Activities of the summer party of the 37th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition 1995-1996

The summer activities in the 1995/1996 austral summer of the 37th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-37) are reported. The JARE-37 consisted of 16 members of the summer party, one news reporter and one graduate student. The Antarctic research vessel, SHIRASE, left Tokyo on 14th November 1995 and arrived at Fremantle, West Australia on 28th November. She reached the pack ice edge near Lutzow-Holm Bay on 14th December and anchored at Syowa Station on 24th December. Transportation of cargo by helicopter to Syowa Station and to the transport point (S16) for Dome Fuji Station was carried out between 16th December 1995 and 9th January 1996. A total of 1069.5 tons of cargo, including light oil transported by pipe and freight by oversnow vehicles, were transported. Construction to replace old buildings and facilities at Syowa Station were carried out. Main construction, a building for storage, continued throughout the summer at Syowa Station. In addition, an emergency power house and a seismographic hut were built, and the old power house was torn down. Summer research programs included a marine physical survey, atmospheric work, and field surveys in ice-free areas along the Soya Coast. All of the summer party left Syowa Station on 12th February and headed to Sydney, East Australia. En route, a geodesic survey, geological and biological research were carried out at ice-free areas along the Prince Olav Coast and oceanographic, marine biological observations, geomagnetism and other work were carried out on board. Members of the summer party of JARE-37 returned to Narita by air on 27th March 1996