11.0 Terrain Reports

Whenever possible, a terrain map should be accompanied by a written report that provides information about terrain characteristics or related features that are not shown on the terrain map.

11.1 Contents of the Report

The most important contents of a terrain report are outlined in Table 14. Many reports will contain additional material oriented toward the specific objectives. For example, reports on mapping carried out for slope stability assessment should include discussions of factors influencing slope stability and descriptions of the criteria that were used to define stability classes. Reports for drift prospecting should emphasize geological history, especially former flow directions of ice and meltwater, and stratigraphy of drift.

The distribution of landforms, surficial materials, and stratigraphic relations as observed in sections, is usefully presented in the form of cross sections. Accurate cross sections can be drawn for specific transects, or schematic cross sections can be constructed to show typical features and their relations. Observations can be distinguished from interpretations by the use of solid vs. dashed or dotted lines. Schematic cross sections with terrain symbols can be used to illustrate complex terrain.

Any new radiocarbon dates that appear in a report should be accompanied by the following information: laboratory number; type of material dated; stratigraphic context (preferably a stratigraphic section drawing); discussion of chronological significance. Dates derived from published sources should be clearly identified as such, and the sources should be referenced.
Table 14. Essentials of a terrain report.

Statement of project objectives Review of previous work Brief description of the physiography of the area, including topography, bedrock geology and geomorphological (including glacial) history; diagrams, such as schematic cross sections and maps of ice-flow direction, to illustrate geological/geomorphologica/glacial history; Descriptions of each surficial material, stressing those aspects that are not shown on the Map, such as thickness, stratigraphy, consolidation, clast lithologies, and complexity (e.g., variability of texture of till); description of terrain mapping methods, including field work; discussion of the reliability of the basic terrain data, including description of access problems, difficulties in field sampling, and including a map showing ground and helicopter traverse routes and sites of ground checks; description of methods used for preparation of interpretive maps, including explanation of rationale for criteria used and any assumptions made; discussion of results and recommendations tailored to project objectives; photographs with captions; acknowledgments; references; field data forms (appended)