Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 02/09/2012 - 05:27
Forums
Seafloor Organisms and Changing Ocean Conditions in Antarctic

I hope you're having fun in Antarctica.

I was wondering is the waves in Antarctica are larger than those on the east coast. Also on the same note, how far does the continental shelf extends and how steep is it. What kind of beaches are there, rocky cliffs, sandy beaches, and what kind if rock makes up Antarctica, granitic, basaltic, sedimentary, or metamorphic?

Thanks Eli

Sun, 02/19/2012 - 03:51

Nell Herrmann

Hi Eli,I'm able to answer these questions now! The waves here are minimal to non-existent. The tidal range is small (only about 0.65 m at the most). The beaches are rocky (the rocks vary from the size of an apple to about 1.5 to 2 feet in diameter) and are a mainly igneous. I've seen a lot of basalt and granite. I've also seen a lot of foliated metamorphic rock. I talked about the geology of the western Antarctic peninsula in my journals on 2-16 and 2-17. If you haven't already read those, check them out!
--Ms. Herrmann