 2) (AWI)
Project: Antarctic Trace Gas and Aerosol Airborne Measurement study (AGAMES)

Period: 17 December 2006 – 29 January 2007

Scientific leader: Andreas Herber, (AWI)

Operational base: Syowa station/ S17 (Japan)

Scientific goals:
The knowledge about aerosol properties and distribution over the Antarctica is fairly limited and based on
relatively few ground-based measurements, mostly confined to the coastal regions. The aerosol vertical
distribution in the Antarctic troposphere, and therefore aerosol transport patterns and life cycle in general,
cannot be sufficiently described based on ground-based observations only. This gap in knowledge
considerably limits the ability to decipher Antarctic ice core records of past climate and paleo-environment.
Furthermore, investigations of the aerosol air-snow transfer of aerosol species requires knowledge of the
vertical distribution of aerosol chemical and microphysical characteristics, which is so far not well understood.
The atmospheric part of the ANTSYO program, named AGAMES (ANTARCTIC TRACE GAS AND AEROSOL
AIRBORNE MEASUREMENT STUDY) will focus on characterization of the Antarctic tropospheric aerosol,
delivering unique comprehensive observational aerosol data sets never achieved before. Investigation of the
aerosol physico-chemical properties, origin and transport pathways over the Antarctica ice sheet as well as
over the coastal part of the continent and sea ice area are the main objectives of the program. In addition, the
occurrence and frequency of “diamond dust” events will be observed and trace gas variability in the Antarctic
troposphere will be studied. To achieve the ambitious project goals, airborne in-situ measurements will be
closely linked to ground-based and satellite observations and appropriate modelling tools.
See also Operational Information, topic 2.2.1

Main scientific equipment:
The scientific equipment of POLAR 2 consisted of a radio echo sounding device, a modified ships
gravitymeter, a laser altimeter, 2 geodetic GPS receiver, and a magnetometer. On ground 3 GPS reference
stations and 2 magnetic base stations were operated.
See also Permanent Information, topic 3.1.2

Project: VOR_IPICS – pre-site survey for possible ice core drill projects
within the frame of IPICS

Period: 06 January – 15 February 2007

Scientific leader: Daniel Steinhage (AWI)

Area: Grounded ice sheet between 11°-5°W and 72.5°-70.5°S around Ekströmisen,
see map in Operational Information, topic 2.2.1

Scientific activities report:
Aim of the project is to determine basic glaciological properties of the ice sheet surroundding Ekströmisen.
These data are needed in regard of the IPY project IPICS in order to decide which subproject of IPICS AWI
might join. Furthermore will the validation of different satellite projects (e.g. CryoSat, TerraSar) benefit from
the proposed field activites.

The following method will be carried out on the traverse: digging snow pits, drilling firn cores, and shallow ice
cores along the ice divide in order to determine the accumulation rate. These measurements will be endorsed
by ground based radar studies sounding the upper 20 m, respectively 100 m. Furthermore kinematic and
static GPS measurements are planned to investigate surface topography and ice dynamics. Temperature in
the boreholes was logged using y thermistor probe.

See also Operational Information, topic 2.2.1, and Permanent Information, topic 3.1.2

(c) Stations
Neumayer station (AWI)

Period: 01 October 2006 – 17 February 2007

Officers in charge:
Station leader: Maja Petzel (AWI, physician) until January 2007,
Karl-Heinz Waltner (AWI, physician) from January 2007
Logistic coordinator: Thomas Matz (AWI, engineer) for season 2006/2007.

Scientific activities reports:
Meteorological Observatory
The meteorological observatory programme at Neumayer was ongoing. It included:

• 3-hourly routine synoptic observations,
• daily upper-air soundings,
• weekly ozone soundings,
• continuous surface radiation and mast measurements,
• satellite picture reception (HRPT, DMSP).
• Training of the over winterer staff.
• Preparation of the over wintering period 2007.

During the summer season 2006/07 all routine maintenance services have been carried out successfully. The
data acquisition systems have been upgraded and modernized. The sun-photometer measurements as well
as the spectral uv-measurements have been terminated. They will be restarted as soon as more reliable
instruments are available.
The new over winterer team took over the observatory work and are continuing the observatory programs
continuously without mayor changes.
During the summer season the meteorological observatory of Neumayer was used successfully as the
DROMLAN weather forecast centre. The service will start again in November 2007.

Air Chemistry Observatory:
During the summer campaign 2006/07, activities at the Air Chemistry Observatory of Neumayer Station were
focused on maintenance of the equipment, validation of the measured data, as well as practice of the new
over-winterer.

Geophysical Observatory:

i) Seismology:
The main task of seismographic observations at Neumayer Station is the monitoring of the local, regional and
global seismic activities. As the global seismographic monitoring network is rather wide-meshed in the
southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica, seismographic recordings at Neumayer Station (including also
the broad band station SNAA at Sanae IV) contribute substantially to seismological research in this region.
Onset times of first arrivals and other seismic phases of detected earthquakes are determined regularly and
reported to the National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC), USA. Especially the investigation of the local
and regional seismicity is very important. Antarctica is not that aseismic as it was generally believed.
Monitoring this seismicity since many years revealed the existence of distinct seismic active areas in Dronning
Maud Land. These new results will contribute to a better understanding of neotectonic processes in this area.
Both remote seismographic stations VNA2 on Halfvar Ryggen, where the small seismographic aperture
detection array is located, and VNA3 on Søråsen Ice Rise had been serviced during a several days visit in
December 2006. In late December 2006 another seismographic station had been deployed at the Swedish
summer base SVEA in cooperation with the Swedish Polar Secretariat. This station is designed to operate
autonomously for almost a whole year, if power supply will not fail during winter. A further seismographic
station has been installed at Kohnen Station three years ago. However, this station failed completely in
operation in 2006 and was replaced by a new recording system in December 2006. The operation of these
two autonomously operating seismographic stations at bases which are only open and accessible during
austral summer may be another step towards the establishment of a large scale regional seismographic
network in Dronning Maud Land.

ii) Geomagnetism:
The long term recordings of the geomagnetic field and its time dependent variations are further continued.
Absolute hourly means of the three field components and the total field intensity are reported on a monthly
schedule to the World Data Center (WDC) in Copenhagen, Denmark. The results of these measurements are
included into the development of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) which is performed by
WDC. The new 3-component fluxgate system, which had been installed during summer season 2005/06 and
which offers superior performance, is now in a very stable operation mode. It is intended to transfer
preliminary, pseudo- calibrated high-resolution data from this system on a daily schedule to one of the
INTERMAGNET data centers.

iii) Others: