Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

University of Wisconsin Antarctic automatic weather station program 2012-2013 field season report: Challenges and successes

M.A. Lazzara, L.J. Welhouse, D.E. Mikolajczyk, M. Tsukernik, J.E. Thom, L.M. Keller, G.A. Weidner, J. Snarski, J.J. Cassano, and L. Kalnajs

2014, Antarctic Science, Accepted pending revisions

This report reviews 2012/2013 field season activities of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Antarctic Automatic Weather Station (AWS) program, summarizes the science that these sites are supporting, and outlines the factors that impact the number of AWS sites serviced in any given field season. The 2012/2013 austral summer season was unusual in the AWS network history. Challenges encountered include, but are not limited to, warmer than normal conditions in the Ross Island area impacting airfield operations, changes to logistical procedures, and competition for shared resources. A flexible work plan provides the best means for taking on these challenges while maximizing AWS servicing efforts under restricted conditions and meeting the need for routine servicing that maintaining an autonomous observing network demands.