Erratic Valley is a short valley on
Alexander Island,
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
, that joins
Ablation Valley
Ablation Valley, also known as Ablation Bay, is a mainly ice-free valley on the east coast of Alexander Island, long, which is entered immediately south of Ablation Point, opens on George VI Sound and lies immediately north of Ganymede Heights. I ...
from the north. It was named from the large number of
erratic igneous
Igneous rock (derived from the Latin word ''ignis'' meaning fire), or magmatic rock, is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or ...
blocks observed in the valley by a
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...
field party which mapped the area in 1978–79.
The site lies within
Antarctic Specially Protected Area An Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) is an area on the continent of Antarctica, or on nearby islands, which is protected by scientists and several different international bodies. The protected areas were established in 1961 under the Antarct ...
(ASPA)
No.147.
See also
*
Flatiron Valley
Flatiron Valley is a north-south valley including a sub-glacial lake, located in the south part of the Ganymede Heights, marginal to Jupiter Glacier, situated in eastern Alexander Island, Antarctica. The name derives from field work in 1978–79 ...
*
Moutonnée Valley
Moutonnée Valley is a valley in the Ganymede Heights area on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica. The valley runs eastward towards Moutonnée Lake and George VI Sound. It was named in association with the lake by the United Kingdom Ant ...
*
Viking Valley
Viking Valley () is a valley lying on the east side of Mars Glacier containing a braided stream which feeds into Secret Lake, situated in the southeast corner of Alexander Island, Antarctica. This area was the prime research site of the 1992-93 Ma ...
References
Valleys of Antarctica
Valleys of Alexander Island
Antarctic Specially Protected Areas
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