The Earth's Shifting Crust by Charles Hapgood - wire of information

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EARTH'S SHIFTING CRUST
dating from 1929, had been seventy feet high; now less than ten
feet of them could be seen (246:59-60).
The best evidence for the rate of snow accumulation in
Antarctica, however, comes from some scientific measurements
taken in connection with "Operation Highjump" by
the United States Navy, in the years 1947-48. The reports of
this thorough study were included in the Army Observer's
Report of the expedition, and were made available to me
through the kindness of Admiral Byrd. Observations were
made at a number of points; the snowfall was found to have
averaged nine inches per year since the previous Byrd expedition
(12).
Of course, snow does not accumulate equally at all points
in Antarctica. In many exposed places it may not accumulate
at all, but may be blown away by the wind. In the interior it
is reasonable to suppose it may accumulate at a slower rate
than on the coasts. Since measurements taken in a few areas
only may be seriously misleading, we should briefly review
the general factors controlling the snowfall and snow accu-
mulation.
First, let us cite the testimony of a scientist-explorer, Nordenskjold,
who was the first to take scientific measurements
of the snowfall in Antarctica. He also took temperature rec-
ords during many months. Of these he said:
They also prove that there is a tremendous difference between
an arctic and an antarctic summer climate, and that our summer
was colder than winters in southern Sweden. But the temperature
alone does not give a true idea of the conditions in South Polar
regions, and the following example will serve to illustrate some
other points of view. I had arranged a row of bamboo rods on the
glacier, in order to measure the changes in the height of the ice caused
was found
by thawings and snowfalls. During the winter this height
to be constant, and not the slightest part of the snow which then fell
remained on the glacier. But during the summer, on the other hand,
the height of the snow covering increased by 25 centimeters (9.75
inches)
and this amount still remained when we left these tracts one
year later.
Thus the reader must imagine a climate where winter is as severe