CHEATING COLD

Southland Times, Issue 20648, 21 November 1928, Page 3

CHEATING COLD

BYRD PARTY’S VILLAGE. VENTILATION PROBLEM. One of the greatest problems confronting Antarctic expeditions is insulating the semi-permanent living quarters against the temperatures which range from 35 to 70 degrees below zero and at the same time providing adequate ventilation and avoiding the condensation of moisture, which, in extreme cases, blocks the ventilitation completely, necessitating knocking the formed ice off to keep the air fresh inside. As can readily imagined, an insulated hut, with a party of men inside and a stove going, accumulates heat in spite of the ventilation. To be effective against the cold, the insulation must be sufficient to avoid “sweating” in the roof and walls, otherwise a persistent drip would result. The Byrd house, built of provision boxes of similar size bolted together, has been already put together, and has proved remarkably quick to erect. Given reasonable weather, the base camp should be up and ready in a day or two. The roofing is of specially prepared panels, ready to bolt together from the inside, with no iron bolt heads showing on its outer surface. It will be about the height of a wall, or a little more, in length, and when the panels are bolted together, will be quite impervious to the weather and the cold. It consists of the better part of a dozen layers of insulated material something like kapok, with layers of three-ply wood in between, which have been pressed to a homogeneous strength and thickness of some five inches. It Is calculated to withstand the heaviest gales, and to bear a considerable amount of frozen snow. The walls also will be insulated, and so it may be readily understood that a party within will soon raise the temperature. A New Idea. To cope with ventilation problems a new idea is being tried out. The pipes conveying the heated air from the houses will pass inside larger pipes with an opening between through which the cold fresh air will be brought inside. It is hoped that not only will the heat of the outgoing air keep the outside of the inner pipe free of accumulated ice, unavoidably caused by condensation, but that the cold air coming in will be somewhat warmed in transit, and that the temperature inside will be maintained at a reasonable degree of warmth, instead of the humid heat that would follow imperfect ventilation. The temperature within, especially in the rooms devoted to scientific research and photography, will be important. It is hoped to develop the official pictures of the expedition on the spot, and an equable temperature is essential for this purpose, one neither too high nor too low. Very Little Wanted. New Zealand gifts to the expedition are beginning to come in. As the whole expedition was practically fitted out before leaving the United States, there are only minor needs existing, but there are still chinks in the armour of provision against a period of sojourn on the ice, the duration of which depends on so many circumstances that it is impossible to forecast exactly. Nobody knows better than Mr. R. G. Brophy, the business manager, just what will be useful, because he alone knows not only what is lacking, but how it should be packed to be of use in the Antarctic. No doubt there will be many New Zealanders anxious to have the satisfaction of having personally contributed to the comfort of the members of the party during their long cold stay South, but they should find out whether their donations are superfluous and, if •cceptable, how they should be packed, before sending them along. Considerable purchases of New Zealand goods have been already made, but there is still a quantity of foodstuff required, and also a certain quantity of clothing. New Device. A new orientation device will be used for the first time in the Antarctic by Commander Byrd in a red aniline powder dye glass bomb. Dropped from the ’planes, this will break and scatter on striking the hard ice, and will make a pool of scarlet that will give direction aids similar to those obtained in flying over land by smoke bombs. Fresh snow will affect the colour little, as the dye will spread, and it is anticipated that the gales will help to spread the signals laterally also, that that the dye marks will be more or less permanent for the purposes of the exhibition. Mistakes in direction, which in Antarctic conditions might easily have disastrous results. It is evident in every fresh step taken (the aniline dye powder was purchased locally) that Commander 3yrd is leaving nothing to chance, and that, so far,from being in a hurry to attain his objective, he is proceeding by preference slowly and surely rather than desiring to minimize the success of his enterprise by watching either calander or rivals. If Commander Byrd does not accomplish his objects of adding to.the knowledge of the Antarctic and reaching the Pole by ’plane, it vill, as anyone who has read his own story of the Atlantic flight will realize, not because he failed either in careful preparation or courage and skill when the effort is made.