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Funded by the U.S. Government's National Science Foundation (NSF)External U.S. Government Site, the United States Antarctic Program (USAP) supports scientific research in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. The USAP carries forward the Nation's goal of supporting the Antarctic Treaty, fostering cooperative research with other nations, protecting the Antarctic environment, and conserving living resources.
The NSF manages the program under guidance of a Presidential memorandum that directs an »active and influential presence in Antarctica designed to support the range of U.S. Antarctic interests.«
Since 1956 Americans have been studying Antarctica and its interactions with the rest of the planet. Research disciplines include glaciology, biology and medicine, geology and geophysics, oceanography, climate studies, astronomy, and astrophysics. Contractors and units of the military provide operational support.
Announcements
A U.S. Air Force ski-equipped LC-130 airplane prepares to take off from the South Pole skiway to fly back to McMurdo Station Antarctic Stations Transition to Austral Winter Season
Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station began winter operations on 21 February 2006 and McMurdo Station on 28 February 2006. Flights to the continent have ended for now but will begin again in August 2006. During the austral winter, 64 people, including 5 NSF grantees, will remain at the South Pole, and 202 people at McMurdo. Palmer Station continues with year-round station and vessel operations. Currently, 44 people reside there.
News
This critter was captured in the water near the McMurdo Station jetty in 15 meters of water in November 2004. It may prove to be a new species of fish. McMurdo Fish May Prove to be New Species
You can count the variety of visible animals at McMurdo Station on one hand, so the idea that a new species would wander up to station might initially seem absurd. Read The Story
South Pole carpenter Jason Hunter assembles a casing for researcher Steven Mende’s electron precipitation all-sky camera. South Pole Skylab Transition Keeps Sci Techs On the Move
Multi-tasking is one of those trendy words that has entered the lexicon in recent years. For someone like Neal Scheibe, it’s a job description. Read The Story
Greg Balco collects a rock sample Jan. 10th while conducting fieldwork in the McMurdo Dry Valleys at an area near Mount Electra. What's The Dirt?
Researchers Track Soil Movement and Land Erosion in the McMurdo Dry Valleys
Jaakko Putkonen is trying to unravel a mystery: If the soil in the McMurdo Dry Valleys moves but there’s no one around to see it, how do you determine it is moving? Read The Story
The tanker Lawrence H. Gianella sits alongside the ice pier at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Cargo, Fuel Safely Unloaded at Antarctic Research Station
Overcoming challenging ice conditions, a ship has safely delivered cargo needed to supply National Science Foundation research stations in Antarctica ... Read The StoryExternal U.S. Government Site
The Antarctic traverse arrived at the South Pole on Dec. 23, 2005. Icy Overland Trip May Add Ground Vehicles to South Pole Supply Missions
A four-year project to test the possibility of transporting scientific equipment and material by ground from one field station to another has ended in success ... Read The StoryExternal U.S. Government Site
The International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 Logo International Polar Year (IPY)
2007-2008
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has launched a web portal for International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 IPY ... Read The StoryExternal U.S. Government Site
USAP Participants Enter Here
Whether you're a newcomer into the U.S. Antarctic Program, or you're an old Antarctic explorer, all of the tools you need as a participant have been thoughtfully organized for you ...
Antarctic Photo Library
U.S. Antarctic Program antenna riggers Jay Cairns, Robert Zimmerman and Andrew Asher raise the curtain on the new high frequency (HF) antenna at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
Photo of the Week
U.S. Antarctic Program antenna riggers Jay Cairns, Robert Zimmerman and Andrew Asher raise the curtain on the new high frequency (HF) antenna at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. The first HF digital transmission from the South Pole to McMurdo Station occurred on November 28, 2005.
The Antarctic Sun NewspaperExternal U.S. Government Site
Read the Antarctic Sun
Why do people go to Antarctica, and what do they do there? Read the USAP's newspaper to find out about U.S. Antarctic communities ...
National Science Foundation, Office of Polar ProgramsExternal U.S. Government Site
Find out about The Office of Polar Programs' (OPP) operational support in the Antarctic, and how it manages and initiates National Science Foundation funding for basic research ...
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