Evening star., 1942-08-30
Mysterious
Anturcticu
By Frederic J. Hdskin.

Because of most unusual times, peoples
OF the world are learning history and
geography at An unprecedented rate, but
the isolated continent of Antarctica re-
mains almost the same mystery 1t was
some years ago when Admiral Richard
E. Byrd made the latest exploit into
that little known area. Incidentally,
this continent of mystery and ice Is
about the only place In the world that
seems not to be coveted by some dictator
or pillaging nation.
Antarctica is estimated to embrace an
area Of 100000 square miles, the whole
OF which is covered by a continental
sheet of ice. the greatest ice mass In
the world. The depth Of the Ice sheet
Is problematical, some scientists hold
ing that it is 1000 feet thick while
others believe this figure is too con-
servative. The ice has buried ali the
land except the highest mountain peaks
and few areas OF volcanic rock along
the coast. 1t moves down to the sea
as an extended glacier along the coast,
while in the depressions between the
mountains it forms true valley glaciers.
The mountain chains form a buttress
for the vast central plateau, 5000 to
10000 feet above sea level, on which
the South Pole is situated
For geographical purposes, Antarctica
Is divided into four quadrants, which
take their names from the seas or the
lands to the north. Thus there are
African, Australian, Pacific and Amer
ican Quadrants. The coastlines OF the
African and Pacific quadrants are vir-
tually unknown. Only a small coastal
area OF the American quadrant has been
observed by explorers, but the Aus-
tralian quadrant is comparatively well
known.
OF all the expeditions that have landed
on the cost OF Antarctica only five have
penetrated more than 200 miles inland,
and all but one of these have been based
on the Ross Sea sector, from which
point the explorers journeyed over the
surface In the short midsummer to seek
their objectives, either the South Mag
netic Pole, or the South Pole. OF the
interior, beyond the field Of view opened
up by the traverses to the South Mag
netic Pole and western traverse from
McMurdo Sound, only the region in the
immediate vicinity of the Shackleton.
scott and Amundsen route to the pole
has been under observation.
The Australian quadrant Is bounded
on the east by Ross Sea and extends
westward to Queen Mary Land, includ-
ing South Victoria Land, Oates Land
Adele Land, King George v Land, and
Wilkes Land discovered by the American
naval omcer, Charles Wilkes, in 1910.
Inc western rim of Ross Sea is belt
OF mountain country, the mountains ris-
ing from Ross Barrier, a vast sheet Of
| Ice covering an area Of about 100. 900
square miles. 1t was on this barrier, near
the Bay OF Whales, that Byrd made his
base of operations.
Ross Barrier. extending across Ross
Sea to King Edward VII Land, is more
than 400 miles long, and Its width from
the sea face to the mountains ffanking
the polar route is 400 miles. Shelf ice is
. formation peculiar to the Antsrctica
and Ross Barrier. the greatest shelf Of
all. 1t is the creation Of glacier tongues
| that rolled down from the mountains
and overran the submerged PARTON Of
the continent in the Ross sector. Even
| today the hinterland discharges ice to
Ross Sea through several glacier chan
nels from to Is miles wide and In some
cases 100 miles long.
Whether Ross Barrier Is afioat or
rests on the bottom of the sea is a dis
puted question. Scott thought it was
af1oat, and supported his statement with
deep -soundings taken OF the face of
the shelf. Amundsen reached q diff.
ferent conclusion, the Norwegian's In.
struments recording no movement while
he was encamped at the Bay Of Whales.
| Projecting certain theories, some scien.
lists agree with Scott and others with
Amundsen.
The Pacific quadrant has Ross Sea on
its western boundary and here in King
Edward VII Land are noticeable out
groupings OF rock. In his first extended
fight from the Bay of Whales Byrd
reached this sector, getting = good view
Of the rocks that show themselves above
the snow, and also view of Alexandra
Mountains. He found . new island, put
"A peaks on, the map and caught q
| glimpse of the hitherto unseen hinter-
land beyond. 1t will take, however,
further explorations to enable geogra.
pliers to Ak definitely the coastline of the
Pacific quadrant.
In the American quadrant the Weddell
Sea area, huge indentation, Coats
Land, Charcot Land and Graham Land
are sectors that have attracted the at
tention OF various explorers Some years
ago Sir George Wilkins made flights
over Graham Land and discovered that
1t was not part of the continent
proper, but two islands One Of the
master geographical problems concerns
the possibility of the continent itself be-
ing divided. Weddell Sea, in the Amer
lean quadrant is almost opposite Ross
Sea In the Australian quadrant. These
two seas, some scientists say at one
time may have been connected by
strait that was subsequently overlaid
with ice Of the polar plateau. Thus the
question remains whether Antarctica
is 4 solid mass or two islands bound to-
sether by sheet OF ice.
A glance at the map OF the African
quadrant will reveal the names Of En-
derby Land. Kemp Land and Kaiser
William II Land, but these are little
more than names, The famous rock.