Earth Science Week | 9-15 October 2016
The theme of Earth Science Week 2016 is ‘Our Shared Geoheritage’. Geoheritage is the collection of
natural wonders, landforms, and resources that have formed over aeons and come to this generation
to manage, use, and conserve effectively. Geoheritage locations are valued for many reasons,
including scientific, economic, ecological, educational, cultural, aesthetic, artistic, and recreational
purposes.
Antarctic Notebooks: Breaking the
code
Target audience
Primary students.
Curriculum links
Humanities and Social Science
Year 2
Collect data and information from observations and identify information and data from sources
provided (ACHASSI035)
How changing technology affected people’s lives (at home and in the ways they worked, travelled,
communicated and played in the past)(ACHASSK046)
The connections of people in Australia to people in other places in Australia and across the world
(ACHASSK050)
The influence of purpose, distance and accessibility on the frequency with which people visit places
(ACHASSK051)
Year 3
Locate and collect information and data from different sources, including observations (ACHASSI053)
Draw simple conclusions based on analysis of information and data (ACHASSI058)
The main climate types of the world and the similarities and differences between the climates of
different places (ACHASSK068)
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The similarities and differences between places in terms of their type of settlement, demographic
characteristics and the lives of the people who live there, and people’s perceptions of these places
(ACHASSK069)
Year 4
Record, sort and represent data and the location of places and their characteristics in different
formats, including simple graphs, tables and maps, using discipline-appropriate conventions
(ACHASSI075)
English
Year 2
Understand that spoken, visual and written forms of language are different modes of communication
with different features and their use varies according to the audience, purpose, context and cultural
background (ACELA1460)
Year 3
Understand that languages have different written and visual communication systems, different oral
traditions and different ways of constructing meaning (ACELA1475)
Draw connections between personal experiences and the worlds of texts, and share responses with
others (ACELT1596)
Year 4
Understand how texts vary in complexity and technicality depending on the approach to the topic, the
purpose and the intended audience (ACELA1490)
Create literary texts that explore students’ own experiences and imagining (ACELT1607)
Identify and explain language features of texts from earlier times and compare with the vocabulary,
images, layout and content of contemporary texts (ACELY1686)
Maths
Key ideas in problem solving and reasoning.
Science
Year 1
Living things live in different places where their needs are met (ACSSU211)
People use science in their daily lives, including when caring for their environment and living things
(ACSHE022)
Participate in guided investigations to explore and answer questions (ACSIS025)
Year 2
Living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves (ACSSU030)
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People use science in their daily lives, including when caring for their environment and living things
(ACSHE035)
Participate in guided investigations to explore and answer questions (ACSIS038)
Year 4
Living things depend on each other and the environment to survive (ACSSU073)
Year 5
Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment
(ACSSU043)
Year 6
The growth and survival of living things are affected by physical conditions of their environment
(ACSSU094)
Digital Technologies
Foundation to Year 2
Recognise and explore patterns in data and represent data as pictures, symbols and diagrams
(ACTDIK002)
Year 3 and 4
Recognise different types of data and explore how the same data can be represented in different ways
(ACTDIK008)
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The activity can be printed as a separate
document for students.
Using field notebooks
Scientists make observations while on fieldtrips which are often recorded in notebooks. These
observations are later analysed and form the basis for published reports.
Libraries, archives and museums hold many of these field notebooks in their collections. The
notebooks contain valuable scientific information such as rock sample locations, observations about
the environment, weather conditions, as well as anecdotal comments about the trip.
Despite the interest in the notebooks by both scientists and historians, their handwritten format makes
them relatively inaccessible as they cannot be searched online. However, by digitising the notebooks
and transcribing the handwritten entries through citizen science crowd-sourcing, the content is
unlocked allowing it to be searched and accessed online.
There are a number of field notebook transcription projects currently being undertaken around the
world.
The Geoscience Australia library has over 3500 geological field notebooks in our collection covering
areas of Australia, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan and Antarctica. A project is underway to digitise and
transcribe the subset of approximately 100 Antarctic notebooks via the Australian Museum’s DigiVol
platform.
To join in this and other citizen science transcription projects see DigiVol’s website
http://volunteer.ala.org.au/
Break the Antarctic notebooks code
Can you help transcribe geologist David Trail’s 1961 Antarctic geological field notebook?
Match the typed text with the handwritten sentences on the next page.
“Up 0730 and away 1030, fine clear day, but still, warm working, took jersey off first time, no gloves,
ear-flaps up.”
“Steady progress round Scott Glacier, mother and pup Weddell’s at glacier sheet, seals, penguins
abundant everywhere and snow petrel sighted at camp.”
“Into tent 2030, colder T -1.5°F but quite calm.”
“Drove dogs 1700-1900, much warmer, thirstier work than passenger.”
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Antarctic WYSSA codes
You might have noticed the unusual code at the top of David Trail’s Antarctic field notebook. It’s a
special Antarctic code called WYSSA code which was used by early expeditioners to communicate
with loved ones back in Australia.
Complete sentences were condensed into a five letter telegraphic code to save on space.
Expeditioners were given a 200 word limit per month to send and receive messages between Australia
and Antarctica but could purchase additional words at 5 cents each (which was a large amount of
money in those days). This limit was shared with family back home; therefore the phrases reflect both
sides of the communication, some Antarctic, others from people in Australia. The coded messages
were then decoded at the other end using the Australian Antarctic Division’s Communicating with
Antarctica code book.
For example:
WYSSA — All my (our) love darling
YIHKE — I have grown a beard which is generally admired
YASEL — We’ve just had a blizzard
WUVNE — Penguins have begun to arrive
Example of a message:
YIHPY YATME YILNE WUVYS YIKLA WYZIC WYSSA Paul
Hello and how are you? The weather has been quite decent for a change. Have been out on skis.
Penguins are nesting. This is the life! Like it here but I miss your company.
All my love darling, Paul
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Can you translate this message using the WYSSA codes?
This message comes from a journal kept by H.E. von Renouard, who was a weather observer at
Mawson Station in 1961. A mountain in Antarctica is named after him. It is a message from his family
to him while he was in Antarctica.
Not every phrase was represented in the WYSSA codes, so occasionally there will be English words
included in among the codes. Thala = Thala Dan the ship that took expeditioners to and from
Antarctica.
Use the WYSSA codes at http://antarctica.kulgun.net/History/WYSSA/ to translate this message
VON RENOURD H.E. von Renouard
YIOPT MARGI YAORM DELIGHTED TO GET YOUR MESSAGE MARGI GETTING ALONG FINE
WYWOB WYUHM WAITING BEST LOVE FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY WE ARE ALL THINKING ABOUT
YOU WAITING
THALA RECEIVED MAWSON THALA RECEIVED MAWSON
NEWS BULLETIN YAARJ YOU NEWS BULLETIN PLEASED TO HEAR THAT YOU
HELPED RESCUE RUSSIANS HELPED RESCUE RUSSIANS
ALAN HAS crewcut also ALAN HAS crewcut also
Eric unemploy 2 Eric unemploy[ed] 2
months listen for Jerry months listen for Jerry
YAADT WYSSA LONGING TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN ALL OUR LOVE DARLING
IVY MARGI IVY MARGI
More information on history of WYSSA codes http://www.abc.net.au/science/kelvin/files/s58.htm
Can you make a message using the WYSSA codes?
Imagine you are a scientist in Antarctica. Write a message to your family using the WYSSA codes at
http://antarctica.kulgun.net/History/WYSSA/
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Find out more about Antarctica
What is the weather like in Antarctica? Compare this to the weather where you live.
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/environment/weather
Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and driest continent on Earth.
The average annual temperature ranges from about −10°C on the Antarctic coast to −60°C at
the highest parts of the interior. The lowest temperature yet recorded on the Earth's surface
was −89.2°C at Vostok station on 21 July 1983. Wind speeds can exceed 100 km/h for days at a
time. Wind gusts well over 200 km/h have been measured.
Though rain is observed at times near the coast, most precipitation over Antarctica is in the
form of snow or ice crystals. Blizzards are said to occur when wind speeds are gale force or
stronger for at least an hour, the temperature is less than 0°C and visibility is reduced to 100 m
or less. Sometimes blizzards persist for days.
Use an online conversion to change -1.5°F to degrees C.
-18.6
What is the average temperature in Antarctica?
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/environment/weather
The average annual temperature ranges from about −10°C on the Antarctic coast to −60°C at
the highest parts of the interior.
What animals live in Antarctica?
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/wildlife
Fish, birds, krill, invertebrates, penguins, salps, seabed organisms, seals and sea lions,
sponges, squid and whales.
What kinds of adaptations do these animals need to have?
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/wildlife/animals/adapting-to-the-cold
Physical adaptations – thick, windproof and waterproof coats, thick fat layers, small
extremities.
Behavioural adaptations – huddling.
Living in Antarctica
Investigate how many people live in Antarctica. You might like to look at
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/people-in-antarctica/how-many
No more than a few thousand people live on the entire continent at the height of summer, and
this decreases to just hundreds over winter. Australia's four stations have winter-time
populations totalling around 80 in winter, rising to perhaps 200 in summer.
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Why do people live in and visit Antarctica?
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/people-in-antarctica/why-live-in-antarctica
The main purpose for people living in Antarctica is to undertake scientific research. Australia
has three permanent Antarctic stations (Davis, Casey & Mawson) and one permanent
subantarctic station at Macquarie Island. We conduct research in atmospheric studies, biology
(including plants and animals), glaciology, medicine, human impact, environment, etc. In order
to support this scientific research and keep the research stations running, tradespeople also
live at the stations. These include plumbers, electricians, mechanics and carpenters.
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/tourism
In addition to national Antarctic programs conducted by parties to the Antarctic Treaty, nongovernment expeditions (primarily tourist ships) visit Antarctica on a regular basis. While
commercial Antarctic tourism dates back to the late 1960s, there has been rapid growth since
the late 1980s. This has led to a wide range of tourist and adventure activities.
Tourism has allowed many people who might not otherwise have the opportunity, to
experience the wonders, and understand the importance, of Antarctica. Their experiences have
led to a greater recognition in the wider community of the region's importance to the world. On
the other hand, as more and more people visit the southern regions, careful management is
required to avoid wildlife disturbance, vegetation trampling, introduction of non-native species,
and pollution.
Communication
In 1948 the Australian Broadcasting Commission introduced a program for men at the Antarctic
stations and their families. The isolated men at Casey, Mawson, Davis and Macquarie Island
appreciated listening to current affairs, family greetings and music requests from relatives and friends.
All work stopped each Friday afternoon as the men of the Australian National Antarctic Research
Expedition (ANARE) and their families on the mainland tuned in to the Calling Antarctica program. It
was often the only contact for months at a time between the men and their families. Family members
could visit ABC studios in different cities to record messages for their loved ones. Often the messages
were a record of their latest everyday activities, but one extraordinary broadcast featured the cries of
an expeditioner’s five-day-old baby from a Canberra hospital.
Investigate how changing technology affected people’s lives. This website has some
information about how communication with Antarctica has changed.
http://www.nfsa.gov.au/visit-us/exhibitions-presentations/previous-exhibitions/extreme-filmand-sound-stories-antarctica/#life
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/history/communications
When expeditioners were left on the ice in the late 1800s and early 1900s, they became truly
isolated from the outside world. The next news in and out would be brought only by the ship
returning to collect them a whole year later. Family events, brewing war, the sinking of
the Titanic, and even the first human to reach the South Pole may have been ‘old’ news for
those at home by the time the expeditioners learned of these events.
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Mawson’s efforts at establishing communications through a radio relay station at Macquarie
Island had limited success in his first year of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, but bore
fruit in the second year he remained at Commonwealth Bay.
Technology has evolved and expeditioners today enjoy telephone and email access with their
family and friends in Australia. The Antarctic Division has even hosted live video links between
stations and schools across Australia.
The incredible value of film and photography was recognised by pioneering expedition leaders
and Australia’s Frank Hurley produced spectacular images of the landscape and the life from
several expeditions.
As media and communication technology advances, the Australian Antarctic Division’s
Multimedia and Image Library continues to collect, archive and exhibit pictures, films,
broadcasts and communications from Antarctica over many decades. The legacy is a glorious
chronology of Australian endeavours down south.
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Further Resources
Antarctica Poster
http://www.ga.gov.au/metadata-gateway/metadata/record/gcat_82421
Schematic geological map of Antarctica
http://www.ga.gov.au/metadata-gateway/metadata/record/gcat_18991
Geoscience Australia work in Antarctica
http://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/marine/antarctica
Australian Antarctic Division Education resources
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/education-resources
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WYSSA Codes
http://antarctica.kulgun.net/History/WYSSA/
Penguin Watch
https://www.penguinwatch.org/
Online volunteers are being asked to classify images of penguin families to help scientists monitor the
health of penguin colonies in Antarctica.
Ice Flows game
http://www.iceflowsgame.com/
The game is built on a simple representation of how ice flows in Antarctica and how it responds to
changes in the environment — through changes in snowfall and ocean temperature. It allows players
to impose climatic changes to control the extent of the ice sheet to guide penguins to fish; if they get it
wrong, the penguin may meet its doom in the jaws of a leopard seal. The aim is to promote
understanding of the complexity of the ice sheet system by enabling the player to carry out their own
ice sheet model experiments, much like the scientists working on the research. The game has a
number of levels representing how different parts of the Antarctic will respond to climate change.
Geological Antarctic Field Notebook transcription
http://volunteer.ala.org.au/institution/index/12601095#/expeditionList
Digitised Antarctic geological field notebooks that can be transcribed via DigiVol.
Books
Stay: the last dog in Antarctica by Jesse Blackadder
Ice Wind Rock by Peter Gouldthorpe
Sophie Scott goes South by Alison Lester
Meet Douglas Mawson by Mike Dumbleton and Snip Green
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