Gosses Bluff
Designation:
Australia-NT_S-Gosses_Bluff
Location:
| Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|
-23.820016° | 132.308393° |
Locality and ownership:
175km west of Alice Springs. Gosses Bluff NT Conservation reserve. The local aboriginal community may have land tenure over the reserve.
Access:
Dirt road via Hermannsberg mission. This may require permission from the land council. There is also an airstrip at Hermannsberg, which may also require permission for use.
Local contacts:
Nearest services:
Alice Springs
Risks:
The area is fairly remote with the usual risks associated with water, communications, and emergency evacuation. Two vehicles in the party is advisable. The central uplift is rugged and probably accessible only by foot. Basic medical services are probably available at Hermannsberg with the nearest hospital at Alice Springs. Overall risk medium.
Terrain:
eroded astrobleme
General:
The geology of Gosses Bluff has been extensively studied. The Bluff is the central uplift only of a deeply eroded astrobleme. The very low relief outer ring and the high points of the central uplift are composed of Devonian sandstones. The core of the central uplift consist of more easily eroded Cambro-Ordovician siltstones and limestones. The impact occurred in the late Jurassic had has had about 1 km of erosion. The regolith history is the only aspect that has been poorly studied.
Climate:
Nearest BOM Weather Station: Alice Springs
Flora and fauna:
Low woodland vegetation on the central uplift, scattered shrubs and grassland on the plain and outer ring.
History:
Gosses Bluff was first visited by Europeans in 1872, when Ernest Giles named it "Gosse's Range". An impact origin was first proposed in 1966. It is Australia's most intensively studied astrobleme.
Analogue value:
The deeply eroded nature of this astrobleme may have no equivalent on Mars. The extensive vegetation also makes it a poor visual analogue. The terrain is either relatively smooth, offering little challenge to Marsupial, or extremely rugged. Overall value must be low.
References:
- Milton, D. J. Geology of the central uplift, Gosses Bluff impact structure, Northern Territory (1:7500 geological map). AGSO Journal of Geology and Geophysics 16(4) (In back pocket). Most detailed and essential map to working at Gosses Bluff.
- Milton, D. J., Glickson, A. Y., and Brett, R. 1996. Gosses Bluff - a latest Jurassic impact structure, central Australia. Part 1; geological structure, stratigraphy, and origin. AGSO Journal of Geology and Geophysics 16(4): 453-486. The main reference on the geology of Gosses Bluff.
- Milton, Barlow, B. C., Brown, A. R., Moss, F. J., Manwaring, E. A., Sedmik E. C. E., Young, G. A., and van Son., J. 1996. Gosses Bluff - a latest Jurassic impact structure, central Australia. Part 2; seismic, magnetic, and gravity studies. AGSO Journal of Geology and Geophysics 16(4): 487-528. Presents the results of a range of geophysical studies of the astrobleme.
- Quinlan, T. 1966. Explanatory notes, Hermannsburg Geological Sheet, Northern Territory. B<R Record 1966/027.Thompson. 1991. A guide to the geology and landforms of central Australia. Northern territory Geological Survey. A very useful popular introduction to the subject that covers the geological and geomorphological history of the region. It also has site descriptions of Henbury, Gosses Bluff, and many other points of geological interest.
Map reference:
Hermannsberg 1:250,000 topographic and geological maps.
Geology
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