151 



AURORAL OBSERVATIONS AT THE CAPE ROYDS STATION, 



ANTARCTICA. 



British Antarctic Expedition , 1908. 



By D. Mawson, K.B., D.Sc, etc. 



[B.ead July 13, 1916.] 



Plates XIX. and XX. 



PBEFACE. 



The following notes were prepared for publication in the 

 year 1911. The printing, however, was delayed, as Sir 

 Ernest Shackleton expected to publish the Scientific Reports 

 of the Expedition as a continuous series. Since then, want 

 of the necessary funds has driven him to abandon the idea 

 of a complete series, and this manuscript is at last released 

 for publication. 



The matter submitted is, firstly, the journal of aurorae 

 observed, and, secondly, conclusions drawn from an analysis 

 of the records contained therein. The journal is a compilation 

 of all loggings entered by members of the party. In this 

 almost everybody at the hut participated. One of the par- 

 ticular duties of the night-watchman was to scan the heavens 

 at intervals for auroral phenomena. As the party contained 

 few trained observers, the journal is not consistently thorough 

 throughout. However, as I was responsible for that depart- 

 ment of the work, I made it my business to personally observe 

 every display possible between the hours of 8 a.m. and mid- 

 night ; the night-watchman had standing orders to waken me 

 at any time between midnight and 8 a.m., should there be 

 any notable demonstration. 



I wish to mention Professor T. W. E. David, Chief of 

 Scientific Staff, as having been specially active in observations 

 and loggings connected with this journal. 



As the records of auroral phenomena noted by observers 

 of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of the years 1912 

 and 1913 were very full and supply much more matter for 

 discussion than herein available, only more prominent con- 

 clusions will be referred to in this contribution.' Later on the 

 subject can be reopened in the light of the fuller information 

 made available by the later expedition. 



Adelaide University, January, 1916. 



