SOUTH POLE FACILITIES HISTORY 1975-90 [revised March 2001] The following is an arbitrary chronology of facilities development at "New South Pole" since its completion in the 1974-75 summer season. It was originally prepared based on personal recollection, discussions with other station residents, and the various facilities turnover reports. As some of these reports were more complete than others, the information is obviously subjective and incomplete. The original intent of this listing was to summarize what was done when, what worked, what didn't, when things got buried, etc., in an attempt to provide a background for the planning of the midlife of the station. Since I was working on the planned upgrades of power plant and glycol heating systems, some of the quaint references here relate to those parts of the station... Subsequently this document has been revised and expanded, based in part on NSF printed and online documentation. I've added additional information concerning other major historical events involving other parts of the continent, and I've tried to update outdated acronyms and references. 1974-75 summer Old Pole is turned over to civilian management from LT Bob Braddock, the last Navy w/o OIC, at station opening, for its final summer of operation John Rand's team does 100m drill hole in the new station New station formally dedicated January 9, 1975. Completion of construction was sometime later...(read on) Two C-130s crash at Dome C on January 15, first one is damaged by JATO bottle, the second is damaged during rescue landing CAF (the original) constructed 200'+/- east of the fuel arch. It was buried supposedly for longevity (the concept was that it be modules in wonder arch, but that could not be bought in time) The other last-minute design change, the annex, built for additional berthing after it was determined that more than 16 people would winter. It was half of original emergency camp which was supposed to be under wonder arch near present site of GCA. Another module of the building had been dropped, and there was not enough wonder arch for it anyway For last-minute cleanup, aircraft 917 was towed to its present location 2 days before dedication (several years previously it had crashed in front of the new station, where it had remained) RISP (Ross Ice Shelf Project) completes second field season, still no drilling Airborne radio-echo survey flights near Vostok detect what would be defined as the 3800 square mile Lake Vostok, with the liquid water surface 13,000 feet below the ice surface. 1975 winter Manager: Dick Wolak; population 17 First winterover at "New South Pole" Old Pole turned off for good Completion of construction defects occupied much of the winter project list--major efforts to debug generators, fire alarm, all-call, etc., and bring necessities over from old Pole Another major winter project-building shelves. There were none in the arches... Original snow melter did not work, needed temporary replacement NSFA relocates main operations from Davisville RI to Port Hueneme 1975-76 summer The third plane crashed at Dome C; only 3 hercs available, most work at Pole cancelled due to lack of aircraft Construction camp not opened Snow melter replaced first time Zoller site (S-150) operated 3 miles se of dome with white hut on sled (still around in 1990 and labeled) and adjacent temporary generators 1976 winter Manager: Dan Morton; population 18 Additional tables arrive for the galley, now there are enough for all of the winterovers to sit at a table and eat at the same time CO2 system in power plant goes off automatically (gremlins, no fire); power off for an hour Bar moved from west end of galley (1976-88 pantry area) to upstairs More of the present shelving in the garage, pp, biomed arch built 1976-77 summer Construction camp #1 head/galley burns down the day after station opening, the largest fire in the history of the US Antarctic program to date. No injuries except for some frostbite, but many personal belongings/wallets/passports lost Construction camp #2 head/galley jamesways built; two generators moved to create emergency power plant in former construction garage; cable laid to allow power feed to/from emergency power plant; backfeed into station and main power plant demonstrated successfully New clean air facility built, NOAA equipment moved out of old facility which was 20' buried Cosray platforms set up, cosray lab put in skylab "coatroom" (2nd floor) First half of weight room (metal building) built "Ice cube" built in garage ramp New freshie shack built (not the present one, built later (?) UCLA wood hut built behind science building, to replace geomagnetic (nonmagnetic) hut which was buried between skylab and fuel arch for Russian scientist Station equipment fleet: 1 D8, 1 D4, 4 955's, 1 Thiokol trackmaster, one skidoo Balloon inflation tower platform extended Vendor mechanic from GG&H on site, first top overhaul of generators 1977 winter Manager: Bill Spindler; population 21 First w/o electrician; present shelving in helium arch built for heavy electrical supplies Operating suite built in Biomed Installed phone cable to CAF (plastic insulated) at -45°F temperature (one end still in service for fire alarm 1/90) Installed oil furnace in BIT Installed electric heat in second floor of Skylab (cosray) Installed first of several A-frame hoists in garage Second Pole winter appendicitis case, treated without surgery 1977-78 summer Gary Rosenberger (NOAA/GMCC 77 w/o tech) killed in motorcycle accident near Queenstown NZ 2 941B's shipped to Pole replacing retrograded 955's Zoller remote aerosol sampling project moved into CAF First informal site tests of solar astronomy by Pomerantz' team D-4 falls through snow at Old Pole, major rebuild required, it was never the same High temperature record set on 27 December: -13.6°C/+7.5°F (this record is still in effect in 1999) the previous record was -15°C/+5°F in January 1958 SATTRACK moved from east end of comm into science bldg 1978 winter Manager: Mike Pavlak; population 19 First suspicion that original sewer outfall is settling First winter with videocassettes (not many) McMurdo's "Chapel of the Snows," built in 1956, destroyed in a spectacular fire (8/22) 1978-79 summer Surveys confirm that the dome is settling towards the sewer outfall (also the side of the heaviest snow cover) New power feeds to GCA (dug by ditch witch) and to CAF; 75 and 150 kva transformers in pp arch moved Support columns in comms and met (bent brace) installed Wall built to separate stair area from cosray lab in skylab Installed a replacement oil furnace in BIT Freshie shack not big enough, replaced it with another one (perhaps the present one) Carbon steel snow melter at summer camp replaced A new snow melter set atop the old one; hatch and ladder built Buried the first "UCLA hut" in science field (former geomagnetic hut) Zoller's hut removed from clean air sector, air sampling project turned over to NOAA Dr. Pomerantz conducts site tests for solar astronomical telescope (little did we know...) Siple II station completed/occupied Galley remodel--utensil shelves built, cooks reefer moved to present location (where coffee urn was), etc Two berthing jamesways (originally part of construction camp #1) next to power plant at summer camp removed--buried totally Vestibule added to biomed First annual "Scott's Hut" race at McM (12/3) 1979 winter Manager: Ron Peck; population 17 Bar remodeled (hardwood floor put in as it was until 1987 winter) and video machine installed Pool room remodeled (eg Byrd's sweater moved there from galley wall) First year of met operation by support contractor instead of science (NZ met service) First w/o female, doctor Michele Raney Installed steam cooker in galley, first of many Emptied catalyst out of power plant exhausts and reordered replacement (maybe it never showed up, anyway it was never put in) Installed day tank in BIT for furnace, along with 12kw of electric heat Installed water cooler in annex Moved GCA to berm for winter; very hard to move sleds with D4 plus both 941's 1979-80 summer Two sprytes, D6 arrive, D4 is gone, Thiokol trackmaster bermed (and eventually retrograded) Two D8 engines retrograded Marvin landplane arrived to replace the earlier smaller unit First floor of skylab, (present CUSP lab) enclosed to protect area and exit door from drifting snow. Exit stairs and door installed in east wall Berthing Jamesway erected at summer camp, torn down at end of the season First sewage lift pump placed in service New cargo office put into helium arch, former supply/cargo office had been in room in south corner of annex Casey Jones, summer cook, killed in fan room when snow from intake stack buries him (1/9; second death at Pole, the first occurred in 1965-66 during aircraft unloading) NZ tourist DC10 crashes into Mt. Erebus, 257 killed New power plant fan duct installed from fan room Stairway and tower built at east end of fuel arch, and access tower with ladder on the front of the arch at west end Sewer line in utilidor leveled first time Ice cube (28x35x3 ft deep with timber foundation) installed in helium arch Chileans construct 4300' gravel runway on King George Island suit- able for wheeled aircraft...and tourists 1980 winter Manager: Bruce Gaylord; population 17 Old outfall supposedly measured at 150' deep Boiler operated all winter to heat station Significant problems with fire alarm Support contractor changes from H&N to ITT Installed closed circuit TV in power plant so that it could be watched from comms Major problems with sewage lift pump, clogged with tampons (need a more heavy duty model) 1980-81 summer Exhaust fan installed in end of utilidor Summer camp #3 power plant (the present [1990] "old" one) built. D330 engine moved from old plant. D342 (100kw) generator #2 replaced with present [1990] 50kw Still another snow melter installed "Solar-polar" site (later known as Pomerantz Land) constructed 4 miles south of the station for solar telescope observations Telephone cable run to GCA via end of garage arch and summer camp #2 power plant (now the site of the "power junction box") Transglobe expedition visits Pole after wintering near Sanae in cardboard huts CUSP lab installed in what previously was the exit from skylab (enclosed previous summer); exit door relocated to south side (as now) Stanford VLF recording equipment installed in CUSP lab, an adjunct to the Siple project 1981 winter Manager: Tom Plyler; population 17 Power plant load study. Power factor .9 First midwinter airdrop at Pole Erected the front wood addition to the weight room Replaced the buried UCLA vault hut Recovered lab benches from old CAF, installed in seismo area 1981-82 summer Two 955L's (kathy and amy) new on site Fire detectors replaced in galley with present (pre-1989) 12-16v models; beginning of gradual upgrade throughout station McM "Public Works Garage" (heavy shop) burns down in a spectacular fire (12/1), the most serious in USAP history, superseding the 1976 disaster at Pole...cause was a malfunctioning electric toilet which had been installed 3 days earlier Summer camp #3 (present [1990] one) completed with two berthing huts J1 and J2; stainless steel snow melter installed; old camp removed Summer camp power plant rewired and load tested Hydrogen generator arrives, installation started 1982 winter Manager: Pat Kraker First "power conservation" problems, 175 kw average load, brownouts at 220 Started removing ductwork from science bldg Low temperature record set on 23 June: -82.8°C/-117.0°F (this record is still in effect in 1999) old record was -80.7°C/-113.3°F on 22 July 1965 Fuel bladder #8 caught fire, burned from shorted blanket wiring Falkland Islands War puts the Southern Ocean on the world map ...in one early engagement the British garrison and BAS station on South Georgia was captured by 2 Argentine naval vessels including the (!) Bahia Paraiso (4/3) 1982-83 summer Prototype AGO (Automated Geophysical Observatory) set up at Pole Explosion proof wiring put in helium/cargo arch and BIT Excavated/added water to garage arch ice cube Lead-acid battery unearthed from snow melter during cleaning (hmmm) Dome structural/settlement survey with Temcor (dome vendor) rep Power conservation problems continue Switchgear cleaned, buried feeders excavated, separated, put in tray GCA and CAF feeders separated New sewer outfall run, with masticator type lift pump Hydrogen generator placed in service Coils cleaned on air handlers in bldgs 1 and 3 Siple VLF dipole extended from 13 to 26 miles 1983 winter Manager: Richard Wiik; population 20 Runway chained in the fall, thought to be a good idea (!) Wiring added for blankets on all fuel bladders Explosion proof heaters added in BIT Alternators dirty Science bldg and skylab rewired to 3 phase More problems with fire alarm system and brownouts New world record low temperature at Vostok: -89.6°C/-128.6°F on 7/21, supersedes old record -88.3°C/-126.9°F from August 1960, still in effect 1983-84 summer More of the fire alarm detectors replaced with present [pre- 1990] type--skylab, CAF etc Preliminary leveling of powerplant Conservation--power loads dropped 50kw Lift pump replaced Pomerantz Land not operated, first time after 4 seasons Built 100' met tower (from scaffolding) near CAF Replaced rusty grid in snowmelter with aluminum 131 takes famous large-scale aerial station photo Transfer switch system installed in pp arch for emergency backfeed if power plant is damaged S-123 SPOT (South Pole Optical Telescope) pier dug French drilling team sets up inside taxiway triangle for hot thermal probe drilling, after some success it gets stuck at 1100' Optics room built in 4th floor of skylab Reconfigured skylab heating system (fan in a box) to heat domes on roof only, shorted thermostat Meteorite ALH84001 discovered in the Allen Hills by NSF researcher Roberta Score (12/27)...it was since determined to be from Mars 1984 winter Manager: Bob Hurtig; population 19 Skylab panels added on each floor, wiring upgraded Had to turn on lights to provide minimum efficient load for generators US criminal code modified to make major crimes (murder, rape etc.) illegal for US citizens in Antarctica (previously no law applied) Radiator/engine cooling problems 1984-85 summer Added vents/outside ducts to cool computer areas Constructed new UCLA gravity vault with trench Pomerantz Land occupied S-123 telescope building built around pier Snowflake hut built Cosray platform jacked CAF renovated, sampling equipment replaced Jamesway J3 erected at summer camp Railings put on roof of skylab(?) so reported; if so, they did not stay long Glycol system reworked/loop valves added, system flush (which was not needed) DEC computer system replaces HP units; computer room rehabbed and enlarged to accommodate new equipment ATS-3 radome erected SPSDL (SP Satellite Data Link) using low-orbiting polar satellites set up to send high speed data to McM Dr. Pomerantz tests first infrared telescope "Emilie" Removed and stored French drilling Jamesway, the thermal probe is left behind in the ice D8 assembled New ductwork in east end of garage First year of NCEL dome settlement survey Skylab ductwork in cosray etc modified; thermostats rewired to operate controllers; overcomplicated damper controls removed Generator #2 removed, overhauled, alternator replaced with Kato windings were oil-soaked FSI engineer on site to conduct glycol heating survey Lift pump replaced Hydroconstant (peerless) pump installed in PP--old hydropneumatic tank is too big to get out of pp Emergency power feeder installed from summer camp to GCA New kitchen appliances in galley including propane grill, fryer, hood, propane shack BIT and aurora tower ("skylab" above science building) removed from old pole to discourage access and reduce drift profile 1985 winter Manager: Ed Duplak Center yellow window in galley broke/replaced with clear pane Major problems with frozen annex plumbing More warm and cold air ducts removed from science bldg, comms Installed chromalox heaters in skylab lounge CAF feeder damaged--on 2 phases for most of winter Added radiant heater in propane shack Kitchen hood modified (bent out) to catch fumes 80-90kw peaks noted on feeder #8, reason never found; probably defective meters and electric heaters Garage lights moved to clear a-frame hoist Removed comm fire detectors in anticipation of replacement 6" pulleys vice 10-1/2" installed on AHU's in galley, science, upper berthing to move more air Water filter holders replaced from plastic to metal Pool room and library rewired into common thermostat Ductwork, fresh air intake and one fan removed from comm mech rm Added many antistatic mats Joseph C. Farman at Halley Bay (BAS) alerts the world that some ozone may be missing, later confirmed by review of NASA satellite data 1985-86 summer Added UPS addition and equipment to science bldg Upgraded computer to pdp 11-73 Prototype AGO testing complete after 3 winters, hut is left at Pole Built telescope hut for SPOT-2 (SPOT-1 didn't work) First attempt to raise CAF with mechanical jacks, didn't work Installed safety rail on roof of CAF New feeder to CAF installed through fuel arch Old Peter Snow Miller used during dome construction is dug out, started up (!), tested, and buried again Power plant leveled/new loading dock/ramp/arch lighting built Utilidor H2O/glycol lines leveled/reinsulated Catalytic converters removed from generator exhaust stacks (75 deg decrease in stack temperature and 8-10% increase in power noted) Station pumps standardized First phase of station PM program More ducts ripped out of comm and science; another kitchen vent hood added Jamesway J-4 built at summer camp; summer camp #4 power plant building built Store storage building (former S-123 SPOT-1 hut) put into dome Biomed and pp fire detectors replaced--now all are new (?) but still need 200F rate of rise detectors in pp over engines Moved juice machine to present [1990] location and piped in faucet; moved Sears refrigerator Additional cargo building set up outside cargo arch First year of draftsman on station to update/revise drawings Significant increase in O&M management of significant facility projects Generators 1 and 3 overhauled in garage/Delco alternators replaced with Kato Installed electronic governors on all 3 engines Peter snow miller unearthed from Old Pole, started up after 15 year hibernation, later reburied "Footsteps of Scott" expedition arrives/departs with controversy Second 26-mile antenna installed at Siple perpendicular to first 1986 winter Manager: Lee Schoen; population 17 Hydrogen generator gives up Major problems with radiator leaks/thermal stress Sewer lift pump replaced/outfall froze Boiler end of pp jacked up 1-1/2" Replaced drinking fountains Insulated kitchen vent fans Added another heater in propane shack Installed new heaters in BIT storage room PM program disappeared Massive spring studies underway to confirm ozone depletion 1986-87 summer Pomerantz Land not opened Completed repiping of DFA loop Placed new 10k DFA bladder for summer camp; first in several years CAF jacked 11'-11" Erected new fire hut in front of annex Installed wiring and gear for new summer camp power plant, including new 500mcm cable almost to the dome, and new transfer switch etc in fan room arch Installed glycol heat in CUSP lab (did not work until replumbed following year) Load tested new and old summer camp generators with load bank from McM Giles Kershaw with Charles Swithenbank, in an ANI Twin Otter, make first wheeled landing at Patriot Hills (12/4) The 109th Air National Guard makes its first deployment to the ice with 2 LC-130's (1/17), in 12 years they would take over VXE-6's mission Norwegian Monica Christensen's 4-person team tries a round trip to Pole from the Bay of Whales, she turns around 280 miles away-- this was the first significant female-led Antarctic trek 321 recovery effort underway at D59 (68°20'S-137°31'E) 1987 winter Manager: Steve Bonine; population 17 Major bar remodel almost finished; obsolete projection booth removed Concern about power plant governors results in new power supply installation for them Carpenter shop/gym renovation completed 1987-88 summer New stairs, platform, and stair to roof of CAF erected, along with LIDAR hatch through roof Major landscape changes--16 SPASE array module boxes and hut set up in front of fuel arch, and S-111 antennas (riometer array of 64 antennas and chicken wire grid) erected near CAF Pomerantz Land operated SPOT-2 (S-123 U of Fla) optical telescope removed, poor results SCBA air compressor installed in fire shack Major power plant switchgear rewiring and cleanup to increase output, reduce losses, adjust meters and simplify power changes; followed by load test--result--more power capacity from generators, but only perhaps a 200KW rating Repaired hydrogen generator returned from vendor, installed up in BIT, plumbing never arrives, unit was never used again Mess hall jacked and levelled Much Equipto shelving installed everywhere Skylab main panel and CAF panels replaced First wheeled DC-4 flights establish ANI's camp at Patriot Hills ...and from there the first tourists arrive at Pole in Twin Otters (1/12-21) New phone exchange installed along with touch-tone phones New VAX computer equipment installed Load tested main power plant generators Salvaged C-130 #321 flies to McMurdo from D-59 (115 miles S of Dumont D'Urville) after another plane crashes there, 2 killed (12/9). LC-130 #131 that crashed had been equipped and scheduled to do an update of the big 1983 aerial photo map of Pole. 1988 winter Manager: Mike Constantine; population 19 Bar renovation completed Bridge crane assembled over power plant engines Treaty nations give initial approval to CRAMRA ("Minerals Convention") (6/2) to allow and regulate mining; second thoughts come quickly 1988-89 summer Comms addition started Giles Kershaw, the late famous British pilot (Footsteps, Transglobe etc), and Australian Dick Smith, show up from Davis in a Twin Otter for Thanksgiving weekend Electric fryer, broiler installed in kitchen to replace propane appliances; counter top upgraded Skiers arrive at Pole, also more tourists from Patriot Hills D7 arrives British OAE (since 1949) Charles Swithinbank shows up for NSF survey of blue ice runway sites--Mt. Howe, Plunkett Point etc. using twin otters based at Pole Siple Station closed after brief final season J5 erected, 321 module set up nearby "Meteor burst" comms link with McM tested successfully (bouncing signals off of meteor electron trails) CMBR site set up 6000 feet south of station with generator module, liquid helium dewars etc. Pomerantz Land also operated Dome survey results in discovery of broken base ring beams after major foundation excavation effort Sewer line fixed, outfall house built New permanent "Chapel of the Snows" dedicated in McM (1/29) Bahia Paraiso, a 430' Argentine vessel, runs aground, capsizes and sinks 2 miles west of Palmer Station, dumping 125,000 gallons of petroleum products off Arthur Harbor and 300+ people onto Gamage Point 1989 winter Manager: Bill Coughran; population 20 Comms addition/O&M office finished, occupied Pantry area (S end of galley) upgraded for coats etc. Power plant addition structure built Several rooms in upper berthing renovated, lounge moved ETHERNET computer network installed Added duct for air circulation and some glycol heat in annex Cargo office moved to end of cargo arch Installed new Pyrotronics fire alarm system Fuel leak in fuel arch piping discovered after 40,000+ gallons lost 1989-90 summer Power plant upgrade--1 new 3412 installed along with much piping and electrical work; engine load tested to 350KW, required to support many new science modules erected up wind of the station this year Asbestos discovered in power plant exhaust system and elsewhere; some was removed or stabilized by the A-team (Navy environmental health team); this plus material delays cause power plant completion to be delayed until next season Sewer line, frozen all winter, replaced again Black hut moved, stairs put up to roof SPASE array expanded with 8 more boxes plus lead sheets; huts for lidar and Cerenkov telescope (GASP) erected New TACAN van arrives for GCA Dome jacking/leveling and base ring structural repairs completed successfully after massive excavation effort; major panel repairs remain to be done the next year Massive comm cable relocation, cable trays, utilidor completed in support of dome project; massive rhombic erected south of snow mine SPSDL antenna moved closer to skylab utilidor CMBR site operated again with some different groups J6, DNF Jamesway erected New seismic vault constructed to "age" for the winter Passive solar heated modules built, put into use for warming shacks etc. Steger shows up with dogs and ABC news; Messner shows up on foot with German TV team. Extensive NGO air operations in support of the "Soviet Antarctic Expedition" New upper air system, replacement for GMD, received and installed temporarily in new hut by DNF Summer camp galley destroyed by fire late in season Many visits by NSF environmental teams, Metcalf and Eddy engineers doing conceptual plans for new station First VXE-6 C-130 wheeled "blue ice runway" landing near Plunkett Point