THERMAL, PRESSURE AND MIND FIELDS AT GROUND-LEVEL IN THE AREA OF THE ITALIAN BASE AT TERRA-NOVA BAY, VICTORIA LAND, ANTARCTICA, AS OBSERVEDBY A NETWORK OF AUTOMATIC WEATHER STATIONS

Ground temperature, pressure and wind speed monthly averages in the ar ea of the Italian Station at Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica, were analyzed for the period 1987-1991 by means of a network of nine AWS (automatic weather stations). Spatial configurations of temperature show a well- defined, relatively warm island in the area of Terra Nova Bay, between Drygalsky and Campbell ice tongues, throughout the year. A second war m island is present to the north along the coast, between Aviator and Mariner ice tongues, for most of the year. From February to March a ra pid drop in temperature is observed at all stations. A strong thermal gradient develops during February, March, April and October, November, December, between the coastal region and inner highlands. The baric c onfiguration follows the elevation of the area. Annual average pressur e and temperature as functions of stations altitude show linear trends . Severe katabatic wind episodes are recorded at all stations, with Hi nd speed exceeding 25 m s(-1) and direction following the orographic f eatures of the inner areas. Go-occurrences of these episodes were obse rved for stations located along stream lines of cold air drainage. The autocorrelation function of maximum wind speed time series shows wind persistence of 2-3 days and wind periodicity of about one week.