Nelson Cliffs

The Nelson Cliffs and a series of vertical cliffs about 1,150 feet high on the north side of Lomas Ridge on James Ross Island in the British Antarctic Territory. They extend for some five miles east–west between three miles north of Jefford Point and Tortoise Hill.

The cliffs are volcanic in origin. They contain important geological features used to correlate geological sections between Hamilton Point and Jefford Point and assign eruptive environments to the geological units.

Survey and naming

The cliffs are named after Dr Philip H.H. Nelson (b.1938), the British Antarctic Survey geologist 1959-1965, who carried out the first geological survey of the James Ross Island Volcanic Group. Nelson spent 325 days in the field in the 1960-61 season, and travelled 2,250 miles.

Location map

• Location map: {64°19’54"S, 57°34’58"W

References

• Gazetteer and Map of The British Antarctic Territory: Nelson Cliffs