Continued Research on the Jurassic Vertebrate Fauna from the Beardmore Glacier Region of Antarctica

摘要该奖项支持2003- 2004年在南极洲柯克帕特里克山发现的恐龙化石的准备和研究。这块4000磅重的骨骼基质将被处理，其中包括冰龙（一种22英尺长的食肉兽脚亚目恐龙）的新碎片，以及一种新的未命名的蜥脚类恐龙和其他尚未确定的分类群。这个项目促进了我们对恐龙统治时期——晚三叠世和早侏罗世——开始的恐龙进化和适应的理解。由于缺乏化石，人们对这一时期知之甚少，这使得这些来自南极洲的化石尤为独特。此外，由于这些化石来自古高纬度地区，它们将有助于我们了解过去的气候和恐龙对长时间黑暗的生理适应。更广泛的影响包括通过博物馆展览和演讲向公众宣传。

AbstractThis award supports preparation and study of fossil dinosaurs discovered on Mt. Kirkpatrick, Antarctica, during the 2003-04 field season. The 4,000 pounds of bone bearing matrix to be processed includes new pieces of Cryolophosaurus, a 22 foot long meat eating theropod, as well as a new unnamed sauropod dinosaur and other yet to be identified taxa. This project advances our understanding of dinosaur evolution and adaptation at the beginning of the reign of the dinosaurs, the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic. This period is poorly understood due to lack of fossils, which makes these fossils from Antarctica particularly unique. Also, since these fossils are from high paleolatitudes they will contribute to our understanding of past climates and the physiologic adaptations of dinosaurs to lengthy periods of darkness. The broader impacts include outreach to the general public through museum exhibits and presentations.