science

South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse

South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse rather than just read about it. In short: The South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse (SPQMLT) was a three-part scientific exploration of Antarctica undertaken by the United States in the 1960s. The three parts, referred to individually as South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse I, II, and III (SPQMLT-1, -2, and -3), traveled a zigzag route across nearly 4200 km of the Antarctic Plateau in the austral summers of 1964–1965, 1965–1966, and 1967–1968.

Key takeaways

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Reference excerpt

The South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse (SPQMLT) was a three-part scientific exploration of Antarctica undertaken by the United States in the 1960s. The three parts, referred to individually as South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse I, II, and III (SPQMLT-1, -2, and -3), traveled a zigzag route across nearly 4200 km of the Antarctic Plateau in the austral summers of 1964–1965, 1965–1966, and 1967–1968. The participants included scientists from Belgium, Norway, and the United States. Their objectives included determining the thickness of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, the elevation and slope of its surface, the rate of ice accumulation, and the subglacial topography. Other objectives included measuring the density and temperature of the ice at depth, measuring the geomagnetic field and gravity, and obtaining snow samples and ice cores.

Operations The traverse parties consisted of two to three traverse engineers and seven to eight scientists, who were affiliated with The Ohio State University, the University of Wisconsin, the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, the Free University of Brussels, and the Norwegian Polar Institute. Three diesel-powered Tucker Sno-Cats, one of which was equipped with a drilling rig, provided locomotion. Fuel was hauled in large rolling rubber tires, and supplies were carried on several 1-ton and 2-ton sleds. Additional fuel and supplies were delivered en route by airdrops from LC-130 aircraft of the U.S. Navy's Operation Deep Freeze. Direction was maintained with solar and magnetic compasses. Two of the vehicles each carried several altimeters and a proton magnetometer, and traveled such that one led the other by 8 km. Every 8 km they paused for simultaneous readings of the altimeters and magnetometers; and for measurements of gravity, surface slope, and snow density, and for weather observations. The surface slope was measured by scanning the horizon with a theodolite and recording the azimuth and vertical angle of the highest and lowest points. Beginning with SPQMLT-2, the ice thickness was profiled en route with a new radio sounder. At the beginning and ending points, and approximately every 50 to 75 km in between, a station was set up for the following work: a vertical 40-m hole was bored into the ice, the density and temperature of the ice at various depths in the borehole were measured, the ice sheet was sounded seismically, the accumulation rate was studied in hand-excavated 2-m pits, the intensity and direction of the geomagnetic field were measured, snow samples and ice cores were collected and analyzed, and the geographic position (latitude and longitude) and a geographic azimuth were determined by celestial (solar) observations with a theodolite.

SPQMLT-1 SPQMLT-1 began on December 4, 1964, at Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station and, after traveling a zigzag route of 1530 km, ended on January 27, 1965, at the unoccupied Pole of Inaccessibility Station. The surface encountered varied from soft and smooth to hard and rough, with sastrugi over 1-m high. The sky was often clear or patched with light cirrus clouds. Solar halos were observed frequently, and whiteouts occurred several times. The average air temperature was −28 °C, with a maximum of −18°C on January 5 and a minimum of −45 °C on January 26. The greatest wind speed measured was 9 m/s, on December 29 and January 17. On January 8 two skuas were sighted. At Pole of Inaccessibility Station a snow-accumulation stake net was installed and the vehicles were secured. On February 1 personnel and cargo were airlifted to McMurdo Station.

SPQMLT-2 SPQMLT-2 began on December 15, 1965, at Pole of Inaccessibility Station (where SPQMLT-1 had ended the previous summer) and, after traveling a dogleg route of 1340 km, ended on January 29, 1966, at the newly constructed Plateau Station . At Pole of Inaccessibility Station a detailed map was drawn, the existing strain-rate and accumulation-stake networks were measured, and a 5-km accumulation stake line was installed. On January 4 a heavily crevassed zone at 82°45′S 15°2′E was encountered when a vehicle broke through a snow bridge and had to be retrieved. The main crevasses were several tens of meters wide, 5 to 7 km long, and oriented approximately east-west. The crevassed zone is above a major anomaly in the bedrock topography, an abrupt rise of over 1200 m over a horizontal distance of less than 9 km. Two similar crevassed zones were spotted by aerial reconnaissance at approximately 82°30′S 8°0′E and 82°0′S 22°0′E. After reaching Plateau Station, a strain network was installed, and all three vehicles were backloaded to McMurdo Station for reconditioning.

SPQMLT-3 SPQMLT-3 began on December 5, 1967, at Plateau Station (where SPQMLT-2 had ended nearly two years earlier) and, after traveling a dogleg route of 1326 km, ended on January 29, 1968, at geographic position 78°42.2′S 6°52′W. Aerial reconnaissance of the planned route showed no significant crevassing except near the end point. On December 14, at 320 km from Plateau Station, the traverse encountered a sled-mounted building, similar to the one at Pole of Inaccessibility Station, which was left by a Soviet traverse in March 1967. Cairns built of empty fuel drums were erected at the sites of resupply airdrops. The temperature ranged from −40 °C to −10 °C, and the wind rarely exceeded 18 km/h. Severe whiteouts occurred during the final week of travel. Two pickup flights, on January 30 and 31, airlifted personnel, equipment, snow samples, and one Sno-Cat to McMurdo Station.

Scientific Results

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Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse

In research: South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1960s in Antarctica, Antarctic expeditions, Glaciology, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
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Frequently asked questions

What is South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse in simple terms?

Why does South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on South Pole–Queen Maud Land Traverse.