Evening star., 1935-01-20

the polar regions. The worlds
meteorology canotn be divided into
alright compartments. The poles ex-
ercise a great influence upon world
weather, and a knowledge Of the con-
ditions prevailing in Antarctica has
vital bearing on long range forecast
ing not only for the Southern Hemis-
phere, but for the world.
In the same sort of category Is thg
study of terrestrial magnetism, one Of
the strongest departments not only on
this but on the first expedition. With
better apparatus over a longer period
Of time DR.. Bramhall, assisted by
Zuhn, has made continuous regis
tration of magnetic elements at the
base station. Such data are of in
dispensable importance to full knowl-
edge Of the permanent magnetic field
of the earth.
The biologists, Siple, DR.. Perkins.
Lindsey and Sterrett, have worked
with the same quiet effectiveness.
From the day we banded here they
have studied life-the variety of birds,
seals and penguins and the micro
scopic plankton that inhabit the ocean
depths within their reach. Even In
the dead of the Winter night DR.. Per-
kins and Sterrett could be found In
the Bay Of Whales, with the temper
ature so below, lowering q plankton
net for speciments until every crack
in the bay ice was closed.
Testing the Ice Sheet.
Now . number Of these so-called
routine observational activities, es-
pecially where they have been able to
benefit by improved technique, will, I
trust. provide several Of the brightest
chapters in the scientific report.
Earlier in this article I mentioned
several innovations this expedition has
introduced. OF these the seismic
soundings have yielded the most spec
tacular data.
This instrument, which measures
the velocity and track Of a sound
wave beneath the surface, has at last
provided us with long-sought means
to tap the ice sheet, determine its
thickness and get hint Of what lies
buried beneath.
While Morgan was running his SER
les Of seismic soundings along the
tractor track, DR.. Poulter made q
series of soundings in the vicinity of
Little America. the preliminary re-
suits of which threaten to force
science to recast its present conception
of the Ross Shelf ice as being largely
water-borne.
He found that the ice is supported
by an anchor on numerous submarine
reefs and peaks. In many places
where we had thought there was
water these instruments showed land
above sea level. Scarcely Is miles
south Of Little America q great hill
rising In the barrier snow has been
identified as an island, the summit of
which Is 1000 feet above sea level
and capped by 400 feet Of ice.
Another excellent merit Of the ap-
paratus Is that with its data We will
be able for the first time to limit the
probable volume of Antarctica ice to a
reasonable figure.
A New Technique.
At first Poulter relied upon q dog
team to carry his apparatus. Then
he tried a tractor. Lately he has
used the Condor plane william Hor-
lick. Once he was flown to seven
strategic points on q 25-mile radius
of Little America, at each Of which
he landed and made soundings. Re-
turning to the main base, he de-
veloped his data that night.
It has been one Of the firm mega
tives Of my policies never to land a
plane away from base II 1t could be
avoided, on account Of the possible
disastrous consequences Of q crack
up; but In this case I was tempted by
the high promise Of the research.
Certainly here was exploration with q
new twist-tracking down the un-
known past Of 600-foot armor of ice,
with sound waves returning to
whisper their discoveries to sensitive
apparatus on the surface.
The coSmtc ray yeGearch n Another