| Summary: | Typescript Thesis (MSc)-- University of Melbourne, Faculty of Science, 1959 Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-152) The investigations which have gradually revealed to us the nature and workings of the great ice cap of Antarctica were initiated by explorers of the nineteenth century who determined the broad outlines of the continent. At the beginning of the present century the first land-based expeditions enabled scientists to describe the glacial processes and even undertake some measurements. In 1902 Drygalski measured the movement of the glacier ice at Gaussberg, and precipitation measurements were made at Snow Hill Island by Nordenskjold's Swedish expedition in the same year. During Shackleton's expedition of 1907-19 David and Priestley made glaciological observations and during Scott�s last expedition, 1910-13, Wright and Priestley undertook anew and ice studies which led to the publication in 1922 of their classic 1 book on glaciology. Mawson's Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-14, made glaciological studies, and for the first time in Antarctica an attempt was made to measure the amount of snow blown off the ice cap and out to sea. Between the two World Wars there was little scientific investigation of the ice cap, apart from the work done by Byrd's expedition in 1939-41. There was, however, an important step forward when systematic aerial photography was introduced to Antarctica by Lars Christensen in 1936-37 and Ritscher in 1939. After the Second World War, in 1947. Byrd made an intensive survey of a large part of Antarctica and the huge collection of air photographs secured during this operation gave an overall integrated picture of the ice cap and its physical features. In this post-war period the chain of bases first established in 1943-44 by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey was extended, but their outlying situation on the Graham Land peninsula was unsuited to studies of the main ice cap. From 1950 to 1952 the Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition worked in ...
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