The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-09-03
SCIENTISTS TO
BRAVE WINTER
ON HIGH PEAK
Mt. Washington Will Be
Scene of Observations
by Party.

BJ Science Service
PINKHAM NOTCH, N. H, Sept.
3.-The summit of famous Mount
Washington, highest of the White
mountains, will be occupied by a
scientific party this fall for the
first time since 1887.
Weather, aurora, magnetic, radio
and other observations will be made
at this frigid point, 6,288 feet high,
as a part of the second polar year
program being participated in by
many nations this year and next.
The observing program is being
arranged under direction of Joseph
B. Dodge, manager of the Appa-
lachian Mountain club huts in the
White mountains, with cooperation
of leading scientists, among them
DR.. Charles F. Brooks, director of
the Blue Hill observatory of Harv-
ard university; Professor j. w.
Goldthwait Of Dartmouth college
and DR.. Norman E. Gilbert, also of
Dartmouth, president of the New
Hampshire academy of science.
Three observers will live on the
summit from Oct. Is to June Is of
next year. In recent winter seasons.
the mountain has been abandoned
to the wind and cold and few in
trepld mountaineers, although dur
ing the summer months hundreds
OF tourists visit the summit by cog
railroad, auto road or trail.
Mercury Fail Far
A hotel is operated at the sum-
NIT during the summer, but the rig
ors of Arctic winter weather close
the peak to casual visitors about
the middle of October.
Although geographically in the
temperate zone, the summit of Mt.
Washington is clirnatologically in
the Arctic. 1t is above the timber
line and temperatures as low as SO
degrees below zero Fahrenheit and
wind velocitieS up to 1876 miles an
hour were recorded there during the
seventeen years, 1871-1887. that gov
eminent weather bureau observa-
lions were made there winter and
summer.
The observations this winter.
made with the most modern instru-
mentS, will be an important part of
the extensive probing of the in
constants of nature provided by the
polar year plans.
At the Pinkham Notch headuuar-
tiers camp of the Appalachian
Mountain club, weather and other
observations will be made regular
Iy during the winter to provide a
basis of comparison for observa-
tons made On the Mt. Washington
summit two and one-half miles air
line distance, but 4,281 feet higher
N altitude.
Radio Station Planned
Dodge has spent eleven years,
summer and winter, in the White
mountains, living with his family
at Pinkham Notch. He will man
age the expedition and serve as re-
lief on the summit for the regular
observers, as well as operate the
comparison station at Pinkham
Notch.
In earlier winter observations
nearby comparison stations were
lacking.
A complete radio station, with call
letters WIOB, will be installed on
the summit to allow observers to
communicate with polar year ex-
petitions in the far north and other
points in the outside world. Con-
slant communication will be main
tanned with Dodge's radio station,
WIUN, at Pinkham Notch.
There also will be regular sched-
ules with Boston and other cities
for transmission Of daily weather
and magnetic observations. Trans
mitterS will use the amateur fire.