bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oriented lake-and-ridge assemblages of the Arctic coastal plains: glacial landforms modified by thermokarst and solifluction
Authors: Grosswald Mikhail G. , Hughes Terence J. , Lasca Norman P.
Published: October 2009

Oriented assemblages of parallel ridges and elongated lakes are widespread on the coastal lowlands of northeast Eurasia and Arctic North America, in particular, in Alaska, Arctic Canada, and northeast Siberia. So far, only the oriented lakes have been of much scientific interest. They are believed to be formed by thermokarst in perennially frozen ice-rich sediments, while their orientation is accounted for either by impact of modern winds blowing at right angles to long axes of the lakes (when it concerns individual lakes), or by the influence of underlying bedrock structures (in the case of longitudinal and transverse alignment of lake clusters).

En masseexamination of space images suggests that oriented lake-and-ridge assemblages, not the oriented lakes alone, occur in the Arctic. Hence any theory about their formation should account for the origin and orientation of the assemblages as a whole. The existing hypotheses appear inadequate for this end, so this paper proposes that the assemblages were initially created by glacial activity, that is, by ice sheets that drumlinized and tectonized their beds, as well as by sub- and proglacial meltwater, and then they were modified by thermokarst, solifluction, and aeolian processes. This assumption opens up an avenue by which all known features of oriented landforms in the Arctic can be explained. The paper suggests that the oriented landforms in Siberia and Alaska are largely signatures of a marine Arctic ice sheet that transgressed from the north, while the Baffin Island and Mackenzie Delta forms were created by the respective sectors of the Laurentide ice sheet. The oriented features discussed belong to the last Late Glacial through the Early Holocene.
Identification and assessment of contaminated sites at Casey Station, Wilkes Land, Antarctica
Authors: Deprez Patrick P. , Arens Michael , Locher Helen
Published: October 2009

In December 1993 a study of contaminated sites at Casey Station, Wilkes Land, Antarctica, was undertaken. The preliminary assessment of these contaminated sites is presented here. A register of contaminated sites for Casey Station was developed, based on a survey of past Antarctic expeditioners, relevant literature, and in-house reports relating to site usage and history. On this basis a sampling strategy was devised for the highest priority, potentially contaminated sites at Casey Station. Samples were collected from the refuse disposal site (tip site) at Thala Valley and the mechanical workshop/powerhouse areas of ‘Old’ Casey. The results indicated that copper, lead, and zinc were leaching from the tip site into adjacent Brown Bay, with ‘hot spots’ of high petroleum hydrocarbon levels. The mechanical workshop/powerhouse area was also shown to be contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and metals such as copper, lead, and zinc. Several recommendations were made, including the removal of rubbish mixed with soil at the bottom end of Thala Valley in such a manner as to prevent any further release of contaminants, with subsequent site monitoring to verify effective removal of contaminants to acceptable environmental levels. It was also recommended that further investigations be carried out on the ecosystem of Brown Bay, the large fuel spill site, the upper and lower fuel-storage areas, and the area around the incinerator. There is scope for monitoring the natural breakdown and migration of contaminants at the mechanical workshop/powerhouse site. This should include studies on bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils. Mechanisms for arresting surface migration should be investigated in those sites identified. In addition to meeting some of the international obligations of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, this work also contributes towards the development of an approach to assessment and management of contaminated sites that is uniquely adapted to the Antarctic environment and could be applied at other Antarctic stations. to the assessment and management of contaminated sites that is uniquely adapted to the Antarctic environment. This approach could be utilised for site assessments at other Antarctic stations.
Components of the energy balance of the ground surface and their effect on the thermics of the substrata of the vegetation oasis at Henryk Arctowski Station, King George Island, South Shetland Islands
Authors: Prosek P. , Janouch M. , Láska K.
Published: October 2009

This article presents the results of measurements of the components of ground-surface energy balance (radiation balance, sensible heat flux, latent heat flux, and ground heat flux) taken during the 1994/95 summer season at Poland's Henryk Arctowski Station, King George Island, South Shetland Islands (62°09'42”S, 58°28'10”W). This was the first time that these complex measurements had been taken in the central part of the South Shetlands archipelago. The results are evaluated at the level of daily and seasonal fluctuations. The consequences of energy balance on the temperature conditions of the soil substrata are highlighted. The verification of the degree of influence of a subset of energy-balance components on soil temperature allowed analysis of the relationships among soil temperature, radiation balance, and sensible heat flux. This analysis leads to the conclusion that there is a rapid reaction of the soil temperature to the radiation balance and sensible heat flux to a depth of 5 cm. The boundary atmosphere and soil substrate represent the basic components of the ecotops of the Antarctic vegetation oasis, so these results are interpreted in pedological or botanical studies in the search for environmental influences on the vegetation.
Ten myths about the preservation of historic sites in Antarctica and some implications for Mawson's huts at Cape Denison
Authors: Hughes Janet
Published: October 2009

A review of popular writing on the subject of preservation of historic sites in Antarctica, including buildings, graves, and artefacts, has revealed many misconceptions about the existence and cause of deterioration problems. These myths include the belief that the artefacts inside the Ross Dependency huts are in a near perfect state of preservation and that there is no corrosion in Antarctica because of the dry cold. Further examination, however, shows these views to be incorrect. These and other misconceptions are classified into three groups: (1) misunderstanding or denial of deterioration processes in Antarctic conditions; (2) simplistic assumptions about how historic buildings should be conserved in Antarctica; and (3) inappropriate comparisons between dissimilar sites.

There has been considerable debate in Australia and New Zealand about how historic Antarctic buildings should be preserved. Proposed preservation methods have covered a wide range from dismantling and repatriation to a museum, re-cladding with new timber, insertion of vapour barriers inside walls to exclude ice ingress, covering buildings with a dome, and, at the other end of the spectrum of views, minimal intervention. The preservation of artefacts has also been an issue, particularly concerning whether artefacts can be effectively preserved in Antarctica or whether it is necessary to treat and store them at museums outside Antarctica. It is important to encourage consideration of all appropriate means of preservation, but it is particularly important that the causes of deterioration are understood (that is, correct diagnosis) before prescribing treatment.
The use of permafrost for the storage of oil and oil products and the burial of toxic industrial wastes in the Arctic
Authors: Chuvilin E.M. , Yershov E.D. , Naletova N.S. , Miklyaeva E.S.
Published: October 2009

Experience with using permafrost for disposal of various toxic industrialwaste products and for storage of oils and petroleum products shows that underground disposal is preferable in terms of ecology and economy. However, account must be taken of possible interaction (heat, mechanical, chemical, and physico-chemical) of the buried material with the cryogenic environment and theassociated specific processes. A study of the main types of interaction of water-soluble and water-insoluble materials with frozen soil and ice permits tentative recommendations for safe storage of these materials in the Arctic.
A composite gazetteer of Antarctica
Authors: Cervellati Roberto , Ramorino Chiara , Sievers Jörn , Thomson Janet , Clarke Drew
Published: October 2009

Publication of the Composite gazetteer of Antarctica by the SCAR Working Group on Geodesy and Geographic Information is a major milestone in the evolution of Antarctic toponymy. It has taken six years to produce, and contains 21,552 names representing 16,563 geographic features, sourced from 20 national Antarctic gazetteers and one international agency. The Gazetteer has been designed to avoid any value judgement regarding precedence or form of the various place-names. The contents of the two volumes are described, and the results of an analysis of the names data are presented. It is noted that 476 geographic features have two or more completely different names, whereas 3377 features have multiple names due to translation or transliteration. The limited progress towards development of toponymic guidelines for the Antarctic is described, along with plans for further development of the Gazetteer. An immediate benefit of the publication is that national Antarctic geographic names authorities will now be able to avoid approving new names for geographic features that are already named.
Screening Antarctica: Britain, the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey, andScott of the Antarctic(1948)
Authors: Dodds Klaus J.
Published: October 2009

This paper explores Ealing Studios' cinematic production about Robert Falcon Scott and theTerra Novaexpedition, released to British audiences in 1948. Under the title ofScott of the Antarctic, the film recreated the tragic failure of the expedition on its return from the South Pole. The race to the South Pole had ended with victory for Roald Amundsen and post-colonial Norway. Three decades later, Britain again found itself involved in an intense territorial competition with two post-colonial states, Argentina and Chile. In the midst of decolonisation, the postwar government under Prime Minister Clement Attlee was engaged in a ‘cold war’ in Antarctica. The Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) had been created in order to protect sovereignty claims to the Antarctic Peninsula. While some attention has been given to the cultural significance ofScott of the Antarctic, there has been little geopolitical commentary on this film. As an empty space devoid of indigenous populations, Antarctica was invitingly incomplete. Produced with the co-operation of the Scott Polar Research Institute and FIDS, this film depicted a failed imperial project at a time when Britain desperately needed scientific practices such as mapping to consolidate territorial sovereignty. The paper explores the actual filming process along with the verdicts of contemporary critics in order to make a critical appraisal of Britain's changing role in Antarctica. It is sobering to note that while FIDS was supporting the filmScott of the Antarctic, Argentina was attempting to indoctrinate a new generation of schoolchildren about the realities of the Argentine Antarctic sector.
The Gloucester balloon: a communication from Franklin?
Authors: Ross W. Gillies
Published: October 2009

On 5 October 1851 a balloon was found near Gloucester, England, bearing a message from one of Sir John Franklin's two ships, last seen by Europeans six years before. The Admiralty responded swiftly and investigated the circumstances for several days before announcing that the message was a fake. During their inquiries no news appeared in the press. When newspapers at last published the story, most of them called the episode a hoax, although their accounts differed from each other and from the facts in many details. The Admiralty's brief announcement late in the day on 11 October gave the impression that the incident had been trivial, but in fact they had taken it very seriously. The author suggests that the hoax was carried out with an authentic balloon made for Admiralty expeditions to the Arctic, inflated with hydrogen or coal gas.
A nutritional analysis of the food rations Martin Frobisher's second expedition, 1577
Authors: Heidenreich Conrad E. , Heidenreich Nancy L.
Published: October 2009

A list of the provisions for the second expedition led by Martin Frobisher was produced on 26 March 1577, for 115 men and 18 months. These plans contain an extraordinarily detailed food procurement list: the quantity of each food, the cost of each item, and how the rations were to be allocated. The subject of this paper is a nutritional analysis of the rations on this list. It is assumed that the March list is simply an 18-month version of what was put in place for the eventual seven-month expedition.

The individual foods for the expedition were grouped into four basic meal plans, rotated throughout the journey at four ‘meat days’ and three ‘fast days’ per week. Since the amount of each food allocated per person per day was indicated, the quantities of each were able to be converted into modern measures, based on foods thought to be near equivalents to those in Frobisher's time, and the caloric and nutrient intake calculated. The results show a fairly monotonous diet of about 4000 calories on fast days to 5000 calories on meat days. Except for a virtual absence of vitamin C, the diet seems nutritionally adequate over short runs. Inadequacies could occur quickly if some foodstuffs went bad, or if members of the crew were depleted of crucial nutrients, such as ascorbic acid, before the voyage began. On longer journeys this diet would have been inadequate, as it is doubtful if beer (29% of the calories) or butter and cheese (most of the vitamin A) could have lasted for more than six months. An examination of 18 Arctic voyages between Frobisher's first (1576) and that of James (1631–1632) demonstrates that they had similar foodstuffs on board, and that few suffered appreciable dietary problems unless they were gone for more than six months.
The representations of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition, 1901–03
Authors: Lewander Lisbeth
Published: October 2009

On 16 October 1901 Otto Nordenskjöld departed from Sweden for Antarctica. According to most accounts published during the twentieth century, the Swedish Antarctic Expedition of 1901–03 planned and executed a substantial scientific programme, and made heroic efforts to overcome the adversity faced. This article investigates whether these descriptions are accurate and complete by examining both the long-established reports of Nordenskjöld's expedition and numerous rarely used primary sources, such as diaries and letters. In comparing these primary sources with narratives from various expedition members, competing versions of aspects of the expedition appear. This article particularly focuses on reports concerning sealing and whaling, and on the representation of the human frailties of the expedition members.
Twentieth-century variations in temperature and precipitation in the Nordic Arctic
Authors: Førland E. J. , Hanssen-Bauer I. , Jónsson T. , Kern-Hansen C. , Nordli P.Ø. , Tveito O. E. , Laursen E. Vaarby
Published: October 2009

In a joint Nordic effort, a high-quality climate data set for the Nordic Arctic is established. The data set consists of monthly values from 20 stations in Greenland, Iceland, the Faeroes, and the Norwegian Arctic. The data set is made available on the web. Ten climate elements are included, and most of the series covers the period 1890–2000. The data series illustrate the large climatic contrasts in the Nordic Arctic, and demonstrate that parts of the region have experienced substantial climate variations during the last century. Despite increasing temperatures during recent decades, the present temperature level is still lower than in the 1930s and 1950s in large parts of the region. The pattern of long-term precipitation variations is more complicated, but in parts of the region the annual precipitation has increased substantially. At Svalbard Airport and Bjørnøya the annual precipitation has increased by more than 2.5% per decade during the twentieth century.

Variations in atmospheric circulation can account for most of the long-term positive trend in precipitation in the Norwegian Arctic, and also for the positive temperature trend from the 1960s. The positive temperature trend before 1930 and the negative trend during the following decades, are, however, not accounted for by the circulation models.
Temperature and precipitation in Svalbard 1912–2050: measurements and scenarios
Authors: Hanssen-Bauer I.
Published: October 2009

Temperature and precipitation series from Svalbard for the period 1912–2000 were analysed. There was a statistically significant warming from 1912 to the 1930s, a cooling from the 1930s to the 1960s and a warming from the 1960s to present. There was a positive trend in the annual mean temperature during the period 1912–2000, but it was not statistically significant. Spring was the only season when a statistically significant warming was found. For precipitation, statistically significant positive trends during the period 1912–2000 were found on an annual basis and in all seasons except winter. Empirical downscaling was applied on the results from a global climate model to produce scenarios for monthly temperature and precipitation in Svalbard. The 2 m temperature was applied as predictor for temperature. For precipitation, a combination of temperature and sea-level pressure was used. The temperature scenario indicates a warming of about 1°C per decade in winter, and 0.3°C per decade in summer from 1961 to 2050. The projected increase in annual mean temperature is about five times the average warming rate from 1912 to present, and highly significant. The precipitation scenario also indicates that precipitation will increase significantly until 2050. The maximum increase was projected in spring precipitation; however, the trends in seasonal precipitation are quite uncertain.
Clay minerals in response to the Pleistocene climate change on the Yermak Plateau, Arctic Ocean (ODP, Site 911)
Authors: Ruikka Mattiina , Strand Kari
Published: October 2009

The Arctic plays an important role in controlling the Earth's climate and ocean circulation. Studies of past climate conditions in high latitudes are important to understand this role more precisely. Clay mineralogy of sediments was detected to be comparative with cyclic changes in climatic conditions during the past 0.8 Ma in the northernmost Atlantic-Arctic gateway (Ocean Drilling Program, Site 911). Clay minerals are transported by sea ice, icebergs, glaciofluvially, or by ocean currents. Smectite is assumed to be transported predominantly during interglacial periods. Its content decreases from about 0.4 Ma to the present, which may indicate lesser eroded smectite in the provenance area, assumed to be mostly in the Laptev Sea. Illite is due to erosion from Svalbard during glacial periods, and shows a negative correlation with smectite. Chlorite is not a good climate indicator because of its high frequency in the northern regions. Zemlya Frantsa-Iosifa (Franz Josef Land) is the most likely source area of kaolinite and the output seems to have slightly increased from 0.5 to 0.4 Ma. The correlation of kaolinite and chlorite means coincidental sedimentation. Kaolinite and chlorite are negatively correlated with illite, which indicates transportation during the more open ocean conditions that prevailed between repeated Pleistocene glaciations.
Charles Swithinbank: glaciologist
Authors: Cruwys Liz , Riffenburgh Beau
Published: October 2009

This is the second in a series of biographies entitled ‘Children of the Golden Age,’ the purpose of which is to describe the background and contributions of significant living figures in polar research who began their scientific careers in the years following World War II. Born on 17 November 1926 in Burma, Charles Winthrop Molesworth Swithinbank attended Bryanston School in Dorset before joining the Royal Navy in 1944. He read geography at the University of Oxford and was named assistant glaciologist for the Norwegian-British-Swedish Expedition (1949–52). After completing his DPhil, he joined the Scott Polar Research Institute, where he studied ice distribution in the Northwest Passage. Moving to the University of Michigan (1959–63), he led three expeditions to the Ross Ice Shelf before becoming the first British exchange scientist with the Soviet Antarctic Expedition (1963–65). Returning to the Scott Polar Research Institute, he developed a glaciological programme that led to his appointment as chief glaciologist of the British Antarctic Survey. He became head of the Earth Sciences Division in 1974, a post he held until his retirement in 1986. Swithinbank's contributions to Antarctic science include studies of the deformation, flow, and thickness of glaciers and the interpretation of satellite imagery. He served as president of the International Glaciological Society (1981–84) and has received a number of honours and awards.
‘The faithfulness of our dealings’: the correspondence between George Simpson and Ferdinand von Wrangell, 1838–48
Authors: Stone Ian R.
Published: October 2009

By an agreement in 1839, the Hudson's Bay Company and the Russian American Company established a framework for co-operation in their activities in Alaska and adjacent areas of Canada that lasted until the 1860s. The signatories to the agreement were George Simpson and Ferdinand von Wrangell. These men were prominent in the management of the co-operation and this was facilitated by their mutual trust and friendship. An examination of their correspondence affords insights into business methods in a cross-cultural environment in the mid-nineteenth century, and into the extent to which their personal relations influenced major decisions in economics and politics with regard to the areas of activity of both companies.
Life on the ice: understanding the codes of a changing environment
Authors: Aporta Claudio
Published: October 2009

This article is concerned with the knowledge of sea ice as developed and transmitted by the Inuit of Igloolik (Nunavut, Canada). The information on which this article is based was obtained from travelling, observation, and interviewing carried out from October 2000 to May 2001 in Igloolik, as well as several existing interviews from the Igloolik Oral History Project database. Inuit knowledge of sea ice reveals a deep understanding of the complex relationships between ice, currents, the Moon, and the winds, as well as a holistic approach to knowledge where classification based on a western scientific approach becomes difficult, if not counter-productive. Through detailed knowledge of ice topography, sea ice becomes a familiar territory for the Inuit of Igloolik, and, through the understanding of the ‘codes’ of the moving ice, its changing nature becomes predictable. This article does not pretend to give a full account of a system of knowledge the understanding of which requires a lifetime of practice and observation. However, it describes some of its elements and offer some insights regarding this complex aspect of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Inuit knowledge, also known as IQ).
Whaling records and changes in Antarctic sea ice: consistency with historical records
Authors: de la Mare William K.
Published: October 2009

A claim that there are substantial discrepancies between direct observations of the Antarctic sea-ice edge and the implicit sea-ice edge derived from whaling records is rebutted. The claimeddiscrepancies are shown to arise largely from comparing the two types of information from different dates. A date-corrected comparison shows generally good agreement between the southernmost limit of whaling and the most comprehensive of the early monthly ice charts of Antarctica. The remaining apparent discrepancies are accounted for either by very limited data or the complex nature of the ice edge in the region of the Weddell ice tongue. Correlation of the southernmost limits of whaling with direct observations of the ice edge provides the most powerful calibration of the relationship between them
Historical methods of temperature measurement in Arctic and Antarctic waters
Authors: McConnell Anita
Published: October 2009

Investigations into conditions in Arctic and Antarctic seas were carried out during the late 18th and 19th centuries by private as well as government-sponsored expeditions. While the French occupied themselves with exploration mainly within tropical and temperate waters, Britishinterests lay in the Arctic regions, where a possible route through to the Pacific might be found, and as the location for whaling and sealing operations. It was to the advantage of these industries to discover how deep the polar seas were, to determine the water temperature and quality, and to understand the tides and currents flowing round their shores. But for a long time scientists failed to grasp that the key to water quality and movement lay in elucidating thetemperature profile from surface to sea bed. The instruments available before 1874 were not capable of resolving this profile and it was not until the end of the 19th century that measurements were made of sufficient accuracy to enable the various water masses and their consequent movements to be calculated theoretically from intensive temperature studies. By this time initiative for such work had passed into the hands of Norwegian scientists and Britain was represented only as a member of the International Commission for Exploration of the Sea (ICES), established in 1902.
Antarctic airborne radio echo sounding, 1977–78
Authors: Drewry D. J. , Meldrum D. T.
Published: October 2009

During the austral summer 1977–78 the Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) conducted a fifth season of airborne radio echo sounding in Antarctica as part of a joint project with the US National Science Foundation Division of Polar Programs (NSF-DPP) and the Technical University of Denmark (TUD). In addition, trials were undertaken of a magnetometer installation, developed and operated, under NSF contract, by the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) of the Johns Hopkins University, USA.
A new wind-chill nomogram
Authors: Rees W.G.
Published: October 2009

This paper describes an improved nomogram (a graphical device avoiding the need for calculation) for estimating wind-chill and assessing the danger of frostbite. The nomogram incorporates recent theoretical work on the rate of heat loss from a clothedperson in cold or windy conditions.
Environmental control in remote areas: the case of the Soviet northlands, with an Alaskan comparison
Authors: Armstrong Terence
Published: October 2009

The object of trying to ascertain how environmental concerns are being faced in the Soviet northlands is twofold. On the one hand, it may be interesting to compare the Soviet experience with that of other countries having the same environment; on the other, these areas are very seldom visited, in particular by foreigners, so they are in no sense a shop window and may therefore be a good guide to the real situation in the country.
Bedrock and ice surface topography of the coastal regions of Antarctica between 48°E and 64°E
Authors: Allison Ian , Frew Rowan , Knight Ian
Published: October 2009

Between the austral summers of 1975–76 and 1979–80 the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition (ANARE) carried out field programmes in geology, geophysics, surveying and mapping, biology and glaciology in Enderby and Kemp lands, Antarctica (Fig 1). The glaciological research consisted of three closely related major projects: the determination of the mass flux across a section of the ice sheet, approximately along the 2 000 m elevation contour between 53°E and 62°E; an investigation of the dynamics and mass balance of the fast flowing outlet glacier streams between longitudes 48°E and 62°E; and a regional survey of the ice thickness and ice surface elevation over the same sector and up to about 250 km inland from the coast.
Jobs, leisure and traditional pursuits: activities of native males in the Northwest Territories
Authors: Stabler Jack C.
Published: October 2009

abstract

Activity patterns of native people in the Northwest Territories include a complex mixture of employment in the modern economy, full-time or part-time engagement in traditional pursuits, and leisure. This study identifies characteristics of participants in each activity which assist in interpreting the allocation of time among employment in the modern economy, the pursuit of traditional activities, and leisure. Three hypotheses—traditionalist, modernist and culturalist — were identified from current literature and tested statistically, using data collected in interviews held with 11,164 NWT residents in 1984. The hypotheses were: (1) engagement in the traditional sector is preferred to holding a job in the modem economy; thus, wage employment primarily facilitates pursuit of traditional activities; (2) engagement in the modern economy is preferred; those unable to work in it turn to traditional activities, which are easier to enter; (3) the traditional sector is an arena in which a cultural heritage can be maintained, a preferred sustenance obtained, or where one can demonstrate his prowess apart from any material gain that might be realized. The data do not unequivocally support any of the hypotheses, but this study suggests an alternative approach to the interpretation of activity patterns, based upon an analysis of individual preference functions.
Foraging ranges of penguins
Authors: Wilson Rory P. , Nagy Ken A. , Obst Bryan S.
Published: October 2009

abstract

Speed/distance meters were deployed on adeliée, gentoo and chinstrap penguinsPygoscelis adeliae, P. papua and P. antarctica, breeding near Anvers Island, Antarctica. Underwater speeds and distances travelled were interspecifically very similar (means of ca. 7–8 km h-1and 15–45 km, respectively). These results are compared with published data on penguin behaviour at sea obtained by using identical methodology. A simple model, based on penguin activity at sea data, is developed to derive range limits for penguins. Derived range limits are substantially lower than previous estimates but accord well with distributional data obtained by transects.
Greenland: ten years of home rule
Authors: Lyck Lise
Published: October 2009

The development, background and nature of the Greenland model of home rule are discussed. Over a ten-year period this model has proved pragmatic and worked well, creating a high degree of autonomy and allowing considerable economic development. Contemporary problems and advantages are outlined and a draft strategy for the future is presented.
Antarctic environmental planning and management: conclusions from Casey, Australian Antarctic Territory
Authors: Kriwoken Lorne K.
Published: October 2009

The Antarctic environment has undergone significant local environmental damage and degradation, with nations rebuilding, expanding, or developing stations and bases. The Australian Antarctic Division's ten-year (1985–95) A$76.704 million programme of rebuilding and expanding stations in Australian Antarctic Territory is representative of a continent-wide increase in station numbers and impact, increasing station size, human numbers, lengths of roads, buildings, waste material production, and energy requirements. Environmental planning and impact assessment have not been incorporated in official decision-making; human activities at Australian Antarctic Territory stations had serious impacts on the limited ice-free land and local flora and fauna. Casey, are-developed station, is examined with reference to environmental planning and management under Antarctic Treaty obligations and recent Australian environmental legislation. Recommendations include the setting up of an Australian Antarctic Resources Committee responsible inter alia for environmental planning and management, including regional and station management plans and cumulative and environmental impact assessment for all Antarctic operations.
Alaska's subsistence management regimes
Authors: Caulfield Richard A.
Published: October 2009

Alaskans disagree sharply over the issue of a subsistence priority for hunting and fishing by rural residents, including most Alaskan Eskimos, Aleuts, and Indians. The issue highlights competing visions of Alaska's future; one based upon Euroamerican values and the other on indigenous rights and customary law. Recent political and legal developments, particularly the Alaska Supreme Court's 1989 McDowell decision invalidating the state of Alaska's rural priority, have undermined significantly subsistence protections. Failure of the state to restore this priority led the US federal government to take over subsistence management under provisions of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (PL 96–487). For Alaska's indigenous peoples, these events make clear the limitations of relying solely on state and federal governments for protecting subsistence. Efforts are underway to strengthen tribal governments and assert limited jurisdiction over hunting and fishing. A major goal is to achieve standing for negotiations with state and federal authorities over future co-management of subsistence resources.
Mawson's Antarctic huts and tourism: a case for on-site preservation
Authors: Hughes Janet
Published: October 2009

Several Arctic and Antarctic historic sites have now been extensively excavated and some, such as the Scott and Shackleton huts in the Ross Dependency of Antarctica, have been restored and opened to visitors. The huts of Mawson's Australian Antarctic Expedition 1911–1914, the sole expedition site of the historic age in Australian Antarctic Territory, have become a tourist attraction and the subject of controversy. One view favours bringing the main hut back to Australia for display in a museum, on the grounds that the hut is deteriorating and at present inaccessible to the Australian people: repatriation would preserve the hut and enable it to be viewed by a greater number of visitors. An alternative is to preserve the hut on site by covering it with a dome or re-cladding, replacing the timbers which have been seriously eroded, and retaining the site (but not at present the hut interior) as a tourist feature. The author argues in favour of preservation on site, retaining as much of the original fabric of the huts as possible, and proposes the formation of an informal network to exchange information among other researchers studying polar historic sites.
Scientific investigations of the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, 1990
Authors: Braham Howard W.
Published: October 2009

Field research was carried out on Seal Island (60°59.5'S, 55°24.5'W), South Shetland Islands from 14 December 1989 to 27 February 1990. The main focus ofstudy was the ecology and population biology of Antarctic fur seals Arctocephalusgazella (Bengtson and others 1990a, b)and chinstrap Pygoscelis antarctica and macaroni Eudyptes chrysolophus penguins (Bengtson and others 1990a; Croll and others 1990). Analysis of stomach and fecal contents of live adult and sub-adult animals showed that krill were predominate in the diets of all three species, especially the penguins. Prey fed to penguin chicks by their parents contained 99% krill by weight. Thedietof fur seals varied from principally krill (62%), to fish (13%), to mixed krill and fish (25%). Traces of squid beaks were found in 15% of the fur seal stomach samples. Time-depth recorders and radio transm itters were attached to 14 fur seals, 10 macaroni penguins and 40 chinstrap penguins, to assess foraging behavior. Fur seals foraged at depths averaging 20—30 m, and the penguins 35–50 m. All three species swam to areas 11—100 km north of Seal Island to feed (water depths varied from 200 m to greater than 3000 m). These results are consistent with data collected in 1988 and 1989.
Discrete polar cap aurora observed from Spitsbergen
Authors: Simmons D.A.R. , Henriksen K.
Published: October 2009

Discrete auroral arcs frequently bridge the polar cap connecting the morning and evening sectors of the auroral oval along the line of the transpolar (electron) current. Very high-latitude stations that lie wholly within the oval during the earth's diurnal rotation pass under this bridge twice a day, giving morning and evening maxima. Stations at slightly lower latitudes on Spitsbergen lie within the oval in the evening but under, or even south of, the oval in the morning. From such stations the evening, but not the morning, maximum is readily observed. This study is primarily concerned with the orientation of discrete polar cap arcs in the evening skies over Spitsbergen. It shows that the geomagnetic alignment of these arcs is latitude-dependent between geomagnetic colatitudes 6 to 20°N. At the highest latitudes within this range, the arcs are in transpolar alignment, whereas at the lowest latitudes within the polar cap, they are oval-aligned. At intermediate latitudes, the arcs are observed in transitional phases between transpolar and ovalalignment. The solar alignment of discrete polar cap arcs is a function of corrected geomagnetic local time. In the early afternoon, solar alignment is poor but this gradually improves throughout the late afternoon until there is excellent alignment at the time of the evening maximum. Recent satellite studies of plasma convection in the polar ionosphere have helped to explain some of the visual characteristics of discrete polar cap aurora observed from Spitsbergen, particularly the irregular alignment of arcs in the region of the Harang discontinuity.
Edwin Jesse De Haven: the first US Arctic explorer
Authors: Cruwys Liz
Published: October 2009

Edwin Jesse De Haven (1816–1865) led the first Grinnell expedition in search of the lost British explorer Sir John Franklin in 1850–1851. Since it was the ship's charismatic surgeon, Elisha Kent Kane, who wrote the popular account of the voyage, De Haven's achievements have generally been overlooked. De Haven joined the United States Navy when he was 13 and was master on the ill-fated Peacock during the United States Exploring Expedition (1838–1842) to the Antarctic under Charles Wilkes. He saw action in the Mexican War in 1848, and was serving under Matthew Fontaine Maury at the Naval Observatory when he was chosen to take command of the first United States Franklin search expedition. He retired from the navy at the age of 46 and died three years later.
Fishing and conservation in southern waters Karl-Hermann Kock
Authors: Kock Karl-Hermann
Published: October 2009

In the Southern Ocean, fishing for finfish began in 1969/70 and for krill in 1972/73. The Soviet Union was the most important fishing nation, taking 80–90% of the entire catch. More than 3 million tonnes of finfish wereharvested prior to 1992/93, most of the catch coming from around South Georgia and lies Kerguelen. After 15 years of exploitation, most fish stocks were heavily depleted. The krill catch from the Southern Ocean has been 4.9 million tonnes to date. More than 90% of this catch has originated from the Atlantic sector. 50–90% is taken from the foraging range of land-based predators during the critical period of their breeding cycle when they raise their young. This creates the potential for direct competition between krill fisheries and krill-dependent predators. Potential impacts of krill and finfishing on the ecosystems of the Southern Ocean range from endangering recruitment due to the by-catch of juvenile fish in the krill fishery to incidental mortality of birds during longline operations and the entanglement of seals in fragments of discarded or lost fishing gear.

Most fish stocks had already been over-exploited before the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) came into force in 1982. Stringent conservation measures to halt the further decline of the stocks have been implemented only since 1989. There is evidence that some fish stocks have started to recover recently. Precautionary catch limits for krill of 1.5 million tonnes for the Atlantic sector (Statistical Area 48), and of 390, 000 tonnes for Statistical Division 58. 4.2 in the Indian sector, were set in 1991 and 1992, respectively. CCAMLR has implemented a number of conservation measures to safeguard other components of the marine ecosystems from fishing. CCAMLR adopted a system of inspection in 1989/90 and a scheme of international scientific observation in 1992. It is too early to judge the efficacy of these enforcement and data-gathering programmes.

There is a growing recognition in CCAMLR of the need for preventati ve measures in circumstances of biological uncertainty. The development of multi-species management models appears to be remote at present. The way forward is likely to be a single-species model for the krill fishery, which needs to take implicit account of the demands of natural predators, particularly at small scales. If demersal fish stocks are able to recover to their maximum sustainable yield level, the fishery potential of the Southern Ocean is likely to be much larger than current catches. The fishery potential of krill and mesopelagic lanternfish is likely to exceed that of demersal fish stocks by an order of magnitude. By contrast with the 1970s and 1980s, when most fisheries were subsidized, economic considerations and market demands will be the primary determinants of the development of fishing in southern waters during the 1990s.
An extension to the insect fauna of Heard Island
Authors: Green K. , Mound L. A.
Published: October 2009

The insect fauna of Heard Island were investigated on the ChallengerExpedition in 1875 (Kirby 1884); the Deutsche Sudpolar-Expedition in 1902 (VanHöffen 1912); and the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition in 1951/52(Brown 1964; Gressitt and Temple 1970; Home 1984). With the addition of Lepidoptera in these last reports, six orders of insects were recognised as occurring on Heard Island, the others being Collembola, Coleoptera, Diptera, Siphonaptera, and Mallophaga. The present note reports the addition of a seventh order, Thysanoptera, to the fauna.
Bowhead Whales and Alaskan Eskimos: a problem of survival
Authors: Gambell Ray
Published: October 2009

The hunt for Bowhead Whales Balaena mysticetus has for centuries been a tradition in the culture of coastal Alaskan Eskimos. Commercial hunting began in 1848, when the first American whaling vessel, under Captain Thomas Roys, worked northward through the Bering Strait and started pelagic whaling in the Arctic Ocean. This fishery ended about 1914, because of severe depletion of the stock. However, Eskimos continued to hunt the remaining whales, using traditional boats and skills augmented by methods and equipment acquired from Yankee whalers. They still carry on the hunt today, using essentially the same methods; the right of native Alaskans to hunt in this way is permitted by US domestic legislation relating to marine mammals and endangered species (Mitchell and Reeves 1980).
Attraction of polar bears Ursus maritimus to offshore drilling sites in the eastern Beaufort Sea
Authors: Stirling Ian
Published: October 2009

Wildlife observations recorded at several offshore hydrocarbon exploration sites in the Beaufort Sea were examined to evaluate the hypothesis that polar bears Ursus maritimus are attracted to drill rigs, will be judged to represent a threat to humans there, and consequently will have to be deterred or destroyed. When polar bears came south with the pack ice in the autumn, they approached drillships or artificial islands, probably because they became curious or were attracted by unfamiliar smells. However, these bears did not usually remain in the area.

In late winter, when most of the natural leads are frozen, the movement of compacted annual ice from east to west past permanent offshore drill rigs creates open cracks on the downstream side. Because of the open water there, seals are more abundant, more accessible, or both, and bears are attracted because of better hunting conditions. In mid to late winter some bears may remain in the area for several days or longer while hunting seals. This positive reinforcement may lead these bears to be attracted to other offshore rigs in the future. In the last five years four bears attracted to offshore rigs have been shot; thus the hypothesis was found to be valid. To date, the population is not under threat, but this could change if the number of offshore drill rigs operating through the winter were to increase.
The Soviet career of the schooner Polar Bear, 1925-28
Authors: Barr W.
Published: October 2009

The schooner Polar Bear is best known for whaling and trading voyages in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort seas 1911–15, and as one of the vessels of Stefansson's Canadian Arctic Expedition 1915–18. This article summarizes her later career. In 1920 she ran aground in the Kolyma Delta and was abandoned. Refloated by a Soviet captain and crew in 1925 she was used to haul much-needed supplies from a cache near Chaunskaya Guba to Nizhnekolymsk. Renamed Polyarnaya Zvezda, in 1926 she made the first coastwise voyage of modern times from the Kolyma to the Lena, inaugurating a regular sea link with the Lena basin. In 1927 she carried building materials for a scientific station from Tiksi at the mouth of the Lena to Mys Shalaurova on Ostrov Bol'shoy Lyakhovskiy. After wintering at Yakutsk, in summer 1928 she towed a barge laden with supplies for the station down river to Tiksi and carried supplies and personnel to the station to Mys Shalaurova. The station is still in operation, an integral component of the network of support facilities which enables the Northern Sea Route to function. In 1929 the schooner was reported unfit for further duties; her subsequent fate is unknown.
Ministerial directives and constitutional development in the Yukon Territory
Authors: Smyth Steven
Published: October 2009

This article reviews the role that ministerial directives played in shaping the constitutional development of the Yukon Territory 1970–85. These were years of dramatic change, with the form of government shifting from autocratic bureaucracy to responsible democracy. The instrument for this change was the ministerial directive, an order from the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs to the Commissioner, sanctioned by Section 4 of the Yukon Act. The fact that the head of government is the Commissioner, a senior federal public servant, was key to the process.
Gas, environmentalism and native anxieties in the Soviet Arctic: the case of Yamal peninsula
Authors: Vitebsky Piers
Published: October 2009

Exploitation of large gas deposits in Yamal peninsula, due to start in 1991, has been postponed until the late 1990s. Technical difficulties and rising costs are becoming apparent, while environmentalist and native-interest lobbies are becoming vociferous about the serious ecological and social impact of pipelines on wildlife, fishing and reindeer herding. An extensive public debate has developed, some of it opposed to the powerful gas ministries. Yet gas exports still play a key role in the Soviet economy, itself in the process of reform. The situation is thus in a state of uncertainty.
Profile: Knud Rasmussen
Authors: Cruwys E.
Published: October 2009

Knud Rasmussen (1879–1933), born in Greenland of Danish-Inuit stock, spent his childhood in Greenland. After schooling in Denmark he returned to Greenland for expeditions to the Inuit of the northeast, establishing by his late twenties a reputation as explorer and ethnographer. He undertook seven major expeditions to the Arctic, collecting ethnographic, archaeological, meteorological, geological, zoological and botanic data. His longest and best-known journey was the Fifth Thule Expedition, in which he travelled by dog sledge across Arctic America from Danish Island in the east to Nome, Alaska. His extensive record of the culture of Inuit groups met on his journeys remains one of the most valuable collections of Inuit folklore in existence.