Scientific Interests

A Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expedition was again mounted for the 1964 - 65 summer, to carry out geological, geophysical and Biological investigations in selected ice-free areas south and west of McMurdo Sound. A scientific programme was formulated to include the investigation of problems isolated by previous VUWAEs and the study of two ice-free areas not covered previously by VUWAE nor fully by any expedition.

The reconnaissance of White Island, Black Island and Brown Peninsula (see Fig. 1) by VUWAE8 in January 1964, showed that there was scope for a comprehensive survey of the bedrock and superficial geology of Black Island and Brown Peninsula and that the latter area provided considerable material for botanical and limnological studies. It was therefore decided to send a team comprising a number of geologists, a biologist and a physicist to those two areas the next summer.

Following the investigations of VUWAE8 on Lake Vanda (Fig. II) it was decided to repeat their measurements in order to determine the stability of the convection cells system in the lake, and to obtain additional information for determining the convection patterns in individual cells. It was also planned to study planktonic life known to exist in Lake Vanda and to carry out geophysical investigations of the immediate surrounding country.

The results of VUWAE4 and VUWAE6 revealed geological problems in the basement complex rocks south and nest of McMurdo Sound. VUWAE9 planned to investigate selected areas of these rocks in order to assess the occurrence of mineralisation and to examine outcrops known to contain orbicular granites. It was decided that a physicist and biologist should also visit these ice-free areas which lay in Koettlitz-Blue Glacier and Taylor Valley regions. (Figs. I, II, and III.)

It became clear that the expedition's programme was divided into two distinct phases, requiring a partial change in personnel to cope with the varied problems which would be studied at different locations and times. Phase I, the first part of the summer would include Lake Vanda, Black Island and Brown Peninsula. Phase II, the second part of the summer would include the Koettlitz -Blue Glacier region and Taylor Valley.