Description:
Over the past decades, researchers working under the auspices of the South African National Antarctic Program have acquired a considerable volume of geological data from that region of Antarctica that surrounds SANAE IV. This data, which is in the form mainly of ungeoreferenced hard-copy geological maps and geochemical and geochronological data, resides in various scattered archives and university libraries. In spite of some recent attempts, the derivation of a regional stratigraphy for Western Dronning Maud Land has been elusive. This, it must be assumed, has been in part due to the relative inaccessibility of the data, and more importantly, because of the lack of spatial referencing. This project involved the compilation of a digital, spatially referenced database -GIS- of geological information resulting from past South African expeditions to Antarctica. It was designed to allow for the international exchange of data on Antarctica as recommended by the consultative parties of the Antarctic Treaty and represents a significant step towards South Africa’s fulfilment of it’s obligation under resolution 4 -1998- on Antarctic Data Management, recalling the Commitment of Parties under Article III -1--c- of the Antarctic Treaty