THIN CRUST OF LAND

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29070, 5 December 1959, Page 4

THIN CRUST OF LAND

Seismic Findings In Antarctic .

•‘The Press" Special Service AUCKLAND, December 3. New Zealand had played a major part ih tW Antarctic symposium held at Buenos Aires, said Dr. K. E. Bullen, leader of the Australian delegatioh to the conference, when he arrived in Auckland. A New Zealander, Dr. Bullen is professor of applied mathematics at Sydney University and a world authority on seismology. He is spending five days in Auckland visiting his parents before returning to Sydney. Dr. Bullen paid special attention at the Buenos Aires conference to the seismological findings. He said the New Zealand, Russian and American teams working in the Antarctic had uncovered valuable information. The findings had shown that although the eastern part of the Antarctic was of normal continental structure the western area had a thin crust. Parts of the Antarctic dipped, below sea level and would be great lakes uhder ordinary circumstances.

Russia, said Dr. Bullen, had made a survey of the earthquake structure of the Antarctic. It was found that while the Antarctic continent itself was stable it was ringed by an area subject to minor earthquakes. Minerals Discussed “It would be premature to make any statements about the mineral wealth of the Antarctic,” said Dr. Bullen. “Although coal has been found it has not yet been ascertained whether it is in workable quantities. The conference discussed this aspect of the Antarctic but did not uncover any startling new facts.” The two New Zealand representatives at the conference, Dr. T. Hatherton and Mr K. J. Salmon, had made a fine impression, said Dr. Bullen. Dr. Hatherton is attached to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and is at present in the United States on a Commonwealth Fund scholarship. Mr Salmon, a radio engineer in the Civil Aviation Administration, was a former scientific leader at Hallett Station in the Antarctic.