What is there in Antarctica geological history?

The geology of Antarctica is very varied; fossiliferous sedimentary rocks, lava and deep magmatic rocks, a wide range of metamorphic rocks, as well as active volcanoes and glacial deposits. Most of Antarctica is covered by ice, but where mountains breach the ice, exposures are completely free of vegetation.

Do geologists work in Antarctica?

Scientists usually take down a project to Antarctica with them and are fairly self-contained equipment-wise. Scientists fall into many categories: Glaciologists. Geologists.

What rock is Antarctica made of?

Around the margins of the East Antarctic continental shield there are areas of basalt rock which formed through the solidification of basaltic lava during the break up of Gondwana.

Is there granite in Antarctica?

Furthermore, the ADT granite forms the only West Gondwana exposure of Archaean rock in Antarctica (e.g. Boger & Miller, 2004), and therefore plays an important role in our understanding of Gondwana supercontinent assembly.

Is the Ercall Quarry open to the public?

Quartzite from the neighbouring Wrekin is also visible. The Ercall bears the marks of extensive quarrying, although the quarries are now disused, safe and open to the public. When the M54 motorway was constructed in 1974, the road was built through the northern end of the hill. The woods of the forest are important for various butterfly species.

Where does the craggy rock in Antarctica come from?

This craggy rock spine erupts from the ice in a line that marks the boundary between east and west Antarctica. The range seems to be associated with a period of rifting—stretching of the earth’s crust—that began in west Antarctica 180 million years ago, and may or may not be ongoing.

How many species of insects are in Ercall Quarry?

A staggering 821 species of invertebrates (butterflies, beetles, spiders, bees, bugs, ants etc) were found here in a single survey. An easy, gentle walk takes you on to the quarry floor; to explore the woods properly and gain the views, a steep climb is necessary.

Where do geologists collect rock samples in Antarctica?

Geologists collect rock samples in the Transantarctic Mountains. At first glance, Antarctica seems to turn a cold shoulder to geologists. How do you study minerals and landforms on a continent that’s almost entirely covered by ice?