On the large oscillations observed in Antarctic ice explorations

Abstract

Several Antarctic traverse parties have observed large and prolonged surface waves at higher altitudes, when shots were fired near the surface. They have also observed that these oscillations die out when the shot depth is increased from 20 to 30 m below the snow surface. Here an explanation has been put forward on the assumption that the waves are horizontally transverse and the phenomenon has been attributed to the nonuniformity of thickness of the snow layer and the vanishing of the oscillations due to burrying the source halfway into the snow. If the waves are not horizontally transverse then also probably they are due to the above stated cause.