Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-11-06
Psychologists Explore
Remote Alaskan Region
Lofty Brooks Mountains Were
Once Bottom Of Shallow Sea
By THONGS R. Henry


By Thomas R. Henry
Forms of the strange sea creatures Of
300 million years ago are impressed In
the rocks OF the Brooks Mountains Of
northern Alaska.
These remain probably the least ex-
plored region under the American nag.
They are North Americas northern
rampant.
archaeological exploration Of parts
Of these mountains has been in progress
during the past two summers by geo.
logical survey party led by Arthur L.
Browsher, Smithsonian Institution pale
ontologist on detached duty with the
United States Geological Survey.
Throughout the long, temperate
quiet period of the planets history
known as the Mississippian. the rocks
Of these mountains were at the bot
tom Of shallow sea- Then the domin-
ant, or at least the most abundant, crea-
lures were crinoids, closely related to
the sea lilies of the present. This was
the heyday Of these curious animals
who were, for the most part, attached
by stems to the bottom ooze. Their
SVN4SS "VAV SONCACa WILL lilly RldOCo VI
calcium carbonate very similar to chalk.
Thick strata Of the mountains now are
made up of broken fragments Of their
skeletons. In other sections, however.
the forms Of the ancient creatures are
excellently preserved.
Variety Is Great.
There is great variety of them, for
the most part hitherto unknown to
science. Life was slow in those days.
The climate was somewhat warmer than
at present. Competition could not have
been too keen in the ancient seas, so
that the animals apparently were able
to enjoy prosperity for period which
may have covered as much as 80 million
years. Life on land had barely started.
There were many primitive flsh In the
seas.
Hitherto there has been little geologi-
cal exploration of the area. In the past
parties have entered the mountains in
winter, travelling by dog sled up the
Yukon and through one of the great
river divides. With the break Of Spring
they would float down one of the north
ward flowing rivers and travel along
the Arctic coast until they met some
whaling schooner which would carry
them back to civilization at the end
OF the season.
Now the geologist has taken to the
air. For the past five years the Geo.
logical Survey has been exploring the
northern foothills. This past summer
was the first in which parties pene-
trated far into the mountains. A base
camp was set up and it was possible
IN 10 ahN1Y
OF time for systematic research.
Great Natural Beauty.
The explorers found themselves In
region Of unexcelled natural beauty. In
the mountains are great glacial valleys,
their floors covered with MOSES and
stunted willows. They are carpeted
with flowers during the brief summer
when the temperature ranges from 80
to 10 Fahrenheit AL around tower
barren mountains reaching heights of
5000 feet. Further south they rise to
1000 feet.
The only human inhabitants are two
small groups of inland Eskimo. Bear
and caribou are plentiful. .ee
The Brooks range extends eastward
from Boring Sea into Canada and has
many similarities paleontologically with
the eastern slopes of the Rockies. It
is one of the earth's great Mississippian
areas. There are scattered remnants of
the ancient sea bottoms all over the
world, especially in the northern hem
isphere. A few outcroppings have been
found in South America.
The time belongs generally In the
major geological period known as the
Carboniferous when the great coal de-
posits were laid down in some parts Of
the world.