The Daily Alaska empire., 1928-08-14
(EDlTOR'S NOTE: This is .. the tenth of a series on forth coming expeditions of cxplora- ton into the Antarctic.)
By JOHN L. COOLEY GA. p. Science Editor)

Copyright. 1928, Associated Press,
 NEW YORK, Aug. 14.-Five scientists are going to Antarctica with the Byrd expedition to make geographical, meteorological, gla- biological, geological and other studies in a large area of the lit- tle-known south polar region.
 The entire expedition, 1t might be said, is built around these men, for Commander Byrd's chief pur- pose is to extend mans knowledge of the ice-ridden land that reach- es around the bottom of the world. Antarctica's area is roughly D. 000,000 square miles, of which 4,- 600,000 square miles are virtually unexplored
 With the aid of the airplane the scientists hope to be able to fly over vast stretches of the conti- mental plateau never before seed, thereby making important addi- tions to the map, They will also use the plane in establishing scien- tific stations in the interior.
 The geologist5 of the party are l.. M. Gould, professor of geoln- gy at the University of Michigan, and John O'Brien, assistant, 0. Minneapolis. Their theatre of operations will be King Edward VII Land, which they hope to map, at least in part, for the first time. They will study the mountain ranges that cross this district. paying particular attention to the trend of the elevations, their struc- lures and their possible relation ship to the Andes of South Ameri- ca and the mountains of New Zea- land
 Gould and O'Brien also will seek specimens of rocks and fossils. If the latter are to be found, they will be of inestimable value in de- termining whether life ever exist ted in Antarctica, what the conti- nent's climatic history has been, the chances of a change in cli- mate and whether Antarctica was ever connected with South Ameri- ca, South Australia and New Zea- land.
 Their instruments are specially designed and adapted for the ex- tremely low temperature that will be encountered, even during the summer months.
 Transportation for the mapping and exploration work will probab- ly be provided for the most part by the dog sledge. At times the two geologists will be far afield, but they hope to maintain radio communication with the main base on the Ross Sea ice barrier.
 Ralph F. Sropshire of New York and Frank T. Davies of McGill University are the party's experts on oceanography, hydrography, magnetism, photomicroscopy, solar radiation, glaciology and the au- rora australis, which is the south polar counterpart of the aurora borealis. reS
 Shropshire, as oceanographer. will start work as' soon as the ex- petition steamer Samson sails on her long pull across the southern ocean from Dunedin, New Zealand. He will make collection of sur- face 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 also the salinity and temperature. Bottles are to be tossed into the sea to point the direction of the ocean currents.
 The plans for the magnetic studies on the continent include at least one trip, either by plane or by sledge. to the south magnet ic pole. Field work in magne- tism will be undertaken from as many stations as possible, while a year will be spent in accumulat- ing records of magnetic intensity, horizontal intensity and declina- tion. These measurements will be obtained with magentograph which is to be set up in non- magnetic building at the base camp.