ABSTRACT

The ship was the Eltanin, a military sea transportation service freighter converted to do oceanographic work in Antarctic waters. The Eltanin-19 profile stirred a profound reaction among the Lamont scientists. Some responded negatively, but most responded positively. In addition, polarity events beyond the range of the 3.3 million year mark could be correlated with the Eltanin-19 profile – nearly, but not quite to its end. The overall mission of the Eltanin was to do oceanographic work in the areas surrounding Antarctica, to gradually obtain data over a number of years to understand the geologic history of the region, the circulation of its waters, and its marine life. The Eltanin-19 profile was first recognized in December 1965. By December 1966 there was a far more extensive magnetic anomaly pattern reaching from the mid-ocean ridge axes down the flanks, from the present back to 80 million years before present.