The Weather and its Role in Captain Robert F. Scott and his Companions' Deaths
Krzysztof Sienicki

TL;DR
This study uses neural network simulations and historical weather data to analyze Antarctic temperature records, suggesting Captain Scott's reported temperatures were artificially lowered to dramatize weather hardships during his expedition.
Contribution
It introduces a novel neural network approach to retrodict historical Antarctic temperatures and questions the authenticity of Scott's temperature records.
Findings
Actual temperatures were about 13°F higher than reported
Historical data and modern simulations show temperature record alterations
The weather conditions were likely exaggerated in reports
Abstract
A long debate has ensued about the relationship of weather conditions and Antarctic exploration. In no place on Earth is exploration, human existence, and scientific research so weather dependent. By using an artificial neural network simulation, historical (Heroic Age) and modern weather data from manned and automated stations, placed at different locations of the Ross Ice Shelf, and the Ross Island, I have examined minimum near surface air temperatures. All modern meteorological data, as well as historical data of Cherry-Garrard, high correlations between temperatures at different locations, and artificial neural network retrodiction of modern and historical temperature data, point out the oddity of Captain Scott's temperature recordings from February 27 - March 19, 1912. I was able to show that in this period the actual minimum near surface air temperature was on the average about…
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Taxonomy
TopicsCryospheric studies and observations · Science and Climate Studies · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
