flNiTflRCljIE A NEWS BULLETIN published quarterly by the NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY (INC)

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Registered at Post Office Headquarters, Vol.10, No. 3 "Wellington. New Zealand, as a magazine. September, 1983 SOUTH GEORGIA. SOUTH SANDWICH Is'

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1 Teniente Matienzo arg 2 Esptranza arg 3 Almirante Brown arg 4 Petrel arg 5 Decepcion arg ANTARCTICA 6 Vicecomodoro Marambio arg * 7 A/turo Prat cmii.i WO IOOO Miks 8 Bernardo O'Higgins emit 9 P r e s i d e n i e F r e i e m u ( \ WOO Kilometre 10 Stomngton I u« I! 11 Adelaide I u« r [abbreviations | 12 Argentine Is u» arc argentina 1 3 P a l m e r u s * f aust australia 14 Bellingshausen ussr - S A SOUTH Af RICA UK UNaCO KINGDOM lorsen USA UNITED STATES O* AMERICA USS-R UNION Or SOVIET SOCIAUS' Ice Shell RF PUBLICS (successor to 'Antarctic News Bulletin') Vol. 10, No. 3. 111th Issue. September, 1983 Editor: J. M. CAFFIN, 35 Chepstow Avenue, Christchurch, 5. Address all contributions, inquiries etc. to the Editor.

CONTENTS

ARTICLES HALLETT STATION 95-96

POLAR ACTIVITIES NEW ZEALAND 82-94, 120 UNITED STATES 97-102, 114 AUSTRALIA 103-107, 120 UNITED KINGDOM 108-110 ; ■ I INDIA 110 WEST GERMANY 111-112 SOVIET UNION 106, 113 BRAZIL JAPAN

GENERAL HANG GLIDING 115 READER WRITES 116-117 POLE JOURNEYS 117 OBITUARIES 118-119 ISSN 0003-5327 New Zealand Antarctic Society (Inc) 1978. 3e reproduced in any >n of the publishers. SsfflPWPlfll ' p**e>m!WWS$m "S^^^-fiW^"'-" I

ANTARCTIC September 1983 NEW ZEALAND PLANS FOR SEASON New Zealand's Antarctic research programme for 1983-84 includes the establishment of a base camp and other scientific and logistic preparations for the first stage of the long-term offshore drill ing project Cenozoic Investigations in the Ross Sea (CIROS). Next year two holes will be drilled into the seabed of McMurdo Sound at Butter Point, New Harbour. A study of Hallett Station, the joint United States-New Zealand station established in 1957 and closed early in 1973, will be made to decide weather it can be used again as a scientific base. Mr R. B. Thomson, director of the Antarctic Division, who was station sci entific leader at Hallett in 1960, will lead a joint New Zealand-United States group there in January, and a small team will remain to do some preliminary tidying up and make another report on the feasibility of re-opening the station. New Zealanders will take part in or All the continuous long-term seismic, support projects with United States and geomagnetic, ionospheric, and meteoro Japanese scientists in the dry valleys and logical programmes will be maintained on Mt. Erebus. Five Japanese geochem- at Scott Base. The Meteorological Ser ists will work in the New Zealand pro vice intends to expand its programme at gramme and guest scientists from the the base from 1984-85 onwards and a People's Republic of China and Brazil, technical officer will go south this sum and a logistics expert from Uruguay mer to prepare for the installation of have been invited to participate. Pro specialised instrumentation. fessor Yoshime Ikeda, of the Institute of Scientists from five universities will Oceanography, University of Sao Paulo, undertake a number of field research is the Brazilian visitor, and one of the projects listed elsewhere in this issue. two Chinese representatives is a woman Men and women from the Antarctic geologist, Xie Youyu. The other Chinese Division, Ministry of Works and visitor is a power plant engineer. Development, Geological Survey, This season the New Zealand pro Geophysics Division, Soil Bureau, gramme will call on up to 200 scientists Physics and Engineering Laboratory, and support staff. Most of the projects Meteorological Service, Lands and will be undertaken in the McMurdo Survey Department, Ecology Division, Sound/dry valley region, and on Ross Marine and Freshwater Science Divi Island. But there will be an aerial survey sion, and the Commission for the of Adelie and Emperor penguin colonies Environment will work on a wide range along the North Victoria Land coastline of projects. An Army construction team from McMurdo Sound, and a remote will continue the Scott Base rebuilding geological project in the Ohio Range of programme, and the Post Office riggers cfie Hor&fc Mountains 550 km from the will check aerial installations. South Pole. New Zealand geophysicists Logistic preparations for the first will take part in seismic cruises in the year's drilling next season will be the Ross Sea and off the coast of Wilkes main objective in the long-term offshore Land aboard the United States drilling project Cenozoic Investigations Geological Survey's research vessel in the Ross Sea (CIROS) this summer. Samuel P. Lee. Equipment and building materials September 1983 ANTARCTIC stored at Scott Base last season will be heavy-weight operations on the sea ice moved to Butter Point across the sea ice such as the annual tractor train journey of McMurdo Sound, and a camp will be to Marble Point with supplies for Vanda erected there ready for occupation in Station, CIROS drilling operations from September next year. 1984 to 1986, and sledging routes for CIROS, which is co-ordinated by the scientists working in McMurdo Sound. Antarctic Division and Victoria Univers Complementing CIROS this season ity of Wellington, is a geological drilling will be an international drilling pro programme spanning two seasons. Next gramme in the Lower Taylor Valley summer two holes will be drilled off But designed to decipher the Late Cenozoic ter Point in New Harbour, and in glacial history of the valley as reflected 1985-86 two more holes are proposed in fluctuations of the Ross Ice Sheet. off Cape Roberts near Granite Harbour. Three Americans, Drs Don Elston and To recover a stratigraphic record of Hugh Reick (U.S. Geological Survey) the sediments in McMurdo Sound from and Gary Calderone, and Dr Paul the present day through to pre-glacial Robinson (N.Z. Geological Survey) will times, believed to be in the Cenozoic era work with four New Zealand drillers, 60 million years ago, is the main purpose John Hay and Stephen Pilcher (Antarc of CIROS. The objective is to drill tic Division), Bruce Morris and Warwick through the seabed to a depth between Potter (VUW) on a combination of 280m and 500m. Study of the sub- geological mapping and drilling with bottom cores is expected to throw light detailed paleomagnetic, paleontological, on the development of the Antarctic ice- and geochemical analyses to determine sheet and the rise of the Transantarctic the age, environment of deposition, and Mountains. Scientific results will also be the source of glacial drift sequences in helpful in assessing hydrocarbons in the the Lower Taylor Valley. McMurdo Sound area although that is Last season New Zealand drillers not the purpose of CIROS. using Antarctic Division equipment Preparations for CIROS this season drilled a series of 60m holes between began late last month when John New Harbour and Lake Bonney. A Sandys, the Antarctic Division camp major part of the field work this season construction overseer and Gerald Tay will be to drill six holes between 40 and lor, an assistant maintenance officer, 80 metres in the Lower Taylor Valley. flew south. They will be followed next Two will be in the 1982-83 drilling area month by nine more members of the and four near Lake Fryxell. It is hoped logistic team: Murray Wilson, Keith that at least two holes will penetrate Whitehead (AMOs), Colin Poole, Larry beneath the sediments deposited by the Weller (drillers), three Geophysics Divi Ross Ice Sheet onto the older fiord sion drillers, Leon Olliver, Paul Carroll, sediments beneath. and Dave Clemence, and two New This project will also tie into studies Zealand Army drivers, Chris Mitchell undertaken in the area by the University and John Flintoft. In November Jack of Maine, Ohio State University, and Hoffman, the Geophysics Division's geochemical investigations by Waikato drilling superintendent, will join the University, and the Japanese Polar team. Research Association. Dr Chris Hendy, Every fortnight from this month dur of the Waikato Antarctic research unit, ing the summer season measurements and two of his geochemistry students will be made of the sea ice thickness off will make detailed studies of exposed Cape Armitage, Butter Point, New Har sediments in the Miers and Taylor bour, and Marble Point. Results of the Valleys in association with the inter measurements which will be made by national programme. John Sandys and the two Scott Base dog Once again one of the most remote handlers, Bill Eaton (1982-83) and projects in the programme — a Alasdair Roy (1983-84) will have a bear geological expedition to the Ohio Range ing on the use of tractor trains and other of the Horlick Mountains 1422km from September 1

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Ohio Range country: Flat-lying Beacon sediments can be seen at the top of 600m granite cliffs on Darling Ridge in the Ohio Range of the Horlick Mountains where a Canterbury Museum geological expedition led by Margaret Bradshaw will work this season. High granite cliffs like these photographed on the first museum expedition in 1979-80 are characteristic of the north-facing Ohio Range escarpment. Photo: Margaret Bradshaw

Scott Base — — will will be be led led by by Margaret Margaret view to explaining its origin, its great Bradshaw, the Canterbury Canterbury Museum's Museum's thickness (300m) and effect on local ice geologist. In In the the 1979-80 1979-80 season season she she and and sheet movement. A detailed sedimen- two United States States geologists geologists and and an an tological study of the Mt Glossopteris Antarctic Division fieldfield leaderleader spentspent 5050 Formation is also planned. days sledging in the area, concentrating Mtt^rhcs?oSon the Lower Devonian Horlick rlwh-t Form thers r-,ty .srMt aation t i o n but b also u t a studying l s o s t the u d y Buckeye i n g t h e B u c k e y e g S G l o S S S ( S fi Tillite, ' andand F Permian oPermian s s i l coal coal f r emeasures. smeasures. h - w a t eJ:6™.13,11 r b i v a l"Jiossoptens v e s a l s o(tern c oike) l l eleaves c t e d This season season Margaret Margaret Bradshaw, Bradshaw, two two were the first Permian bivalve fossils other geologists,geologists, Jane Jane Newman Newman (Univer (Univer- ever found in the Transantarctic Moun- sity of Canterbury) and Jonathan Ait- chison (Antarctic Division) and Bill Atkinson, an Antarctic Division field Between the Lackey Ridge, and the leader and toboggan mechanic, will Darling Ridge (2350m) of the Ohio spend 10 weeks between November and Range there is a large patch of moraine- January in the remote Ohio Range covered ice. On its way to Treves Butte which lies at the southern end of the (2100m) which was found to be inac Transantarctic Mountains at 84 deg 45 cessible without helicopter support in min S between 111 deg and 117 deg W, 1979-80, the expedition plans to search and rises to 3048m above the Polar for meteorites ablated out of old ice. Plateau. The United States Navy Among the scientists of several Hercules aircraft which will put the team nations who will take part in the United in will have to land on the plateau at an States Geological Survey's international altitude of 2590m. geological/geophysical survey between On the second visit to the area where New Zealand and Antarctica aboard the United States scientists worked in the research vessel Samuel P. Lee will be Dr 1960-61 and 1961-62 seasons the Fred Davey, of the Geophysics Division. museum expedition will amplify work on He will join one of the two seismic the Devonian sequence, study the cruises to the Ross Sea and the Wilkes unusually thick (750m) coal-bearing Per Land coast area. Mr Bryan Davy, also of mian sequence, and follow up the Geophysics Division, may join the discoveries in the Buckeye Tillite with a other cruise. September 1983 ANTARCTIC

On the first leg of the survey the markers round the summit caldera of Mt Samuel P. Lee will leave Lyttelton on Erebus. The purpose has been to detect December 28. She will cruise as close as the nature and rate of deformation in possible to the ice off Wilkes Land and the summit region with the aim of is expected at McMurdo Station on establishing a correlation between January 29. The second cruise in the inflation/deflation and variations of the Ross Sea area will begin from McMurdo activity in the volcano's lava lake. Station on February 2 and end at Between late November and early Lyttelton on March 2. December Steve Currie, a Ministry of New Zealand's main base on the con Works and Development surveyor, and tinent, Vanda Station, 130 km west of Brad Scott, of the Geological Survey, Scott Base in the Wright Valley, will be will continue the deformation study. An operated all summer. Until the end of Antarctic Division field assistant from January the leader, Malcolm Mac- the snowcraft and survival team will be Farlane and his staff of three will sup responsible for safety aspects. port field parties working in the dry New Zealand is still represented in the valleys. They will also continue a pro International Mt Erebus Seismic Study gramme of daily meteorological obser (IMESS), the United States-New vations, record solar radiation, and Zealand-Japanese project to investigate measure wind, temperature and pressure the seismicity and vulcanology of variations above the valley floor. Erebus, but will not take part in work on In addition to support for New the mountain this season. But Scott Base Zealand and United States field parties laboratory staff will still service the in the dry valleys or on the edge of the equipment which records signals from Polar Plateau Vanda will support the the network of seismograph stations set hydrology and glaciology programme in up on Mts Erebus and Terror. IMESS the Taylor, Wright, and Victoria Valleys scientists from the United States and by Jeff Robertson, of the Ministry of Japan will install two more permanent Works and Development, assisted by stations this summer, and eight to nine Bruce Mason, an Antarctic Division temporary stations which will record in field assistant. This team will continue formation for 20 to 25 days. the monitoring programme that has documented for the last 10 years long New Zealand's Commissioner for the and short term climatic variations in the Environment (Mr K. W. Piddington) dry valleys. plans to gain first-hand knowledge of Nine enclosed dry valley lakes (Vida, Antarctica's environment this season. Vanda, House, Joyce, Bonney, Hender He will accompany two scientist who son, Hoare, Fryxell, and Don Juan will spend two weeks in November on a Pond) will be monitored as part of the pilot study of icebergs in the McMurdo short-term studies. Temporary flumes Sound — Ross Island area. This project and thermographs will be installed in the has been partially funded by the corn- Meserve and Bartley melt water streams to study the relationship between melt water runoff and summer climate. Three scientists from the Soil Bureau, In the long-term studies mass balance Dr Tom Speir, Jan Heine and Valerie measurements will be made on the Orchard, and Hans Konlechner, a Heimdall Glacier and the Wright Lower University of Canterbury botany stu Glacier. In addition this year the stabil dent, will work at Cape Bird and in the ity of alpine glaciers will be investigated Wright Valley. The soil scientists will by a study of the snout of the Upper Vic build on research into organic matter in toria Glacier. the soils of penguin rookeries which was During the last three seasons the New conducted in the 1981-82 season. Zealand Geological Survey has installed On site analyses will be made of the and monitored a network of survey biological and biochemical processes in - . T t f » V * V

ANTARCTIC September 1983

guano-influenced soil material. The Arnold Heine, and Tim Haskell, will results will be compared with relatively also measure stress versus strain rates, sterile soils in the Wright Valley. Other and grain size and orientation of sea ice work will include a soil survey of Cape and the ice of the Erebus Glacier Bird, soil temperature and water content Tongue. measurements, and geomorphological Three strain meters will be set up to studies of rates and causes of slope measure the natural oscillations of the movement, and permafrost effects. Erebus Ice Tongue overa 12-month Because of their environmental period. Recording equipment will be extremes and diverse productivity the placed in the Scott Base laboratory and a streams of the McMurdo Sound area are wave buoy will be placed in the sea near ideal for a comparative study of stream the end of the ice tongue in late January. ecological processes. This study will be This season maintenance and supervi made by three scientists from the Marine sion of the three historic huts on Ross and Freshwater Science Division, DSIR. Island will be continued by Antarctic Dr Warwick Vincent, his wife Connie, Division staff from Scott Base. Besides and Dr Clive Howard-Williams, will basic maintenance where necessary close supervision and interpretative services investigate four chemically and will be provided for visitors to the sites, biologically distinct stream systems, the Onyx River in the Wright Valley, the including any tourist parties from cruise Fryxell Stream in the Taylor Valley, the ships. streams of Lake Miers, and the streams Of the nine scientists from other of Cape Bird/Harrison Bluff. They will nations who will take part in the New also measure aspects of nitrogen cycling Zealand programme this season five are and controlling factors for primary pro from the Japanese Polar Research duction in Lake Miers. Association. Dr Tetsuya Torii and his team will continue geochemical studies To date little iceberg research has been in the dry valleys. With him will be Drs conducted in the Ross Sea. This season Genki Matsumoto and Tsurahide Cho, Dr J.R. Keys, of the Commission for the and Mr Tamio Kawane. A woman Environment, and Dr M. McDonnell, of geochemistry student, Chisato Tomi- the Physics and Engineering Labora yama, who will work in the Miers and tory, will carry out a study in McMurdo Taylor Valleys with a University of Sound to identify the sources of icebergs Waikato team, is also sponsored by the off the Victoria Land coast, to deter association. mine the mechanisms by which these Assistance to a number of New bergs decay, and to obtain sedimen- Zealand and United States projects in tological information on any rock material that they carry. the McMurdo Sound area and the dry valleys will be provided again by Lands This season the event is a feasability and Survey Department surveyors. Tony pilot study directed to the development Hawke and David Manson will be of a research programme to measure associated with the Scott Base rebuilding physical characteristics, sample sedi project, control points for a detailed ments, and monitor drift tracks of bergs map of the Cape Bird area, McMurdo in the McMurdo Sound/Ross Island Ice Shelf and sea ice movement studies, region. This basic data will be used to in the CIROS project, and the Lower terpret satellite imagery and associated Taylor Valley drilling programme. technology being developed by PEL. This season another stage of the Scott A strain meter developed at the Scott Base rebuilding programme, which Polar Research Institute will be used by began in the 1976-77 season, will be Physics and Engineering Laboratory undertaken by the Antarctic Division, scientists to measure flexural waves gen Ministry of Works and Development, erated by vehicles travelling on McMur and New Zealand Army tradesmen. An do Sound sea ice. Dr Bill Robinson, advance party flew south late last month to make an early start on the internal September 1983 ANTARCTIC

finishing of the fourth stage of the pro scientific instrumentation at Vanda. The gramme completed last season — a new original windmill was replaced in 1979. command centre which houses general In the 1980-81 season strong oscil administration offices, the telecom lating winds damaged the windmill munications system, and postal services. blades beyond repair. Since then power Next month work will begin on the has been provided during the summer by fifth stage — erection of the shell of the three banks of solar cells. physical sciences laboratory. Facilities at Arrival Heights 3 km north of Scott Early this summer a new wind generator mast will be sledged across the Base will be rebuilt in the next two sum sea ice of McMurdo Sound to Marble mer seasons. Replacement buildings will Point. It will be airlifted to Vanda by be shipped south in January next year, United States Navy helicopter. but this season the only work planned will be preparation of the site and foun As in past seasons an Antarctic Divi dations. sion field leader and two field assistants will provide courses in basic snowcraft Last season the mess block at Vanda and survival techniques for United Station was upgraded and new sleeping States and New Zealand air crews, a quarters were built. These will be com Coast Guard icebreaker crew, and pleted this summer, giving Vanda sleep American and New Zealand research ing accommodation for 12 persons. and support staff. For the second sum Since 1969 a windmill-driven gene mer a United States mountain instruc rator system has provided power for tor, David Lasorsa, will work with the domestic lighting, radio, fire alarm, and three New Zealanders. More logistic flights by RNZAF New Zealand's regular contribution to airlift of men and materials from the joint United States-New Zealand Christchurch to McMurdo Station. They logistics pool agreement will be increased will be joined between early November this season. Royal New Zealand Air and December by RNZAF Hercules air Force Hercules aircraft will make 14 craft which will complete their flights flights in Operation Ice Cube — two before the sea ice runway in McMurdo more than last season — to support the Sound is closed for operations. two countries' research programmes. Two RNZAF helicopter crews will be Early next month United States Air attached to the United States Navy's Force Starlifters will begin the summer VX-E6 Squadron and will fly on support missions as in past seasons. The RNZAF Chinese visitors will also have a team flying in the squadron's Hercules aircraft throughout Last season Mr Li Xiong Chaung, the summer. New Zealand Army and deputy director of the Chinese Low RNZAF cargo handling teams will also Temperature Scientific Research In contribute to the logistic pool. They will stitute, spent several days in Antarctica work at Christchurch and on the to gain an insight into operations on the McMurdo Sound sea ice and Williams continent and the extent of New Field ice shelf runways. Zealand's science and support role. He was accompanied by an interpreter, Mr Prior warning Zhou Changlin. This year's midwinter day has passed Mr Wu Heng, director of the Chinese but the Otago-Southland Old Antarctic National Antarctic Research Commit Explorers' group has given early notice tee, and the deputy director, Mr Guo of a midwinter dinner next year at Lake Kung, did not go south as reported in Ohau. The date is June 16, 1984. For ad the June issue of "Antarctic". They re ditional information write to Garth mained in New Zealand. Varcoe, P.O. Box 13247, Christchurch or Ron Garrick, 46 Norton Street, Gore. ANTARCTIC September 1983 Winter team at Scott Base One of New Zealand's most experi M. Kennett (24), Dunedin. Senior enced mountaineers, Mr N. D. Hardie, Post Office technician. who worked twice in Antarctica during B. Hobern (30), Cambridge. Electri the 1960s, has been appointed officer-in- cian. He is a Ministry of Energy techni charge at Scott Base for the 1983-84 cian. summer season of the New Zealand An tarctic research programme. The deputy A. Pallesen (22), Rotorua. Mechanic. He is a diesel mechanic with the Forest officer-in-charge will be Mr E. J. Saxby, who has spent four summers in Antarc Service at Kaingaroa. tica since 1974. C. Fry (25), Christchurch. Techni Norman Hardie, who is 58, is a Christ cian. He works for a Christchurch elec church civil engineer. He first went tronics firm. south in 1962 when he was one of a team R. Holwerda (25), Wellington. of six experienced New Zealand moun Technician. He is a test technician with taineers who trained United States field A.W.A. (N.Z.) Ltd. parties in snowcraft and survival. In J. Ireland (22), Auckland. Techni 1967 he was deputy leader and surveyor cian. Corporal Ireland is an avionics in the expedition led by Sir Edmund technician with the Royal New Zealand Hillary, which made the first ascent of Air Force. Mt Herschel (3335m) in the Admiralty A. Roy (30), Ashburton. Field leader/ Range near Cape Hallett. dog handler. He is a musterer. Since 1955 Norman Hardie has made nine visits to the Himalaya. He was a member of the British expedition which made the first ascent in 1955 of the world's third highest mountain, Kang- chenjunga (8598m) in Nepal. On later visits he has climbed with Sir Edmund Hillary's expeditions, and as a director of the Himalayan Trust since 1964 has worked with him in the establishment of schools and hospitals in Nepal. Vanda Station's leader next summer will be Mr M. MacFarlane, of Hamilton. He is a 27-year-old research scientist with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Ten men have been selected to winter at Scott Base through 1984. Six of the men are from the North Island and four from the South Island. Their ages range from 22 to 40. Members of the winter team are: t. Vardy (31), Auckland. Base engineer. He is a mechanic with a motor firm. I. MacDonald (25), Christchurch. Chef. He is a supervising chef with a Christchurh hotel, wine, and spirit firm. I. Sayers (40), Hamilton. Postmaster. NORMAN HARDIE September 1983 ANTARCTIC SUMMER RESEARCH PROJECTS This summer New Zealand scientists will work in the Horlick Mountains only 550km from the South Pole, from a United States research ship in the Ross Sea, and on Ross Island. Others will work in McMurdo Sound, on Mt Erebus, and in the dry valleys of Victoria Land. A special team will work at Cape Hallett on a plan to clean up the joint United States-New Zealand research station which was closed in 1973. They and the scientists are all members of field parties in the Antarctic research programme for the 1983-84 season. In cluding support, logistic, and construction activities, the programme will call on the services of more than 200 men and women. Research projects will be conducted Last season the mess block at Vanda by scientists from five New Zealand was upgraded and new sleeping quarters universities, and the research pro were installed. The sleeping quarters gramme will also draw on staff from the which have room for 12 persons will be Antarctic Division, Ministry of Works completed during the summer. and Development, Geological Survey, Geophysics Division, Physics and Engineering Laboratory (Geophysics Observatory), Soil Bureau, Ecology Division, Division of Marine and Freshwater Science, Lands and Survey Department, Meteorological Service, Commission for the Environment, Canterbury Museum, Post Office, New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Air Force. New Zealand scientists will also work with guest scientists from the People's Republic of China and Brazil, and a fourth foreign visitor will be a logistcs expert from Uruguay. Men and women in the programme will work at or from Scott Base, on the sea ice in McMurdo Sound, at Cape Bird, Cape Royds, and Cape Armitage, and in the dry valleys. One team will be 550km from the South Pole in the Ohio Range of the Horlick Mountains. New Zealanders will also work with Americans and Japanese in the dry valleys and at the summit of Erebus. Vanda Station in the Wright Valley 130km from Scott Base will be operated MALCOLM MacFARLANE again this season by a team of three men There are 14 women in the pro led by Mr Malcolm MacFarlane. They gramme this season — the largest will provide logistic support for New number since New Zealand research Zealand, United States, and Japanese began in the Ross Dependency. Ten are field parties, and also meteorological in scientists, including a Japanese guest formation. Field stations at Lake Fryxell in the Taylor Valley and at Cape Bird geochemistry student and a Chinese geologist Xie Youyu. Four other women will also be used by New Zealand field will work at Scott Base. parties. - .■-, - - I ■ - HI ANTARCTIC September 1983

Two geologists will work in the Ohio G. Stockman, Storekeeper. Range. Margaret Bradshaw will lead the second Canterbury Museum expedition N. Smith, Auckland. Mess manager. to the area, and her team will include M. Cleeton, Auckland. Chef. Jane Newman, of the University of B. Telfer, Upper Hutt. Assistant Canterbury. maintenance officer/carpenter. Studies of organic matter in soils of I. Hodgkinson, Nelson. Assistant penguin rookeries will be made at Cape maintenance officer/mechanic. by a Soil Bureau team which includes Jan Heine and Valerie Orchard. The D. C. Emett, Christchurch. Assistant team will also work in the Wright Valley. maintenance officer. The Japanese geochemistry student, C. Mitchell, Hunterville. Assistant Chisato Tomiyama, will join the Univer maintenance officer. sity of Waikato expedition in the Miers and Taylor Valleys, with Jan Clayton- R. Ridley, Ohakea. Meteorological Greene and Fiona Judd. observer. Connie Vincent, of the Marine and Sue O'Dowd, Hawera. Information Freshwater Science Division, D.S.I.R., officer. with her husband and Dr Clive Howard- Veronica Paton, Rotorua. General Williams, will study the plant ecology of duties. South Victoria Land streams in the dry Debbie Watson, Wellington. General valleys and at Cape Bird. A biologist, duties. Lynda Logan, will work on Ross Island with Dr Laurence Greenfield, of the Bronwyn Hutchings, Invercargill. botany department, University of Post Office clerk. Canterbury, and will take part in cen B. Reeks, Palmerston North. Post suses of Adelie penguins at Cape Bird Office technician. and Cape Royds, and studies of skuas and other birds for the International Survey of Antarctic Seabirds (ISAS). VANDA STATION Sue O'Dowd will be the information M. MacFarlane, Hamilton. Officer- officer at Scott Base for the summer, and Veronica Paton and Debbie Watson in-charge. will do general duties. For the fourth K. E. Meyer, Hamilton. Assistant season the Post Office will have a maintenance officer. woman clerk at the base. She is Bronwyn M. Fraser, Wellington. Meteorological Hutchings. technician. P. Sampson, Christchurch. Field SCOTT BASE assistant. N. D. Hardie, Christchurch. Officer- in-charge. University projects are outlined elsewhere. Other projects and their par E. J. Saxby, Christchurch. Deputy ticipants are: officer-in-charge. Eric Saxby was an assistant maintenance officer at the base Ministry of Works and Development. in 1974-75, and in 1975-76 worked with Hydrology and glaciology in dry valleys. United States salvage teams on the J. Robertson and B. Mason (field assis recovery of wrecked Hercules aircraft at tant). Dome C in Wilkes Land. He was in Canterbury Museum. Geology of the charge at Vanda in 1977-76, and in the Ohio Range. Margaret Bradshaw 1981-82 season was the New Zealand (leader), Jane Newman, Jonathan Ait- base camp representative in the United chison (geologists), W. Atkinson (field States-New Zealand-Australia expedi leader). Geological Survey. Deforma tion which worked in Northern Victoria tion survey of Mt Erebus. S. Currie Land. (MOWD), B. Scott (Geological Survey). September 1983 ANTARCTIC

Geophysics Division. Seismological Annual Adelie penguin census at Cape studies by Scott Base laboratory staff. Royds, a site of special scientific in Soil Bureau. Studies of penguin rookery terest, by Scott Base staff in November, soils at Cape Bird, and comparison with December, January. Wright Valley soils. Dr T. Speir, Jan Heine, Valerie Orchard (Soil Bureau), Maintenance and supervision of H. Konlechner (botany department, historic huts on Ross Island. Scott Base University of Canterbury). staff. Snowcraft and survival training for Physics and Engineering Laboratory. Measurements of strain and movement New Zealand and United States staff. L. of McMurdo Sound sea ice and Erebus Main (field leader), K. West and P Glacier Tongue. Dr W. Robinson, T. (field assistants). Haskell, A. Heine and Scott Base For the 11th successive season Scott laboratory staff. Base staff will continue at the base and Arrival Heights the University of Joint project with Commission for Environment on physical characteristics, Canterbury mechanical engineering de partment's project to determine the ef sediments, and drift tracks of icebergs in fect and degree of atmospheric corro McMurdo Sound/Ross sea region. Dr sion on aluminium. H. R. Keys (Commission for the En vironment). Dr M. McDonnell (PEL), Antarctic Division-Victoria University K. Piddington (Commissioner for the of Wellington. Continuation of long- Environment). term study of the effects of stress and isolation on Scott base winter teams Continuation of upper atmosphere studies at Scott Base and Arrival Taylor, Heights. Visits to field magnetic stations at Cape Evans, Cape Royds, and International projects. These are pro Vanada Station. C. Roper, P. Johnston, jects on which New Zealanders will work Scott Base laboratory staff. with representatives of other nations or with guest scientists in the New Zealand Ecology Division. Aerial survey of Adelie and Emperor penguin colonies, programme. North Victoria Land coast and Cape Cape Hallett assessment. A New Royds. R. Taylor, Dr P. Wilson. Zealand and American team will assess the condition of the joint United Marine and Freshwater Science Divi States-New Zealand station at Cape sion. Plant ecology of streams in dry Hallett which was closed in 1973. valleys and at Cape Bird. Drs W. Vin cent and C. Howard-Williams, Connie Ross Sea seismic cruises. One New Vincent. Zealand scientist, Dr F. Davey Lands and Survey Department. Two (Gephysics Division) will join American scientists aboard the U.S. Geological suveyors will provide survey assistance for New Zealand and United States field Survey's seismic research vessel Samuel events in McMurdo Sound region and P. Lee on a geological-geophysical dry valleys, and begin control work for a survey between New Zealand and An new topographical map of Cape Bird. tarctica. A. Hawke, D. Manson. Taylor Valley glacial geology. United States and New Zealand scientists will Meteorological Service. Observation programmes at Scott Base and Vanda study the late Cenozoic glacial history of Station. Joint atmospheric turbidity the lower Taylor Valley. Drs D. Elston, project with University of Alaska. H. Rieck (U.S. Geological Survey), C. Hendy (University of Waikato), drillers Antarctic Division. Monitoring move J. Hay, S. Pilcher (Antarctic Division), ment of McMurdo Ice Shelf with Lands B. Morris, W. Potter (Victoria Univer and Survey team. sity of Wellington). ANTARCTIC September 1983

UNIVERSITY PLANS Granite Harbour sediment studies Studies of seafloor sediments in Granite Harbour, basement rocks in the Transantarctic Mountains, and glacial deposits in the Taylor Valley, are among projects to be carried out by university scientists during the New Zealand research programme this season. Other university parties will study marine organisms in glacial melt waters off Cape Bird, and investigate the precipitation of electrons in the D-region of the ionosphere. Five universities — Auckland, Vic- Ross Sea ice sheets and, if possible, to toria, Canterbury, and Otago — will establish the chronology back beyond contribute teams to this summer's pro- the 200,000 years aready available from gramme. They will work with scientists surface exposures, from the United States and Japan. Two geologists from the University of MARINE RESEARCH Canterbury will be with a Canterbury Thjs summer scientists from three Museum expedition to the Horlick universities win be concerned with An- Mountains 550km from the South Pole. tarctjc fjsh and marine animals under the Waikato University's 14th expedition sea ice of McMurdo Sound and in the will work in the Miers and Taylor waters off Cape Bird. An Auckland Valleys and the Asgard and Olympus University group will continue its Ranges. Dr Chris Hendy's team will be research into the neurobiology and associated with the international drilling respiratory physiology of fish which will project in the Lower Taylor Valley be caught through holes in the sea ice. which will be carried out be scientists The group will use a fish hut at locations from the New Zealand Geological off Pram Point and Cape Armitage. Survey and the United States Geological From late October to the middle of Survey, Arizona. December Dr John MacDonald and Dr Geomorphic processes in the Taylor Rufus Wells will continue the work they Valley and the Asgard and Olympus have done for several seasons. With Ranges will be studied by L. Gaylor, W. them will be Drs John Montgomery, M. R. Doolin, and D. Bailey. Led by Dr Paulin, and William Davison (zoology Mike Selby, the group will examine department, University of Canterbury). glacial and periglacial deposits and pro cesses, slope forms and slope develop Three investigators under the direc ment, and the influence of rock strength tion of Dr Montgomery will record and joints upon slope development. responses to movement from the fish in ner ear and possible from other com In association with drilling of core ponents of the vestibulo-ocular samples by the Lower Taylor Valley pro pathway. A second project will be to ject Dr Hendy and three geochemistry record responses to temperature stress students, Jan Clayton-Greene, Fiona and hypoxia in species of Trematomus. Judd, and Chisato Tomiyama (Japanese Polar Research Association) will make A third project started in 1981 will be detailed studies of surface exposures of continued after the completion of the Upper Qaternary glacial-lacustrine sedi first two projects. Two or three ments. The primary objective is to members of the team will measure, tag, elucidate the invasion of the dry valleys and release fish in an area just west of by ice and meltwaters from successive Cape Royds. They will assess growth September 1983 ANTARCTIC

and age structure of the population, and Granite Harbour, a deep basin separated attempt to determine population size from the rest of the Ross Sea, and thus and mobility. virtually a closed system. As a result it BLOOD SAMPLES represents an important study area for sedimentary processes and development Samples from the University of of a sediment budget. Auckland programme will be used by a If the sea ice is safe and a suitable Victoria University of Wellington route can be found across McMurdo biochemist, Cam Falkner. He will take Sound to Marble Point and Granite blood samples from Antarctic cod and Harbour late this month by a CIROS separate the enzyme glutathione reconnaissance team, an attempt will be S-transferase. This enzyme is important made next month to transport the VUW in protecting blood from cold heated sampling wannigan on a tractor- temperatures, and also acts as a defence drawn sledge to Granite Harbour. Using mechanism against toxic substances. motor toboggans the party will put sedi Studies of the enzyme will be made to ment traps in position in the Granite determine why it is cold resistant and Harbour area where they will remain un how much it is a detoxification agent. til the project ends. The studies may reveal the extent to With Alex Pyne, a veteran of six which toxic agents such at DDT previous expeditions, are Tony McPher- assumulate in species such as Antarctic son and Paul Currie of the VUW An cod which are higher in the Antarctic tarctic Research Centre, and John Wat food chain. son, an Antarctic Division mechanic and Four scientists from the University of field assistant. Three members of the Otago departments of physiology and party will fly south next month. Paul zoology will spend a month at Cape Bird Currie will follow early in November. examining the population sizes and dynamics of marine organisms in the BEDROCK STUDIES glacial melt waters, and testing the ways Field work on the first stage of the in which they withstand freezing. Dr VUW Antarctic Research Centre's John Leader (physiology) and Alastair three-year programme of bedrock Innes, (zoology) and Robert Scott and studies of the Transantarctic Mountains Peter Ashworth (physiology) will make will begin next month. Using their own microscopic examinations of selected motor toboggan support Paul Fitzgerald species to determine the effects of dif (leader) and Mark Webster will work in ferent rates of freezing and thawing on the Granite Harbour area with Alex survival. They will also observe the Pyne's team until November. growth and behaviour of ice crystals With United States Navy helicopter during freezing to gain some insight into support the team will work at a number the mechanisms involved. of sites in the dry valleys during December and January. These sites are SEAFLOOR SEDIMENT Lower Victoria Glacier, Mt Barne, Mt Two teams from the 28th Victoria Doorly, Ferrar Glacier, and Lake Vida. University of Wellington Antarctic Ex Field-oriented bedrock studies are pedition (VUWAE-28) will be in the field early this season. In October both desij will work in the Granite Harbour area ding of the Transantarctic Mountains. on projects in the New Zealand earth They will cover (1) detailed mapping and structural analysis of key areas for science programme. understanding relationships between For the last three years parties led by basement rock units; (2) detailed mapp Alex Pyne have been carrying out a ing and fission-track dating to determine systematic investigation of seafloor the style and history of tectonism at the sediments in different parts of McMurdo Transantarctic Mountain Front; (3) Sound. In the 1981-82 and 1982-83 paleogeology and tectonics of the Ross seasons their studies extended into Sea region during Beacon sedimentation. i ;;£g£39Pgg9 i

ANTARCTIC September 1983

A project on the precipitation of elec International Survey of Antarctic Sea- trons in the D-region of the ionosphere birds (ISAS) a team from the University will be conducted at Scott Base, Arrival of Canterbury will undertake a census of Heights, and Vanda Station, by David the Cape Bird colony. Dr Laurence Boteler and Robin Willink, of the VUW Greenfield of the botany department, physics department with the assistance and Lynda Logan, will also visit Cape of base laboratory staff. The team will Royds early in December during the cen spend one week in December at Vanda sus of the Adelie rookery there which conducting a preliminary magnetictel- will be carried out on four visits between luvic survey, using instruments run by October and January by Scott Base solar panels. staff. Radio receivers will be installed and Work at Cape Bird where the penguin operated at Scott Base to record whist census has been done since 1965 will in lers (dispersed sets of radio frequencies clude recording penguin band numbers travelling through the magnetosphere and banding of untagged birds, more from one hemisphere to another). From banding of skuas, and reading skua these recordings it will be possible to in bands. Systematic observations of other vestigate the spacial extent of electronic birds and mammals will also be made. precipitation in the D-region, check on Dr Greenfield will also inspect again the "Trimpi effect" (large VLF the experimental site of Keble Valley, amplitude changes that occur in the An Cape Bird, where he has been investi tarctic), and examine the ways frequen gating re-colonisation by macro and cies are transmitted through the micro flora and fauna. Last season he ionosphere. prepared small oil-contaminated plots of Once again the University of Canter ground to determine the long-term ef bury physics department team headed by fects of oil on the biology of soils in Dr Andre von Biel will continue the in Antarctica. vestigation of the normal and disturbed ionosphere D-region. This project is planned to last 10 to 15 years (at least one solar cycle). Pole all at sea A high-powered transmitter at Scott Seventy-four years ago Douglas Base which sends pulses into the atmos Mawson, Edgeworth David, and Forbes phere, and a receiving antenna array at MacKay were the first and only persons Arrival Heights, are used for a number to stand at the South Magnetic Pole of experiments. The major experiments which they reached on January 16, 1909. are the study of ionospheric winds, They fixed its position (72.4deg S/155.3 D-region electron density profiles on a deg E in Victoria Land) by direct diurnal and seasonal basis, and the ef measurements. fect of the polar ice-cap on absorption Since then the SMP position has been and ionisation. determined only from analyses of global This season the work will include magnetic observatory and survey results. checking equipment and instruments, From an analysis made in 1980 by scien calibration, installation of new elec tists from the Australian Bureau of tronics, and month reporting of results Mineral Resources the SMP is estimated to New Zealand. Drs von Biel and now to be about 1000km north-west of Graeme Fraser, and two technicians, Mawson's location, some 100km out to Ray Borrell and Ross Ritchie will check sea from the French station, Dumont existing equipment and install new d'Urville. equipment; operation and regular repor In the short-term the SMP, which ap ting will be done by base laboratory pears to have been almost stationary staff. since about 1965, us unlikely to move As part of the New Zealand contribu onshore. How it will move in the future tion to this season's programmes of the is unknown. ANTARCTIC Plan to clean up closed Hallett Station Ten years of exposure to gales, snow and ice drift, have left Hallett Station, one of the original International Gephysical Year stations, in a poor condition. Operated jointly by the United States and New Zealand from 1957 to 1965 the station was closely permanently in 1973. Since then buildings have been damaged beyond repair; heavy machinery and tools are badly rusted, and food in cans has become inedible or unpalatable because of rust and damp. Most items of value were removed when the station was closed; what remains con tinues to deteriorate. In addition seepage of oil from drums and near the main fuel tank which still holds 55,000 gallons, represents a potential environmental hazard. Last season a New Zealand biological Like all the "Seven Cities of Antarc research team which worked for two tica" established by the United States months at Cape Hallett also made a for IGY Hallett Station was built in a complete inventory/status report on the hurry and under extreme difficulties. station. The report covered the present The United States Coast Guard condition and possible future use of the icebreaker Northwind and the cargo ship buildings, the state of their contents, Arneb arrived off Cape Hallett on seepage from fuel drums, and the December 29 with men, equipment, sup distribution of waste materials. plies, and machines to establish the sta As a result of this report a United tion. States-New Zealand team of four led by A site of 1.6 hectares was selected for Mr Garth Varcee, the Antarctic Divi the station on the spit but it was in the sion's buildings officer, will spend two middle fo an Adelie penguin rookery. to three weeks at Hallett Station in Carl Eklund, the biologist who was January. The team will travel to Cape science leader at Wilkes Station for IGY Hallett aboard the United States Coast had estimated in November that the Guard icebreaker Polar Sea and will rookery contained 65,000 breeding return to McMurdo Station about pairs; a non-scientific estimate of the January 31. It will make initial assess total population put it at some 150,000. ments of the present state of the station, deal with the leaking fuel drums, and There was no other suitable site so a prepare a plan for a major operation to decision was made to relocate some clean up the station in the 1984-85 6,000 of the rookery occupants. On season. December 30 United States, New Located some 643km north of Scott Zealand, and Australian scientists and ation was built in 1956- sum- men from the two ships were landed bv -, uorth end of Seabee Spit (now helicopter to begin Operation Lift under the supervision of an or .look) a low recurved spit in Moubray Bay which projects about nithologist. Some protesting pen l west of the high rocky ridge form tried to return; they were kept out first ing Cape Hallett. "Thirty dirty by a netting fence. It was blown down by Seabees" of the United States Navy's a storm and had to be replaced by a bar Mobile Construction Battalion I com ricade of diesel fuel drums. pleted the building construction in six Operations were halted on New Year's days. Eve by a 60-knot gale. Both ships were BSpKl ■ psprapspispppsppqsg;

ANTARCTIC September 1983

battered savagely by wind and ice for building and the equipment operated by nearly 24 hours. By late January 1 the the three New Zealanders each year. Un Arneb was badly flooded because of til 1973 the station was occupied only in holes punched in her hull by ice, and the the summer months, chiefly by United Northwind was minus a blade from her States scientists engaged in biological starboard propeller. research. It was also a communications But the storm blew the ice out of and weather reporting station on the air Moubray Bay, and the ships were able to route between Christchurch and anchor 91m from the beach. Shore fast McMurdo Station. ice was blasted out by Navy frogmen, and on January 2 landing craft began to SIAMESE CAT shuttle cargo to the beach. Seabees In its first year Hallett Station proudly swarmed over the site, and prefabricated claimed the only fur-lined lavatory seat permanent buildings were hammered in Antarctica — built by one of the New together almost overnight. Zealanders of course. The next year a FIRST THREE young Siamese cat named Poppaea wintered at the station and then went to On January 9 six days after construc live in the United States instead of back tion began the Northwind and the Arneb in New Zealand. An unusual visitor in were under way for McMurdo Sound 1958 was a German Shepherd dog which where the full extent of the damage to arrived beside the pilot on the flight deck both ships could be assessed. Behind of a United Navy C47 (Dakota). them they left a winter team of 11 Americans and three New Zealanders, Two New Zealand hedgehogs arrived two years' supply of food, huge stocks during the 1961-62 season as stowaways of books, films, records, and other from Lyttelton aboard the United States recreational equipment. Coast Guard icebreaker Eastwind. First New Zealanders to winter at While ashore they were temporary pets Hallett Station were C. E. Ingham, J. G. of the New Zealanders. Their visit lasted only a few days; the Eastwind's captain Humphries and M. W. Langevad. Their decided they were superfluous crew. The scientific work attracted little public at station was in the news again in 1963 tention back in New Zealand; everyone when a United States scientist succeeded was more interested in Scott base, in growing Kentucky bluegrass out in the Hilary, and the South Pole. But like the open, and in 1964 one of the last three men who spent their first winter at Scott New Zealanders, Neville Green, rescued base they also were awarded the Polar Medal. his young budgerigar from the fire. The bird thus missed the chance of wintering Between 1957 and 1964 another 21 in Antarctica. New Zealanders wintered at Hallett. The station was maintained logistically by Hallett Station had some more serious the United States and New Zealand was events in the days when it was a perma responsible for programmes in iono- nent base all the year round. It was the spherics, seismology, geomagnetism, first in Antarctica to recognise in its and the greater part of the auroral pro auroral records during the 1958 winter gramme. Every second year a New Zea- the effect of nuclear bomb tests in the lander was station scientific leader. The Pacific. leaders were: J. A. Shear (U.S.). 1957; Hallett's most serious emergency K. W. Salmon (N.Z.), 1958; R. Roberts came on October 16, 1958. A United (U.S.). 1959; R. B. Thomson (N.Z.), States Air Force Globemaster on a flight 1960; R. W. Titus (U.S.), 1961; C. B. from Christchurch hit a hill 48km to the Taylor (N.Z.), 1962; H. Freimanis north when coming in for an airdrop to (U.S.), 1963; N. M. Ridgway (N.Z.), the station. Six of the men aboard were 1964. killed in the crash. The New Zealanders On March 6, 1964 a disastrous fire joined their American colleagues in completely destroyed the main scientific helping to rescue the survivors. September 1983 ANTARCTIC

U.S. PROGRAMME West Antarctic ice sheet project A three-year study of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which will begin this season, is one of the major projects in the United States Antarctic Research Programme. Glaciologists will work from field camps along the Siple Coast on the east side of the Ross Ice Shelf to obtain more information about the ice sheet's stability, its response to climatic changes, and its relationship to global climate. This season more of the 90 projects in Guard for icebreaking in the Great the programme than usual will be under Lakes, and has not been in Antarctic taken from research vessels or supported waters since 1967. by Coast Guard icebreakers. The G. W. On her first cruise the Westwind will Melville, operated by the Scripps Institu tion of Oceanography, will work in the join the Melville to support research along the edge of the sea ice for Weddell Sea and the Indian Ocean, the AMERIEZ — Antarctica Marine United States Geological Survey's Ecosystem Research in the Ice Edge nuel P. Lee will make an international Zone. This project includes studies of 1/geophysical survey between iuw Zealand and Antarctica, the krill, seals, plankton, and seabirds. The National Science Foundation's Hero will Westwind's second cruise will be to sup port scientists working on Seymour support marine biology projects in the Antarctic Peninsula area, and the Island and other islands off the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Knorr, owned by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, will make an oceanographic survey along the Odeg MAJOR PROJECT meridian in the South Atlantic as far Scientific projects and logistic support south as ice conditions permit. for the United States research pro Only one icebreaker, the Polar Sea, gramme, and the maintenance of its four will operate in the Ross Sea this summer. permanent stations, all financed and co She will break the ice channel to ordinated by the National Science Foun McMurdo Station for the tanker dation, are expected to cost more than Maumee and the cargo ship Southern $100 million. More than 280 scientists Cross, pick up a combined United will do research on the continent and in States-New Zealand party from Hallett southern waters. They will work with Station, and then support an oceanic representatives of nine or more other heat experiment in the Ross Sea. countries with polar interests. When the Maumee and the Southern Another major project this season will Cross have left McMurdo Sound the be a joint investigation with the British Polar Sea will begin a cruise eastward Antarctic Survey to gain more under- along the coasts of Marie Byrd Land and staning of the tectonic development of Ellsworth Land. Scientists aboard will West Antarctic and its relation to East carry out geological work at Siple Antarctica. This project will be con Island, Pine Island Bay, and Thurston tinued in the 1984-85 season. Island. BAS geologists and geophysicists, A veteran icebreaker, the Westwind, using Twin Otter aircraft, will conduct now 40 years old, will make two cruises aeromagnetic surveys, and a team from to the Weddell Sea from Punta Arenas, the Lamont-Doherty Geological Obser Chile. She has been used by the Coast vatory, led by Dr Ian W. D. Dalziel, will ANTARCTIC September 1983 use motor toboggans to carry out field temperatures from selected sites at 9m research in geology, paleomagnetism, depths. The holes will be drilled and the geochronology, and gephysics with ice cores retrieved by a team from the radio-echo sounding. Both parties will Polar Ice Coring Office (PICO) of the be based in the Martin Hills (82deg University of Nebraska at Lincoln. 04min S/88deg Olmin W) and will also work in the Ellsworth Mountains, near MARINE FOSSILS Siple Station, and at Mt Smart and in the Jones Mountains. Another team from Ohio State University headed by Dr John H. More than 20 scientists from four in Mercer, which includes two New stitutions will work in the Siple Coast Zealanders, Dr Barrie McKelvey and programme between November and Carl Thompson, will concentrate its January. Their purpose is to find study of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet answers to such glaciological problems and its interaction with portions of the as the West Antarctic Ice Sheet's possi East Antarctic Ice Sheet chiefly in the ble instability, the behaviour of the ice mountains near the south-eastern ex during the last glaciation and the last in- tremity of the Ross Ice Shelf: those parts terglacial period, and how the ice sheet of the Horlick and Queen Maud Moun grows and shrinks. tains that border the upper half of the Reedy Glacier, and the Harold Byrd RADAR STUDIES Mountains nearby at lower elevations. A University of Wisconsin team head Last season Dr Mercer led a team ed by Dr Charles R. Bentley will conduct which discovered a wide variety of radar studies of the ice sheet and marine microfossils scattered along a subglacial bedrock with a new vehicle- 1609km stretch of the Transantarctic mounted digital recording system sup Mountains. This season's team will ported by a computer at a base camp. study glacial sedimentation in two ice- The team will gather information on ice free areas to assist in determining the thickness, movement rates, how the ice size and frequency of Antarctic ice sheet moves, and the internal characteristics fluctations some 65 million years ago, of the ice sheet. and seach for more fossils. An Ohio State University group head Possible radioactive elements in West ed by Dr Ian M. Whillans will study the Antarctica and the relationship of ex Siple ice dome and two fast-moving ma tinct volcanoes in Marie Byrd Land and jor ice streams which drain the West An Ellsworth Land to the glacial and tec tarctic Ice Sheet and feed the Ross Ice tonic history of the western part of the Shelf. The group's main objective will continent will be studied by scientists be to determine whether the ice is grow during the Polar Sea's cruise along the ing or shrinking. coasts. A resource and radioactivity A third team led by Dr Robert A. survey will be made for the first time on Bindschadler, of the National the coast of the Pine Island Bay — Mt Aeronautic and Space Administration's Siple area. Goddard Space Flight Centre, will assess Since 1976 surveys for radioactive the present state of the ice sheet and elements have been made in portions of determine its likely response in changes south and northern Victoria Land, the of climate or ocean behaviour. The team Darwin Glacier area, the Ellsworth will measure the strain at the mouths of Mountains, and Marie Byrd Land. the ice streams and on major ice domes. These have shown that substantial dif It will also try to establish the precise ferences in potential for uranium and location of the grounding line of the ice thorium exist from area to area. Drs Ed sheet. ward J. Zeller and Gisela Dreschoff, of Additional information on present the Radiation Physics Laboratory, and past ice conditions and ice stream University of Kansa Space Technology dynamics will be obtained by taking ice Centre, will conduct this season's survey September 1983 using a gamma-ray spectrometer carried Zinsmeister will map sedimentary rock in the Polar Sea's helicopters. outcrops on the islands as part of an ef fort to understand the development of Geologists from the University of Col orado aboard the Polar Sea will visit invertebrate life of the area over geologic time, and Dr Woodburne's group will volcanoes along the coasts of Marie follow up the discovery of land mammal Byrd Land and western Ellsworth Land. fossils on Seymour Island by searching Studies in the Ross Sea area from Cape for more specimens. Dr Askin's team Adare to Beaufort Island last season in will collect samples of fossil plant dicated that apparently no volcanoes ' eet as has specimens and pollen to try to determine an evolutionary sequence for former been found in Marie Byrd Land. plant life on the continent millions of Dr Wesley E. LeMasurier's team is years ago. particularly interested in Mt Siple (73deg Oceanographers from Lamont- 15min S/126deg 44min W) and Mt Mur Doherty Geological Observatory, and phy (75deg 20min S/llOdeg 44min W). United States and South African geo- Photographs indicate that Mt Siple physicists will go to sea aboard the Polar (3110m) is a major volcano almost as Sea and the Melville to carry out pro large as Mt Erebus; whether it is active jects far apart; one in the Ross Sea and or dormant is not known. Mt Murphy is the other in the Indian Ocean. critical to understanding past ice Dr Robert L. Fisher, of the Scripps thickness levels at the time of volcanic Institution of Oceanography, will lead a eruptions. tema of 18 scientists from the institu Seymour Island, south of Erebus and tion, the Bernard Price Institute of Geo Terror Gulf off the north-east tip of the physics, Johannesburg, and the Univer Antarctica Peninsula where the first sity of Cape Town, which will work fossil bones of a land mammal to be from the Melville near Prince Edward found in Antarctic were discovered in and Marion Islands. They will try to the 1981-82 season, will be the main determine variations in the geochemistry target of scientists from four universities of the earth's upper mantle, and locate this season. They will search for plant hot spots which may be the cause of the and animal fossils on Seymour, James movement of tectonic plates. Ross, Snow Hill, Cockburn, and Vega Part of the global mid-oceanic ridge, Islands, supported by the Coast Guard the Southwest Indian Ridge separates icebreaker Westwind. the African tectonic plate from the An Dr William J. Zinsmeister, organiser tarctic plate. The scientists will dredge of the expedition, will head on Ohio rock sample along the ridge where the State University team, Dr Sanaka Chat- water is 914m to 5486m deep. Variations terjee will lead a group from Texas Tech in the geochemistry of the rocks will tell University, Dr Michael Woodburne will them where active upwelling is taking head a group from the University of place in the mantle. California at Riverside, and a New In a project known as the Ross Sea Zealander, Dr Rosemary A. Askin, is Heat Flux Experiment the oceano leader of the Colorado School of Mines graphers aboard the Polar Sea will project. All four took part in the monitor the flow of ocean heat from the 1981-82 expedition which discovered the north into the region beneath the Ross fossils of a land mammal and marine Ice Shelf. They will retrieve three current vetebrates which thrived in the Creta meter arrays deployed last season to col ceous and Early Tertiary periods — 135 lect data on water flowing beneath the to 40 million years ago. ice shelf, and deploy 10 more current meter arrays at selected sites in the Ross PLANT SAMPLES Sea for the project which will be con Dr Chatterjee's group will search for tinued next season. more evidence of marine Cretaceous Melting at the base of ice shelves is vertebrates on Seymour Island. Dr believed to be controlled by oceanic heat ANTARCTIC September 1983

flowing in from northern regions, and is has designed and tested a thermal probe a significant factor in their stability. — the "Climatopic" — to sample mel Glaciologists think that ice shelves may ted ice continually from the surface to control the size of the West Antarctic Ice bedrock. The project will be headed by a Sheet which in turn affects global sea leading French glaciologist, Dr Claude level changes. Lorius. Analyses of the melted ice Although Siple Station in Ellworth samples will be focused on profiles of Land will be closed in January until deuterium and oxygen-18 to describe November, 1985, the level of scientific climatic changes. activity will be high this summer. Stan A 30.48m-high meteorological tower ford University scientists will continue will be erected at the Pole to gather data upper atmosphere studies for most of on the concentration and rate of change the season, and for the first time an ice of aerosols in the atmosphere. Dr Austin core drilling project will be conducted at Hogan of the State University of New the station. An attempt to recover a York at Albany will head a team that 200m core will be made by the Polar Ice will try to find out how aerosols — fine Coring Office team. solids or liquids — are removed from the United States, French, and Swiss air and settle on the ice. The precipita scientists will take part in drilling pro tion of these materials on the ice is im jects at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole portant in maintaining the stability of Station. PICO will continue drilling in the atmosphere; the way precipitation the 237m hole to obtain more informa occurs is not well understood. tion about past atmospheric constituents Although many projects in this and climatic conditions. season's programme will be carried out in West Antarctica, the Weddell Sea, Dr Bernhard Stauffer will head a team and the Antarctic Peninsula area, scien from the University of Bern, Switzer tists will also be busy in the dry valleys of land, which will help to analyse and pro cess the ice cores drilled by PICO. The Victoria Land, on Ross Land, and on Swiss are concerned with atmospheric the sea ice of McMurdo Sound. As in concentrations of carbon dioxide before past seasons United States and Japanese the Industrial Revolution, the history of teams will work at the summit of Mt increases from pre-industrial times to Erebus. 1958, and variations in concentrations SEISMIC TRAVERSE during the last few thousand years. An nual snow accumulation at the Pole is A 58km traverse of McMurdo Sound such that a 457m ice core will reach back from the McMurdo Ice Shelf to a point several thousand years. west of Cape Bird on Ross Island will be made by a team of earth scientists led by Dr Lyle D. McGinnis, of Louisiana DEEP DRILLING Slate University. Working in an area As part of the International Antarctic where the sea ice is 2.1m thick and the Glaciological Project French and United water is between 457m and 914m deep States glaciologists will ateempt to the scientists will gather seismic data of recover a core of 125,000-year-old ice the earth's crust to the upper mantle — from a depth of 2600m or 200m above about 20.9km down. Their primary ob bedrock. Research at the Pole has in jective will be to obtain a crustal profile dicated that ice of that age can be found across the boundary between East and by drilling to 2600m. West Antarctica. Data acquired last Ice cores drilled from the surface of season will be combined with this polar ice sheets to bedrock would answer season's data so that the tectonic hisoty many questions about the climate and of the Ross Embayment/Transantarctic atmosphere over the last 125,000 years Mountains can be placed in a global but no coring equipment that can reach perspective. this depth has been designed. Now the Life under thick ice in McMurdo Glaciological Laboratory at Grenoble Sound and under the Ross Ice Shelf will September 1983 ANTARCTIC

be studied by a research team from the made of rapid swimming pelagic life Scripps Institution of Oceanography forms in the sound and under the ice headed by Dr Paul K. Dayton. In the shelf. Coupled with current and density past life was believed to be sparse measurements tha data collected will everywhere under the ice shelf, but re help to define better the ecological pro cent data obtained from deep-water cesses under thick ice. photography and by divers suggest that A geochemist from Miami University it is abundant and varied near White of Oxford, Ohio, will lead a group of Island about 28km from McMurdo Sta four scientists in a study of lakes in the tion where the ice is between 18.2m and dry valleys of Victoria Land. Dr William 30.4m thick. J. Green's group will concentrate on Underwater photographs will be taken learning more about the geochemical by the team at depths of between 60ft processes that affect algae and other and 1500ft at seven sites under the ice microscopic organisms in Lakes Fryxell, near Ross Island. The team will work at Hoare, Miers, and Joyce, and also about White Island, Heald Island, Minna how trace metals are transported, Bluff, Capes Royds and Crozier, and the removed, and recirculated in the lake Dellbridge Islands. Surveys will be waters. Prelude to spring for two winter teams Six flights from New Zealand by ski- night and were unable to fly back to equipped Hercules aircraft last month Christchurch until August 30. were a welcome prelude to Antarctica's A snowstorm reduced visibility to zero spring for the 85 Americans and 11 New and prevented vehicles from taking Zealanders who have spent the winter on passengers from one aircraft to McMur Ross Island. They brought mail from do Station and Scott Base. As a result 60 home plus fresh fruit and vegetables, people — two air crews of nine each, 35 and gave Ross Island's winter commu passengers, including 12 New Zea nity, which includes two American landers, and seven ground crew, had to women, its first direct contact with the shelter from the storm for nearly eight outside world for more than six months. hours in the first aircraft to land. It had Three United States VXE-6 Squadron refuelled and was able to keep one Hercules aircraft made the six flights engine running to maintain heat inside. from Christchurch — one less than last Grapes and bananas, part of the fresh year — to prepare for the United States fruit cargo, provided some sustenance and New Zealand scientific programmes for those jammed together in the air of the 1983-84 season. All the flights of craft. the operation, known to the United Winds, blowing snow, and low cloud States naval support force as Winfly delayed the first flights south until (winter flights) were completed before August 26 when two were made. the southern spring began officially on Another was made on the evening of September 1. August 27 but poor visibility caused the But the prelude to spring was suddenly postponement of two more planned for silenced by the harsh notes of winter on August 28. August 29. Three aircraft making the When the three aircraft which began last flights landed at Williams Field, the the last flights on August 29 were about permanent ice runway 13 km from 20 minutes past the point of safe return McMurdo Station in deteriorating McMurdo Station reported that the weather. Instead of a one-hour stay on weather was getting worse. Visibility the ice the aircraft had to remain over dropped quickly after the first aircraft ANTARCTIC September 1983 landed but the 35 passengers were able passengers, four of whom made the to get off at the fuel pit and were then round trip. taken to the station. Among the 176 passengers on the But the 35 passengers on the second flights were technicians, equipment aircraftwere not so fortunate. Vehicles operators, cooks and construction could not take them away and a fuel line workers who will prepare for the major would not reach the aircraft so everyone airlift of men and materials for the sum had to move to the first aircraft which mer by Hercules and Starlifter aircraft. could provide heating by running one The construction team will prepare the engine. seasonal ice runway in McMurdo Sound Meanwhile the third Hercules landed for the flights by wheeled aircraft which with only 360kg of fuel left, and in zero begin on October 3. visibility. The pilot had to taxi his air Captain Brian Shoemaker, the sup craft towards the control tower with the port force commander, flew in the first aid of instructions and radar vectors. aircraft to meet the McMurdo Station During a break in the storm the crew of winter team and to initiate preparations nine managed to reach the tower on for the new season. The aircraft was foot. flown by VXE-6 Squadron's comman When the weather finally cleared the ding officer, Commander M. Radigan. passengers and ground crew on the first Fourteen New Zealanders, one of whom aircraft left for McMurdo Station and returned to Christchurch, were on the Scott Base. The two crews remained to flights. They included 11 men from the monitor the running engine which had Ministry of Works and Development and the New Zealand Army who will kept everyone warm. make an early start on construction Even the return flights were dogged by work at Scott Base, and two Antarctic difficulties. One aircraft developed an Division staff who will begin prepara oil leak from one engine and flew home tions for CIROS (Cenozoic Investiga on three engines. Another had tions in the Ross Sea), the long-term off pressurisation problems about 50km shore drilling project in McMurdo from McMurdo Station and had to Sound. return for repairs. But all three were back in Christchurch late on the evening Sixty-one of the American passengers of August 30. on Winfly went south to prepare for the United States Antarctic Research Pro After the air drop of mail and fresh gramme (USARP). They included Mr food on June 24 the sight of new faces Eric Chiang the National Science Foun and aircraft on the ice instead of dation's representative at McMurdo Sta overhead was warmly welcomed by the tion, Mr R. Robbins, deputy resident 83 men and two women at McMurdo manager at the station, representing ITT Station and the 11 men at Scott Base. Antarctic Services, contractors to the When Winfly ended the spring popula NSF for support services, also 59 tion had grown to more than 240 men members of the contractors' staff. and two women at McMurdo Station and 24 men at Scott Base. In spite of the hazards of winter operations the Hercules aircraft carried a total load of 48.9 tonnes on their six flights south. This included 22.8 tonnes of general cargo, 394 kilogrammes of personal and offical mail, and 3.5 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables. The rest of the load was 22.1 tonnes for passengers and their baggage. On the return flights the aircraft brought back 2.7 tonnes of cargo, 318kg of mail, and seven September 1983 ANTARCTIC Australia to buy marine research ship Australia plans to acquire a specialised ice-breaking marine research vessel for its summer Antarctic research programme, and in troduce air transport of staff to its three bases, Casey, Davis, and Mawson. The new transport system announced last month by the Minister of Science and Technology (Mr Barry Jones) is expected to be fully operational by 1988-89. Provision was made in the Budget for $2,555 million to be spent this season on the first stages of the new system. Plans for a new transport system were will be made when tenders have been announced by the Liberal Government evaluated, only three weeks before the General Plans for the vessel are that it should P.S16™?1^ 20). These Antarctlc were reviewed, .> ^arch, like 1983,other science undertake cruises marine in the biologywaters of andthe conti. geo- major expenditure proposals, by the new nental shelf adjacenl t0 Australia's Ant- Labour Government Some changes arctic terrjtory and in the Southern have been made but the general concept Qcean mainly in the SUmmer. For the re- of the marine research vessel is the same mainder 0f the year the vessel will serve as proposed early this year. as a national science facility in Australia Under the new system Royal waters. Australian Air Force wheeled Hercules Transport studies by the Department aircraft will fly between Hobart and a of Science and Technology indicate in compressed snow runway at Casey neral that the Antarctic research pro- Light aircraft will be used to deploy staff amme calls for a 6000-tonne ship 85m between Casey and the other two sta- to 95m , with a ra of l4(m tions, Davis and Mawson. nautica, miles> and a service speed of at Site evaluation trials of the proposed least 12 knots. It would have the ability runways at Casey and Davis will be to navigate in up to 9/10 pack ice and made first, and the whole project will be break level ice of 0.8m thickness con- considered by the Parliamentary Public tinuously. Works Committee early next year. 0ther requirerrients include a heli- Environmental impact studies of all pro- deck and h for tw0 helicopters jec s will be made to ensure that no harm tw0.berth cabins for 30 scientists and the will be done to the Antarctic ecosystem. capadty lo carry ^ paSsengers for short In addition to its marine science acti- periods. Also needed would be vities the research vessel will be required laboratories and facilities for marine to carry and deploy research parties to biology, geology, geophysics, and otherwise inaccessible areas by long- chemistry, and oceanography, hydro- range helicopters. Resupply of cargo to graphy, meteorology, and environmen- Antarctic bases will continue to be tal monitoring, u n d e r t a k e n b y c h a r t e r e d i c e - strengthened vessels. ^ E x p r e s s i o n s o f i n t e r e s t i n t h e d e s i g n > I i ^ . . and construction of the research vessel will be invited overseas and in Australia l a t e r t h i s y e a r, a n d w i l l b e f o l l o w e d b y < the issue of tender invitations. A de cision on the country of construction ■'■■'■■■'■■''■,'.■.'■:- " ■• ■'' ■■■< ' ' ■ : -".'.'■ ..' ■ ANTARCTIC September 1983

RAUER ISLANDS Winter journeys over sea ice Although the 21m auxiliary schooner Dick Smith Explorer has been locked in the ice of Prydz Bay, East Antarctica, for nearly six months the four men and two women aboard her have not been con fined to winter quarters since they saw the sun depart on May 30. Led by Dr David Lewis the members of the Oceanic Research Foundation expedition have been busy tagging seals, catching fish, and hauling sledges on field trips across the sea ice to carry out scientific projects around the Rauer Islands in the south-east part of Prydz Bay. Since late March the Dick Smith Ex Before the sun departed on May 30 plorer has been in her winter anchorage field and ship's food supplies were — a small shallow bay off Filla Island, reorganised by Gill Gracknell, the the largest of the Rauer Islands. The English geomorphologist, and the group of rocky coastal islands is between Australian geologist, Jamie Miller. With the Sorsdal Glacier Tongue and Ranvik the Danish naturalist, Jannik Schou they Bay to the south. Filla Island is about made two trips with supplies to stock the 55.5km from the Australian base, Davis, Cape Drakon depot. A few hours of on the mainland. Ice began to form twilight each day and the light of the around the DSE in April, and when it moon and the aurora enabled the team started to thicken the cracking and heav to continue scientific work, and Norman ing tilted the ship 10 degrees to star Linton-Smith, the Australian radio board. But the ice pressure was eased by operator and base engineer, and Jamie cutting a trench on the port side. Miller recorded the voices of seals under Low temperatures and winter dark the ice for 24 hours. ness have not stopped the expedition from making sledge journeys to stock a SLEDGE HAULING food depot at Cape Drakon, 12m from On June 6 David Lewis, Mimi the ship or longer trips southward. On George, Gill Cracknell, and Jannik July 13 David Lewis and the American Schou, returned to the DSE from a anthropologist, Mimi George, who is 120km reconnaissance of the sea ice deputy leader, made the first passage route south of the Rauer Islands which across the ice from Filla Island to Davis, took them seven days of sledge hauling 55.5km to the south-west — a nerve- and walking, mostly in company. The wracking three-hour journey between ice was more than half a metre thick. 41m-high tottering ice cliffs and shat Ice cliffs and glacier tongues with rare tered poorly frozen ice floes to seaward. rock bluffs marked the coastal route. After an extended reconnaissance The party camped by the Chaos Glacier south of the Rauer Islands which was ex bluffs and made a one-day recon naissance to the Ranvik Glacier Tongue pected to end last month David Lewis ded sledge hauling 25km south of Cape Drakon. Gil) Cracknell was able to collect lichens and trips again to the south, including the Larsemann Hills and Amanda Bay, until mosses from normally unapproachable the middle of November. Science pro bluffs. jects are expected to include seal tagg Another depot laying trip was made to ing, seabird observations, Emperor Cape Drakon on June 17. Gill Cracknell penguin counts, lichen and moss collec led Jannik Schou and Jamie Miller on tion, and fishing. September 1983 ANTARCTIC the 12km trip which took IVi hours in islet. They made a reconnaissance of the stead of the three of the previous trip unstable sea ice fronting the Sorsdal although the sledges carried 115kg, half Glacier. Gill and Jamie continued in the previous load. Navigation was dif vestigations of the glacier from July 10 ficult because of the darkness, mist, and to 12. They took water sample blowing snow. On the way back in a gale temperatures from the thinly frozen the empty sledges flipped and flattened breakout line in an attempt to ascertain the party. the causes of the glacier's notorious in Meanwhile Mimi George and David stability. Lewis spent two days in a tent by a seal Then on July 13 Mimi and David hole 2km from the ship with a hydro became the first to cross the ice from the phone. Weddell seals and a Crabeater shared the hole, breaking new ice fre quently with scrapes and grunts, and pushing the underwater recording microphone. WEEK OF SNOW In the first week of June temperatures VESTFOLD dropped down to minus 38deg Celsius. HILLS A week of snowfall and warmer weather followed but an accumulation of 20cm of snow on the sea ice made sledge haul ing a nightmare. Three hours of mid winter daylight was used to make snow sculptures in a temperature of minus 9 deg C accompanied by a cold wind. Ranvik ^E \ Celebrations ended after dinner with songs to the music of Gill Cracknell's guitar. Hauling conditions were vastly im ..: X?)'z-- proved by later gales which cleared the sea ice of much snow and glazed the re mainder. The ice in the bay broke out to seaward but the route south to the Rauer Islands was intact. PRYDZ More supplies were sledged to the Cape Drakon depot between June 25 and 29 by Gill, Jannik, Jamie, and Nor BAY man, who built an igloo for four while H i l l s ^ L „ ' O they were there. Before the end of the Larsemann month the team had to cope with the problem of increasing ice pressure on the Dick Smith Explorer. As the bay froze thicker it buckled 0iJl and cracked, tilting the ship 10 degrees Rauer Islands to Davis. They set out at 2 to starboard. A precautionary measure p.m. on the little Yamaha snowmobile was to make all hands available take towing the party's heavy Eskimo sledge turns digging to check that the propeller as a gift to Davis. Mimi's contact lenses and rudder were clear, and then cutting popped out of her glasses when the a trench along the port side to ease the snowmobile had to charge a poorly ice pressure. Digging continued daily frozen lead but she was able to drive all and polystyrene sheets were placed over the way without them. the trench to retard refreezing. Although the sun had half risen at 2 From July 5 to 7 Mimi and David p.m. driving past the tip of the Sorsdal camped on the northernmost Rauer ANTARCTIC September 1983

Glacier at 3.15 p.m. was a nerve- Flocks of up to 100 Antarctic petrels wracking experience for both Mimi and were seen in the Rauers at the beginning David. The little snowmobile had to pass of May. Thirty non-breeding Giant between 41m-high tottering ice cliffs petrels were observed twice on Hop Safij above to the right and shattered poorly Island late in February, and an Emperor frozen floes to seaward. penguin was sighted off the Rauers on In the gathering darkness of the late May 4. afternoon David and Mimi were Phytoplankton sampling has been delighted to see figures waving from done in 18m of water near the ship since Kazak Island, the southernmost of the April. Earlier two seabottom samples Vestfolds. One last lead was crossed us were taken in the Larsemann Hills area ing the planks carried on the sledge, and at 30 fathoms, and off Stiennes, the rock then with an escort of three skidoos point east-north-east at 40 fathoms. from Davis David and Mimi drove into They yielded very small quantities of the staion, arriving at 5 p.m. sediment. They were warmly welcomed by the winter team, and were given some tangi ble recognition of their journey. Techni Vostok still cians worked all hours to repair equip ment, the two were lent a light coldest aluminium sledge and given 400 litres of petrol which will extend the field range Vostok, the Soviet station on the of the expedition's snowmobile. Polar Plateau, still retains the title of the coldest place on Earth. A temperature of When David and Mimi returned to the minus 89.6 deg Celsius (minus 129.2 deg DSE on July 15 they found the sledge had been loaded with such forgotten Fahrenheit) was recorded at the station on July 21. This made Vostok, which is goodies as real meat and coffee. The next winter journey planned when the 3490m above sea level, 1.3 deg colder weather permitted was a three to four than it was on August 24, 1960, when a weeks' reconnaissance south of the temperature of minus 88.3 deg C (minus Rauer Islands by David, Mimi, Gill, and 126.9 deg F) was recorded. Jannik. They were expected back An American station, Plateau, in towards the middle of August. Queen Maud Land, which was closed in Between February 19 and March 20 1969, holds second place on the scale of possible anchorages for the Dick Smith cold. A temperature of minus 86.16 deg Explorer were studied, and zoological C (minus 123.1 deg F) was recorded work began towards the end of February there on July 20, 1968. after the Filla Island anchorage had been Third place on the scale is held by the selected. Most of the work was done at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. A Filla Island and Hop Island, which is record low temperature of minus 82.7 one mile west-south-west. deg C (116.86 F) was measured there on Thirty-two adult Weddell seals and 10 June 23 last year. It was the lowest figure pups were tagged between February 25 since the station was established in 1957. and May 22, most in April, and also four This year the South Pole temperatures immature Crabeaters. Ten fish were dropped in July. For most of the month caught in March with lines and three in they were normal for the winter — about traps at depths of 10m. Lines were used minus 73.3 deg Celsius. On July 15 a thereafter and catches were 31 in April, temperature of minus 74.8 deg C was 54 in May, and four in June in deep reported, and on July 17 there was a watet by an iceberg. heat wave — of sorts. The temperature Lichens and mosses were collected rose to minus 50.7 deg C. from the mainland through the seaward islands of the Rauers and at a bluff near Chaos Glacier. Ten of the 41 samples came from the Chaos Glacier area. September 1983 ANTARCTIC Automatic weather stations south of Casey Three improved automatic weather where it is relayed to the Antarctic Divi stations will be established inland from sion. Wind data was not available for the Australian station Casey next year. the whole of last year because extreme Data from these stations will provide a weather conditions caused intermittent climatic record from the interior of faults and eventual failure of the wind Australia's Antarctic territory, and will sensors which were replaced early this be used by the Antarctic Division's year. glaciological section for a study of sur Next year the three improved stations face katabatic winds. will be established during the 1984 A prototype station designed and built glaciological traverse from Casey along by the division's instrumentation section 110 deg E longitude at approximately was established in December, 1981, at 68 74deg S (3200m elevation), 70deg S deg 39min S/60deg 33min E — a site (2400m) and at 68 deg S (1600m). These 130km south of Mawson Station and at stations will be powered by lithium cells an elevation of 1800m. Since then it has supplemented by silicon solar cells. successfully provided meteorological Batteries in use at the prototype sta data for more than 17 months. tion — potassium air depolarised cells — Measurements of surface meteorolog are expected to provide power for more ical data, including air and snow tem than five years. They are buried several peratures, atmospheric pressure, and metres in snow to insulate them from wind speed and direction, are made con periods of extreme cold but winter tinuously by the station. This data is temperatures approach the lower limit at transmitted by the ARGOS data collec which they will operate. The mean air tion system on board NOAA (National temperature for 1982 at the elevated site Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra was minus 30.2 deg Celsius. tion) satellites to a centre in France from Uemura abandons ascent of Vinson Massif After a winter at the Argentine base, the Argentine Air Force station Vice- General San Martin, in Marguerite Bay, comodoro Marambio, on Seymour on the Antarctic Peninsula, the Japanese Island. climber and explorer, Naomi Uemura, Then Uemura gave up the idea of us abandoned his plan to climb the Vinson Massif (4897) the highest peak in An ing dogs for the whole journey. Ar rangements were made for Argentine tarctic, in December last year. He in Air Force Twin Otter to fly from tended to make a solo journey by dog Marambio to San Martin, pick up team to the northern Sentinel Range of Uemura Massif, and then pick him up the Ellsworth Mountains, make the as cent which would have been the third again after he had completed the ascent. since 1966, and complete a round trip of Arrangements for the provision of about 3000km early last month. fuel at the United States Siple Station in Ellsworth Land to enable the Twin Otter In return for Argentine support to refuel on the long flight from Maram Uemura intened to make scientific in bio to San martin caused further delays. vestigations of meteorological condi Uemura intended to make the climb bet tions in Ellsworth Land. However, his ween December 13 and 18; by the end of programme was delayed because the the month he was reported to be on his portable data platform he needed to maintain satellite communication was at way home. ANTARCTIC September 1983

BAS NEWS Winter cruise to study krill and seals A winter cruise by the Royal Research Ship John Biscoe as part of the long-term Offshore Biological Programme (OBP) and a joint geological/geophysical project extending south of the Ellsworth Mountains with United States scientists are included in the British Antarctic Survey research programme for 1983-84. In the field the summer season is likely to be the most ambitious ever undertaken because an increase in the annual budget for 1983-84 from about six million sterling to 10 million will enable the level of research activity to be increased. Scientific work which was resumed on South Georgia last season will be continued this season but only at the small biological station on Bird Island at the north-western extremity of the island. The BAS station at Grytviken, manned by servicemen since the Falklands con flict will not be reopened this coming summer. Servicemen will con tinue to maintain the meteorolgical records. OBP work by the John Biscoe began six-week programme on Weddell seals in the last week of July. This is the first and ice-associated ecosystems at the dge time that a BAS ship has been south dur- of the Weddell Sea pack ice. After this, ing the winter, though the RRS the ship will be engaged in relieving the Discovery II, circumnavigated the conti- Antarctic Peninsula stations and sup- nent in the winter of 1932. (This was only porting field parties, theme fourthrourin circumnavigation andana thetne RRS Bransfield is due to sail from ffi i r r s s t t e e v v e e r r i i n n w w i i n n t t e e r r . . ) ) S Q o n u „t r h h a m pn .t no n a t t h «e > b eh ,g „ i i n n n n i i n n g „ o~ f On June 21 the John Biscoe sailed November. She will be primarily con- from Southhampton, and then on to cerned with the relief of Bird Island South Georgia by way of Rio de Janeiro. (South Georgia), Signy (South Orkney Grytviken was reached on July 24 and Islands) and Halley (Brunt Ice Shelf) sta- OBP work started two days later in tions. Cumberland East and West Bays. Un fortunately, heavy weather prevented PLANE REBUILT sea trials of of equipment equipment on on the the voyage voyage Qne 0ne of of the the tw0 twn Twin Twin Quer nttpr aircraft a- aft south and many problems were en- wrecked in a storm t R h ■ countered when work began. November, 1981, has now been rebuilt In spite of the bad start, the voyage is and test-flown in Britain. It will operate expected to be scientifically very produc- in the Antarctic with the other two BAS tive. The first part will consist of a South aircraft in the 1983-84 summer. A Georgia zone survey, including oceano- second aircraft, wrecked at the same graphic stations and an acoustic survey time, may also be rebuilt. The three air- of krill, and the second part will concen- craft available will be in constant use trate on individual krill patches. throughout the summer. Fourteen scientists are participating As usual the aircraft will be based at and most will fly home when the OBP Rothera. Two of them will be used work is completed in mid-October. The throughout December and January in a remaining biologists will then carry out a joint geological/geophysical project September 1983 ANTARCTIC with United States scientists extending tion from late December to mid- south from the Ellsworth Mountains. February and can provide plenty of Four BAS men and four from Lamont- manpower to move heavy equipment. Doherty Geological Observatory, Col Fitting-out of the new Halley station umbia University, will continue work in has continued during the winter. It was the Ellsworth Mountains and then travel visited by parties from the old station south to the Thiel Mountains (lat. 86°S). (14km away) and some had to stay While working on the intervening longer than intended because of strong rock exposures they will be based in the winds. A number of Halley men also Martin Hills. Fuel was flown into the visited the nearby Emperor penguin area by United States Navy Hercules air rookery, and estimated that about craft last season. One BAS aircraft will 20,000 birds were present. support the field parties while the other Strong winds accompanied by above will varry out aeromagnetics and ice- average temperatures have affected the depth sounding in the same area. The other BAS stations. At Rothera, strong field parties will also work at Mt Smart winds up to 70 knots and temperatures and near Siple Station. up to 3.5 deg Celsius have prevented Throughout the summer, other parties consolidation of the sea ice and removed will continue work on the Ronne Ice it intermittently. This has confined Shelf. Four geophysicists will take travel to Adelaide Island, and effort has seismic and gravity measurements in the been concentrated on preparing equip southern part, and a glaciological group ment and facilities for the summer pro will work on ice dynamics in the south- grammes. central part. Local activities have included the twice-yearly ritual of digging out and MAPPING WORK raising the flight control caboose Geologists will also work in north (mobile hut) at the piedmont airstrip. western Palmer Land, south-east Dog teams have been used for transport Graham Land, and eastern and central as well as snowmobiles. Alexander Island, and glaciologists on Signy Station recorded its second the George, VI Ice Shelf. Others will highest winter temperature of 8 deg C in carry out a series of landings on the west July (exceeded only by 11.1 deg coast of the Antarctic Peninsula and off- measured in 1981), and Bird Island has lying islands, filling in gaps in the had a considerably amount of rain geological maps. rather than the usual winter snow, which Biological work continues at Bird has made the biologists' work con Island and Signy, and observatory geo siderably more unpleasant. Visits by physics at Faraday (Argentine Islands) helicopters from ships of the Falkland and Halley. Programmes at Halley will Islands naval group en route to and be transferred from the old station to the from Grytviken, have provided a new one built last summer. This will be welcome diversion from routine at Bird done while the Bransfield is at the sta Island. Joint Services expedition to Brabant Island A British Joint Services expedition will work on Brabant Island, the largest unexplored island in Antarctica, off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, from November, 1983 to March, 1985. The ex pedition plans to make a general scientific survey of the island, col lecting data and specimens for research groups and climbing the peaks. It will also do physiological research for the Institute of Naval Medicine. rva-u ^ ' ? ** *v V£'. - Shbb

ANTARCTIC September 1983 Leader of the expedition is Commander Chris Furse, R.N. He was deputy leader of a services expedition to the Elephant Island group in 1970-71, and leader of a second expedition to the group in 1976-77. Eight men will be on the island at any expedition became the first to winter one time. The first summer party of within the Antarctic Circle.) eight men is likely to winter and some Although Brabant Island lies on one will stay on for the second summer. of the established sea routes south along There will be at least one civilian the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, the member — a research student eeoloeist island is so precipitous and inhospitable from Nottingham University. that only three parties appear to have Brabant Island (65 deg 15 min S/62 landed there since 1898, and no-one has deg 20 min W) lies off the west coast of camped on it. It has been mapped in the Antarctic Peninsula immediately detail using Falkland Islands Depen north-east of Anvers Island (where the dencies Aerial Survey Expedition United States Palmer Station is situated) (1956-57) photography and triangula- and nearby Wiencke Island (where the tion and BAS (formerly Falkland Islands British station Port Lockroy was Dependencies Survey) triangulation, but established in 1944 and Damoy summer it remains the largest unexplored island air facility in 1975). Brabant is about in Antarctica. Virtually nothing is 60km from north to south and 12-20km known of its interior, so any scientific from east to west. It is very mountainous information would be of great interest. (rising to over 2500m) and almost entirely Footnote: Brabant Island's highest covered by ice. peak is Mt Parry (2520m). It was named In 1898 de Gerlache's Belgian Ant-s by Captain Henry Foster, R.N., when arctic expedition made the first landing H.M.S. Chanticleer visited the island in on the island. De Gerlache, Amundsen, 1829. De Gerlache named the island for Arctowski, Cook and Danco spent six the Belgian province of Brabant in nights ashore, in the first recorded tent recognition of the support given by its in Antarctic. (Later, the Belgica was citizens to his 1897-99 expedition. beset in the Bellingshausen Sea and the India becomes 28th treaty member India, which has sent two expeditions 10 days on the continent scientists to Antarctica since 1981, has acceded to aboard the chartered Norwegian the Antarctic Treaty and intends to seek research ship Polar Circle carried out a consultative status. The country's acces wide range of oceanographic studies in sion last month brings the treaty the Southern Ocean and in the Indian membership to 28. Of these 14 are con Ocean. A base camp was built on the sultative members and 14 acceding Prince Olav Coast at 69deg 59 min S/l 1 members. deg 07min E, a solar-powered unmann Earlier this year Dr S. Z. Quasim, ed weather station named Dakshin Secretary of the Department of Ocean Gangotri was established 80km to the Development, who led the first expedi south, and scientists conducted tion to Queen Maud Land in 1981-82, meteorologial, geological, and biological said that India planned to continue its research. annual expeditions until 1985. By then a Operation Gangotri cost about permanent station would be built in SUS2.1 million. Last season India spent Queen Maud land and manned all the SUS3.5 million on Operation Gangotri year round. Planning for the third ex 11 which retrived data from the weather pedition this summer is now in progress. station, erected two huts at the site, and Although the first expedition code- marked out a 3048m runway on the ice named Operation Gangotri spent only with powder dyes to define its limits. September 1983 ANTARCTIC

ANTARKTIS II West Germany's ice shelf project West Germany will send one expedition to Antarctic this season. The research and supply ship Polarstern will work in Bransfield Strait, and the Scotia and Weddell Seas. It will supply Georg von Neumayer Station in Atka Bay, and will take part in the Filchner Ice Shelf glaciological project which will be based at Filchner Station on the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf. This season the Antarktis II expedition will evaluate two fixed- wing ski-equipped aircraft in operations from ice runways at George von Neumayer and Filchner Stations. One is a Dornier 128-6 twin- engined utility transport known as the Sky Train. A short takeoff and landing aircraft the Polarstern will take part in the the Dornier 128-6 is a high-wing aircraft Filchner Ice Shelf Project, using her two with a crew of two and accommodation helicopters. Later she will cruise in the for eight passengers. It has a range of southern Weddell Sea where scientists 642km. Dornier's second aircraft to be will carry out geophysical, meteorologi tested in Antarctic conditions is a twin- cal, biological, and oceanographic pro engined turboprop mixed cargo- jects. passenger aircraft. The Dornier 228-100 About 20 scientists will take part in is also a high-wing aircraft which carries the Filchner Ice Shelf Project. The pro 15 passengers and a crew of two. It has a gramme includes mapping the shelf and range of 1970km. studying the ice dynamics. Other fields On her second Antarctic cruise the of study will be geodesy, geophysics, Polarstern will leave Bremerhaven this glaciology, photogrammetry, and month and will return early in April. Her meteorology. cruise has been divided into seven legs Towards the end of February the for different research projects. Polarstern will return to Atka Bay. She Before the Polarstern reaches Atka will leave Antarctic waters for Cape Bay early in January scientists will do Town early in March, and is expected biological and geological research, and back in Bremerhaven about April 5. air chemistry and oceanographic surveys Support for the West German pro in the Scotia Sea, Bransfield Strait, and gramme this season will be given by the the eastern Weddell Sea. The ship will Chileans. In joint projects West German use Punta Arenas and Ushuaia for scientists will be flown from Punta refuelling and other purposes. Arenas to Rodolfo Marsh Station on Late in December the Polarstern will King George Island in the South sail from Punta Arenas for Atka Bay. Shetlands, and also transported by ship. There she will resupply Georg von The two Dornier aircraft will be supplied Neumayer Station and exchange winter with fuel at Punta Arenas and Rodolfo teams. In January she will sail for Marsh. Filchner Station, the summer station In less than three years West Germany established on the Filchner-Ronne Ice has established four stations in Antarc Shelf in January last year at 77deg 09min tica. The first was the Lillie Marleen Hut S/50deg 38min W. in Northern Victoria Land. It was placed Supplies and the two Dornier aircraft at the foot of Mt Dockery in the Everett will be landed at the station, and then Range by the GANOVEX I expedition Gondwana Station, established during the GANOVEX III expedition in January this year, is the youngest of the four West German stations. It is at the foot of Mt Melbourne in Gerlache Inlet, Terra Nova Bay, at 74deg 38min S/164deg 13min E. Photo: Greg Mortimer of the Federal Institute for Geosciences Gondwana Station is accessible by and Resources (BGR) in January, 1980. ship and aircraft. Runways can be laid In February, 1981 the first permanent out on,the sea ice in front of the slation station was opened. Georg von Neu- or in the nearby Browning Pass area, mayer Station in Atka Bay was establish- In 1984-85 the station will be used for ed by the Alfred Wegener Institute for the first time during an aero-magnetic Polar Research at 70deg 37min S/08deg survey by BGR scientists. This geo- 2 2 m i n W . p h y s i c a l a n d g e o l o g i c a l s u r v e y w i l l b e Filchner Station 1450km from Atka Part of a tripartite programme by the Bay was opened in January, 1982 as the United StaIes' New Zealand, and West headquarters for summer programmes. Germany. It was established by the Alfred Wegener

Instit";eUnlike George von Neumayer Mawson Station diaries the Filchner station is not built into the Publication of the diaries of Sir ice but on top of it. Containers with liv- Douglas mawson held in the Mawson In- ing quarters for 12, a snow melting stitute at the University of Adelaide is plant, and a power station, are set on a expected later this year. Editing of the platform placed on 14 pillars 1.5m above diaries is likely to be completed by ice level to avoid snow drifting. August. A third summer station called Gond- A research assistant has been ap- wana was established in January this pointed to assist the director of the in- year by the BGR GANOVEX III expedi- stitute, Dr Fred Jacka, with the editing tion. It is in Gerlache Inlet, Terra Nova of the diaries. The transcription was Bay, near Mt Melbourne, at 74deg 38 completed some time ago. An archivist minS/164deg 13 min E. Besides a hut has been appointed for 12 months to similar to the Lillie Marleen Hut there completing cataloguing of Mawson's are three other buildings, one for food papers, a task halted several years ago storage, one for equipment, and the because of lack of funds. September 1983 ANTARCTIC

Soviet ships circumnavigate Antarctica

Two Soviety naval hydrographic Some 57 expedition members, in research ships, the Admiral Vladimirsky cluding the leader, Nikolay Kornilov, and the Thaddei Bellingshausen com travelled part of the way south aboard pleted a circumnavigation of Antarctica the Professor Viz, making her 11th trip, last season. They left the naval base of and were transferred to the Kapitan Sebastopol in December last year and Markov at a point 190 nautical miles followed roughly the routes of Belling from Mirny. The Kapitan Markov then shausen's two ships, Vostok and Mirny proceeded to Mirny. She spent about which circumnavigated the continent in. three weeks off the station in resupply 1819-20. operations that were hampered by ice One project in which the ships were movements and bad weather. engaged was to determine the exact posi After the transfer of passengers the tion of the South Magnetic Pole off the Professor Vize sailed to the Kerguelen Adelie Coast. On February 9 the Admiral Islands where she met the passenger ship Vladimirsky made an unexpected and Bashkiriya at Port-aux-Francais. There unannounced visit to McMurdo Sound she took on expedition members who where she stayed nearly three hours. had travelled from Leningrad aboard Three research ships took part in a the Bashkiriya. programme of oceanographic studies From Port-aux-Francais the Professor last season, focusing on the Antarctic Vize proceeded to Mirny and then to circumpolar current and its interaction Prydz Bay. There she took part in the with the Antarctic Polar Front. After establishment of the new seasonal base relieving Bellinghausen on King George Soyuz at Beaver Lake near the Amery Island in the South Shetlands the Pro Ice Shelf. Then she travelled to Maputo, fessor Zubov operated mainly in the Mozambique, for resupply. Argentine Basin to the north of the In regular seasonal operation in the Scotia Ridge which the Russians call the Weddell Sea the cargo ships Kapitan South Antillean Arc. Myshevskiy and Pavel Korchagan, both A second ship, the Akademik Mstislav newcomers to Antarctica, reactivated Keldysh, worked in the area where the Druzhnaya I on the Filchner Ice Shelf at Atlantic-Indian Ridge, which the Rus 78 deg S, and Druzhnaya II (75deg S) at sians call the African-Antarctic Ridge, the base of the Antarctic Peninsula on joins the South-west Indian Ridge the Ronne Ice Shelf. These stations were (around 50 deg S/30 deg E). The third closed for the winter after two months' ship, the Dmitri Mendeleyev, focused on operation. the area south-west of the Campbell Winter staff for the permanent sta Plateau where the South-east Indian tions were transported by Ilyushin-18 Ridge and the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge aircraft from Maputo to Molodezhnaya, converge north of the Balleny Islands. and aboard the Mikhail Somov, which She called at the New Zealand port of sailed from the Soviety Union earily in Dunedin early in February. February with scientists and support Eight ships including the Professor staff for four stations, including Len- Zubov, took part in the operations of ingradskaya on the Oates Coast. Last of the 28th Soviet Antarctic Expedition eight ships in SAE-28 was the tanker (SAE-28). There were some errors in the BAM, one of the Finnish-built Samotlor report in the June issue of "Antarctic", class of 12,000 — tonne tankers which which was based on early information took a cargo of oil products from the about proposed ship movements. Black Sea refining centre of Batum. mm ■ '';>4*Sft*>««'Sa;j. flHH ANTARCTIC I Brazil to build summer station Brazil which sent two expeditions to Brazilian reports. But there have been Antarctica last season plans to establish suggestions that it will on the Weddell a permanent station, possibly on the Sea coast. Last season the Barao de Princess Martha Coast of Queen Maud Teffe, formerly the Thala Dan, called at Land, but not for several seasons. This stations in the Antarctic Peninsula area season a summer station will be built in and then worked in the Weddell Sea and the Antarctic Peninsula Area. off the Princess Martha Coast. Her last call was to the West German station, A contract for the construction of a modular station by December 5 at a cost Georg von Neumayer in Atka Bay. of about $US240,000 was signed in Brazil's second expedition last season Brasilia last month. The contract is bet used the research vessel Professor W. ween the Ministry of the Navy and a Besnard. A biological oceanographic Brazilian company which manufactures research programme was carried out in railway equipment. Bransfield Strait by scientists from the Institute of Oceanography, University No indication of where the summer of Sao Paulo. station will be sited has been given in Shirase's maiden voyage to Syowa A glaciological traverse from Mizuho su Sato, will make her maiden voyage to Station 300km south-east of Syowa Sta Antarctica with members of the summer tion to 75deg S/35deg E will be made and winter parties of JARE-25. She will this season by members of the 24th be south of 55deg between early Japanese Antarctc Research Expedition December and early March. (JARE-24). The traverse will be carried Japan's research programme will out from November to January, and a begin officially on November 14 when temporary camp will be established at the Shirase will sail from Tokyo for the terminal site. By 1988 a third perma Fremantle where she is due on nent research station will be built there. November 28. From Fremantle she will This year the new 11,647-tonne re sail for Syowa Station where she is due search and supply icebreaking ship at the end of December. Shirase, commanded by Captain Tomat- U.S. inspection of 14 stations No activities contrary to the letter or Novolazarevskaya (Soviet Union), the spirit of the Antarctic Treaty were Casey, Mawson, Davis (Australia), Du- encountered by a United States inspec mont d'Urville (France), Syowa (Japan), tion team which visited 14 Antarctic sta Sanae (South Africa), Georg von tions of eight other nations last season. Neumayer (West Germany), Halley (Bri The team, led by Dr Albert S. Chapman, tain), General Belgrano II and Vice- of the State Department, included Mr comodore Marambio (Argentine). Ronald A. Gaiduk (State Department), When the Polar Star reached Palmer Commander Maria Kazanowska, U.S. Station on March 7 she completed her Navy, and Colonel John A. Raymond, 69-day westward circumnavigation U.S. Army. cruise round the Antarctic Continent. During its 48-day cruise aboard the The cruise began when she arrived at United States Coast Guard icebreaker Palmer Station on December 24, 1982. Polar Star the team conducted inspec She sailed for McMurdo Station on tions in accordance with Article VII of December 28, and began the westward the Antarctic Treaty. The stations were: circumnavigation when she departed on Leningradskaya, Mirny, Molodezhnaya, January 21, 1983. September 1983 ANTARCTIC Hang gliding French yachtsmen A French yachtsman, Jerome Poncet, part, were climbed. Patrick Cudennec and his Australia-born wife, Sally, who and Christian de Morliave and Michel left the New Zealand port of Lyttelton Franco climbed Mt Verne, and Philippe for the Antarctic Peninsula on Cardis and Luc Frejus made the ascent December 13 last year in their 15m of Mt Arronax on skis. Jerome Poncet schooner-rigged yacht Damien II, made and Tina Troup crossed Horseshoe their landfall at Anvers Island on Island on skis. It has peaks rising from January 16 after 26 days at sea from the 600m to 900m. Chatham Islands. Also aboard were From Horseshoe Island the Damien II their two children, four-year-old Dion and the Graham sailed south together. and Liev, who is l'/i, Tina Troup, of They stopped at the Argentine base, Christchurch, and a Breton sailor, General San Martin. There Jerome Patrick Cudennec. Poncet, Olivier Carre, Christian de After their arrival at the United States Morliave and Tina Troup climbed the Palmer Station on Anvers Island the low peak of Millerand Island on skis. Poncets took two scientists from the sta tion to Cape Monaco, the south-west tip Neny Fiord produced some of the of the island. Then the Damien II took a gustiest weather the yachts had en countered in a summer that was predom inantly calm and sunny. The two moored under Red Rock Ridge (690m) Chinstrap, Adelie, and Gentoo pen between Neny Fiord and Rymill Bay. guins, cormorants, and other bird col Patrick Cudennec and Christian de onies. Bird counts were made for the In Morliave remained there to make a rock ternational Survey of Antarctic Seabirds climb. (ISAS). On February 8 the Damien II reached Then the rest of the two crews sailed Avian Island at the southern tip of to an area of fast ice between the Refuge Adelaide Island and at the entrance to Islands on the south-west side of Red Rock Ridge and the coast. This provided Marguerite Bay. This was the island where the Poncets were based in 1978 an excellent runway for Michel Franco's for more than a year. It has a rookery of two-seater motorised glider, and he was 80,000 Adelie penguins and many able to give everyone a flight. nesting birds. Beyond this point the two yachts From Avian Island the Damien II, parted company. Damien II tried unsuc with the crew still bird spotting, headed cessfully to reach Alexander Island to for the British Antarctica Survey base the south-west but turned back on the Rothera on Adelaide Island. There the second day when the pack ice became crew encountered again the French yacht heavier and the weather showed signs of Graham, which was also cruising in the deteriorating. Antarctic Peninsula region. By February 27 the Damien II was Last season was particularly good for back at Avian Island. Once the weather navigation in Marguerite Bay as there settled the yacht continued its 900km was considerably less sea ice. Both voyage north in stages up the coast with yachts therefore headed together for the crew still spotting new bird colonies. Horseshoe Island where the crews spent From the South Shetlands the Damien a week. They climbed peaks on Pour- headed north to the Falkland Islands. quoi Island, skied, and Jerome Poncet The Poncet family sailed Damien II made two flights wiih his hang glider on from Port Stanley to Montevideo for the Horseshoe Island. winter. In September parents and Two peaks, Mi Verne (1645m) in children will go south again to spent the southern part of Pourquoi Pas Island, summer in the Antarctic Peninsula area and Mt Arronax (1585m) in the northern and at South Georgia. ANTARCTIC THE READER WRITES DISCOVERY HUT Sir, swore that the building would collapse I read with disbelief ("Antarctic", when we removed the ice from inside, June, 1983) that it has been seriously then when proved wrong, wanted to suggested that a plastic geodesic dome demolish the building and re-erect it on be erected over the Discovery hut at Hut the roof of the Canterbury Museum. Point. That the suggestions has its source from a staff member of the Na Now they want to interfere with its tional Museum, an institution one would contents and create a tidy, clean and expect to be aware of historic sensitivity, brightly lit artifical monstrosity that seems astounding. Such a aberration would convey nothing of its genuine in would destroy all of the historic at terior environment. Experts? Yours etc. mosphere of the site as well as placing BADEN NORRIS the building at considerable risk. Such a dome would reduce the available light and artificial lighting would be then required. There is no form of illumination that I am aware of I believe that Scott's hut at Hut Point that does not produce heat. Any raising should be preserved by whatever means of the temperature within this and the is necessary. It is one of the best-known other huts would constitute a much landmarks in all of Antarctica, perhaps greater threat to the contents than any because it is so visible at McMurdo. raised by Mr Fry. When I first saw the hut in 1960, it was It would also increase the fire risk and nearly filled with snow and ice, the outer walls had a variety of graffiti on them, destroy completely the genuine and very and the general environs were in disar special air of history that most visitors feel when they enter such places. ray. Through the years the New Zealand Antarctic Society and others have done I am amazed that it should now be an excellent job in restoring the hut and considered necessary to "tidy up", and maintaining it. light the building when it never was so in its 80-odd years of survival through There is some merit in leaving the hut to whatever fate the elements might polar history. As a member of the four- man team that restored the hut in 1964 I determine, which is a kind of ultra- can say with firm conviction, that it is as environmentalist viewpoint. Instead, it has always been since the Aurora party however, I believe the museum approach is probably the only means of preserving departed in 1917, untidy, dirty and the hut for not only our lifetimes but dimly lit. In the good name of historic others as well. A dome similar to the one authenticity, may it long be allowed to remain so. described in New Zealand Antarctic Record (Vol 4, No. 3, 1983, P. 8) is pro The greatest threat to Hut Point bably the most feasible way of doing comes from the presence of men. A road this. The dome design could include a running close to the building places it at few large sections of clear plexiglas or risk from falling equipment or vibration similar durable material, which, from from heavy machines. The fuel tanks on the inside, would permit aesthetic views its back door can only be viewed with of McMurdo Sound, Victoria Land, and trepidation. A dome would not be of the Royal Society Range. Winter any earthly use should these fears ever Quarters Bay would provide a little more be realised. of the historical aspect of the hut, but I believe the hut is at threat from the such a view would also include McMur- over-attention of "experts". Suchpeople do's rubbish dump, unfortunately. September 1983 ANTARCTIC

Constructed properly, the inside of to allow access on any side by construc the dome could provide the security tion equipment or vehicles in the event necessary to display artefacts, memora that major repairs or modifications bilia, maps, etc. of many aspects of might become necessary. Some kind of polar history on opaque panels of the venting apparatus should be included to dome. Forethought should also be given rid the interior of moisture buildup dur to possible repercussions to the building ing peak times of occupancy. and permafrost because of the dome's There are numerous details related to presence. Changes to the permafrost the ultimate design and construction of because of the "greenhouse" cover and such an enclosure, but the basic concept heat entrapment could affect the integ should be considered seriously as a mat rity of the building as a result of shifts in ter of preserving this important aspect of the foundation. Antarctic history. Yours etc, The dome could be constructed so as JOHN SPLETTSTOESSER to allow for easy dismantling of panels South Pole ventures postponed Two private expeditions — one British expedition's change in plan was revealed and one French — which planned to by Mear to a New Zealand journalist in make journeys to the South Pole next London last month. year from Cape Evans and the Bay of In December, 1984, Swan and Mear Whales respectively are reported to have and six others will leave Britain by yacht. postponed operations for a year. They intend to winter in McMurdo Originally two Englishmen hoped to Sound and in a prefabricated hut in manhaul sledges to the Pole, and the preparation for an early start from Cape Frenchmen proposed to reach it with Evans as soon as conditions permit. dog teams. A doctor, an engineer, a cameraman, Earlier this year Robert Swan, a and a sound technician will be among 27-year-old-tree surgeon and self-styled the crew of the yacht. Only Swan and professional explorer, and 32-year-old Mear will take the sledges south in the Roger Mear, a professional moun summer of 1985-86. taineering instructor, announced their plan to haul sledges 1365km from Cape No advance depots will be set up Evans to the Pole this summer to along the route and there will be no air recreate Scott's journey in 1911-12. support. Swan and Mear will be in radio They proposed to fly to McMurdo communication with McMurdo Station Sound in a chartered Hercules aircraft and Scott Base. on October 25. Twelve French sailors, mountaineers, Proposals that the chartered aircraft divers, and skiers, who planned to sail should carry cargo for the Americans on three 16m boats from New Zealand to its flight between New Zealand and An the Bay of Whales in December, 1984, tarctica in return for transport of Swan winter on the Ross Ice Shelf in 1985, and and Mear from the Pole to McMurdo make a summer journey by dog sledge to Station by a United States Navy ski- the Pole are also reported to have equipped Hercules were not accepted by delayed their project for a year. The ex the United States National Science pedition, led by Bertrand Dubois, in Foundation. In addition, according to tended to use 60 dogs, 20 carried in each Mear, the Melbourne firm responsible boat for the Pole journey. for the Hercules charter "has gone bust". Now Swan and Mear propose to reach their starting point in Antarctica by sail ing a yacht from Britain next year. The .MSKfJlWJ i-^teVe* jmwmfmmi

tjm ANTARCTIC September 1983 Captain Hedblom: polar medicine authority A United States authority on cold Air Force for information the care of weather medicine, Captain E. E. cold weather casualties produced Hedblom, who was staff surgeon with another brief pamphlet. Then in the the Naval Support Force, Antarctica, same year the two pamphlets were up from 1955 to 1959, died on November 27 dated, condensed and combined to meet last year in Brunswick, Maine, after a a request for medical guidance by the brief illness. New Zealanders who knew Belgian Antarctic expedition and the Captain Hedblom during the first five first edition of Antarctic Manual was years of Operation Deep Freeze remem born. ber him as a giant of a man, usually clad Captain Hedblom edited later editions in outsize overalls with a big red cross on of the Polar Manual, drawing on the the back, who had a fondness for simple records and observations of United practical jokes and a cheerful disregard States Navy doctors with polar ex for the rules against the consumption of alcohol on United States Navy ships. perience, and the advice of scientists and polar explorers. Some like Sir Hubert During his service with the Depart Wilkins, Paul-Emile Victor, and Cap ment of Cold Weather Medicine, United tain Harry Kirkwood, R. N., were States Navy Medical School in Bethesda, friends and shipmates. Others who knew Maryland, Captain Hedblom was largely him well included Phillip Law, Bernt responsible for the production of the Balchen, Vilhjalmur Stefansson, and Dr Antarctic Manual which covered living Bernard Gunn, who was injured in New conditions, clothing, nutrition, supplies, Zealand's first fatal Antarctic accident equipment, cold injuries, safety and sur when a snocat went into a crevasse near vival. The revised and rewritten third Cape Selborne in 1959. edition became the widely known Polar After his five summers in Antarctica Manual. Captain Hedblom was medical consul When Deep Freeze I ended Captain tant to the Chief of Naval Operations, Hedblom wrote a brief set of "Polar the Commander, Naval Support Force, Do's and Don'ts" on hygiene and per Antarctica, and the Arctic Institute of sonal safety to assist men going on Deep North America. He was also cold Freeze II. One of the bluntly written weather consultant to the Commandant. don'ts described what happened to a U.S. Marine Corps. In 1961 he published New Zealand politician visiting Antarc the first specific statistics of morbidity tica who disregarded it. over the five years to 1961 of United This pamphlet was not published but States winter bases in Antarctica, and in manuscript form served as a guide for United States Navy operations within the first Japanese expedition in 1956-57. the Antarctic Circle. A request in 1959 by the Royal Australian Veteran of BANZARE expedition One of the veterans of Mawson's last Dr Ingram was born in Scotland and Antarctic research expedition, Dr Wil- was a graduate of Aberdeen University. liam Wilson Ingram, died in Sydney on He served in France during the First November 25 last year aged 94. He serv World War, was wounded, and won the ed as medical officer and biologist with Military Cross. After the war he settled the British, Australian, New Zealand in Australia and for 45 years until 1974 Antarctic Research Expedition (BAN was director of the Kolling Institute of ZARE) on the Discovery's voyages in Medical Research which is attached to the 1929-30 and 1930-31 summers. the Royal North Shore Hospital. Then ANTARCTIC

he was consultant physician until his Mawson's Australasian Antarctic Ex retirement in 1979. pedition of 1911-1914. Ingram Bay (68deg 35min S/72deg Mr Webb, an associate of the college 20min E), an embayment of the ice shelf School of Engineering, who lives in coast of MacKenzie Bay at the western retirement in England, was only 22 when extremity of the Amery Ice Shelf sighted he joined the expedition. When he from the air on February 11, 1931, was returned he was swept up almost im named for Dr Ingram. But because of its mediately into the First World War, and temporary nature the embayment is not as a result of his war service was unable named on Australian maps. to analyse the results of his observations. Professor C. C. Farr accepted the job, and, in turn, persuaded 10 of his women JIT'S physics students to undertake the very Miss Beatrice Smith, one of the few detailed work involved. Computers were survivors of the "Mawson Club," died unheard of in those days, and the in Christchurch early last year. She students took nearly two years and a belonged to a group of women students half to complete their task, using nearly at Canterbury University College, now all their spare time, including the vaca the University of Canterbury, who, dur tions of those who lived in Christchurch. ing the First World War, completed and Mawson later called the group "the tabulated magnetic observations taken magnetic ladies of Canterbury College." in Antarctica by Mr Eric Webb, the New When Miss Smith died the original Zealand chief magnetician with group was reduced to four. MICROLITES AND COPEPODS Gold exists on a large scale in the An in 1973 between an American draft tarctic. It can be obtained by following evader and a local girl. Grim Fiddle the Alaskan experience of thawing out "sails ever southward to new reunions the gravel. and losses and the bloody achievement No, the report does not come from of power in Antarctica where he wins a "Antarctic Geoscience" and was not kingdom and a dangerous bride, and written in 1983. The author is the almost loses his soul. "All this, and distinguished Australian geologist, South Georgia too, for US$16.95. Edgeworth David, who was with * * * Shackleton's 1907-09 expedition, and Pierre Boulle, author of "Bridge on the quotation comes from a lecture he the River Kwai," has written an adven gave to the Royal Institution in Sydney ture story with humour and suspense 57 years ago. called "La Baleine des Malouines" or * * * "The Whale of the Falklands." The A slightly different view of the future hero or rather the principal heroine is a of Antarctica comes from an American huge good-natured blue whale. writer, John Calvin Batchelor whose By her presence the whale confirms to book has not attracted the most the admiral commanding the British favourable attention. He is responsible fleet on the way to the South Atlantic for "The Birth of the People's Republic the warning of the Duke of Edinburgh of Antarctica" published recently by the transmitted by the Admiratly: " Atten Dial Press. According to the "New York tion Cetaceans often appear on radars Times Book Review" of May 29, 1983, like submarines." the book begins in the known world. A Swedish-American narrator and here, Grim Fiddle, is the illegitimate pro duct of an encounter in a Stockholm bar ANTARCTIC September 1983 Private expedition to restore Mawson's hut [",;:" ;:-;';" '■'■'' I I i A group of Australian adventurers plans to sail from Hobart to Common Ross Dependency wealth Bay in November next year to restore Mawson's hut, built for his birds MM Hj I 1911-13 Australasian Antarctic Expedi tion (AAE). The expedition also pro Financial and logistic support for poses to retrace and try to complete research into the distribution, popula Mawon's eastern journey along the tion, and ecology of the birds of the coast of King George V Land in 1912-13 Ross Dependency have been received by when his companions, Lieutenant the New Zealand committee of the Inter Belgrave Ninnis and Dr Xavier Mertz, national Survey of Antarctic Seabirds died. (ISAS). A joint contribution of $25,000 has been made by B.P. Oil N.Z. Ltd and Code-named Project Blizzard the ex the Department of Scientific and In- pedition, expected to cost $A250,000, will be led by William Blunt, an ar chitect, and Dr Ross Vinning, a medical One contributor, B.P., has provided research scientist, both of Sydney. They $14,000 for ISAS projects in the Ross led a private expedition to Heard Island Dependency. The DSIR contribution of last summer. Two South Australians, $11,000 represents the cost of logistic Jonathan Chester, a freelance support for future research work. photographer, and Robert Easther, a Since the New Zealand ISAS commit teacher, who also went to Heard Island, tee was established some 41 per cent of have joined the co-leaders to prepare for the 34 known Adelie penguin colonies in Project Blizzard. the Ross Dependency have been Geologists, physcists, meteorologists, surveyed. Two new colonies have been carpenters, and museum experts, will be discovered, and several major reports among the 20 members of the expedi have been prepared. tion. Most of them will go south in a Recommendations for future or ship which will take equipment and nithological research in the Ross materials to Commonwealth Bay. The Dependency have been prepared by the others will sail a yacht — possibly the committee. These refer in particular to 13m steel-hulled Domino — from oil exploration/exploitation and krill Hobart. harvesting, and their effect on seabirds When the expedition reaches and penguins. Commonwealth Bay about December 10 first priority will be the restoration of Mawson's hut, which is expected to take Desmond Bagley, one of the world's two weeks. The building will be cleared top-selling thriller writers, who died in of snow and ice, and the outer planking Southampton on April 12, visited and damaged framework will be re McMurdo Station and Scott Base in placed, using material given by the 1968. He began writing another thriller Australian Antarctic Division. inspired by his Antarctic visit but since 1979 the book has not been mentioned in Three men will then attempt to retrace the publishing world. Mawson's journey. They will use motor toboggans instead of dogs, and expect to When Bagley was at Scott Base he complete the journey in 28 days. used two pocket tape recorders to retain his impressions of everything he saw there. He explained later that he used K^'.O'c^ tapes to recall people and places and stimulate his imagination. YINjTHRCiTjl

is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December. It is the only periodical in the world which gives regular up-to-date news of the Antarctic activities of all nations at work in the far south. If has a worldwide circulation.

Yearly subscription NZ$8.00, Overseas NZ$9.00, includes postage (air mail postage extra), single copies $2.00. Details of back issues, available, may be obtained from the Secretary, New Zealand Antarctic Society (Inc.), P.O. Box 1223, Christchurch, New Zealand. Back issues more than five years old are available on request. Overseas subscribers are asked to ensure that their remittances are converted to New Zealand currency.

NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC SOCIETY (INC.) The New Zealand Antarctic Society was formed in 1933. It comprises New Zealanders and overseas friends, many of whom have seen Antarctica for themselves, and all of whom are vitally interested in some phase of Antarctic exploration, development, or research. You are invited to become a member, South Island residents should write to the Canterbury secretary, North Islanders should write to the Wellington secretary, and overseas residents to the secretary of the New Zealand Society. For addresses, see below. The yearly membership fee is NZ$6.00 (or equivalent local currency). Membership fee, overseas and local, including "Antarctic", NZ$13.00.

New Zealand Secretary: P.O. Box 1223, Christchruch Branch Secretaries: Canterbury: P.O. Box 404, Christchurch. Wellington: P.O. Box 2110, Wellington. ^m .

r%M»| PS33SII "LOOKING 'SOUTH " "Looking South", published by the New Zealand Antarctic Society to mark its first 50 years, will appear next month. Copies of the book can be ordered and paid for now. Mailing will begin in November-December. Orders from: Book Project, N.Z. Antarctic Society, P.O. Box 2110, Wellington, N.Z. at NZ$7.50, post free or Treasurer, N.Z. Antarctic Society, P.O. Box 1223, Christchurch N.Z. Overseas payments should be converted to the equivalent in New Zealand currency.

ANTARCTIC POSTCARDS A new set of postcards depicting aspects of Antarctica is now available from the New Zealand Antarctic Society. They show Scott Base, Emperor penguins on the sea ice of McMurdo Sound, a New Zealand dog team outside Scott's hut at Cape Evans, and a Scott Base husky. These cards sell at four for $1 plus postage. Surface mail postage rates are 30 cents (New Zealand) and 50 cents (overseas). Orders accompanied by cheque or money order should be addressed to Cards, P.O. Box 1223, Christchurch, New Zealand. Overseas payments should be converted to the equivalent New Zealand currency.

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