ISCAT II                                            Antarctica Map

Investigation of Sulfur Chemistry of the Antarctic Troposphere ) (ISCAT) was originally designed as a study of the transport of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) emitted from Southern Ocean and transported to the South Pole.  Understanding how the sulfur arrives is important in understanding how sulfur in incorporated into Antarctic ice and thus influences ice core composition.  The ice core data are used to learn about past climate.  What we found was that only SO2 survived and that little of the sulfur arrives in the aerosol phase.  This will alter somewhat the interpretation of the sulfur in ice core data .

The biggest discovery was that NO levels were orders of magnitude higher than expected and this created very high levels of OH.  The radical OH is the garbage cleaner of the atmosphere because it initiates the removal of almost every gas in the lower atmosphere.  Because of the high OH levels, the South Pole atmosphere is  probably is the most photochemically active region in the world.

Extreme Cold Weather Gear issued in New Zealand
before going to Antarctica by NSF US Antarctica Program.


C-130 and Brown Skua (Catharacta antarctica)
 ready for take-off at McMurdo.


C-130 being refueled at South Pole Station for 
return trip to McMurdo.


Graduate Student Jim Tu at the South Pole Marker which 
has to be moved each season to compensate for the shifting ice.
Jim operated the instrument in rotation with Dr.Don Thorton.


Wheels or skits can be selected by the pilot for landing 
on ice or regular runway.


The APIMS instrument measuring  SO2 
is housed in the Clean Air Building. 

Entrance to the Dome of the South Pole Station is always
open. Other buildings such as cafeteria, radio station, gift shop, 
living quarters, are located under the Dome.


Clean Air Building as seen from the sampling tower
 is located away from the Dome (and it's air polluting effects).