Salt Lake Telegram | 1932-01-13 | Page 5 | Scientist Travles 50,000 Miles in Submarines to Study Huge Cracks Believed to be Cause of Quakes

Scientist Travels Miles in Submarines to Study Huge Cracks Believed to Be Cause of Quakes Quakes' Earths Earth's Crust is Buckling Inward He Says Outlines Outlines Outlines Out Out- lines Theories By F F. F B. B COLTON Associated Press Science Writer Weller WASHINGTON Jan 13 Tracking 13 Tracking down dorm earthquakes in a submarine a scientist has decided they originate in giant submerged cracks thousands thousands thou thou- sands of miles mUes long where the earths earth's crust is buckling inward Dr F. F A. A of Holland Holland Hol Hol- land maintains earthquakes and the of mountain ranges arc are only puny symptoms of far more powerful forces deep in the earth earth that have I split open these cracks He gave his views last night before the annual meeting of the Washington Academy of Sciences Dr like a character out of Jules Verne has traveled miles under the seven seas in submarines locating with delicate instruments that measure changes in the force of gravity the places where the earth is buckling I IOne One crack winds through the East Indies he said and is miles long Another runs near the Pacific islands of Guam and Yap A third passes north of Haiti and Porto Rico I WILL TRACE CRACK This winter on board a United States navy submarine he and other scientists intend to trace this third crack westward They believe it may cross through Mexico l perhaps connecting with another already lo lo- off aU the California coast The inward buckling of the earths earth's crust may result from cooling and md shrinking of the earths earth's interior causIng causing caus caus- ing the skin to wrinkle like that of a shriveled apple he said or it may be caused by gradual drifting of the continents across the surface of at the globe with resulting changes in pressure at different points The great deeps of the oceans arc are sections of these cracks that have not been covered by surface material Dr explained Usually however the buckling takes place many miles below the surface FORCES STUDIED The cracks are traced by noting the lines along which the force of gravity is less than normal The earths earth's crust believed about 20 miles thick is composed composed com posed of comparatively light rocks that float on heavier materials be be- low The gravity pull of these light rocks is relatively weak Where the crust is buckling inward Dr l explained this light material is concentrated concentrated con con- and so the force of gravity Is below normal at these points Gravity's force is measured by designed swinging pendulums The faster the swing of the pendulums the stronger Is gravity at that point I At sea gravity can be measured only on submarines submerged about 60 feet to avoid wave motion Scientists hope to learn much about earthquakes in the western hemisphere hemisphere hemisphere hemis hemis- phere from this winters winter's submarine expedition Professor ProCessor Richard M M. Field of Princeton will be the leader assisted by Dr the navy the coast and geodetic survey national research research research re re- re- re search council and Royal Society of Great Britain