A NEWS BULLETIN

published quarterly by the

NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY

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..._. ••- Mt. Harmsworth Climbed.

VOL. I. NO. 6. JUNE 1957 NW ZEALAND

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ANTAJ1CTlCA InfernatJol'lol Geophysical Year - Proposed Bases • U"ited K:n;dorn + New Zeoland • U~,t.d Stote' • Ausr,..,l,a ,.. U.s.S.R. 0 Othe~ Iil Cornmo.... w""'Uh T~on,onto,.d;c: E.>p«i.h,,"

• J (Successor to "Antarctic News Bulletin") • VOl. I. No. b. JUNE 1957 - Editor: L. B. Quartermain. M.A.• 1 Ariki Road. Wellington. E.2, New Zealand. Business Communications, Subscriptions, etc., to: Secretary. New Zealand Antarctic Society, p.a. Box 2110, WelJington. N.Z. Annual Subscription, 15/- - Single Copy 4/- Mt. Harmsworth Climb Highlight Of Seolt Base Work Possibly the outstanding feature of all the work done so fur by the New Zealand expedition is the climb of Mt. Harmsworth r;: Bernie Gunn, Guy Warren and Arnold Heine, who form~e southern geological party. Their feat represents the first . e that a major peak on the Antarctic continent has been climbe . ':'-.,# At ~hc beginning of February and slarted to climb again. h'awng the three were flown in from Scan by this Mme decided on a different Base to the foot of the SIjghest peak Worcester Ronge. west of .the R05s In the Worcester Range. Ice Shelf. . They decided to attemPt the This photograph by Heine shows • climb and so two days later on Sun· GUM (on left with p",dl and day, February 10. they set olf at Wturen on the summit. The view ;~ looking west to unnamed peab 12.30 p.m., C'arryingonly light betwoen the Mulod Glacier and packs. They took with them tho Skalton Glacier. Depot 270, crampons. la prlmus, a ,Jlit'tle tood, established by the Now Zealand spare "lathing, pitons. a geological eltpedition, lies well to the right. hammer high aJlt:itude boots and Ice The route to be followed south by axes. They expected to be away Hillary's potty lies beyond these Jltl>le more than a few hours. mountain~. Below is the Skelton Glacier. The initial climbing was mainly {TroM' Antardic Expedition ­ over loose rock, and 'a1.'ter .some World Cl?Pyr!ght Reservod.} 2,700 ft. was reached they roped up 130 ANTARCTIC June 1957 • • thencon1Jlnued, alternating with derably during the niglit, but they crampons and without, as they said that at no time were they crossed rock and ice and snow uncomfortably cold. 'A number 'Of faces. Much of ·the time was spent ice pits were dug at intervals across in ~tbing &,frpS, and as they came the ice shelf, and these will be used , to. .the final summit ridge heavy for geologicai studies next spring. fog came In from the polar plateau, blown by a strong wind. .Mthough INCREASED WORK , it was midnight there was full light The new Zealand paVry's part In and they were able to darefully the BrUt'iSh Trans-An!'arCtic Expedi· watch each dthers' 1Iaces for froSt· tlon has been Increased w1'tl1 the bite.. news that Dr. Fuchs has asked Sir ~t Was not until 3.15 a.m. that Edmund !Hilary to lay depots they saw ahead the final ridge, farther south than was originally which appeared to be several mileS intended. This will mean added away, and they spent the next hour work for the New Zealand party, travelling over frozen snow along but It will be done in the knowledge a broad ridge 9,000 ft. above 'the that the added contribution they are glacier. making will be vital to the success They reached the summit at 4.40 of the British party. The added a.m. on rhe Monchty, where their supplies for the new depots will be aneroid barometer indicated a carried by Beaver aircraft, by trac· h-eill:ht of aboltt 9,500 It.. above their tors and by dog teams and sledges. camP. There. In a clear bn.I.l.iant It had been found by 'the BIiIti$· mptpUlg sun they enjoyed the party ht 'the antlc1pated rate of most spectlacUlar view, 'llIld after progress could not -be malnt'a.1ned ra g several panoraIn'ic ..photos, In ·tlle &.ce O'f some of the difficult gan tlle descent. country which the expedit!lon had to It was already 18 hours since cross, 'and tthe request was :tbere­ they l1ad started and they were be­ fore made to 'the ·Ross Sea Corn· comfng a little t'ired. At 7.45 they mlttee and passed on to Sir Edmund stopped for food and a sholit rest, by the Hon. C. M. oBowden. and then con'tinued ~he qong climb down. Not until 26 hours had TWO BLIZZARDS elapsed ;.tr9"! the 'time they had Full qjJizzard condl'tltons have left 1t did they reach their camp been experienced so ·fur on two again on the Skelton Glacier, hav· occasions a't Scatt Base. In one,"'the ing achieved wiith comparalt!ive ease \vl.nd-driven sn'ow beat 'against the a climb tltat will add much to the base In gusts up to 56 mHes an notable events In the long Sou'tl1 , hour, but the other one did not re­ Polar saga. strl~t outside activities to any great: • e>lch ib'egan ofllically h"om·Scot't Base for White Island on AJprll 14 when 'the last rim of on a geological trip. The dogs be· the sun peeped over Mt. Erebus for J1aved 'splendidly, doing 22 miles in a few moments ·in a watery f'ashlon.· one day, and in the six days they There are of course a number ot were 'away, they covered 70 miles.. days In whlch thl!re Is s'!!IN light. The average temperature dUring or twl'1lght.· . t!h'ls pe11lod was- about 30· below Arr

self.:contained for the wihiter period, CAPE EVANS VISITORS and no one need go m'ore 'fhlan 200 Captain ScoU's winter quarters yards !from ~he main block of at Oape Evans have been viSited by buildings, although 11lere will be three separate pat'tles, aUoget'her 12 Wiinter Viislts to the Mde gauges, flsh of 'the expedition making the 'trip. traps and current meters installed oape Evans is only aboltt 15 m'iles in ice holes. north of the Scdl't Base at PraJIl Point: EXPERT OPINION . , It was at Cape Evans th'at Cap­ The decision made some time ago !lain ,Scdtt 'in 1911 erected 'the to locate Scot! Base ",t Pram Point winter qliarters of 'hIs Terra Nova m.s earned 'the commendation of expedition. From lliese quarters Sir J)Ougllls Mawson, to wh'om the also 1lhe polar party anI! supports area is, of course, 'eX'tremely set out on !'he last ill-fated journey. tanUllar, .and he said in a recent Peter Mulgrew and Murray Ellis letter to \!he Ross Sea Committee mllnhaull!d a lig'tlh sledge 'to t'he that he had no doubt thll~ Sir Gape, and were away tor a Utile Edmunl!'s party will be enabled, more 'than two days, Md the pilots from :theiT new site, to carry ou't J dhn Craydon an'd Bill Cranfleld, their part of the Trans-Con1iinental who WiiShed to sImul\l.te 'the condi­ programme uin fine s'tyle". l!lons of a march from a forced­ ..­ down aJrcl'aft, m:anhauled 'to oape PLANE "COCOONED" Elvans arid back, equipped ..wth'-only The Beaver 'aircraft, whiCh has the gear 'they would 'have had had done such yeoman service t'hrough­ they cmShed. They swucIt- ipoor ou·t tlhe summer, Ihas been dis­ v'isib11J'ty and dIitfdng snow~. but mantled and dts ma,in parts crated, managed Cape Ev'ans 'and 'hac'i<"in w'h'lle the fuselage has been the week, "cocooned". Since mid·January lit The main party of four dog has flown n....dy 150 hours, and teams, driven by George Marsh, been responsible for much valuable Harry Ayres, Ray Call1yon and Bob p'hotograpRic, reconn'a5ssance and Miller, With Sir Edmu!1d, G.uy traThsport work. The Auster wilH be Warren, Murray Dougllls and kept ope~ational dUlling the winter. Bernie Gunn as fellow·travellers It will ,be flown when posslbl!! spent ~heir first two days 'biattling : 'during mooriJlgai:t periods" and j,t Is against strong WiindS in blinding hoped ~o obtain much data on the drdft. They w~re forced to' =p dlmcUlties of '8lrt:rad't ma!inten'ance on 'tiIle northern side ot Glacier and W!Jiter fl,ying. Tongue, where 'tiIley met 'the two LITTLE SNOW ainnen. The stwptUsingly .Jittle snow that 'I'hey, and the others ""ho visited has 'fuIlen on ~he base has been thl! the camp did much to clean up the , .subject of comment 'by Sir Edmund. surroundings, and portion of the Up' 'Mll the end of April he had hut, and returned to base within reported 'to the Rioss Sea Committee the week, coming back along 'till! fu'at apart from a few light falls edge of 'the Ross BarrJer, 'a'lways there '!tad !been ,practiicaUy no snow, an inspiring It1

WI'NTER ENFOLDS BASE AT M'AWSON , With the coming of April to l\Iawson base heavy snow drifts amoug the huts, and the harbour Is sheathed in sea. lee. Three Emperor penguins stand huddled , outside the aircrn,ft bangal'. The feathered colony has dwindled first sOI'tie inland with the 'tractors. to a ~ew moulting scraggy Adelie Malcolm MelIor and Pat Lee took youngsters, the occaSional Emperors one of the weasels 35 miles inland that come ashore from the open along the southern rem·be, but after w8.lter beyond 't1he harbourI and a breaking ,through several CI'eV-aESes very small flock 'Of skuas. Dr. Willing south of Mt, Henderson they explored has been trapping and b'anding the artcrnative routes. and claim to have skuas as pal\t of a long-range established a safe course somewhere programme to learn more about eastwal'ds of the old route. their migration habits. He also visited Fl'atoy 1U1d Welch Islands, UNCERTAIN BEGINNING near Mawson, to inspect tfheir pen­ Bernie Shaw's new aeri'al mast. in rookeries. 90 feet high, was erected after an It was on tAlIs trip, while we were uncel1bwln. beginning. The m'aSt is lea~ harbow' in the dinghy. that part of a new aerial system whiCh has a wJlaIe en'tered. For.~unately he taoIt already given Mawson better com­ lesAo'tice of us than we did of him, munication With Australia and other a.J.t:hough we might have felt more AntJarctic bases. One of the most at ease if the outlboard engine had interesting 'and important aspects of not stopped every half mile. our worJt this ;year is communication In spite of a general detel'ioration' with other bases. Mawson Staltion is in the weather and falling tempera­ on the air. 15 hours a day in 30 tures, a grea'b deal was accomplished radio schedUles. Sandy Sandilands. here in March. Roy Al'nel and Peter King, operalJ)rs, between them send or receive 70,000 PLANE HOIST RIGGED words a month. Peter Clemence and his R.A.A.F. The .bUlk of the traffic is to and team rigged theJr aircraft hoiSt from Australia via. Perth Radio, ·l;Iut alQngside the hangar, and now the we have regular 'schedUles with t'he Beaver can be fitted witlh floats or Fl'ench in Adelie Land and Kerguelen skis as required. Neville Collins, and Armiterdam Islands, wlth South , working -a caterpillar tractor in Africa and Marion Island, the shallow water off-shore from the Japanese on the Prince Harold hangar, cleared ,the area ,of boulders. Coast, the Norwegian base, the The tractors have also 'been used to Russian 'base Mirny, an'd their ships • clear a road to the ice plateau, giving the "Lena" and "Ob", and, of course safer access for heavy vehicles than \Vith our own SUbsidiary smtion of the old route across a fl:ozen lake. Davis, 350 miles eastwards. David Johns Ibrought his neu'tron monitor into operation in record In the absence of the editor. this bime, an 'achievement whtch at least doubles the value of our cosmic ray edition WillS produced by it col/eagu& programme, . and the treatment of "he material Jim Goodspeed has rus elaborate supplied is of circumstance lackirH] gear for measurJng ice thickness in detailed presentation, working order. and now' MVaits our June 1957 ANTARCTIC III TWO AUSTRALIAN BASES LINKED BY AIR The R.A.A.F. Antarctic Flight with the Australian Notional Antarcllc Research Expedition has just completed the first ffight trom Mawson Station to Davls Station, 400 miles to the east. On May lone of the expedition's priority tasks. IlE'a-:er aircraramme. Sllnear's geolo· supply has been assured by the in· gJoal activities h'ave been lim!lted by traduction ot a large snow driit snow condH,ons, hut a reconnais· between (the auroral observatory s'ance of the area of Broad Pentn· and the community site. Twen'ty· sula was made during the first half four Weddell seals were killed for of the morlth. 11he outside work has fresh meat, the brains, 'liver and been just ab'out completl!d. choicest steaks being reserved for In April Stinear and Lied made human consumption, and the a three-day journey along the remainder piled \~h 24 slaughtered coast to the north-eas'lern extremity elephant seals for dog meat. Except ot 'the VestIfold HIEs, successfully for one liver ab$lIDner tIDe Davis completing '8. coaStal reeonnaissan"ce reSlden'ts find the seal me'at and estlablislrlng a depot at their palat",ble. destJimitlon In prepara'tlon for the -FollOwing the killing of the SCiOls, con'tlnuation of geological anll sur· the local bird popuJal!ion increased vey work In that area. conSiderably with skuas, giant VISITS TO LAKES petrels, Wilson's St'orm petrels and Hawker and Lucas v'lsited Mag· cape pigeons feeding on an\! off the neMc Island and the coastai -~re. ,HU approaches to Elllis nord, Stin""" The bird-banding activities have and Dingle visited three large salt· been abandoned in favour of other water lakes running paraEel to an\! 134 ANTARCTIC June 1957

solit:h of Long Fiord. It was new rookeries. asswned that lfodtpI'ints found ASSORTED PASSENGERS between t:he second and l!HIrd lake 'The follow:lng day Pete took off and on the shoreline of bC1t'h were for Davis w.itlh an assortment of made by a member of a Russian passengers, Arnel, Wombat !'he dog fi'>vty which vis'tetarctic. This' 1!hen sandy Sandilands 10 the will enable AuStra!lia always to

Emperor penguin rookery. have two Beaver aircraft at Maw-l AIR OPERATIONS son, w1rl.le a thiird is overhauled' each year in Austra1la. ._. ._ "Air opemlions for 1957 com· menced wi1!h the Auster about rnid· 'Dhese Sturdy alrcra11, whiCh can AprUl when the sea ice over Horse­ nake off Eiltlher from whecls, floats shoe Hanbour was 17 inches thick. or sids, have been a very great help In AuStralda's Anmrcti!c. By t'he 25t:h 'tIhe De Ravinand Beaver was able to enter tlhe field operations. For eX'ample. on 1956, 350,000 square miles of ~errltory also, and since then the roar of 1200 engines ovevhead h'as become a and miles of 'coastline were familiar sound. phofograplhed from one Beaver w._ "After ground tests and local craft, In 500 flying hours. lIights to familiarize !!he pilots in handlin'g planes on ice, radio corn­ "GOLD SEEKER" SUNK , murllcalion was tested on tHghts The expedition ship "Gold Seeker" further afield. On the last day of w'hlch Iroped to looMe 'tJhe gold April Doug and the Beaver, wIth ,reputed to 'have been sunk last cen~ Willing and Amel aboaro, were tury in the General Grant ab the headed for King Edwaro vm Gult, Auckland Islands ran aground on 'the 160 m'>les west. They comPleted a south coast of Portuguese Timor, four-hour reconna1ssam:e on cora.st!a.l and was lo!lt with all Its equipment, ice, noted llhat the Emperors had though the captain and crew were come ashore to breed 'at Taylor saved. The capbaln has stated that Rookery and Foldoya, then speril he will make another attempt as 20 mlnutes at 'tIhe Gu:Jt ~ook'lng for soon a:s Mother boat is avaUable. June 1957 ANTARCTIC 135 Americans Make Aviation History

• With Antarctic Air Drop Aviation history was made in the Antarctic with the air dropping by Globemasters of their 1,OOOth ton of cargo to forward bases 'before winter settled down on the white continent. • This last trip brougSouth Pole Involved lively ones, at McMurdo Sound and a 1700-mile round trip lIIght over "Penguin Post" Us ithe Lltttile 'Amer­ unCWarted land and moun1ains up ,ca publicaflon----a weekly. II:s COl­ to 18,000 1ft. Irigh, and the Pole drop UIIUlS <.'Orilain a V'a1iled lI'Oundeg[nniners de­ s1Iiing to become amateur radio STOB~I BATTERS BASE opemtors, and he Wilil catTY them 'Dhe almost contlnU'aNy present t!hr5ugh for 't'he1r opemtor's companion in the Antardtlc-wind licenses. Ham operators have been -liattered Little America on May of immense assistance Iln raising 15, when gusts up to 75 miles per morale at ,all stlations, and KC4USK, hour lashed the buildings !for six or Wilkes Stlation, is one of the days. Wind driven snow filled every busiest of the Polar ham bases, open area, engulfed everything Carl Elklund, the station scientific unsheltered, and created mammoth leader, holds the distance record dI1I!ts whlch threatened many of for transmission, as Ills Wife lives the structures with collapse. An in Santiago, Chile. He spoke to unseasonably I11gh temperature her throug,h. a station In Memphls, kept the snow moist, so that it which phone-patched with another packed m'Ore densely and many of more powerful station In Memphie, the buildings had to be shored up. and then to another station In San· So 'heavy !Was t'he drift that tiago, approXimately 15,000 miles. althOUgh heaters were turned on full' in the huts so that ~he stacks DO~IESTIC NEWS would be sufficiently hot to melt • Much of the news 1irom all the the accumula-Mng snow, one chim· Antarctic 'bases, apart from the ney actually 'became -filled. The purely scientific reports, is of a Little America snow-melter d'atllgue domestic nature, and the U.S. base were ISble to relax for once as the at McMurdo Sound is no exception. wind filled the melter's hopper for 'I1here, the principal topl'c of Con· them. The normall emph'a'Sis on versation Us the excellence of the water conserva't!l.on was not neces· food which ~s being served. The sary and everyone was urged to cooks specialise in Ufeature" dishes, use as much water as possible. ahd on one occasion a magnlficent F'inalJy rhe water 'had to be pumped 11!aUan dinner \\"as served to a out to prevent flooding: Men Juno 1951 ANTARCTIC 131

venturing outside for essential tasks l!here is amPle room, and the could only 110 so 'by payling out a facilities, for Ifecrea~ion, lincluding a lifeline att!ached round their waists "change-ever:y-night" 1iiIm pro­ and to ~he ''building. gramme. • 'Dhere is a 'complete weather pro· NEW TRANSPORT gramme on the way, With round­ Willen not talking to ham the.:elock upper-air soundings, operators all over the world, the aurora and air glow observations, • men at W,Ukes StaMon -have been and glaoiology, seismology and geo­ bUsy with !!he task of shuttllng men magnetism, so that the personnel and equipment to rthe second feel 't'hat '!!hey will 'be too 'busy to glaciological satellite camp ,m top worry ,about the unnatural condi· of the Wilkes dce cap. D-4 bull· tions_ dozers were tested to see whether they 'Could nego'tillte the steep, slippery ice of a ramp le'ad!ing from the rocky tevrninal moraine ENDEAVOUR TO TRJUN area at the base of t1le ice cap. NAVY IN SOUTH T.he ~lght weasels had been doing the carrying prevlously, but when T1he Antarctic ship "Endeavour" two broke down a 0-4 was sent to would become a training ship for rescue them and the sledges they .the R.N.Z. Navy \V'hen it ,vas no were 'towing. rt came back, with longer requlred in the Rass Sea sundry uncomformble advenluTes area, the Ohi"f of ilie Naval Staff in its Idescent of tile ice iSHde, towing (Rear-Admiral J. E. H .. McBeaihi t!he entire train, and proved that Has announced. with little mocli.fica'tion 'that D-4's Tihe "EndeRvour" would operate could 110 the job. Their first trip Horn Auckland, and would visit up after ofittling cleats to the 'tracks New Zealand potits 'On training Cap~ was made, after many delays, on cruiSes_ H. KirkwoScott Base early and make the job of re-supplying in !the summer, and the other to the ice cap depots much easier. pick up the ~rans·An~tic I eXped;w.on. ffENJOYING" WINTER "No doWt ..bowt it," Was Admiral The 39 Navy personnel and saien· MdBealt!h's 'comment, when asked !lists \vlntering at EllIswort!h Station whether he ~hought the "Endea­ are now, except for a few hours of vour" was a suitable ship for the unnatural twilight every l1ay, Antardftc, especially if the "enjoying" liheir taSte of winter, Dominion's commitment in tile Ross where temperatures are running to Dependen~ con'tinued after t!he entl -55° and winds are normal at 50 of the I;G.Y. programme. "Rear· miles per hour. 'I1he lrase bu'lldlngs A!dmliral DU'fek, Commander of tlle are completely burrled under snow, A:meri'can Naval ttask rforce, but 1!he interiors are almost has had muCh experien~e in ice, and luxurious, and except for scientific he told me the "Endeavour" is an reasons, there is llttle need 'for the ideal Ship, and Capfain Kirkwood men to venlure outlSlde. A~l 'Of them one of the best ice captalns he had have some lhandicraft project, and ever met." Ile ANTARCTIC Jun. 1957 Fur Seals Return To Macquarie In a despatch from l'tlacquarlo bland, dated April 1, H'arry B1D.ck reported as foUows:- • A record number of rare fur seals John C1eary, follawed 'by Alan FlelJt were counted at Macquarie Island and Bob Hill. The highest break of tihis year, after the'ir complete 31 was made by Bob HIll. absence for many deea'des following The "met" huts cat, BU'tltons, has. • vII'tual extermination !by sealers three kittens. The expected names over a. century ago. The census are Sonde, Sowin and RJawin. The recorded over 300 on North Head "Cosray" cat Mumsy also 'has three • Rocks, the highest for 130 years. kittens, the likely names being A message bearing New Year Proton, Meson and Neutron. It is greetings \vas discovered by Stefan 'Suspected all must agree to become Csordas in a. bottle dropped over­ neutrons if they are allowed to board by a Japanese whaler on survive. January 6 this year at latitude 50·19'S., Tongitude 132·01'E. Tb had WINTER PREPARATION drifte'd nearly 2,000 miles in five weeks. AT SHACKLETON NeU Brice and John Steuart arc AU adtivHy at Shackle1:on, t!he burning tile midnight oil overhauling base of the BritiSh Antarotlc Ex· tbe ionoson'de. which sends pulses pedition, had ceased fur the winter, in 0 ·the upper atmosphere and the leader, Dr. V. E. FuChs, told the records the returns signals, the infor­ leader of th·e New Zealand expedi. mation being of use in long-range tion, Sir Eldmund HiBary, by wJre· radio prediction. less. Hurd Poin'b Slia:tion was manned Dr. Fuchs sald that the par.ty had in March by the auroral physicist. dug holes in the snow to shelter t1le John Denholm, and Colin McKenzie, dogs from 'the wind. The Otter air­ Al'a.n Flelit, Stefan Csordas and Bill craft h'ad been put a'W."y for the KeUas. . Stefan was about to step winter. on a large rock in the dark on the South Ice was reported on March way to the station when his rotk 2 as completed. It was occupied on reared up and slid away, being "8. February 22 by four men. Three tour-ton sea. elephant. men will winter in the little UNUSUAL VISITORS aluminium and plywood hUlt, which Some Sclater penguins were cap­ has been bui'lt in a five feet deep tured, being unusual visitors from hole in the snow, and wiiU soon be the islands off New Ze'aland. The entirety snow·covered. 'Ilhe party baby alb'atrosses, CJarry and AU, comprises Jon Stepllen'sun. an Aus· are now fully fledged, with siX foot tralian geologist, Ren Blacklock and wingspans, and they 'arc still weighed Hal Lister. weekly ·by Mike Hines and Harry Dr. Fuchs stated tlhat two memo Black, who are proUd of their god­ bers of tlhe expe

began. The first records are Great Activity At reported wil!h ;,he followling French Base apparatus: 1 magnetograph Laoour. Some de'l1alils of the 1956-57 relief 3 magn{!!Mc variometer (components of the Adelfe Lan\l eJl'lihemc soundings begun '])he base nl>w conSiSt!; of two With t'he /lrst expe will1 Mve all ""e Mc/s) and an spectro­ winter at Charcot Sta1ilon a11rived at gI'aph!ic work was pbssible during 'liItis sta't!ion on J""uary 301lh and /lve beauliJ'ul niglhts on ~he two fountl an excellent barrack carried firSt weeks on April. and bullt by Oapta1n GUHlard's STATION CHARCOT team. Then weasels 'and sno-cats After two months the tlhree men came back to d'Urv:ille Station for have dug 38 meters of passage, and a major overhaul this wjn'ter. A places for magneliic 'appamtus, few depots of mllterlaI and gasoline Synoptic O'bserv'a't1ions were made are made on vhe OharC'ot route for but b'ad we'a!t'her made actin'O'metic • the next year. records slow. During MIlroh and In six weeks a 'heHcopter BeN AJprll commun1icabions were difficu~'t 47 G2 flew 167 hours with winds between the two stations. The from 0 to 20 m/s, and carried ·21 l;armCks aTe comlfortable, and food tons between Petrels ISland and is vamous and plentiful. fue CO'SStHne wiVhout indldent. 'I'he M/S Norsel left d'Urville on February 121i1t at 12 p.m. and the U.S. ESTIMATES seconHope Bay parNes 'have the Scott Polar Research Institute ; visi:ted View Point, and the hut was in Cambridge. occupied during November and RADIO,SONDE. _ Daily ascents ,I December. From Base H, parties h'ave been rn!aintained at Base F, h'ave been working on Coronation and a height of 79,000 feet was Isl'and on the north coast and on reached in November the south coast in the vicinity ol" . Shingle Bay, A llav>al hy'drographic SEAL·COUNT.-A seal·c'oun,t has survey party from H,M.S, "Protec· been made In Soubh GeorgIa Ior tor" spent five weeks in ~he area the F.LD,S. Sealing Officer s'tation· around Port Lockroy and ,then ~d at King Edward Point .The Sea.l· crossed to Anvers Isla'nd, while mg Officer. has also conti.nued his several members of BaseN (Anvers work on remdeer. Island) visited Port Lockroy before VETERINARY WORK. - The visfting Copper Peak, and climbing Medical Officer at Base W is testing Mount Francais via the Borgen a new type of dog-pemmican which Glacier. has been manufactured as a reSult From Base 0, geological survey of t'he work done by the d'og­ trips were made in November to physiologist at Hope Bay durjng Range Island and the mainlaI1'd. and 1954 and 1955. Reports so far indi­ a IIbase Hne measured for the local cate that the new pemrnican is a survey. Wilhelmina Bay was recon· great improvement on the old noitred 1by the "Shackleton" In F.I.D.s. AERO·SURVEY EXPE. December, and a refuge hut was DITION.- FIDASE""'. personneI constructed at Cape Re'cluse. (See arrived at Deception Island on last bU'lletiin,) 26th November. cm board m,v. From Base W. a survey party "Olu! Sven" and have had a very visited Avery Plateau on the main- successful season, It js reported land. Geological work was con· that 35.000 square miles of vertical tinued in HanU'sse Bay, but was cover have been obtained from unfornunately held up for a month, 12,000 feet, This includes the west when the geologists were stranded ~""s't of Gmllam Land north of 68· on Roux Island by the unusually South and the South Shetl1ands. The early break.up of tlhe sea ice. The vertical cover is supplemented by a party Was eventually taken ofi' by considerable number of oblique helicopter from H.M.s. "Protector" photographs, and returned to base on November "JOHN BISCOE" RETURNS 10th, From Base Y, parties have surveye'd the east coast of Horse. The Royal Research Ship "John shoe Island an'd LagoteNerie Island. Biscoe" arrived at Sou1hampton on June 4 'after a 2,500·mlle maiden GLAClOLOGY. - Gl'aclologisls voyage to the Antlafdtic and back. have cOInmenced work on King She sailed in November, 'tak;ng George Island and South Georgia, relief s't'afi', stores and equ,pment to in preparation for the work which bases of the F3lklarrd Islands is to be done during the I,G.Y, The Dependencles Survey, F.LD,S. sea-ice InvesfJgator accom· Cap'ta'in WjlJiam John\fton said panied the Trans.!An'tlarcl'jc Expedi· t~e "John Bisooe'lhad g'iven a very 'tion on board "M'8.gga Dan", and is good performanc.~. Some ice dam· now continUing his researohes at age. below the/water.line will be

j June 1957 141

repaired at SouthamPton. of If.\he most significant contribu· llhe ship broug'ht home 21 memo Hons 'lo the success of the bers 'of the survey who have programme," finished their tours of duty. One of them, 27-year-old' Frank' Ryan, Japanese Beady I a meteoI'dlogicaJ ·ass'.istan't, came ashore on crutches. During a two­ For Winter , man e",pedilJion he slithered 50 fee< The Japanese expedition ship down an icy slope and broke a leg. "Soya Maru", after lhe battering it With the temperature at freezing received on its way home, will be point he lay 10 hou,rs w'MJe his strenglliened before its voyage companion went five miles back to sourh next season, to ena:ble it to base for a sledge. cope better with battering at Ice "Cargo" \in :the HJohn Biscoe" floes or pack. This was announced inclUded two skU'as, two kelp geese on its arrival in Singapore, from and four flightless steamer ducks. where it went to Japan, arriVing on The ducks and geese w;jU go to a April 24, Bn1tiish w;jld fowl trust sanctuary Tokyo reported on March 26 that an:d the skuas will! be rele'ased for big reserve supplies of fuel, food, homing experiments. d;'lllamite and sledges stored at the Other members of the survey foot of an iceberg were lost in a were being broug.ht home in the bUzzard, The icme (MT. L. M. Gi>u)

- - Science Aided hy Ohservatio~s Made at HaIley Bay Many successful sclenWic observations were made at HAlley Bay In 1956. Most of the other IGY expeditions were primarily concerned , with their building progranunes during that period and were not able to devote so much time to observations. . The southern auroral zone con· greatly improved results for large tains the south-eastern coast of the rapidly changing displays. Even so Weddell Sea, and the expedition t!he rays that spring up from· the leader was instructed to set up. the ares in a d.iS'PJay are mit reglStered, base south of 75·S. or return Iiome as Dr. Evans ltimself points out, to the United Kingdom. As it was and he has suggested that his possible to do this, valuable visual successor should cut tlhe exposure observations of the ~urora to 5secs. australis have been made by Dr. S. Evans, who also set up one of the IONOSPHERE STUDY• flrst Antarctic all·sky cameras, by The ionospheric programme has which 15 second exposures of 35 been initiated by the regular obser­ mm. film resulted in pictures of the vations of atmospheric noise which whole sky being obtained at fre­ Iiave been made by Majar G. E. quent intervals. These observations Watson. The sunface ml!leorolo­ win enable comparison to be made gical observations of wind pressure, witlh the simulfaneous visu'al obser· temperature etc., have been made va,tions made in Great Britain by at regUlar inter\"als by D. W. S. members of the Auroral Survey, to Limbert, wlho has also made glacio­ see jf there is any correJation be· logical observations. Dr. Evans has tween the phenomena occurring in also !lnsraUed a Dobson ozone borh hemispheres. spectrophotometer ,for the deter­ HaHey Bay should enll tjle IGY mination of the amount of ozone with the most campl~te records of present an the high atmosphere. auror~ ever kept wil11!in the auroral Th1s instrument was one of the zone af e1t!her hemisphere, t!he day­ flrst to be set up on the Antaretlc anll·nlg the auroral and glaciological graphs a mirror in wbldh the whole work and install important ionos­ sky is reflected, at regular Inter­ phene equipment and apparatus vals. The instrument waS produced for tne detection of waves from In the United Stales and thE> distant earthquakes. In March they exposure time In use 'by the were already operating the new designers is 1 minute. Dr. Evans electrical gE>nerators and wireless succeeded in reducing the exposure transmitter whereby telegraphic tlm~ to 15 seconds wbleh gives mesS'ages are now sent direct to •

June 1~5' ANTARCTle

the United Kingdom. By February 12, the shell of the Historic Relics geomagnetic hut had been erected, more than a dozen of the piles Found which support the magnetic instru· ments had been sunk to a depth of Few journeys have captured 20 feet in the ice, the shell of the popular imagimlltilon to 'the extent generator hut was all in place, and of Ilhat written of by Cherry­ work had commenced on the Garmrd lin '"'I1he Worst Journey in balioon hut and the radio·echo huts. the World" in Wh!idh he, Dr. Wdlson and Lieut Bowers undertook in SIGNS OF WINTER midwinter a journey from Cape As the days p'assed, and signs of Evans to cape Crozier :to investi­ winter showed, a new transmitter gate an Emperor penguin rookel!Y. was insootled and eight new aerials Capt'ain Scoft in his 'diary says, set up. Telegraphic messages were 'Ithat men sholl'ld wanller fol'th in first sent direct to the United King· I:!he depllh of a polar night to fiace dom on February Z1 and direct the most dismal cold and the speech messages were first received fiercest gales in darkness is some­ on March 13. thing new; t'h':it 'they should ~ve Radio contact has been made perSisted in 'lJ1Us effort in sjii'te of with other bases at Slrackleton, every adversity for five full weeks Solith Ice, Port Lockroy, the is heroic", 'J.1he three men were U.S.S.R. base at Mirny, the U.S. forced to jEitltison some of their base at the South Pole, the Austra· equipment to get back to Cape lian Davis base in the Ves·tfold Elvans alive, ..:lth'ough 'tihey did Hills, the French base in Terre bring back Mth them the object of AdeIi~, t'he Norwegian base in lheir 'Search-'t!hree penguin eggs. Queen Maud Land,and the ThIs gallant journey was head­ Japanese Syowa base. Many lined in March by a journey under­ amateur wireless enthusiasts in the taken along ,the same roule by Sir Unlted J{ingdom and U.S. have Eldmmrd Hillary, Murray Ellis, Jim reported talks w'ith Halley Bay. Ba!tes and Peter Mu.grew wifth the The weather slowly deteriorated. object of testling motor transport The grea'ter range of maximum and field radio equipm'eIlt under and minimum temperatures in one conditions of Qow temperatures and month was in March, as loUows: soJlt snow. BOth EJllis and Bates 6.3' C. (max.), .,...31.4' (min.), 4 worked long hours before the trip gale days. In A'PtiI -33.7' (was senicing the tractors and fitting reached) and on May 1 a gust of them wifth canopies to 'Protect the 67 knots was recorded. drivers. The first wind·flnding ascent of A'fter two days, folloWing as a meteorologidal1 bMlocm, which is closely a's pos'sllble 'the roUite used • tracked by radar, was made on bY the early explorers, 'and having April 1. The average he'ight of the considerable ditncul'ty with deep ascents is 82,000 feet but one ascent snow conditions, they amved on went as high as 92,500 feet. The Thursday everting '(Mardh 21) at first auroral display was seen on the Knoll, having been able at times March 15, while on April 6 the first to 'travel up to six m'iles an hour. Emperor pengu'ins returned to the Pe'ter Mulgrew had with IHm a copy nearby Emt>eror Bay and by April of ''The WorSt Journey in the 23 over 10,000 of them were esti· W'Orld" 'and wftJh this for reference mated to be assembled there. they began a search for the stone The health of all a t the base Is igloo left by Dr. Wtison's party. reported to be excellent. Two square mlles ·were searohed in 1+4 'AN TA RCT IC Juno 1957

vain on Friday in a high \\ind and -20°F. temperatures. CAMPBELL ISLAND 'rhey had almost gdven up when, Mr. G. P. Hape reports that on only 500 yards from their own camp February 28, 'a white .heron was • site 1hey came across 'the remains sighted dn Perseverance Harbour of the igloo-Still Willh a ring of and since 'then it 'has been definitely green tent canvas held firmly be· ascertained tlh~t a 'pa'ir rare in tween the rocks_ Ins'ide !.'hey found residence on the lisland. On April 8 I the 9-ft. man-hauling sledge-a a white-faced heron was also seen mastevpiece of workmanship. In on the hamour Shore 'and it is one corner were some Emperor equaily certJaln that a pair of these penguin carcases 'and a pickaxe, beautiful ,birds exist tms far souCh. alt!hough no trace of the message The albatross chickens 'have almost \vhich had been Ned to I!h\! handle Completely Shed their down and the was found. Around the Igloo was a dis'l'inct:ive wling markings are scieJ11tific case of Dr. Wilson's, con­ fonning. tJainmg sketching pencils and pre· To date only one whale sighting serviing fluids, there were rolls of has been m'ade and 'th'is ·was of f:l.lrn, 'a thermos flask, thermometers, four mamm'als in Nortlhwest Bay. tins of pemmican tea -and many Aon unusual I8.nd amusing ex,peri­ other souvenirs of 'the 'heroic ence was the lot of met observer venture. Bill Stem while j1hotogI'aphing a News of the find was relayed by parent 'bird in flight and aUempting radio to Seett Base, New Zealand to fallow its movements :in the air. and t1le world, and the thrill which He reaMze'd othe bird was becoming the party had on finding nhese uncomfortably large for the view­ obj'ects can -be readily imagined. Sir finder, and upon rernov;ing t!lte Edmund

Belgiwll Prepare~ N.Z. I.G.Y. WORK The proposed site for the Belgian Much of the equipment for I.G.Y. Antarctic Expedition 1957·58 is at observations is already in full Breidvik'a (Broad Bay) on rhe working order at Scatt Base under Princess R1agnhild CoaS't, 70·30'S., the overall responsibility of Dr. 23·E. No landing 11'as ever been Trevor Ha:th~rton. made here previously. He 'himself will m"ake auroral One hundred and fifty kilometres observations. and a gravime'tric inland Is a mountain range named survey of as wide an 'area as Sor.,Rondane which has never been possible around Scart Base. He has explored. Aerial photographs taken already made several trips by air· by the NOlwegians in 1937 and by c~aft ro the Skelton Glacier and the Americans tn 1947 have been Ross Ice Shelf, and his observations studied by the Belgian authorities, should eventually give valuable and t!here appears to have been no da"m on is own design are being tried. clans will comprise the expedit'ion. for ·the first time. HertJ. Orr, the Of 't!hese 11 had already been seismologist, NeII Sandford and appointed at the time of the Peter Macdonald are all bUsy ·in Expedltlon's second report (March>' their respectJIve spheres of I.G.Y. The Belgian Government Is provld' ing 40 m'illion of the budget of 48 3ct!ivity, and Peter's sunshine recorder is of 'great in'terest to the milIlon francs, and an appeal is team, as it was used by Cap'tain being made 'to s'CIerrtific rbodies, ci~ies, Scott ijn his 1901·04 IlD!scovery" provinces and and to Indus· expeditIon. try. The expedition's new s'hlp, the uPola:phav", . 1s on its' first seal­ hunting cruise and will arrIve at Antwerp In early November. New Children's Game The bUildings planned are of the American "elements hut" type, so J'ust before Easter, the Bl'ltis'h arranged that each inan will" have Perroleum Company produced a. private cttblcl~. uPolaroute", a new game tor child­ ren. This is biased on the "snakes 'llhe leader, Commander de and ladders" pIllnclple, and has the Gerlache, accompanIed the Frerl'ch South Pole for lhe goal. They expedit'ion to Adelie Land this year. h a ve produced approximately HIs experiences included a 15-dlly 150,000 copies of this ga.me, which depot.laying journey on the plateau will be diStributed rhrough service and also a journey with tracked sramons selling B.P. produCts.. veh'icles. He left on his return to BelgIum on February 13. Another The game is based on a map of Giot, has been In Greenland since Ant'arct:ica. and various tONl'lS of member of the Expedition, Jacques transport are mentioned. The the beginnlng of February. He l1azards encountered are sfm]ar to spent three mon'l!hs at Holsteinsborg those which Sir Edmund and his to gain· experience in the care 'and party will meet on their depot.. hllndling of huskies. laying trips. 146 ANTARCTIC June 1957

genuine friendships in New Zealand Death of Noted on his !tr'ips here, 'and his passlng was deeply regret!ted by all who had Polar Pioneer known the tough, sprightly, friendly llttlle Admiral. Sinee the rast issue of Antarctic anatdler Antarctic pioneer explorer AUSTRAUAN EXPLORER'S has died, at his home in Boston, Mass. The tlrst man to flyover 'the CAIRN FOUND Norit'h and South Poles, Rear The ·Australian Minister 10r Admiral Richard E. Byrd, U.S.N., External Affoairs, Mr. R. G. Oasey, '\Wl8 a pioneer of air exploration over announced IJh'a't AuStralian ex­ the icy continent; he led five Ameri­ plorers 'tit DavJS lbase had dJIs· can expedltions to the Antarctic an'd covered a message and an Austra­ was instrumental in accurately lian 1l'ag left by 'the well-known charting 'Some previously unseen Aus'tralian explorer, Sir HUbert 2,000,000 square miles. Apar.t from his mem'orable services WllkIns, 18 years ago. to Antarctic exploration, Rear The message anxl flag, in a white Admiral Byrd will 'always be remem­ enamel con'tainer, were .found bered In this country, on which his beneat!h a iboullier sUl'll1ounled by a expedi1lfon's were liased. 8S ·tjhe man ca!lrn ot small rocks. who, perhaps more than any other, The party wIh!loh found Sir had worked to proln'dte and cement Hu!>etlt's mesSiage comprised Brnce good reTations between New Zealand Stilm;ar (Igeololl'ist), MoIU'is Fisher and .the United Stoates. Apart from (surveyor) and Nlls Lied (radio his awn personality and the glamour operator). They leJlt Dav'is by dog­ which surrounded his new rapproach sledge on 8l1h May to mrry out a to Antarctic exploration his obvious survey and geolt>glC'al exanilnation hero-worShip of the British polar of '!!he Ves1ifold Hills, and ithey praneers would have endeared him to found Sir Hubert's <:amt at ,the New Zearan'ders. noIftlhel nmast extrem'ity df It!he Among hls many feats, he sperit Ve5tl'otd HIlls. several months alone in a hut on the SIr .Hu'bIeIit \'mk!ins, who' ice blarrier .to carry 'Out meteorolo~ Pioneered ~he use ot ailrcralft In the gic'a1 dbservatlbns during mld-winter. Ant'arctic In 1928, allCOmase name, read Admiral Byrd tormed many SyOWll. June 1957 ANTARCTIC 147

Norwegian·BritiSh-Swedish expedi. BOOKSHELF tion Of 1950-52, and the French work in Adelie IJand are well· HQuest for a Continent", Walter covered. The 10 pages of illustra· SUllivan: New Y~rk, McGraw Hill tions are helpfully selected 'and BPort Martin lire. He was In ch'arge of the dogs, Conquest of the' Soutll' Pole" by ~tory Mill and Hayes ·respecl'ive1y. and h'is.. deals pIlimarily W'ith' the husl<:ies he trained and, In the' The ~k begins with an excel· main, 'loved. Never before 'have lent IS-page descriptive account of A'nl'ardcrc dogs wilth their individual the Antarcblc. Mr. Sull,van dis­ viI1tues ·and vJees been so reveal­ claims any iI1tentlon of writing I~a ingly described. delinit!lve history" of Antarctic e"ploratilon and apdlogiles for. !!he But Dovers gives a cl';"'; picture oin'ission of many names. Neverthe­ .0Hfue men too, and of the pengU'ins; less, he does JUStice to the work of and tiIs account ut the weasel practically aJ1 tlle exploring expedi· journey in the depth of winter, tions and the men "'hll led them, largely under blizzard conditlons'­ with !!he exceptlion of John Blscoe, for some fifty miles across thin sea­ Who surely at least deserves men· ice "l'o Po~t Marl'in and black, Is" tion for hIIs discovery of the main exdtiing narra:titon. uThe ot!her two mass of the Continent. The rela· left the weasel, crawling on aJ1 tlvely little-publicised e>epedi'tlons of fours fogether. Vincent had one de Gerlaohe and Nordenskjold are hand on Duhamel's ankle The deliberately and justffiably given first we knew of this was' when special attent!lon, but the better­ Dulmmel arrived In the hut dool' known explorations of the 1840's way trostblllten, near exballS'led and Uthe heTioic age" are ably if and alone. He h'ad lost Vincent In relatively more btilefly covered. !!h'alt 1lttIe distance between hut and weasel" (thirty yartl:sl. Two !thirds of the book are devoted to the expeditions of the Dovers modeS'tly calls his Story U flalr-age • Naturally, dIspropor­ a "yarn". T!h'eTe is abundant tion'ate aMention Is given to the humour In It and a sense of beauty. Arnetilcan expedttlons In Wh'ch the But no one after reading It could go . autltor paritlclpated, but suoh other on' thinking that dlfI1cult and dan· 20th century exploits as lIhe AUstra· gerous journeys in 'the An't"arcllc lIan establishment of Mawson, the are a thing of the past. 148 ANTARCTIC Junn 1957

CHILEAN POLAR BOUVET TOURIST TRIP RECONNAISSANCE A DC·6B of 'the Chilean Airllno At ~he end of 'this Antarctic , "Linea Aerea Na.ctonal", carrying 66 season 1Ihe Russl1lns are nd, We for­ Chilean bases in 'the Antarctic on a bidding sub-Antarctic ts:land which • tourlSL trip. Although the passengers lies S.S.W. of Oape Town, and were unable to see land because of belongs to Norway. heavy fog the tl'lp was enjoyed, and It was agreed at 'IiaSt August's on 'their return their approval pointed AntaTCtic conference lthat It was the way to a. possible commercial air desirable ,10 operate an I.G.Y. ven'ture over the Antarctic. st«tion on Bouvet, if fl1lS WIlS "t all possible. The RuSSians wereupon Interest 'ha3 been shown in an air· port the Chileans are completing at offered t!heir serWces. I1f a favour­ Punta Arenas, and there is a possl· "ble report results from tlhe Soviet biHty th'at there may be South Polar reconnaissance a joi-nJt Soviet· great ch'ele flights from Europe and Norwegian expedition may be South America t;,o Australia and New established on Bouvet next season, Zealand. probably from one of the So\iiet Antarctic relie'! "hiips. The Chilean plane fiew about 5,000 'r.his season's visit wdll be matle miles altogether, and it is hoped to from the 'ice-transport "Lena" arrange another trip in December of (sister·slUp of the HOb") on her this year. return VOyiage to the SoVliet Union from the A'nl'll1'Cl1c. Liast se'aSon llle Sou~h African naval frigate 'Transvaal" sailed WHALING SEASON 1956-57 round tlhe island and loosed off some sa!lvoes from h'er 44.noh guns The pelaglc catch of !In whales l<> see it the lee tlhat tops the began on. January 7, an'd lthe blue ildand's preelp1tous cliffs dislodged whale catch on February 1 (J'alluary easil~. ]t didn't. 21 last year). Preliminary reports in Moscow radio reported on March the N oriwegian W!ulJlng Gazette 14 that ~he "Leri'a", whtle tied up to indicate a cons'lderable reductiOn in an ice-fioe whiCh was being used as whale oil prOduction 'as compared <>lr·field, was hemmed ,n by 15 wfth prevfous years. mUes of drifflng ice wh,eh pecked The nine NOIWegian expeditions around tlhe ship. "Lena" ~ok three. .ptdduceopecle'd. operatdng. "Southern Harvester', He reported !!he discovery at. an I'Southeni Ven'turer", "Balaena." and ice-covered mountlain range enclrcl­ "Abrah'am IJamen", .the only ot.her ing'tlle eastern Antarcltc ooas't. The expeditions from which reports are fI'ozen SrlOW-cruSt over tlhe range available, between !them produced was more th'an 300 !eet deep. 174,694 'barrels as "!ralnst 206,480 The Rus!ilans have not retalned In 1955-58. the record !or lllie lawest Antarctic June 1957 ANTARCTIC 149 •

temperature long. H was est",b· character of the SUb-glacial floor, HShed wltlh a read,ng -W'e. (-88'1".) Wast September 'alt 'tlhe FUEL LI~nTATIONS , SovIet inland sUlrst'aVion, P.ioners· The range of operation wti.!ll kaya. On April 2nd (1957), the depend upon the amount of fuel the new American st'alion at the South unit can carry but will approximate Pole recordAntarctica,' and' 'the augment Ithe sno..:ca'ts, A~ter each British Government 18 'being urged day's 'trek tq,e team will spend a to bil.ck ,tJlis scheme as qutckly as day m'akling seismographic 'and pos'sible, as Commonwealth terri.. gl'aciollgical observa'lJIons and tak· OO1'i'8.1 claims in the Antarctic &re ing gravity measurements. A con­ being ignored by other countries. tour map will be pre{1ared en route Both the United States and t'he showing ~he thickness '01 tire lee and SoViet Union are in the south to the underlylng roc!<-su"face stay, and possible claims by tJhese eleva't'ions. courltries would undoubtedly conflict 'I'here will be five 'Or SIx men to a with, those of Britain, France, New party, comprMng a seIsmologist Zealand, Australia and NOrway, who and 'h.s assist!arlt, a g.Jac1ol'Oglst and recogn'ise each o~er'B claims, and his alSSlst'ant, a mechanic and Ch'ile lan'd the Argentine, who do not. liOsS'lbly a surveyor. 'I'he gl"cio­ It has been suggested that 'the I.G.Y. logIsts wlll study the nature and Committee in Brussels should be elctenlt of the ice, the rete of kePt Ln being as a means of inter· accumulatlon or wastage and lI1e national Co-o1"'~ination.

• • -. -

..;··150 ANtARCTIC

ANTARCTIC MISCELLANY :scientificwol"ld ,""en the new titation . ·is completed. there in .JUly. " :. _. Gardening 'is beconiing quite the It 'will comils'( 'of an ultra-";od~rn rage 'in the Anit'arctic. l't .is n~t yet hostel, extremely well-equlpped;'-"Md known whether Sir ~d'mund HIDary modern o'bserY8Jtion buildings',.With h'as installed the green'hou'se 'he bile most up to dake meteoroiogical took wtith mm, bult he alre

coirSiderable tramc tilat has been Scott Base, •Cape Adaie, •Roxblll"gh, plyoing in thjs. area this summer. Welllnglon, the Kermadee Isjands 'Phe sample will !le analysed Ifor sol! . and Apia In Samoa, will soon have a defidlel'ces '",nll any chem'I~a1s neces- .10ng-a:Vai-ted.oppOrtunity to ilbserve ."'Il"Y .Wliil obe ijowlJ in next ,AntarCtic :.seismic' adtlVity along tile Circum­ :'Wring in lIhe first U.S. GroJiemaSter .. pa.ciiic _.' 'seismic bel'li' ASsociated :i. to lEillve' New ZealJarid:10getlher \vlith seJsmoloi:ldaiJ - st!ljltlons''at .the ...S6,.·lJh , Il'ardy' plants 'Wh!idh. m'ight prove Pole Il;self, LitUe America llnd · .sui,table f'Or SOU:fu-po!ar cJ>ndittons. ' Adelie Land will complete the .c~. • . ,"Two 01. !.'he gmins of maize from These observa,uons may .reoord · a pocketfUl tlh'a't an American \vhether or not 'hhe An'tlarcUc land officer ''Collected from .tlhe..pony mass is a single continent or whether .fo~der rernain",g 'after 49 y

. Juno 1957 ANTARCTIC' 151

Report On Polar house" effect.· caused by the rele-ase of large amounts of carbon dioxide. - Temperatures MeteorologiooI data trom all the The results of the first tempera· LG.Y. Arilarotic Sl'a:ttons are ture Soundings of tlIe temperature relayed to the Weather Centrol at at tihe 10,000

152 ANTARCTIC Juno 1951

'from, say, the Krakatoa erup. EARTH SCIENCES IN t!lon of 1883. The Ross Ice Shelf presents a POLAR REGIONS special problem because chere may ,(Notes of an address by Albert also be accumulation or ablation P. Crary, Deputy Ohief Scient!lst, from 1!he under side of the ice. U.S. All't!arCil'ic Progremme, and Measurements will detennlne the St'at!lon Scientific 1.e'a\Ier at Little tlhlckness of the ice and. the depth • Americal. of tlhe wa'ter !below 'It. GLACIOLOGY. The first pUrpOse History of Antarctica. A deep drlll-ihole at ByI'd Statlon should is to det'erm'ine the nallure of the some~'lng AntaretJic: its elevatton, the ,thick· tell of the hlistony back, ness of the ice and the tyipe of rocks pet1haps, over two thousand years. It may be poSSlible to estlmate undernel>th. The ch1E!f met:hoo used is ~he seismograph. The depth of dhan'ges in :temperature and in accumullat:lon over thlat time. The t:he ice Is measured by throng an study of lich'ens on e"POsed rock ex,plosion ealro to two or three ten surfaces may give inform'ation on thousandths of a second. By making the duraltlon of the exposures. use of several seismic detectors at Glacial geological studies \vill gtve measured intervals it should be inclicatlons of the past history of possible to estimate alsto the dip of the Ice. Any camon {from bones, the refiecting bed. Gravimerers and drff,t·wood, etc.l would give indica· m'agneitometers are also used. tlons of age by the analysis of Is '1lhe Antarctic in general carbon 14 concentration. Abtempts sluUnking or building·up? This may will be made to determine what be found from knowledge of might happen to the An'rarotIc ice a:ceumul!a1!ion, movement and depth. under certtain even'tualit1es, e.g. 'Phe accumulation and movem'ent of atmospheric dust f,rom anot

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