The United States Antarctic Program (USAP) is managed by the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF supports a number of scientific research programs on the Antarctic continent and the surrounding oceans, including biology, glaciology, aeronomy and astrophysics, earth sciences, and ocean and climate systems.
Antarctica is a difficult region to reach. It is an inhospitable place to live. At the same time, it is a nearly pristine, natural scientific laboratory where much about our planet can be learned. NSF supplies all life support and infrastructure for USAP, including two research vessels, a number of seasonal field camps, and three permanent research stations: McMurdo, South Pole, and Palmer. Last year, we presented a paper introducing ICES to Antarctica (SAE Technical Paper #921128). This paper provides updates and explores new areas of the program.