Observations on Ice Regions of the Arctic Ocean

Abstract

Reports 7 Mar - 20 Apr observations made by a physician and a high school geography teacher, members of a six-man nonscientific field party of the Plaisted Polar Expedition 1968, which traversed the pack ice from Ward Hunt Island to the geographic North Pole to be evacuated by air. Logistics, using four Bombardier Skidoo snowmobiles to tow 8-ft sleds, weather, and positioning are briefly described. The west wind was so constant that a northerly heading was maintained on overcast days by crossing tightly packed snow drifts or sastrugi at right angles. Surface features of three zones are described, a so-called shatter zone extending out about 25 mi where pack ice meets shelf ice; another with a highly variable surface, broad, old floes being the basic feature, separated by areas of extensive fragmentation; the third zone has an enormous lead at its southern limit and contains large-sized and old floes. These log-book notes give many details on pressure ridges, leads, floe sizes, orientation of upended ice fragments, etc.