Matt Klein approximately 250 words
INTD 105-19: Science Writing
The Heart of the Antarctic Response
By Matt Klein
I looked at parts of Appendix IV in Shackleton’s The Heart of the Antarctic. Since I have an interest in physics, I focused on the passages concerning the formation of Antarctic ice and the Southern Lights. The beginning of Appendix IV explained how large ice crystals and hard, compact snow can form from the vaporization and recrystallization of smaller pieces of ice. This process created some beautiful ice crystal structures, some of which gave the scientists some trouble when it formed on their equipment. The section also describes how the salinity and movement of ocean water can lead to stunning ice caves with stalactites and stalagmites.
The end of this section also interested me. It discussed the behavior of the Earth’s southern magnetic pole as well as the Aurora Australis. Since the crew was so near the pole, they had to measure both the horizontal and vertical components of the Earth’s magnetic field to determine the rough location of the pole. The Southern Lights, described as yellowish-green curtains of light, were observed to move in the general direction of the pole. James Murray also described the various shapes of the Aurora.
Appendix IV shows a clear connection between art and the sciences. Through scientific processes, beautiful ice structures and dazzling displays of light are created. However, I’m not sure if this topic can provide a suitable research question. I am curious if there are environment factors such as pollution and global warming that affect the aurorae and the formation of ice crystals, but a quick Internet didn’t reveal any current discussion on the subject.