ANTARCTIC WEATHER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18256, 27 November 1933, Page 5

ANTARCTIC WEATHER

CLOSER OBSERVATION BYRD’S EXPERIMENT (Special to Press Association) AT SEA, Nov. 26. Admiral Richard Byrd, aboard the Jacob Ruppert, announced that lie plans a spectacular experiment in polar exploration. After arriving at the base, Little America, which lie expects to reach early in January, he will establish a winter base on the rim of the. South Polar plateau for continuous meteorological observations, completely isolated from Little America, lie will leave one, and possibly two men, there for eight months, four of which will be spent in total darkness, in a hut specially constructed to withstand a temperature of 90 degrees below zero and a 150 miles an hour gale. The hut will be reinforced to stand for months under the snow. The dimensions will be 12ft. x 9ft. by 7ft. high. The structure will retain 90 per cent, of the heat generated from a special liquid fuel and will have equipment to maintain continuous 24-hour weather observation. A small portable radio with a hand crank generator will enable the observer to communicate with Little America. Admiral Byrd said the reason for establishing the base was to study the Antarctic weather. “The South Polar ice cap is the greatest weather breeder in the world,” he said. “Storms originate there which affect crops and living conditions throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Heretofore all Antarctic weather observations have been confined to the coastal bases. We want to pusli inland as far as possible to maintain a continuous watch in the area, where the storms are bred. By co-ordinating those observations with those in Little America we hope to develop important information as to how these .tremendous storms are horn.” Admiral Byrd said he had not yet chosen tlie man or men to staff the out post.