Victoria Land Traverse, Antarctica, 1959-1960

Abstract

... During the antarctic summer of 1959-1960, the Arctic Institute administered two ground traverses whose purpose was to penetrate unexplored regions of the continent and to gather as many scientific data as time, logistics, and nature permitted. The first of the two parties departed from New Zealand's Scott Base on October 16, 1959 crossing part of the Ross Ice Shelf toward the Skelton Glacier. (The second party started from Byrd Station in November 1959 and explored the region toward the Amundsen Sea.) ... On October 27 the party reached 79°05'S. 162°15'E. at the foot of the Skelton Glacier. After traversing up glacier through heavily crevassed areas, they reached the first of three fuel caches laid down by U.S. Navy and Air Force planes. After continuing from the first cache at the edge of the Victoria Land Plateau, the traverse group began the journey to B-61, end station of the French traverse of 1958/9, over 600 miles to the west. The journey to the French station and then east toward the head of Tucker Glacier covered much of Victoria Land and part of Terre Adélie. This part of the journey was largely at elevations well over 8,500 feet. Seismic soundings were made at regular intervals to determine ice thickness, and gravity and magnetic readings were taken. On January 30, 1960 the party discovered a new range of mountains, first sighting them in the vicinity of 72°15'S. 159°45'E. This new range has been tentatively named the Arctic Institute Range, pending official acceptance. ... Geological investigation revealed three groups of rocks: flat lying sediments, massive intrusives, and metasediments intruded by pegmatites. On February 10, 1960 during aerial evacuation of the remaining eight men, a new and sizeable glacier was discovered between the party's last position at 72°38.0'S. 161°31.8'E. and Rennick Bay on the Oates Coast. This glacier is tentatively named Rennick Glacier. It is at least 160 miles long and between 20 and 40 miles wide. The maximum elevation reached during the traverse was approximately 9,200 feet and the minimum daytime temperature -43°C. A total of 75 seismic reflection and refraction shots were made and over 450 gravity and magnetic stations established. The maximum ice thickness measured was over 10,000 feet. The Victoria Land Traverse party remained in the field 118 days, during which they travelled a total of 1,530 miles, most of it in formerly unexplored territory. ...