Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1980-81: VUWAE 25

CONTENTS

page i

CONTENTS

	Page
PREPARATIONS FOR VUWAE 25	1
- Programme	1
- Finance	1
- Equipment	2
STRUCTURE OF THE EXPEDITION	3
SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS
- Sediment Sampling in McMurdo Sound (B.L. Ward).	7
- A seismic refraction survey on sea ice near Butter Point, New Harbour, McMurdo Sound (D. Iles and R.R. Dibble).	10
- Paleomagnetic Studies (D.A. Christoffel).	14
- Granites and Metamorphic Rocks of the Areas between the Miers and Salmon Valleys (Frank Reid).	19
- Skarn studies in the area between the Miers Valley and the Salmon Valley (Steven Simmons).	20
- International Mount Erebus Seismic Survey 1980/81 (R.R. Dibble).	22
ASSISTANCE TO SCOTT BASE
- Explosives for Ice Blasting (Alex Pyne).	28
FIELD NOTES	31
Narrative
A. Transport
B. Main areas covered
C. Weather
D. Communications
E. Loss/Damage to Equipment
F. Recommendations	page ii
Event 5 Erebus Studies	31
Event 13 Beacon Studies	35
Event 14 McMurdo Sound Sediment Studies	38
Event 15 Basement Studies	44
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS	45
VUWAE publications 1980	46
APPENDIX I: Seismic Refraction Survey:
A. Details of shots Fired.	47
B. Linear Regression Lines for the Refraction Arrivals at each Spread.	48
C. Time/Distance graph for Line 1.	50
D. Time/Distance graph for Line 2.	50
E. Plane Layer Interpretation.	51
F. Shot Instant Detection.	52
G. Ray Tracing Analysis.	52
APPENDIX II: International Mount Erebus Seismic Survey:
A. Participants in the first IMESS expedition 1980-81.	54
B. IMESS Program, Three years starting in 1980-81.	55
C. Specification of Telemetry Equipment for Erebus Summit.	56
APPENDIX III: Flight Requirements for VUWAE 25.	57
APPENDIX IV: Itineraries.	59
APPENDIX V: Vehicle Itinerary.	64
APPENDIX VI: Weather Observations.	67

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LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES AND PLATES

FIGURES

Figure 1:	Map of McMurdo Sound, showing this season's sea floor sampline sites and position of the seismic survey lines.
Figure 2:	Interpretation of Line 1 (A) and Line 2 (B).
Figure 3:	Virtual Geomagnetic Pole positions from a sequence of about 6 volcanic flows at Observation Hill, Ross Is.
Figure 4:	Strike and dip of red bed samples from Knobhead (KH), Table Mt. (TMt), Mt. Kempe (MK), Alligator Peak (AP) and Mt. Crean (MC).
Figure 5:	Comparison of seismographs and microphone recordings for five events.
Figure 6:	Frequency of occurrence of Erebus earthquakes of all types versus seismic energy.
Figure 7:	Spectra of magnetic micropulsations recorded on the Crater and Camp loops between 0700 and 0800 hours NZST on 5 January 1981.
Figure 8:	Schematic diagrams of the author's equipment on Erebus.

TABLES

Table 1:

Eruptions of Erebus between 20 December 1980 and 9 January 1981.

PLATES

Plate I:	Satellite image map of the McMurdo Sound Region showing locations covered by VUWAE 25 Events.
Plate II:	A. The sphincter corer being lowered by winch through the 2m thick sea ice. The winch is mounted and operated on a Tamworth sledge. Twelve inch diameter ice augers and powerhead used to drill the sea ice access holes in the foreground.page iv
	B. Assembled corer ready to lower. The sphincter sleeve in the coring head is being checked.
	C. The undisturbed top of a core retained in the sphincter corer. The core comprises: muddy sand, silica sponge spicules up to 100mm long and calcareous bryozoan.
	D. Sediment and sponge spicules retained in an orange-peel grab.
PLATE III:	A. Sampling a red bed sequence of the Terra Cotta Siltstone at Mt. Handsley. The red beds have been extensively burrowed.
	B. Two cold paleomagicians sampling a snow-covered section at Table Mountain. Drill holes arrowed.
PLATE IV:	A. Four mutually intrusive granitoid rocks from Miers Valley area. Relative ages are determined by cross cutting relationships, (a = oldest, to d = youngest).
	B. A garnet-rich contact aureol. This example formed by a minor vein of the granite intrusion.
PLATE V:	Ice Quarry.
PLATE VI:	A. Recording Equipment in the Erebus Hut. The large boxes are slow speed tape recorders.
	B. The telemetry antenna at Erebus Summit. Hut Point Peninsula in the background.
	C. (below) Erebus telemetry recording equipment in the Science Laboratory at Scott Base. Mr. Takanami (left) points to the data recorder. Mr. Estes (right) points to the telemetry discriminators below.

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