outline of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, northern Canada
Axel Heiberg and Ellesmere islands
outline of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, northern Canada
Axel Heiberg and Ellesmere islands
view looking west down Kanguk Peninsula, western Axel Heiberg Island,
July 1990. Strand Fiord, with a few icebergs and some seasonal ice,
is visible on the left. "Split Mountain" is visible in the distance
at centre right.
Purple saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia)
from west of Resolute Bay, Cornwallis Island, July, 1993.
looking northeast,
up Otto Fiord, northwest Ellesmere Island. A glacier at the end of the
fiord has calved icebergs, many of which are stranded in the shallow fiord.
July, 1987.
looking south
from Dragon Mountain, across Expedition Fiord, towards "Split Mountain".
Western Axel Heiberg Island. Both seasonal sea ice and icebergs are
visible in the fiord. July, 1993.
Capitate lousewort (Pedicularis capitata) from near Kanguk
River, western Axel Heiberg Island, July, 1990.
looking towards the west at flood basalt lava flows on
Dragon Cliffs, north side of Expedition
Fiord, western Axel Heiberg Island. These lava flows are part of the
Albian (late Early Cretaceous) age Strand Fiord Formation. At Dragon
Cliffs, there are more than 10 flow units totalling over 200 metres of
stratigraphic thickness. The cliffs approach 300 metres tall at
this location, and drop precipitously into the fiord, which is covered
in seasonal ice. The rounded peak on the left is Surveyor Mountain, and
beyond that is Iceberg Bay and the Triangle Peninsula. On the horizon
are the icefields north of South Fiord, which get as high as 1200 metres
(3945 feet). July, 1993.
closer view of the flood basalt lava flows on Dragon Cliffs, north
side of Expedition Fiord, western Axel Heiberg Island. This view is
close enough that columnar jointing is visible in individual flows
(the vertical striations). It is formed due to contraction and propigation
of stress-related cracks during the cooling of the flows. The columns
in this unit are usually 1 to 3 metres in diameter, giving some idea
of the impressive scale. July, 1993.
Alpine arnica (Arnica alpina). North of Bastion Ridge,
near the head of Expedition Fiord, south of the Expedition River.
July, 1993.
A days catch for a paleontologist. These specimens are Cretaceous
(Middle Albian) in age, and occur within calcium-carbonate concretions
in the shales of the Christopher Formation. Ammonites, probably
Neogastroplites or related genera, are the most common fossils;
but also present are occasional inoceramid clams, and complete fossil
fish (top specimen). As you can see, the shape of the concretions
often conforms to the fossil contained within. From near Dragon Mountain,
western Axel Heiberg Island. July, 1993.
Nodding bladder campion (Melandrium apetalum ssp. arcticum).
Near Dragon Mountain, north of Expedition Fiord, western Axel Heiberg
Island. July, 1993.
The Polar Continental Shelf Project
The Arctic Institute of North America
The Department of Indian and Northern Affairs
and others.