Abstract:
The data include a 1:10,000 scale map of the surfical glacial and periglacial features of the Amery Oasis, East Antarctica. Features currently include:
areas covered by exposed bedrock, fluvial sediments and moraine moraine ridges streams (flowing during the 2003/04 season) watercourses lakes cosmogenic exposure ages degree of weathering
and may be extended to include areas of glaciers, glacial bedforms, scree, patterened ground and more if time permits.
Quality
Field mapping was conducted across the region during the 2003-04 season. Distances between traverse lines varied averaged about ~2km, but vary from 1km to 10km. These areas are specified in the data.
Mapping was performed on a rectified SPOT-5 2.5m resolution image taken in January 2004, with 1974 and 1995 stereo colour aerial photography used as supplement where SPOT data ... were snow covered or ambiguous. Air photo runs include: Film CAS/C 8574 run 23, 24 and 27; CAS/C 8575 run 26; CAS/C 8572 run 25 and ANT 1059 run 7-10.
Features were digitised on the SPOT image using ARCGIS 9, and are accurate to within 20-50m. Relative age for the features is constrained by surface weathering parameters and stratigraphic relationships. Absolute ages for mid-late pleistocene (less than 1Ma) features are derived from cosmogenic exposure age dating to within ~10-20%. Ages prior to this period are constrained by reference to the Pagodroma Group, dated using diatom stratigraphy. Dating reliability is specified for each feature within the attribute tables.
Access Constraints
The map is currently in production as part of Duanne White's PhD thesis. It will be freely available in electronic format through the AADC when finalised in late 2005. Access to the provisional map is possible by contacting Duanne directly.
