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.
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]