SOUTH POLE SUPPLY DROP SLASHED.Byline: The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times In the latest belt-tightening step forced upon the National Science Foundation, the agency has called off the customary midwinter mid·win·ter n. 1. The middle of the winter. 2. The period of the winter solstice, about December 22. midwinter Noun 1. the middle or depth of winter 2. airdrop air·drop n. A delivery, as of supplies or troops, by parachute from aircraft. tr. & intr.v. air·dropped, air·drop·ping, air·drops To drop or be dropped from an aircraft. Noun 1. of supplies and mail for 1996 to two of the three research stations that the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. operates in Antarctica. An announcement said Wednesday that cancellation was "due to fiscal budget limitations" imposed by Congress. The stations affected are at McMurdo Sound and the South Pole, where scientists, technicians and support personnel remain isolated from the outer world from the end of February until mid-August. Erick Chang, a senior Antarctic station official, said the science foundation would save about $1 million by canceling the midwinter flight. The annual winter airdrop customarily takes place in June, when the darkened dark·en v. dark·ened, dark·en·ing, dark·ens v.tr. 1. a. To make dark or darker. b. To give a darker hue to. 2. To fill with sadness; make gloomy. 3. continent reaches temperatures below minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit. A large C-141 Air Force transport plane, accompanied part of the way by an air-to-air refueling tanker plane, flies nonstop from Christchurch, New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. , to Antarctica and back to drop mail, emergency equipment, fresh fruit and vegetables by parachute to the two stations. The winter population is 230 at McMurdo Station and 26 at the South Pole. The South Pole's summer season - when airplanes can land at the two stations and supply ships can reach McMurdo - ended last week. For the next six months, the stations will be out of contact with the outside world except by radio and satellite communication channels. Since foundation scientists and technicians who go to Antarctica must pass rigorous physical examinations, all are presumed to be in good health at the beginning of each winter, and at least one doctor remains at each station. |
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