Field Surveys on Cape Ryugu, East Antarctica in 1977-1978

Abstract

The summer field party of the 19th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-19) camped at Cape Ryugu 220 km east-northeast of Japanese Antarctic Station, Syowa, from December 30th, 1977 to January 14th, 1978. Dr. KAMINUMA of the National Institute of Polar Research, Japan, led the six-man party which contained three geologists, one biologist, one surveyor and one geophysicist. Cape Ryugu located at 67°58'S and 44°01'E, has an ice-free area of 10 km length in the east-west direction with a breadth of 2 km. The survey was the first ground one by the Japanese field party. Therefore, the principal scientific aims of the party were topographic and geological mapping. Other scientific goals were biological and geophysical surveys. The party succeeded in establishing ten topographic control points, one astronomical station, and six gravity stations. Fundamental geological and biological surveys were made throughout the Cape Ryugu ice-free area. Successful air transport to 177 km north from Cape Ryugu was made by two helicopters. A report on the logistics of the field party and a summary of the field survey are also given in this paper.