Fieldwork in the Lower Beardmore Glacier Area

A vertical sampling profile of 1150 m was taken in the Mt Ida-Granite Pillars area lying just to the north of Beardmore Glacier. A horizontal sampling traverse collected by helicopter was taken from Mt Hope westwards to The Cloudmaker. In this area the only indication of faulting across the Transantarctic Mountain Front is given by topography: the decrease in height of the mountains in the form of a number of generalised benches and the presence of scarps, e.g. the large scarp formed by the east face of Mt Elizabeth and possibly the west wall of The Gateway. Samples were taken on each suspected fault block in order to determine relative displacements across the mountain front.

On the southern side of the Beardmore Glacier, a partially completed vertical profile of 900 m was taken off Cleft Peak. Positions of suspected NE striking faults axe not as obvious here as on the northern side of the glacier, the relief is generally more rugged and granitic rocks are not exposed as far to the east. Nevertheless, a horizontal sampling traverse from Mt Robert Scott west to Mt Patrick was taken.