Evening star., 1947-09-26
Seas False Bottom Due
To Jet-PropeIIed Souid
Findings of Antarctic Expedition
Support Scientists Hypothesis
By Thomas r. Henry


The seas phantom bottom" which rises
at sunset and sinks at sunrise probably is
due to great hosts of jet-propelled souid ex-
tremely sensitive to light
This hypothesis is supported by findings of
the Nays Antarctic Expedition last winter
which took thousands of sonic depth measure.
ments in the far southern ocean where. Il Ia
known, there is very large squid population
forming large item in the diet of sperm
whales
The oceans false bottom which has led IA
numerous mistakes on navigational charts In
tne past, was discovered by Navy scientists
curing the war but the finding Immediately
became top secret because it involved inn
portant underwater sound experiments. When
Vne sonic depth finder, which determined ses
oeptnS oy the time taken for the return Of
ecnoeS, IS used bottom often Is found at
msht at depths of about 1000 feet in water
supposedly about 10000 feet deep Such hot
TOMS nave been recorded as Shoals" tons os
uhoersea mountains etc. The curious fact
was tnat they always were recorded after sun.
set, never in full daylight.
Records Now Under Study.
Thus. it was assumed. they must be due IN
some enormous mass of solid material which
The Navy expedition soundings the false bot
TOM phenomenon disappeared completely when
tne ships entered the region of perpetual dav
early last January The records now are bon.
S'uoled at the Navy photographic Office.
IN Antarctic seas, it Is explained there ars
TWO super-abundant forms of life which ore
Well-known and which make these waters ~.
earens richest pastures for marine life One
OF JleSe lfe-SWarnnS iS
almost lnvlsibly minute, -shelled. one.
celled plants which exist in countless ouadril-
Mons. They in turn, form the chief food Of
tiny red crustaceans, the krill. which occur u,
vast nelds, coloring many square miles of wa
ter blood-red. These are the chief food y,
sperm whales.
But both these forms of life are essentieur
without means of self propulsion. Thev fost
passlvely with the currents and seem In occ,,r
IN equal abundance night and day. They seem
10 nave no particular aversion to sunlight
Adapted To Twilight.
f1Sh' while plentiful, do not occur In larrs
Schools such as would constitute solid masses
capable OF returning sound echoes over con.
siderable area But, photographic ONCE SCI
ehtists point out, the squid and closely related
shialler octopuses, ut nicely into the picture
~ ' ANAAo"ii eiot WHALES, seals ana penguin feed
on them. They are creatures adapted through
millions OF generations to life in the darkness
or perpetual twilight of abysmal depths and It
is quite likely that even mild light is painful
to them.
Besides they have mechanism for moving
up ana down, very rapidly. Their ancestors.
about 4O00o0,00O years ago were the original
inventors OF jet propulsion and this has been
improved by the squid family ever since. They
could descend mile or so in very few min
utes Also, they are known to exist in large
SCHOOLS Perhaps the flight from light Is
means OF escape from animals which hunt in
the daytime.
Actually very little is known of the souid
population OF the Antarctic since few scientific
specimens have been recovered. But this would
nave been expected if they spend all daylight
hours at great depths
the phantom bottom" now has been re-
ported over most of the world, and souid are
distributed through all the oceans.