About The journal Arctic Research of the United States is for people and organizations interestthe ed in learning about U.S. Government-financed Journal Arctic research activities. It is published by the National Science Foundation on behalf of the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee and in cooperation with the Arctic Research Commission. Both the Interagency Committee and the Commission were authorized under the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (PL 98-373) and established by Executive Order 12501 (January 28, 1985). Publication of the journal has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget.

Arctic Research contains

• Reports on current and planned U.S.
Government-sponsored research in the

Arctic.

• Reports of ARC and IARPC meetings.
• Summaries of other current and planned
Arctic research, including that of the
State of Alaska, local governments, the
private sector and other nations.

• A calendar of forthcoming local, na-
tional and international meetings.
Arctic Research is aimed at national and in-
ternational audiences of government officials,
scientists, engineers, educators, private and
public groups, and residents of the Arctic.
The emphasis is on summary and survey arti-
cles covering U.S. Government-sponsored or
-funded research rather than on technical re-
ports, and the articles are intended to be com-
prehensible to a non-technical audience. Al-

though the articles go through the normal editorial process, manuscripts are not refereed for scientific content or merit since the journal is not intended as a means of reporting scientific research. Articles are generally invited and are reviewed by agency staffs and others as appropriate.

As indicated in the United States Arctic Research Plan, research is defined differently by different agencies. It may include basic and applied research, monitoring efforts, and other information-gathering activities. The definition of Arctic according to the ARPA is "all United States and foreign territory north of the Arctic Circle and all United States territory north and west of the boundary formed by the Porcupine, Yukon, and Kuskokwim Rivers; all contiguous seas, including the Arctic Ocean and the Beaufort, Bering, and Chukchi Seas; and the Aleutian chain." However, areas outside of the boundary are discussed in the journal when considered relevant to the broader scope of Arctic research.

The next two issues of the journal will report on Arctic topics and activities. Included will be additional reports of conferences and workshops, university-based research and activities of State and local governments and public, private and resident organizations. Unsolicited nontechnical reports on research and related activities are welcome. Contact the editor prior to submission for scheduling and additional information.

Front The U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Northwind (foreground) escorting the R/V Polarbjorn during Cover the deployment of the CEAREX program (see p. 44). The escort was completed at 82°43' north, the northernmost escort by a U.S. icebreaker. This was the final mission for Northwind, which is being decommissioned in January 1989 after 43 years of service. Northwind's list of accomplishments includes many "firsts." She assisted in the establishment of the facility at Thule, Greenland. By completing the first passage of McClure Strait from the Beaufort Sea to Melville Sound, she became the first ship to circumnavigate Banks Island. She was the first ship to survey the East Siberian, Kara and East Barents seas, and she made the westernmost penetration of the Laptev Sea by a U.S. ship. During the escort of the SS Manhattan through the Northwest Passage, she became the first ship to navigate the passage in both directions during the same season. At the other end of the world, Northwind assisted in the establishment of Little America on the Ross Ice Shelf, at the same time pioneering the use of helicopters for ice reconnaissance.