GEORGE W. RAYNER (dates not documented)
Dome Argus or Dome A (4,093 m-13,428 ft)
Antarctica - International condominiums
First known picture, 1920
First known picture, 1920
The mountain
Dome Argus (4,093 m-13,428 ft) also called Dome A is the highest ice feature in Antarctica, consisting of an ice dome or eminence located 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) inland. It is thought to be the coldest naturally occurring place on Earth, with temperatures of near −90 °C (−130 °F) during some winters. It is located near the center of East Antarctica, approximately midway between the enormous head of Lambert Glacier and the geographic South Pole, within the Australian claim.
Antarctica is a de facto condominium, governed by parties to the Antarctic Treaty System that have consulting status. Twelve countries signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959, and thirty-eight have signed it since then. The treaty prohibits military activities and mineral mining, prohibits nuclear explosions and nuclear waste disposal, supports scientific research, and protects the continent's ecozone. Ongoing experiments are conducted by more than 4,000 scientists from many nations.
Dome A is a lofty ice prominence, the highest rooftop of the Antarctic Plateau, and the elevation visually is not noticeable. Below this enormous dome, underneath at least 2,400 m (7,900 ft) of ice sheet, lies the Gamburtsev Mountain Range, about the size of the European Alps.
The name "Dome Argus" was given by the Scott Polar Research Institute from Greek mythology. Argus built the ship Argo in which Jason and the Argonauts traveled to Colchis in search of the Golden Fleece.
This site is one of the driest locations on Earth and receives 1 to 3 cm (0.39 to 1.18 in) of snow per year. Due to this, as well as calm weather, this site is an excellent location to obtain ice core samples for the research of past climates. Temperatures at Dome A fall below −80 °C (−112 °F) almost every winter.
Details of the morphology of this feature were determined by the SPRI-NSF-TUD airborne radio echo sounding program between the years 1967 and 1979.
In January 2005 a team from the Chinese National Antarctic Research Expeditions (CHINARE) traversed 1,228 km (763 mi) from Zhongshan Station to Dome A and located the highest point of the ice sheet (4,093 m (13,428 ft) above sea level) by GPS survey at 80°22’S 77°21’E on Jan 18. This point is near one end of an elongate ridge (about 60 km (37 mi) long and 10 km (6.2 mi) wide) which is a major ice divide and has an elevation difference along its length of only a few meters. An automatic weather station (AWS) was deployed at Dome A, and a second station was installed approximately halfway between the summit and the coast at a site called Eagle (76°25'S, 77°01'E, 2830 m above sea level). These AWS are operated as part of an ongoing collaboration between China and Australia which also includes a third AWS (LGB69) at 70°50'S, 77°04'E, 1,854 m (6,083 ft) above sea level which has operated since January 2002. Station at Dome A is powered by solar cells and diesel fuel and requires yearly service and refuelling.
The Polar Research Institute of China deployed a robotic observatory called PLATO (PLATeau Observatory) on the dome in January 2008. PLATO was designed and built by the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia to provide a platform from which astronomical observations and site-testing could be conducted. Various institutions from Australia, US, China and the UK provided instruments that were deployed with PLATO, these instruments included CSTAR, Gattini, PreHEAT, Snodar, Nigel and the PLATO web cameras.
The Institute of Remote Sensing Applications, Chinese Academy of Sciences established a wireless network technology based observation system called DomeA-WSN on the dome in January 2008.
The Kunlun Station, China's third Station in Antarctica, was set up at the dome on January 27, 2009. Thus far the Antarctic Kunlun Station is suitable as a summer station, but there are plans to develop it further and build an airfield nearby to ease servicing, as it is not reachable by helicopters. Since 2013 the Chinese station is robotized.
Références
The Photographer
George W. Rayner was a British photographer and biologist based at the research station at Grytviken in the Falkland Islands from around 1928 to 1939. In 1929 the Australian explorer Hubert Wilkins and American publisher William Randolph Hearst organised an expedition to Antarctica. The Discovery Committee of the British Colonial Office agreed to assist this expedition with its research vessel the William Scoresby. As a result Rayner accompanied Hubert Wilkins as a photographer on this expedition.
During the next decade he took part in a number of other sub-Antarctic voyages as a member of the scientific staff of the Discovery II research vessel. The primary focus of his research was whales, helping to establish the seasonal migration patterns of whales. During this period, Rayner was also an avid photographer of his sub-Antarctic environment.
References
The first expedition
The 'William Scoresby' was a purpose-designed research vessel built for the Discovery Committee by the East Yorkshire shipyard of Cook, Welton & Gemmell, at Beverley. She was named after the famous British artic explorer and scientist, William Scoresby (1789-1857), who had explored and mapped much of the Greenland coastline in the early 18th century. Described as part whale chaser, trawler and floating research laboratory, the 'William Scoresby' completed seven voyages to Antarctic waters between 1926 and 1937, operating initially with the 'Discovery' and later the 'Discovery II', based mainly out of Stanley in the Falklands and Grytviken on South Georgia. During this period her crew tagged and tracked 3,000 whales and undertook studies on plankton, fish and hydrological surveys. During her longest voyage in 1928-1930, the vessel was involved in the Second Wilkins-Hearst Antarctic Expedition, in which Sir Humbert Wilkins attempted to make the first trans-Antarctic flight, using two single-engined Lockheed Vega aircraft financed by the US newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst. In December 1929, one of the aircraft was loaded onto the after-deck of the 'RRS William Scoresby' at Deception Island and the ship sailed south to below the 67th parallel in an attempt to find solid pack-ice from which the place could take off using skis. After the search proved unsuccessful, floats were fitted and the plane was lowered into the water by crane for take-off. Using this method several successful flights were completed over a period of weeks, but the plane had insufficient range to attempt a full trans-Antarctic flight.
References - Museum Victoria Collection, Australia
