UNSOLVED GEOLOGICAL PROBLEMS OF 

 ARCTIC AMERICA 



A. P. Coleman 



For more than a century explorers have pushed northwards along 

 the coasts of Greenland or through channels between the islands of 

 the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and most of the shores of the 

 North American sector of the Arctic Regions have been at least roughly- 

 mapped; but many problems of the far north still remain unsolved, 

 and much further work is needed before the geology and geography 

 of these northern lands can be brought into true relation with the 

 better-known areas to the south. Our knowledge of the Arctic lands 

 consists largely of scattered, unrelated facts pieced together from the 

 narratives of men usually untrained as scientific observers and 

 traveling under unfavorable conditions. Many of the older ex- 

 plorers brought back only small contributions to our knowledge of 

 the geology and geography of the regions they had visited. 



Development of Geological Knowledge of 

 Arctic America 



The meager results of the earlier observations were brought to- 

 gether in 1887 by G. M. Dawson, who published a map and notes 

 showing what was known of the geology of the northern mainland 

 and of the islands beyond.^ His map has an appearance of com- 

 pleteness which is deceptive, wide areas of the great islands being 

 geologically colored, though the information on which the coloring 

 was based came mostly from observations and collections made on 

 the coast. When one remembers that the unknown interior of these 

 islands is often hundreds of miles wide it is evident that caution should 

 be exercised in using the map. Dawson's notes show that in many 

 cases the age and distribution of the formations are problematical. 



A more trustworthy map was prepared by A. P. Low in 1905.^ 

 Low was well equipped for the work since he had visited many parts 

 of the region as commander of the cruiser Neptune, sent out by the 



1 G. M. Dawson: Notes to Accompany a Geological Map of the Northern Portion of the Do- 

 minion of Canada East of the Rocky Mountains, Ann. Rept. Geol. and Nat. Hist. Survey of Canada, 

 N. S., Vol. 2 (for r886), subreport R, Montreal, 1887, with geological map, i : 12,700,000, and bibliog- 

 raphy. An earlier summary is contained in C. E. De Ranee: Arctic Geology, Nature, Vol. 11, 1874- 

 1875, PP- 447-449. 467-469, 492-494, 508-509, with geological map, i : 17,000,000 (p. 448). 



2 A. P. Low: Report on the Dominion Government Expedition to Hudson Bay and the Arctic 

 Islands on Board the D. G. S. Neptune, 1903-1904, Ottawa, 1906, Chapters 8 and 9 (pp- 183-247), 

 with geological map, 1: 3,168,000. 



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