Investigations at South Pole Station.

Two members (A. T. Wilson and D. A. House) went to South Polo Station in the first half of November, 1963 to study the chemical composition of South Polar Snow, Measurements were made of chemical air glow and solar particulate bombardment. Other constituents were the sea. This is of interest in interpreting the atmospheric contribution to the centres of other continents where the position is confused by biological contamination and cyclic dust, both of which are absent at South Pole Station. A chemical method was developed to measure the ablation rate at the Pole and it was found that over the three years measured 50% of the snow which come to rest at the Pole was lost by evaporation. Samples of snow from 44 ft. deep in the snow mine were cultured to determine if they were biologically sterile. It was found that they were not, and at least one organism could be grown. Carbonaceous [unclear: micro[gap — reason: illegible]ot[gap — reason: illegible]orites] were recovered from the snow and their rate of infall measured.

FIG I Locality Map and Reconnaissance of White Island, Black Island, and Brown Peninsula

FIG II Sketch Map Taylor Valley to Victoria Valley