QUESTION:
Is Anatarctica melting?  and how large is the hole in the ozone over 
antarctica now?  does it effect your activities?

        From Will Hickman's 4th Grade Campus School
        University of Memphis, Memphis Tennessee.


ANSWER from Chris Ruhland,  Palmer Station, Antarctica
             Sat, 8 Feb 1997 12:05:18 -0500

Dear Fourth Graders,

That's a good question.  As far as Antarctica melting is concerned, 
what we know is that we are deffinately in a period of time at the 
present where we see that temperatures are increasing in this region 
of Antarctica.  This rise in temperature is thought to be the cause 
of glaciers retreating (or "melting").  This is my second year in 
Antarctica, and I have seen signs that, in the course of a year, 
suggests that the glaciers around Palmer Station are retreating. 
There are areas along the glacier that were covered by ice last year, 
and this year these same areas are now beaches.  I think the big 
question now is whether or not man is causing this warming trend 
("greenhouse effect") or whether it is a natural flucuation in 
earth's global climate cycle. 

The ozone hole over Antarctica mainly takes place around November and 
December.  In order for ozone molecules to be destroyed by 
chloroflurocarbons (CFC's) you need extremely cold air and sunlight.  
This occurs primarly during the early spring in Antarctica.  The size 
of the hole changes daily, but it can be very large at times. If 
memory serves me correctly, sometimes it can almost be as large as 
the United States (but don't quote me on that ;)).  Right now, there 
is probably no ozone hole because it is too late in the season for an 
event to occur.  

Does the ozone hole effect my work?  Yes, most deffinately!  The 
biggest mistake that I made when I first came down here last year was 
thinking that I wouldn't need to wear sunscreen outside, if I was 
only going to be out for a little while.  Boy, was I wrong!  The 
first week that I was down here last year, I got EXTREMELY sunburnt. 
Thinking that you have to wear large quantities of sunscreen in 
combination with winter clothing was funny at first, but now I never 
go outside for any long period of time without it. 

Thanks for your question!
Chris