A nunatak at the edge of the Polar Plateau at the head of the Hatherton Glacier; at the eastern end of Westhaven Nunatak on a lower elevation small terrace or bench type of surface with patterned ground covered topography
Altitude:
2150 m
Aspect:
Nil
Slope:
0 °
Location Data
Observer
IBC
GGC
GPS
No
Latitude Longitude DMS
79° 51' S 154° 18' E
79° 51' S 154° 19' E
Latitude Longitude DD
-79.850 154.300
-79.850 154.317
Latitude longitude precision DD
0.008 0.008
0.008 0.008
Locality
Hatherton Glacier, Transantarctic Mountains
Survey
United States Geological Survey 1966; 1:250,000 Turnstile Ridge, Antarctica
Climate
Soil climate zone:
Inland Mountain
Estimated mean annual temperature:
-40
°C
Frozen ground depth:
10 cm
Frozen type:
Stagnant ice
Frozen comment:
10cm
Geology
Geological setting:
Westhaven Nunatak is a dolerite outcrop; this area was examined to see if there were old surfaces and soils similar to those seen at the edge of the Polar Plateau in the Shackleton Glacier; the lower altitude surface might be expected to have soils that are less weathered than on the top of Westhaven Nunatak; the strong patterned ground features suggest much more recent surface exposure
Patterned ground:
Strongly developed nets with 1m deep troughs; the soil is underlain by ice
Surface weathering or surface features:
A stony surface; dolerite clasts are moderately stained; probably derived from erosion of local outcrops