Topographic Mapping in Antarctica

Abstract

AT A meeting of the Special Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) of the International Council of Scientific Unions, held in Canberra, Australia, in March, 1959, the United States representative presented a proposal for the small-scale mapping of Antarctica by a method that does not entail full coverage of the continent by conventional aerial photography. This plan, which has the approval of both the Committee on Polar Research of the United States National Academy of Sciences and the United States Interagency Technical Advisory Committee on Antarctic Mapping, would have as its end result two maps: (1) a reconnaissance map covering the entire Antarctic area (about six million square miles), to be published at the scale of either 1: 3,000,000 in four sheets or 1 : 6,ooo,ooo in one sheet, showing the correct geographical location of shore lines, ice fronts, extensive areas of open crevasses, principal glaciers, mountains, routes of the main ground explorations and geophysical traverses, with ice thicknesses where available, and relief by hill shading, hachures, or form lines, with elevations where available; (2) a general-purpose topographic map covering the entire Antarctic area, consisting of 70 sectional or quadrangle sheets, to be published at the scale of 1: 1,ooo,ooo, showing all the features to be depicted on the reconnaissance map, but in considerably more detail and with greater accuracy, and, in addition, either 200meter or 300-meter contours,' ice-surface characteristics, locations of rivers of ice, individual nunataks, and similar mapworthy features.