Beacon Valley Explained

Beacon Valley Camp
Settlement Type:Field Camp
Flag Size:110px
Flag Border:no
Mapsize:270px
Pushpin Map:Antarctica
Pushpin Map Alt:Location of Beacon Valley in Antarctica
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Beacon Valley in Antarctica
Pushpin Mapsize:270
Pushpin Relief:yes
Coordinates:-77.859°N 160.574°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:
Subdivision Type1:Location in Antarctica
Subdivision Name1:Beacon Valley
Victoria Land
Antarctica
Subdivision Type3:Administered by
Established Title:Established
Blank Name Sec1:Type
Blank Info Sec1:Seasonal
Blank Name Sec2:Status
Blank Info Sec2:Operational

Beacon Valley is an ice-free valley between Pyramid Mountain and Beacon Heights, in the Quartermain Mountains of Victoria Land, Antarctica. It was mapped by the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910–13, and named by the Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expedition (VUWAE) (1958–59) after Beacon Heights.

Astrobiological characteristics

The central region of Beacon valley is considered to be one of the best terrestrial analogues for the current conditions on Mars. There is snowdrift and limited melting around the edges and occasionally in the central region, but for the most part, moisture is only found as thin films of brine around permafrost structures. It has slightly alkaline salt rich soil.[1] [2]

Notes and References

  1. [ftp://ftp.seti.org/jbishop/AntarcticDryValleys/papers/McKay(2009)AntSci_permafrost_DryValleys.pdf Snow recurrence sets the depth of dry permafrost at high elevations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica ]. McKay . Christopher P. . Antarctic Science . 21 . 1 . 2008 . 89–94 . 0954-1020 . 10.1017/S0954102008001508 . 129096753 .
  2. Web site: The Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute, The Open University. TN2: The Catalogue of Planetary Analogues, section 1.6.3. Under ESA contract: 4000104716/11/NL/AF. 5 December 2012.