How did Operation Highjump map much of the Antarctic coast?

Operation Highjump, conducted during the 1946–1947 season, mapped the Antarctic coast primarily through the extensive use of aerial photography. As the most massive sea and air operation attempted in Antarctica at that time, it utilized a fleet of 13 ships—including an aircraft carrier and two seaplane tenders—along with 25 airplanes.12

By deploying aircraft from both these ships and land-based sites, the expedition captured 49,000 photographs. These images, combined with other aerial reconnaissance, allowed the mission to map and photograph approximately 60 percent of the Antarctic coastline, with nearly one-fourth of the surveyed territory having been previously unseen. This systematic use of modern technical resources, such as cameras and specialized navigation, marked a significant milestone in the history of polar exploration.12