Traverse to the Lapaz Icefield Meteorite Listing (293 KB with meteorite photos
- Last updated 10/29/2007)
LaPaz Icefield
During the 1991-1992 field season a rapid reconnoiter was made of a previously unknown icefield located (86°20'S 070°00'W) approximately 100 kilometers south of the Pecora Escarpment (TIL-PAT-Figure 1 - 27 KB JPEG). An enlarged portion of the MODIS image of the LaPaz Icefield area is given in LAP24-Figure 1 (33 KB JPEG). No bedrock exposures or moraines were found to be present in the vicinity. The icefield feature was named the LaPaz Icefield. It is an extensive icefield with possibly as much as 100-200 square kilometers of bare ice exposed. The topography is complex, with many escarpments, gentle slopes, and basins. Elevations vary from 1725 to 1970 meters.
In the 1991-1992 field season, a single, rapid search traverse across a limited area yielded three meteorites. During the 2002-2003 season, just over two weeks were spent in additional reconnaissance. Meteorites were generally found to be found widely distributed over the ice. A total of 237 meteorite specimens were recovered. Field seasons devoted to systematic searches in the 2003-2004 and the 2004-2005 seasons resulted in 850 and 417 meteorite specimens being discovered, respectively.
Table LAP24-1 is a tabulation of the various meteorite types recovered from the LaPaz Icefield.
Acknowledgments: John Schutt and Peter Wasilewski conducted the reconnaissance in the 1991-1992 season; the 2002-2003 field season team members included Catherine Coleman, Diane Dimassa, Dean Eppler, and John Schutt. The 2003-2004 ANSMET participants at the LaPaz Icefield were Oliver Botta, Nancy Chabot, Barbara Cohen, Chris Cokinos, Andrew Dombard, Ralph Harvey, Rene Martinez, Bill McCormick, Gordon Osinski, and Tim Swindle. The 2004-2005 ANSMET team consisted of Joe Boyce, Nancy Chabot, Cari Corrigan, Vera Fernandez, Ralph Harvey, Jim Karner, Stan Love, Keiko Nakamura, Shaun Norman, and Julie Smith. The support of the many Twin Otter aircraft crews of Kenn Borek Air, Ltd. is greatly appreciated. The MODIS image is provided courtesy of Ted Scambos, National Snow and Ice Data Center.
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