Glacial Geologist:
Studies at 'Bottom of World'
For Wakefield Dort Jr., associate professor of geology at KU, New Year's Eve 1966, meant a freighter's whistle and three fire crackers.
Prof. Dort is currently doing geological research in Antarctica. Based at McMurdo Station, the main United States base in Antarctica, Prof. Dort described life at the "bottom of the world" in a recent letter to Diane Seaver, Prairie Village sophomore.
HE DESCRIBED McMurdo Station as "a hodge-podge of buildings without much pattern because it has been built over the years under various plans. Some of the buildings are rather dismal, old, utilitarian huts—many modified with typical serviceman ingenuity to give some comfort and hominess. Other buildings are new, clean, comfortable, even luxurious, in this environment."
He described his quarters as containing a "spacious lounge with a picture window looking out over McMurdo Sound (solid ice) to the Royal Society Range 40-190 miles away but clear as a bell. We also have the only fire place here and perhaps in the entire Antarctic," he continued, "a portable metal one that holds a lovely fire on occasion.
"The base is filled with contrasts," the letter continues. "On
the one hand, we have a nuclear power reactor here. It supplies electricity, thus conserving scarce fuel oil, and will someday provide water from the sea through evaporation. But there isn't a flush toilet in the place and showers must be taken shipboard style—use a little water to get wet, turn it off and soap and scrub, then use a little water to rinse it off. Do it once a week. This is because all water comes from snow that has to be scooped off the nearby hills, carried into base, and put into big melters. A slow, expensive process."
Pinnings and Engagements
ENGAGED
Judith Shea, Merriam senior in Education, Alpha Chi Omega, to Ed Vaughn, Leawood senior in Advertising, Sigma Phi Epsilon.
Pat Barker, Wellington sophomore in Education, Gamma Phi Beta, to Buzz Hatcher, Wellington sophomore at Wichita State University.
Betty Burgat, Topeka senior in Education, Alpha Chi Omega, to Jim Mottin, Mission graduate student at York University, Toronto, Ontario.
Pat Culea, La Grange Ill, senior in Education, Gamma Phi Beta, to Al Hardy, Shawnee Mission, second year law.
Dana Franklyn, Kansas City, Mo., junior, Gamma Phi Beta, to Rick Harrington, Terre Haute, Ind., junior in Political Science, Delta Tau Delta.
Jenny Jones, Oklahoma City, Okla., senior in Education, Delta Delta Delta, to Jim Bagley, Louisville, Ky., senior in Business, Delta Tau Delta.
Diane Larson, Kansas City senior in Education, Kappa Alpha Theta, to Bill Smith, Shawnee Mission graduate student in Accounting, Delta Upsilon.
Joyce Malloy, Houston, Tex. senior in Education at Indiana University, to Earle Ellis, Shawnee Mission senior in Electrical Engineering.
Nancy Meyer, Shawnee Mission senior in Sociology, to Brouck Sleight, Kingston, N.Y., junior in History Education.
Christina Meadows. Overland Park senior in Fashion Illustration. Sigma Kappa. to J. Patrick
LaFrance, Overland Park senior in Geography.
Diane Olsen, Topeka junior in Education, Alpha Chi Omega, to David Hutchins, Kansas City senior in International Relations, Phi Kappa Sigma.
Caroline E. Richardson, Leawood senior in French and Spanish, to Blair Hosford, Shawnee Mission first law Law,
Valera Richmond, Kansas City senior in education, Alpha Kapka Alpha, to Arnett Dixon, Kansas City, Kan.
Bobbi Roberts, Leawood senior in Commercial Art, Alpha Chi Omega, to Tom Shortlidge, Park Ridge, Ill., senior in Commercial Art, Pi Kappa Alpha.
Florence Sallatz, Kansas City senior in Family and Home Management, to Bill Dockery, Lawrence senior in Theatre Arts.
Cindy Thompson, Overland Park senior in Apparel Merchandising, to David Frensley, Lawrence senior in Philosophy.
.PINNED
Melinda Ball, Coffeyville junior in Art Education, Kappa Alpha Theta, to Tyson Whiteside, Wichita senior in Political Science-History. Phi Gamma Delta.
Peggy Sue Gossett, Overland Park student in Education, to Bill Schildberg, Shawnee Mission sohomore in History.
Marti Elsen, Leawood sophmore in Commercial Art, Delta Delta Delta, to Steve Chinn, Prairie Village sophmore in Biology, Delta Chi.
Patti Slider, Lyons sophomore in Apparel Merchandising, to George Mack, Lawrence junior, Delta Chi.
OUT IN THE field, the exploration party takes a two-man tent, "but the addition of a gasoline lantern for heat rather than light makes it bearable for a bit of reading, or note compilation," he said. Because it is daylight 24 hours, the group maintained a general schedule in order to fit into the schedule of the base.
"The field routine was to set the tent up in a centrally located region within an area to be studied," then the men would set out in hiking loops that each took almost a day. The average hiking loop was eight miles, but occasionally, the group made a 10-mile journey. The distances may not be great, but the 35-pound pack with survival gear and cameras, and bulky heavy clothing made the miles seem much more.
Prof. Dort is currently using a special Army turbine helicopter that whisks him and his party out to the areas that they previously would have traversed by land. "The reason for such special service," he wrote, "is to enable me to check more areas in less time, and so gather more information. Using aerial photos and maps beforehand, I select likely-looking spots for this critical evidence.
Prof. Dort went to Antarctica on a project of studying alpine glaciers in the mountains along the western side of the Ross Sea. (McMurdo is an island in this sea.)
"I HAVE SEEN a lot of these (alpine glaciers), have walked on some, and around others. I didn't intend to do any work with the glaciers themselves, only the landscape features they have created," the geologist continued. "However, exposures along the
Daily Kansan 5
Friday, January 14, 1966
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cliff-sided glaciers reveal such fantastic structures but seen in most temperate region glaciers, they simply can't be ignored by walking away."
106 NORTH PARK
He said that igneous rock samples, and samples of unusual rock formations have been brought back. More than 40 varieties are being shipped back to Kansas for further study and description.
The skin on his fingers has peeled more than once from being frozen. Even so, in the field, he has often stopped to note things of interest, such as a set of footprints in the sandy soil. They were found to be the footprints of a New Zealand exploring party, from several years before.
THEN, BECAUSE this helicopter has excellent visibility from an almost-all-glass front, I can check as we go along, drop at other spots, or what seems best. After two days, he often has to call a halt to the flights, because they prove so fruitful.
Prof. Dort playfully wished Diane "easy exams," and urged her to be "careful on the ice.
"You," he quipped, "don't have to carry an ice-axe for safety."
PROFESSOR DORT - The KU Geologist is doing research on alpine glaciers at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Skimming over the snow and ice in a helicopter, Dort studies the landscape, stopping frequently to collect rock samples to be sent back to Kansas.
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