GOOD ANTARCTIC SEASON

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30879, 12 October 1965, Page 22

GOOD ANTARCTIC SEASON

Buildings, vehicles and equipment at Scott Base were in particularly good order this year, said Mr R. B. Thomson, superintendent of the Antarctic Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, in Christchurch last evening. Mr Thomson, who has just returned from a 10-day inspection tour of the base, said the high standard was a reflection of the good work of the wintering party under the leadership of Major A. Hayter. “You know, there was a different atmosphere at Scott Base. Normally you expect a wintering party to be eager to get off the continent and head for home. But this was not the case this year. Perhaps this was because of the excellent co-operation with McMurdo Station and the greater social exchanges that have taken place between the two bases during the winter months,” he said. Mr Thomson said that scientifically it had been a successful season for the New Zealanders. All projects had been carried out with no real problems or breakdowns, he said. Seventy-two per cent of the total scientific research carried out by New Zealanders in the Antarctic was done at Scott Base. “We are getting to ’ the stage of another era in scientific work on the continent, particularly as far as field work is concerned. We will now have to look further.”

Mr Thomson said it was possible that next year New Zealand would participate in a major rocket research programme to be conducted at McMurdo Station. “This upper atmosphere research will be in the regions where satellites are now orbiting.” New Zealand field parties had come to an end of general geological recqnaissance and more emphasis would be given in future to intense specialised work on geological anomalies. New Zealand was interested in the establishment of a joint satellite station in one of the dry, valleys not far from McMurdo Station, he said. “We wish to see this set up to get a close picture of annual weather conditions which will help us to resolve how the valleys were formed and still exist.” “New Zealand has done most of the work in this area. The Americans have done some and the Japanese spent a summer there. Last year the Soviet exchange scientist at McMurdo Station spent some time in the valleys. All these scientists have expressed an interest in continuing their work there jointly. Mr Thomson said he personally would like to see New Zealand return to Hallett Station. The destruction of the laboratary by fire two years ago was a ■ great loss to us, particularly in our upper atmospheric research.” Antarctic Flight Asked about future participation by the Royal New Zealand Air Force in the Antarctic, Mr Thomson said the possible reactivation of the Antarctic flight would be most

welcome. “We still have the big hangar down there with R.N.Z.A.F. painted on the outside and nothing inside. “The operation of the Hercules in the Antarctic this season is very pleasing. There will be three flights. The first on October 26 will be a proving flight. The second and third will be fully, operational. It would be wonderful if we could look forward to this as continuing support,” he said. Mr Thomson indicated that with three Hercules flights and the Antarctic support ship Endeavour, New Zealand

could logistically be completely self-supporting in the Antarctic. “This, of course, excludes field activities, and this is where the Antarctic flight would come in useful." A decision on the future of the huskies at Scott Base will be made in two years, he said. “Then we will decide whether they are worth while and economic for logistic purposes.” At present there are 37 huskies at the base. In the next week or two this number will be reduced to 30 to provide three teams with a few extras on stand-by.