Historic Instruments Donated
Historic geomagnetic instruments which began to measure the Earth’s magnetic field from Antarctica in the 1950s have been donated to the Trust by GNS Science. The instruments were installed in Huts G and H, near Hillary’s Hut at Scott Base, in 1957-8.
Detailed measurement of the Earth’s magnetic field, and its variation with time, by Vern Gerrard and Buzz Burrows, was part of globally important work by the New Zealand International Geophysical Year party under the leadership of Dr Trevor Hatherton. Dr Fred Davey NZAM FRSNZ, former Emeritus Scientist at GNS, who first suggested conservation of the huts, says “Their sometimes overlooked work has contributed to understanding the Antarctic region and the Earth system.”
The magnetic observatory programme within the huts ran continuously from 1957 to 2023, with newer instruments added in latter years. Decades of work and gathered data make the huts the world’s second longest continuously running geomagnetic observatory.
After the huts have been conserved by the Trust, in line with their recent inclusion in the Antarctic Treaty System list of Historic Sites and Monuments, the instruments will be returned to them.
The donated instruments include two La Cour magnetographs (one wide range and one fast run) which were in Variometer Hut G, and the Quartz Horizontal Magnetometer and the Balance Magnetique Zero from Absolutes Hut H.
The Trust is grateful for the work and advocacy Dr Fred Davey has given to this project and for his help in GNS donating the original instruments.
