The Antarctic is an interesting land that has become the focus of much attention in the last decade. Its undisturbed geological record dating back to the last interglacial period, a locale with seas and lakes populated with interesting organisms, a land with beautiful twilights and lovely cirrus and stratospheric cloud formations, a whole continent dedicated by international treaty to scientific research–these factors provide good reasons for the renewed interest. A recent review byWeller et al.[1987] explores in more detail the many scientific ideas that make Antarctica an attractive laboratory. Studies relating to sundry aspects of the Earth's geosphere‐biosphere system draw scientists from the whole spectrum of scientific discipli