Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-22
ny JOHN L. COOLEY

~ JOHN L. COOLEY
Associated Press Science Editer
NEW YORK. August 23,-~Five SCH
entiStS are going to Antavctica With the
Byrd expedition to make geographical,
geological, meteorological. genealogical
BIOLOGICAL and other studies in large
area of the little-known south polar
continent.
The entire expedition. it might be
said. is built around these men. for
Com6r Byrd1s chief purpose is to ex-
tend mans knowledge of the ice-riddcn
land that reaches around the bottom
Of the world Antsrct3ca's area Is
roughly 100000 square miles, of which
1900, 600 square miles are virtually UNI
explored
with the AID Of the airplane the SCI
entiSts hope 20 be able TO fiy over vast
stretches Of the continental plateau
never before seen. thereby making inn
portant additions 10 the map They
will also use the plane IN establishing
scientific stations in the interior,
Aim of Biologists.
The biologists Of the party are l.. NJ,
Gould. professor Of geology at the Uni
verSity Of Michigan, and John O'Brien,
assistant Of Minneapolis, Their the
alter OF operations will be King Edward
VII Lana which they hope 10 map, at
least in part. for the first time. They
will study the mountain ranges that
cross this district, paying particular at
tention TO the trend OF the elevations
their structures and their possible re-
lationship to the Andes of South Amer
ica and the mountains of New Zea-
land
Gould and OBrien also will seek
specimens of rocks and fossils. II the
latter are 10 be found. they will be of
inestimable value in determining
whether life ever existed in Antarctica.
what the continents climatic history
has been. the chances Of change IN
climate and whether Antarctica was
ever connected with South America,
South Australia and New Zealand
Their instruments are specially de-
signed and adapted for the extremely
low temperature that will be encoun-
tered. even during the Summer months.
Transports ton for the mapping and
exploration work will probably be pro-
vided for the most part by the dog
siedge. At times the two biologists
will be far afield. but they hope TO
maintain radio communication with
the main base on the Ross SEA ice
barrier
Experts on 0ceanography.
Ralph F. Shropshire of New York and
Frank T Davies of McGill University
are the party's experts on occanog-
raphy. photography, magnetism. pno-
ton.croscopy. solar radiation. gl2clol-
ogy and the aurora auStralis. which is
the south polar counterpart OF the au-
rora borealis.
Shropshire, as ocesnographer, will
start work as soon as the expedition
steamer Samson sails on her long pun
across the southern ocean from Dune
Gin. New Zealand. He will make
collection Of surface and sub-surface
marine life and will take soundings
with a sonic depth finder. determining
not only the depth of the water and
character of the ocean bottom, but
ALEC the salinity and temperature.
Bottles are to be tossed into the sea to
point the direction Of the ocean cur
rents
The plans for the magnetic studies
on the continent include at least one
trip, either By plane or ny sledge. 70
the south magnetic pole, Field WORK
In magnetism will be undertaken from
as mary stations as possible. while
year will be spent in accunrulatlng rec
ords of magnetic intensity. horizontal
intensity and defamation. These meas
uremenfs will be obtained with mag
retacraph. which Is 10 be set up IN
non magnetic building at the base ,
camp.
Spectroscopic Analyses Planned.
spectroscop.c analyses of the aurora
sugtralis never have been made, put
Shropshire and Davies hope 70 do I'M
r0rtart work In this field. correlating
their observations with the magnetic
data.
Davies. as physicist. viii study the
structure Of the continental ice cap. he
also will gather information on the Fa-
distson OF sky and earth, the radlal ac-
ti9ity OF snow and ice. the aurorai pne-
nomena and the slow movement OF the
glaciers.
william C. Haines, the meteorologist,
has Joined the exposition through tne
co-nnerstioyl Of the United STATES
Weather Bureau. with which he Is con-
rerted. and Of the National Geographic
SOCIETY," He will make surface obser-
vations Of the air temperature at inc
base camp and afleid and VIII stuoy