Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-03
VALUE TO SCIENCE
/. OF BYRD HOP TOLD
Great Mystery of Whether
Antarctica Is DIVIDED
May BE Clarified.
BY the Associated Press.

NEW YORK, December 3.-The
greatest scientific mystery of Antarctics
which the Byrd expedition may help
clarity Is whether it is one or two con-
tinents.
Byrd's camp is on the outer tip of this
worlds largest glacier, called the Bar
rier, which bites far southwark into the
land masses of the continent Around
on the other side of Antarctica, nearly
opposite his camp is another huge bay
that extends southwark far toward the
interior. 1t is the Weddell Sea. Ex-
mentary evidence indicated there might
be connection between the water be-
meath the Barrier, where Little Amer
lea lies, and the Weddell Sea- One OF
the Darwins pointed out that tides in
dicated this possibility.
Elevation May Be Answer.
The elevation of the country where
this break in the continent might exist
would go far toward answering the
riddle. If the elevations are thousands
of feet, scientists believe the heights
would indicate dry land buried in the
ice beneath. Should there prove to be
a low, comparatively fiat plain between
the Weddell Sea and the Barrier, il
would be taken as indicating the pos
sibility of thick coating of ice over
lying either shallow water or a series
of low islands, about which water might
flow beneath the ice.
Byrd already has made some short
flights in the general direction of the
Weddell Sea. In those flights he has
found granite mountains sticking up
through the ice.
His explorations in that direction
have not been extensive. Sir Hubert
wilkins plans, If possible, to fly south
ward over the territory where this split
in Antarctica would lie, If it exists.
One Of the reasons for interest in
this possible division of the great polar
continent is to learn more about the
origins of the earth itself. 1t is thought
that If two continents are found, one
may prove to be continuation of the
Old World southwark, while the other
will mark the SouthernmoSt extension
of the New World. Biologists have
learned that there is much SamenesS i'll
the forms of texture and time of build
ing millions of years ago of the noun
tains that reach from Alaska to the tip
of South America, that are named the
Rockies in the Northern Hemisphere
and the Andes in the Southern.
Rocks Are Similar.
Due south of Cape Horn, where the
Andes seem to dive below the sea, in
Graham Land, part of Antarctica, the
rocks rising again above water have been
found to be in some respects like those
of the Andes.
But on the opposite side of Antarctica
the few geological researches thus far
possible have indicated quite differ
er1t land structure, one more nearly re-
lated to Australia, Asia and Africa.
Biologists long have suspected that
detailed examination of Anarctica may
show that at one time it had a warm
if not subtropical climate. DR.. Law
renee Gould, Byrd's geological leader
now nearing his long-Sought mountains
is one of the American biologists who
has given this idea much thought. The
evidences of such a former climate. il
found, are likely to lie in layers of what
now is rock, but which many millions
OF years ago was loose wind-blown sand
that covered the vegetation, insects and
animals, later being pressed into rock
and fossilizing the remains of living
things so that their shapes and struc-
ture are preserved indefinitely.
Barren of Life Today.
Antarctic to date has been peculiarly
barren of indications of former animal
or vegetable life. Biologists have had
almost no opportunity however, of
studying the place. If some parts were
once below sea level, and later pushed
up into mountains or plateaus. fossilized
remains Of fish and other sea life should
exist. Gould's analysis of the rocks
which he finds, whether or not It re-
veals former life, may help to answer
the scientific questions as to what part
OF the world structure that part OF
Antarctica belongs to.
His researches might reveal existence
OF valuable minerals. Far to the east.
ward of his present exploration some
evidences Of minerals have been founC
by Australian expeditions, also trace:
of coal. There is, however, now moth.
ing known of Antarctica's minerals thai
would indicate it as possible future
e Dorado.
The weather studies conducted by. the
Byrd party are Of immediate interest
to the whole Southern Hemisphere. be:
cause Antarctica is believed to hold the
key to the rainfall and other important
weather conditions south of the Equator
Its glaciers and cold currents run fal
northward and influence precipitation
Winds Blow Outward.
Available. records show that much O.
the year on all sides of this ice-covereC
continent the winds blow outward-tha
Is northward-as If somewhere above it!
great ice dome there is a keyhole in thu
atmosphere, that sucks higher current.
downward and starts them back nortE
along the surface.
There are peculiarities of atmospheric
pressure the origin of which is sought
They sometimes sweep rhythmicall,
across Antarctica at the rate of abou
20 miles an hour and scientific writer
nave referred to them as mysterious.
Belief that their rainfall depends
largely on Antarctica is one of the prin
cipal reasons why Australia has beer
YElRFH# Observation-Disclosures