Amundsen Glacier | |
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Location of Amundsen Glacier in Antarctica | |
Location | Ross Dependency |
Coordinates | 85°35′S159°4′W / 85.583°S 159.067°W |
Length | 150 km (93 mi) |
Width | 10 km (6.2 mi) |
Terminus | Ross Ice Shelf |
The Amundsen Glacier ( 85°35′S159°00′W / 85.583°S 159.000°W ) is a major Antarctic glacier, about 7 to 11 km (4 to 6 nmi) wide and 150 km (80 nmi) long. It originates on the Antarctic Plateau where it drains the area to the south and west of Nilsen Plateau, then descends through the Queen Maud Mountains to enter the Ross Ice Shelf just west of the MacDonald Nunataks. [1]
The Amundsen Glacier was discovered by Richard E. Byrd on the South Pole flight in November 1929. The name was proposed for Roald Amundsen by Laurence Gould, leader of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition (Byrd AE) geological party which sledged past the mouth of the glacier in December 1929. [1]
According to Sailing Directions for Antarctica (1960), "Lying eastward of the Bowman Glacier is the Amundsen Glacier, the northern portal of which is in 85°30' S., 159°00' W. It is about 6 miles wide and trends southward about 60 miles to the polar plateau. Mount Helmer Hanssen, about 10,742 feet high, is a rounded dome, completely snow-covered, standing conspicuously above the westem wall. A tributary glacier, about 5 miles wide, enters the Amundsen Glacier on the northern side of the Mount Helmer Hanssen massif. The Amundsen Glacier has not been traversed. " [2]
The Amundsen Glacier rises on the polar plateau to the west of the Rawson Mountains. It flows northwest to the Nødtvedt Nunataks, which it passes on both sides, and is fed by the Norway Glacier from the left (west) south of Mount Hassel, where it wheels to the north and then northeast, fed by Devils Glacier from the left, by the Epler Glacier from the right and then by the Christy Glacier from the left. [3] The tributary Blackwall Glacier flows northwest along the northeast side of Hansen Spur to join Amundsen Glacier. [4] It flows north through past Beck Peak and the Breyer Mesa. [3] Continuing north it is joined by the Tate Glacier, Moffett Glacier and Whitney Glacier from the left, and by the Cappellari Glacier to the right. As it enters the Ross Ice Shelf between Witalis Peak and the MacDonald Nunataks it converges with the Bowman Glacier on the left and the Goodale Glacier on the right. [5]
Left (west) tributaries from south to north are:
86°30′S164°00′W / 86.500°S 164.000°W A tributary glacier about 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) long, descending the polar plateau just west of Mount Prestrud, and flowing northeast to enter Amundsen Glacier between Mount Bjaaland and Mount Hassel. Named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) in association with the many features named in this area for members of Amundsen's Norwegian expedition of 1910-12. [6]
86°23′S165°00′W / 86.383°S 165.000°W . A heavily crevassed glacier at the edge of the polar plateau, about 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) long and 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) wide, draining the south part of the Mohn Basin and flowing northeast to enter the upper part of Amundsen Glacier just north of the mountain group consisting of Mount Wisting, Mount Hassel, Mount Bjaaland and Mount Prestrud. The glacier was encountered by Roald Amundsen's South Pole Party in 1911 and was named by them to describe the extremely rough sledging in the area. Amundsen's route southward, between 168° and 169°W, took the party across the upper or western portion of the glacier. [7]
86°06′S161°30′W / 86.100°S 161.500°W . A steep tributary glacier draining southeast along the southwest side of Breyer Mesa to enter Amundsen Glacier. Mapped by United States Geological Survey (USGS) from surveys and United States Navy air photos, 1960-64. Named by US-ACAN for Clarence C. Christy, maintenance shop supervisor at Williams Field, McMurdo Sound, on USN OpDFrz 1967. [8]
85°54′S160°50′W / 85.900°S 160.833°W . A tributary glacier on the south side of Thomas Spur, flowing east and merging with Moffett Glacier just east of the spur where the two glaciers enter the larger Amundsen Glacier. Mapped by USGS from surveys and USN air photos, 1960-64. Named by US-ACAN for Robert Tate, geomagnetist / seismologist with the South Pole Station winter party, 1964. [9]
85°52′S161°00′W / 85.867°S 161.000°W . A tributary glacier, 13 nautical miles (24 km; 15 mi) long, flowing east from Rawson Plateau to enter Amundsen Glacier just south of Mount Benjamin. Discovered by R. Admiral Byrd on the South Pole flight of Nov. 28-29, 1929, and named by him for R. Admiral William A. Moffett, USN, first Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics, Dept. of the Navy. [10]
85°39′S160°00′W / 85.650°S 160.000°W . A tributary glacier, 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) long, draining northeast from Mount Ellsworth to enter Amundsen Glacier just south of Robinson Bluff. Discovered and mapped by the ByrdAE, 1928-30. Named by US-ACAN for Raymond L. Whitney, meteorologist, South Pole Station winter party, 1961. [11]
85°34′S162°00′W / 85.567°S 162.000°W . A deeply entrenched glacier, 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi) long, descending the polar plateau between Quarles Range and Rawson Plateau of the Queen Maud Mountains to enter the Ross Ice Shelf just west of the flow of Amundsen Glacier. Discovered in December 1929 by the Byrd Antarctic Expedition geological party under Laurence Gould, and named by Byrd for Isaiah Bowman, eminent geographer and president of Johns Hopkins University, 1935-49; Director of the American Geographical Society, 1915–35. [12]
85°38′S161°54′W / 85.633°S 161.900°W . A tributary glacier, 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) long, draining the east slopes of Rawson Plateau between Mount Alice Gade and Mount Deardorff and flowing north to enter Bowman Glacier. First mapped by the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, 1928–30. Named by US-ACAN for Jack Steagall, meteorologist, South Pole Station winter party, 1961. [13]
Right (east) tributaries from south to north are:
86°15′S161°00′W / 86.250°S 161.000°W . A tributary glacier, 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) long, draining west from Nilsen Plateau to enter Amundsen Glacier just south of Olsen Crags. Mapped by USGS from surveys and USN air photos, 1960-64. Named by US-ACAN for Charles F. Epler, storekeeper with USN Squadron VX-6 on Operation Deep Freeze 1966 and 1967. [14]
86°10′S159°40′W / 86.167°S 159.667°W . A tributary glacier, 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) long, which drains a portion of the west slope of Nilsen Plateau. It flows northwest along the northeast side of Hansen Spur to join Amundsen Glacier. The name was used by both the 1963-64 and 1970-71 Ohio State University field parties at Nilsen Plateau; all the rock walls surrounding this glacier are black in appearance. [15]
85°52′S158°40′W / 85.867°S 158.667°W . A glacier 11 nautical miles (20 km; 13 mi) long in the Hays Mountains, flowing west from the northwest shoulder of Mount Vaughan to enter Amundsen Glacier just north of Mount Dort. First roughly mapped by the ByrdAE, 1928-30. Remapped by USGS from ground surveys and USN air photos, 1960-64. Named by US-ACAN for Lewis K. Cappellari who made ionospheric studies at McMurdo Station in 1965. [16]
85°35′S156°24′W / 85.583°S 156.400°W . A glacier which flows north from Mount Goodale and Mount Armstrong along the west side of Medina Peaks, in the foothills of the Queen Maud Mountains. First seen and mapped by the ByrdAE, 1928-30. Named by US-ACAN in association with Mount Goodale. [17]
A mountain group consisting of Mount Wisting, Mount Hassel, Mount Bjaaland and Mount Prestrud lies at the head of the Amundsen Glacier just south of the point where the Devils Glacier enters from the left. [7] In November 1911, a number of mountain peaks in this general vicinity were observed and rudely positioned by the South Pole Party under Roald Amundsen. He named peaks in the massif for members of his South Pole Party. The peaks were mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy aerial photography in 1960–64. For the sake of historical continuity and to commemorate the Norwegian exploration in this area, the US-ACAN assigned Amundsen's chosen names to the peaks. [18]
86°27′S165°26′W / 86.450°S 165.433°W . A rock peak (2,580 m), the north westernmost summit of the massif. Amundsen named one of the peaks for Oscar Wisting, a member of the party. The US-ACAN has selected this feature to be designated Mount Wisting. [19]
86°28′S164°28′W / 86.467°S 164.467°W . A rock peak 2,390 metres (7,840 ft) high, the northeasternmost summit of the massif. Amundsen named one of the peaks for Sverre Hassel, a member of the party. The US-ACAN has selected this feature to be designated Mount Hassel.. [20]
86°33′S164°14′W / 86.550°S 164.233°W . A rock peak 2,675 metres (8,776 ft) high, the southeasternmost summit of the massif. Amundsen named one of the peaks for Olaf Bjaaland, a member of the party. The US-ACAN has selected this feature to be designated Mount Bjaaland. [21]
86°34′S165°07′W / 86.567°S 165.117°W . A peak over 2,400 metres (7,900 ft) high which rises from the southwestern part of the massif. Amundsen named one of the peaks for Lieutenant Kristian Prestrud, first officer of the Fram and leader of the Norwegian expedition's Eastern Sledge Party to the Scott Nunataks. The US-ACAN has selected this feature to be designated Mount Prestrud. [22]
The Beardmore Glacier in Antarctica is one of the largest valley glaciers in the world, being 200 km (125 mi) long and having a width of 40 km (25 mi). It descends about 2,200 m (7,200 ft) from the Antarctic Plateau to the Ross Ice Shelf and is bordered by the Commonwealth Range of the Queen Maud Mountains on the eastern side and the Queen Alexandra Range of the Central Transantarctic Mountains on the western. Its mouth is east of the Lennox-King Glacier. It is northwest of the Ramsey Glacier.
The Reedy Glacier is a major glacier in Antarctica, over 100 nautical miles long and 6 to 12 nautical miles wide, descending from the polar plateau to the Ross Ice Shelf between the Michigan Plateau and Wisconsin Range in the Transantarctic Mountains. It marks the limits of the Queen Maud Mountains on the west and the Horlick Mountains on the east.
The Queen Maud Mountains are a major group of mountains, ranges and subordinate features of the Transantarctic Mountains, lying between the Beardmore and Reedy Glaciers and including the area from the head of the Ross Ice Shelf to the Antarctic Plateau in Antarctica. Captain Roald Amundsen and his South Pole party ascended Axel Heiberg Glacier near the central part of this group in November 1911, naming these mountains for the Norwegian queen Maud of Wales.
The Axel Heiberg Glacier in Antarctica is a valley glacier, 30 nautical miles long, descending from the high elevations of the Antarctic Plateau into the Ross Ice Shelf between the Herbert Range and Mount Don Pedro Christophersen in the Queen Maud Mountains.
The Leverett Glacier is about 50 nautical miles (90 km) long and 3 to 4 nautical miles wide, flowing from the Antarctic Plateau to the south end of the Ross Ice Shelf through the Queen Maud Mountains. It is an important part of the South Pole Traverse from McMurdo Station to the Admundson–Scott South Pole Station, providing a route for tractors to climb from the ice shelf through the Transantarctic Mountains to the polar plateau.
Shackleton Glacier is a major Antarctic glacier, over 60 nautical miles long and from 5 to 10 nautical miles wide, descending from the Antarctic Plateau from the vicinity of Roberts Massif and flowing north through the Queen Maud Mountains to enter the Ross Ice Shelf between Mount Speed and Waldron Spurs. Discovered by the United States Antarctic Service (USAS) (1939–41) and named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for Sir Ernest Shackleton, British Antarctic explorer.
The Herbert Range is a range in the Queen Maud Mountains of Antarctica, extending from the edge of the Antarctic Plateau to the Ross Ice Shelf between the Axel Heiberg Glacier and Strom Glacier. Named by the New Zealand Antarctic Place-Names Committee (NZ-APC) for Walter W. Herbert, leader of the Southern Party of the New Zealand GSAE (1961–62) which explored the Axel Heiberg Glacier area.
The Prince Olav Mountains is a mountain group in the Queen Maud Mountains in Antarctica stretching from Shackleton Glacier to Liv Glacier at the head of the Ross Ice Shelf.
Quarles Range is a high and rugged range of the Queen Maud Mountains, extending from the polar plateau between Cooper Glacier and Bowman Glacier and terminating near the edge of Ross Ice Shelf.
Lennox-King Glacier is a large valley glacier, about 40 nautical miles (70 km) long that flows east into the Ross Ice Shelf.
The Scott Glacier is a major glacier, 120 nautical miles long, that drains the East Antarctic Ice Sheet through the Queen Maud Mountains to the Ross Ice Shelf. The Scott Glacier is one of a series of major glaciers flowing across the Transantarctic Mountains, with the Amundsen Glacier to the west and the Leverett and Reedy glaciers to the east.
The Hays Mountains are a large group of mountains and peaks of the Queen Maud Mountains of Antarctica, surmounting the divide between the lower portions of Amundsen Glacier and Scott Glacier and extending from the vicinity of Mount Thorne on the northwest to Mount Dietz on the southeast.
Liv Glacier is a steep valley glacier, 40 nautical miles long, emerging from the Antarctic Plateau just southeast of Barnum Peak and draining north through the Queen Maud Mountains to enter Ross Ice Shelf between Mayer Crags and Duncan Mountains. It was discovered in 1911 by Roald Amundsen, who named it for the daughter of Fridtjof Nansen.
The Gothic Mountains is a group of mountains, 20 nautical miles long, in the Queen Maud Mountains of Antarctica, located west of Watson Escarpment and bounded by Scott Glacier, Albanus Glacier, and Griffith Glacier.
Nilsen Plateau is a rugged, ice-covered plateau in Antarctica. When including Fram Mesa, the plateau is about 30 nautical miles long and 1 to 12 nautical miles wide, rising to 3,940 metres (12,930 ft) high between the upper reaches of the Amundsen and Scott glaciers, in the Queen Maud Mountains. Discovered in November 1911 by the Norwegian expedition under Roald Amundsen, and named by him for Captain Thorvald Nilsen, commander of the ship Fram.
Watson Escarpment is a major escarpment in the Queen Maud Mountains, trending northward along the east margin of Scott Glacier, then eastward to Reedy Glacier where it turns southward along the glacier's west side. Somewhat arcuate, the escarpment is nearly 100 nautical miles long, rises 3,550 metres (11,650 ft) above sea level, and 1,000 to 1,500 metres above the adjacent terrain.
The Duncan Mountains are a group of rugged coastal foothills, about 18 nautical miles long, extending from the mouth of Liv Glacier to the mouth of Strom Glacier at the head of the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica.
The Medina Peaks are rugged, mainly ice-free, peaks surmounting a ridge 15 nautical miles long, extending north along the east side of Goodale Glacier to the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica.
The La Gorce Mountains are a group of mountains, 20 nautical miles long, standing between the tributary Robison Glacier and Klein Glacier at the east side of the upper reaches of the Scott Glacier, in the Queen Maud Mountains of Antarctica.
The Rawson Mountains lie within the Queen Maud Mountains to the southeast of the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. They are a crescent-shaped range of tabular, ice-covered mountains including Fuller Dome, Mount Wyatt and Mount Verlautz, standing southeast of Nilsen Plateau and extending southeast for 18 nautical miles to the west side of Scott Glacier.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Geological Survey .