Antarctic Exploration Research Articles

The "dirty weather" diaries of Reverend Richard Davis: insights about early colonial-era meteorology and climate variability for northern New Zealand, 1839–1851

Abstract. Reverend Richard Davis (1790–1863) was a colonial-era missionary stationed in the Far North of New Zealand who was a key figure in the early efforts of the Church Mission Society. He kept meticulous meteorological records for the early settlements of Waimate North and Kaikohe, and his observations are preserved in a two-volume set in the Sir George Grey Special Collections in the Auckland Central Library. The Davis diary volumes are significant because they constitute some of the earliest land-based meteorological measurements that were continually chronicled for New Zealand. The diary measurements cover nine years within the 1839–1851 time span that are broken into two parts: 1839–1844 and 1848–1851. Davis' meteorological recordings include daily 9 a.m. and noon temperatures and midday pressure measurements. Qualitative comments in the diary note prevailing wind flow, wind strength, cloud cover, climate variability impacts, bio-indicators suggestive of drought, and notes on extreme weather events. "Dirty weather" comments scattered throughout the diary describe disturbed conditions with strong winds and driving rainfall. The Davis diary entries coincide with the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA) and they indicate southerly and westerly circulation influences and cooler winter temperatures were more frequent than today. A comparison of climate field reconstructions derived from the Davis diary data and tree-ring-based winter temperature reconstructions are supported by tropical coral palaeotemperature evidence. Davis' pressure measurements were corroborated using ship log data from vessels associated with iconic Antarctic exploration voyages that were anchored in the Bay of Islands, and suggest the pressure series he recorded are robust and can be used as "station data". The Reverend Davis meteorological data are expected to make a significant contribution to the Atmospheric Circulation Reconstructions across the Earth (ACRE) project, which feeds the major data requirements for the longest historical reanalysis – the 20th Century Reanalysis Project (20CR). Thus these new data will help extend surface pressure-based reanalysis reconstructions of past weather covering New Zealand within the data-sparse Southern Hemisphere.

Taylor's Valley: What the History of Antarctica's 'Heroic Era' Can Contribute to Contemporary Ecological Research in the McMurdo Dry Valleys

Abstract With a particular focus on ecosystem response to climate change, this paper investigates how a study of Griffith Taylor's 1911 expedition into the McMurdo Dry Valleys in East Antarctica might contribute to contemporary ecological research in the region. As the location of a Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site, the McMurdo Dry Valleys offer an excellent location for thinking about the integration of history and ecology. Following a brief description of the environment of this uniquely ice-free region of Antarctica as it is understood today, this paper presents a three-dimensional model for using historical research to contribute to ecological research. The paper then follows this model to examine what the Taylor expedition did in the Dry Valleys, how its participants sought to make sense of the environment and what the environment was like one hundred years ago. Significant lake-level rise in the McMurdo Dry Valleys since the Taylor expedition suggests quite dramatic environmental change over the course of the twentieth century. The conclusion suggests that a model for integrating history and ecology in the McMurdo Dry Valleys might productively be applied to other parts of the world with more complex ecosystems and much longer human histories.

Dangerous shores and disoriented penguins in Beyond the Utmost Bound: A Performance about Antarctic Exploration

ABSTRACTThis essay describes Beyond the Utmost Bound: A Performance about Antarctic Exploration, which retold the story of Robert Falcon Scott's Terra Nova expedition of 1911–1913. The performance interwove scenes adapted from Apsley Cherry-Garrard's The Worst Journey in the World with scenes that provided contemporary reflections on representing Antarctica in art, photography, and literature, with narration staged as a dialogue between a contemporary and a heroic age explorer. The performance argued thematically for the value of research that may not necessarily be connected directly to immediate gain, locating the ultimate value of exploration not in the “bagging of the pole” nor in the heroics of its narratives, but in Terra Nova’s scientific work and in the camaraderie that forms among researchers.

Ben Maddison.Class and Colonialism in Antarctic Exploration, 1750–1920.

Ben Maddison.<i>Class and Colonialism in Antarctic Exploration, 1750–1920</i>.

The Future of Antarctic Subglacial Lake Exploration

Antarctic Subglacial Lake Exploration: First Results and Future Plans; Chicheley Hall, U. K.; 30–31 March 2015

Commercial and Economic Aspects of Antarctic Exploration -- From the Earliest Discoveries into the 19th Century.

Antarctic exploration always had strong scientific as well as political motives. This paper argues that commercial motivations more often than not, also were an interwoven part of the rationale of the expeditions. The paper analyses the commercial and economic motivation in early Antarctic exploration, by the explorers themselves as well as their sponsors (governments, private businessmen, scientific communities). It reviews the earliest expeditions that searched for the still unknown continent that was hoped to advance commerce and trade. The eventual discoveries did not reveal a prosperous continent in a traditional sense. The exploitable resources – seals and whales were instead found in the ocean, at the islands and around the continent. The paper reviews the earliest discoveries and plans to exploit those resources, and the origins of what was to become the first industries of the Antarctic region. The paper deals primarily with the period before the ‘Heroic Age’ when the focus of the explorers became the penetration of the Antarctic continent itself.

Charles Swithinbank

Charles Swithinbank

Ben Maddison, Class and Colonialism in Antarctic Exploration, 1750-1920

Ben Maddison, Class and Colonialism in Antarctic Exploration, 1750-1920

Book Review: Class and Colonialism in Antarctic Exploration, 1750-1920

Book Review: Class and Colonialism in Antarctic Exploration, 1750-1920

Class and colonialism in Antarctic exploration, 1750-1920

Class and colonialism in Antarctic exploration, 1750-1920

Of Maps and Men: The Mysterious Discovery of Antarctica, by John G. Weihaupt

Of Maps and Men: The Mysterious Discovery of Antarctica, by John G. Weihaupt

Scientific Exploration in Antarctica as an Analogy for American Spaceflight

The United States Antarctic Program (USAP) provides a revealing analogy to American spaceflight owing to its common historical origin, similar base in Cold War national security and diplomacy, and reciprocal influence of scientific research and technology development associated with Antarctica and outer space. In addition, the USAP and America’s space program have been high-profile federal endeavors, promoted by varying constituents through unifying narratives intended to elicit “public understanding” or, more pointedly, public support for these strategic national initiatives. Beginning in the late 1950s, initial narratives similarly depicted both programs as confirmation that the United States was a benevolent world power which deployed its preeminent science and technology to positively transform distant realms and make their bounty serve humankind. As domestic priorities and international affairs dramatically shifted at the end of the 1960s, public discourse about the U.S. Antarctic and space programs changed and diverged. The USAP came to embody a national commitment to protecting the global environment while American spaceflight evinces more mixed national aspirations. A comparative account of this initial convergence and ultimate divergence exposes the cultural politics of these federal initiatives and helps reveal the process by which boosters and commentators cultivated public understanding and support for these strategic national endeavors.

Reinterpreting exploration: the West in the world

Contents Contributors Introduction Reinterpreting Exploration Dane Kennedy Part One Themes Chapter 1 Science and Exploration Michael F. Robinson Chapter 2 A Half Century of Shifting Narrative Perspectives on Encounters Harry Liebersohn Chapter 3 Exploration and Enlightenment Philip J. Stern Chapter 4 Exploration in Print: From the Miscellany to the Newspaper Clare Pettitt Chapter 5 The Making of British and French Legends of Exploration Berny Sebe Part Two Territories Chapter 6 Exploration in Imperial Russia Willard Sunderland Chapter 7 Exploring the Pacific World Jane Samson Chapter 8 Decentering Exploration in East Africa Stephen J. Rockel Chapter 9 The Exploration of Central Asia Gordon Stewart Chapter 10 The Historiography of Antarctic Exploration Stephanie Barczewski

NEW DIRECTIONS IN VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN THE TRANSANTARCTIC MOUNTAINS, ANTARCTICA

The emphasis on record setting during the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration meant that the scientific accomplishments of these expeditions often went overlooked (Larson, 2012). Many people know the story of the ill-fated (and second-place) return of Robert Falcon Scott from the South Pole, but few people are aware that 45 kg of Permian Glossopteris fossils were found with him and his deceased colleagues. Refusal to jettison the material suggests their recognition of its importance for understanding past life on the frozen continent. Since that time, great advances have been made in understanding the ancient life and environments of Antarctica. Here, I review some of these developments in the context of recent vertebrate paleontological research in the Transantarctic Mountains. In 1967 the first terrestrial vertebrate from the central Transantarctic Mountains, a small amphibian jaw, was discovered in Lower Triassic rocks at Graphite Peak (Barrett et al., 1968). Subsequent work has yielded three distinct Mesozoic faunas from the region. Early Triassic vertebrates have been collected at numerous localities in the lower Fremouw Formation around the Beardmore and Shackleton glaciers (Barrett et al., 1968). The Beardmore Glacier region has also produced an early Middle Triassic assemblage at two localities in the upper Fremouw Formation (Hammer et al., 1987; Sidor et al., 2007), and an Early Jurassic assemblage from the Hanson Formation on Mt. Kirkpatrick (Hammer and Hickerson, 1994). Early discoveries from the lower Fremouw Formation (Fig. 1) prompted comparisons to similar faunas from the Karoo Basin of South Africa, and the presence of taxa such as Lystrosaurus provided compelling support for the nascent theory of plate tectonics (Elliot et al., 1970). Antarctic faunas were often considered to represent taxonomic subsets of those found in the Karoo Basin, …

Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink (1864-1934): The Man Who Claimed to be the First to Set Foot on Antarctica

Carsten Borchgrevink continues to be one of the most enigmatic Antarctic explorers. He made two visits to Antarctica, briefly in 1895, and much longer in 1898-1900. Today it is acknowledged that he made significant contributions to Antarctic exploration. He made a claimed first discovery of terrestrial plant life in 1895. He led the first party to winter on Antarctica in 1899 in very difficult weather conditions. His expedition made a year-long continuous record of weather conditions, and glacier movement was briefly measured. Useful zoological data were obtained, but the death of Hanson, the zoologist and loss of some of his records, lessened their possible value. New plants, some insects, and shallow sea-water fauna were discovered. Extensive photographic records were obtained. The 1898-1900 expedition noted the reduction in the seaward extent of the Ross Ice Sheet. It discovered what later became known as the Bay of Whales, and there made the first ascent onto the Ross Sea Barrier, showing that travel inland was feasible in that region, ‘opening the way to the South’. A reasonable estimate of the then position of the South Magnetic Pole was made. In addition Borchgrevink showed the effectiveness of kayaks for local water transport, and dogs with trained dog-handlers for land travel (and companionship). His expedition was underpinned by good planning for housing, equipment (including use of the recently invented Primus Stove), clothing (notably shoes lined with sennegrass) and food. His scientific party was well-chosen for their abilities, but national and social differences played a part in periods of tension with the leader, who was inclined to overestimate his own scientific ability. The achievements of the expedition were given little recognition for most of his life, particularly in Britain, in part because of his initial success, over a period of some years, in gaining financial support for his expedition in the face of strong opposition from ‘official’ British scientific bodies. In addition his rather brash and abrasive personality, some public quarrels and perhaps a rather quirky sense of humour did not make him popular. His achievements have been obscured to some extent by inaccurate and exaggerated criticisms of his activities.

Notes on Contributors

Notes on Contributors

The sounds of silence: music in the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration

The leaders of the Antarctic expeditions of the Heroic Age (c.1897–1922) commonly encouraged their men to engage in cultural activities in order to keep them occupied, alleviate boredom, strengthen the sense of camaraderie and ward off symptoms of depression. While the importance of literary activities (such as journal keeping and “newspaper” production) to various Heroic Age expeditions has been acknowledged in the literature, little research has yet to be conducted into the vast quantity and variety of music that was taken to and/or created in Antarctica during the same period, despite the significant role that it appears to have played in the everyday lives of the men who ventured there. Drawing on the written journals and published accounts of the expeditions, musical scores and expeditionary newspapers, this article explores the role and value of music in the Antarctic expeditions of the Heroic Age and examines some of the earliest known musical responses to Antarctica, including the first Antarctic “opera”, various original sledging songs, and the unique collection of occasional songs composed aboard the Morning in 1902 by Gerald S. Doorly. Collectively, this music not only provides a record of the explorers’ experiences and perceptions of the Antarctic – significantly, it also offers valuable insight into exactly what they did to entertain themselves and boost team morale during long voyages at sea, gruelling sledge journeys and freezing cold, lonely winters in Antarctica.

Paleosols in the Transantarctic Mountains: indicators of environmental change

Abstract. The Transantarctic Mountains (TAMs), a 3500 km long chain that subdivides East Antarctica from West Antarctica, are important for reconstructing the tectonic, glacial, and climatic history of Antarctica. With an ice-free area of 24 200 km2 (50% of the total in Antarctica), the TAMs contain an unusually high proportion of paleosols, including relict and buried soils. The unconsolidated paleosols range from late Quaternary to Miocene in age, the semi-consolidated paleosols are of early Miocene to Oligocene age, and the consolidated paleosols are of Paleozoic age. Paleosols on unconsolidated deposits are emphasized in this study. Examples are given from the McMurdo Dry Valleys (78° S) and two outlet glaciers in the central and southern TAMS, including the Hatherton–Darwin Glacier region (80° S) and the Beardmore Glacier region (85°30' S). Relict soils constitute 73% of all of the soils examined; 10% of the soils featured burials. About 26% of the soils examined are from the last glaciation (&lt; 117 ka) and have not undergone any apparent change in climate. As an example, paleosols comprise 65% of a mapped portion of central Wright Valley. Paleosols in the TAMs feature recycled ventifacts and buried glacial ice in excess of 8 Ma in age, and volcanic ash of Pliocene to Miocene age has buried some soils. Relict soils are more strongly developed than nearby modern soils and often are dry-frozen and feature sand-wedge casts when ice-cemented permafrost is present. The preservation of paleosols in the TAMs can be attributed to cold-based glaciers that are able to override landscapes while causing minimal disturbance.

A history of Antarctica

A history of Antarctica

‘Will make a good Admiral’: a reassessment of Captain Scott's naval career

ABSTRACTIn his book Scott and Amundsen (1979) Roland Huntford described Captain Robert Falcon Scott R.N. as ‘not well thought of in the Service’ and ‘an obscure, rather dull torpedo lieutenant with mediocre prospects’. A myth has subsequently arisen that Scott was forced into Antarctic exploration as his only route to naval promotion. In reality, Scott was an extremely able officer held in high regard by his naval contemporaries; he was on course for promotion to flag rank (rear-admiral and above) had he not taken up polar exploration; and his primary motivation for polar work was financial support for his family. In addition to a chronological account of Scott's career, this article will present his Admirals’ reports in full.