Jarntimarra Database (JNT-DB)

LOCALITY

CONTINENTAL MAP

To be added

REGIONAL MAP

To be added

MAP REFERENCES

To be added

SAMPLE SATELLITE/AERIAL IMAGE

To be added

SAMPLE MARS SATELLITE IMAGE

To be added

IMAGE REFERENCES
Moon Plain (Oolegliman Plain)
DESIGNATION
Australia-SA_Moon_Plain
LONGITUDE
To be completed
LATITUDE
To be completed
LOCALITY AND OWNERSHIP
Mount Barry Station, NT Pastoral Lease 2411.
ACCESS
Gazetted, all weather dirt road from Coober Pedy to Arkaringa. The undulating character of the plains would allow for facilities to be placed a short distance from the road without being directly visible to road traffic.
LOCAL CONTACTS
none
NEAREST SERVICES
Coober Pedy.
RISKS
Seasonal extremes, securing of equipment, getting lost in monotonous terrain.
GEOLOGY
Slightly undulating plain, lightly dissected by low relief channels draining to the east. The surface consists of dark, cracking clays with abundant fragmented gypsum sheets derived from weathered Bulldog shale. Numerous cobbles and pebbles of sandstones, quartzites and granites form a strewn field partly armouring the surface. Weakly developed gilgai are present and depressions are marked by well developed dessications polygons. Ground water discharge forms puffy ground near streams. Breakaways are visible within 20 kilometers to the west and north-east. Soils reportedly contain exotic magnesium sulfate salts.
CLIMATE
Variabilty in weather. The average annual rainfall is 150mm, but the rain is charcterised by very large peak falls, producing occassional floods. Minimum monthly average temperaturer (July) is 6 deg and the maximum average monthly temperature is 35 deg. The temperature can fall below freezing in winter.
FLORA AND FAUNA
The area is very sparsely vegetated, mainly by ephemerals, despite the unusually wet conditions. Types unidentified.
HISTORY
No entry.
ANALOGUE VALUE
The gibber plain would form an excellent landing site analogue environment, with numerous sites of interest accessible in the breakaways to the west and north-east. These could be visited by analogue rover traverses of 20-100 kilometres. Further to the east, major euphemeral streams could also be visited on longer traverses.
REFERENCES
  1. van Oosterzee, P. A 2000. Field Guide to Central Australia. Marleston, SA: J.B. Books.

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