Geological analyses were conducted on rock samples collected in Dronning-Maud Land during the 2007-2008 field season. Analyses included grain-size determination, dating, whole rock and inclusion mineralogy, and geochemical analyses. All of the samples taken were of rocks that were found cropping out as nunataks. The investigation took place entirely within the the Dronning-Maud Land area of East Antarctica (Norwegian Sector).

Sample inventory data related to a field campaign of approximately 10 weeks, carried out during 2007-2008. The primary focus was sample collection, with the rest of the time being used for mapping. All of the samples taken were of rocks that were found cropping out as nunataks. The investigation took place entirely within the the Dronning-Maud Land area of East Antarctica (Norwegian Sector).

Despite the important tectonic and stratigraphic setting, rocks from the English Coast area remain largely unstudied, as the paucity of exposure has hindered detailed structural and sedimentological analysis. Samples were collected for zircon analysis following a traverse starting at the English Coast and ending at Sky-Blu. A total of around 250kg of rock were collected and rocks at Fitzgerald Bluffs were revisited and sampled for the first time in 25 years. Highlights included the recognition of a previously undiscovered granitoid body and the discovery of fossils that tentatively indicate that Permian rocks are more widespread in the region.

The palaeontology collection at the British Antarctic Survey is a unique and internationally important collection of specimens sourced predominantly from the Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Arc. The collection was started in the 1940s and continues to be added to frequently through ongoing BAS research. Its importance lies not only in the fact that it is globally one of the main reference collections of Antarctic palaeontological material, but also in its high proportion of Mesozoic flora and fauna which can be used to understand evolutionary dynamics, continental movements and climatic changes over the past 250 ma. In addition to molluscs and other major animal phyla, the collection is particularly strong in plant material, ranging from fossilised wood and exceptionally preserved leaves to pollen and spores. Given the logistical challenges of sampling material from the Antarctic continent, this collection represents a wealth of taxa which were previously unknown to science and consequently houses a high number of taxonomic types. A project is underway to digitally catalogue the BAS Type and Figured fossil collection and make the data easily accessible to researchers worldwide. Currently the data from over 2000 fossil specimens are available online, together with high resolution photographs. Over the next year further specimens, including palynological samples, will be added to the database and photographs will be made available of the entire collection. Please direct any comments, questions or enquiries to: fossils@bas.ac.uk

Cosmogenic isotope exposure-age dating (Aluminium-26, Beryllium-10 and Chlorine-36) of granite erratic boulders and locally derived glacially transported basalt boulders from ice-free land on James Ross Island, northeastern Antarctic Peninsula. These data are used to define the evolution of Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) ice in the adjacent Prince Gustav region and the timing and duration of deglacial ice-streaming events.

The British Antarctic Survey holds one of the most extensive collections of Antarctic rocks and fossils anywhere in the world. These are predominately from the Antarctic Peninsula region and Scotia Arc, although there is also important material from areas such as the Ellsworth Mountains, Marie Byrd Land and the Transantarctic Mountains. Some of these specimens go back to the very earliest days of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey in the 1940s, and include collections made by the pioneer geologists at bases such as Hope Bay and Deception Island. Right from the outset, every specimen collected in Antarctica has been numbered and catalogued, and a vast reference archive is now available for use by the geoscience community. We currently have information relating to 150,000 field samples often with associated analysis data such as geochemistry. Additionally we hold a variety of data for nearly 500 marine cores. Metadata and data are stored digitally within a number of Oracle 10g database tables and for some datasets such as the type and figured fossil collection there is external access through a web interface. However, a significant number of datasets exist only in analog form and are held within the BAS archives organised by individual geologist. This abstract acts as an overview of the BAS geological data - both terrestrial and marine.

Geological samples collected during the 2010-11 field season from James Ross Island, northeast Antarctic Peninsula.