Founders Escarpment

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Founders Escarpment is a prominent escarpment located west of the Founders Peaks in the Heritage Range of Antarctica, extending from Minnesota Glacier to Splettstoesser Glacier. It was named after the nearby Founders Peaks by the University of Minnesota Geological Party, 1963–64. [1]

The Founders Peaks are a cluster of sharp peaks and ridges located just east of Founders Escarpment and between Minnesota Glacier and Gowan Glacier, in the Heritage Range of the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica. The peaks were mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1961–66. The name was applied by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names is association with the name Heritage Range.

Heritage Range mountain range

The Heritage Range is a major mountain range, 160 km (99 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) wide, situated southward of Minnesota Glacier and forming the southern half of the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica. The range is complex, consisting of scattered ridges and peaks of moderate height, escarpments, hills and nunataks, with the various units of relief set off by numerous intervening glaciers.

Minnesota Glacier glacier in Antarctica

Minnesota Glacier is a broad glacier, about 40 nautical miles long and 5 nautical miles wide, flowing east through the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica, separating the Sentinel Range and the Heritage Range. It is nourished by ice from the plateau west of the mountains and by Nimitz Glacier and Splettstoesser Glacier, and merges into the larger Rutford Ice Stream at the eastern margin of the Ellsworth Mountains.

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Zavis Peak sharp peak, 2,195 m, standing 4 miles west of Navigator Peak

Zavis Peak is a sharp peak, 2,195 metres (7,201 ft), standing 4 miles (6 km) west of Navigator Peak at the south end of Founders Escarpment in the Heritage Range. It was named by the University of Minnesota Geological Party of 1963–64 for Alfred Zavis, a United States Geological Survey (USGS) topographic engineer with the party in these mountains.

Watlack Hills is a line of mainly ice-free hills, 10 nautical miles (18 km) long, bounded by the White Escarpment, Splettstoesser Glacier, and Dobbratz Glacier, in the Heritage Range. Named by the University of Minnesota Geological Party to these mountains, 1963–64, for Chief Warrant Officer Richard G. Watlack, pilot with the 62nd Transportation Detachment, who assisted the party.

Watson Escarpment

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 (180 km) long, rises 3,550 m above sea level, and 1,000 to 1,500 m above the adjacent terrain.

Webster Glacier is a glacier in the Founders Peaks of the Heritage Range, flowing generally north between Frazier Ridge and Pipe Peak to enter Minnesota Glacier. Mapped by United States Geological Survey (USGS) from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1961-66. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for Charles W. Webster, United States Antarctic Research Program (USARP) meteorologist and member of the winter party at Wilkes Station in 1963.

White Escarpment

White Escarpment is an escarpment in the west part of the Heritage Range, extending for 15 nautical miles (28 km) between the heads of the Splettstoesser and Dobbratz Glaciers. Named by the University of Minnesota Geological Party to these mountains, 1963–64, for Chief Warrant Officer Ronald B. White, pilot with the 62nd Transportation Detachment, who assisted the party.

Cunningham Peak is a mainly ice-covered peak, 2,170 metres (7,120 ft) high, at the head of Gowan Glacier along the Founders Escarpment, in the Heritage Range. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and from U.S. Navy air photos, 1961–66, and named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Ship's Serviceman John B. Cunningham, U.S. Navy, in charge of the McMurdo Station ship's store and laundry during U.S. Navy Operation Deep Freeze 1966.

Dobbratz Glacier glacier in Antarctica

Dobbratz Glacier is a broad tributary glacier which drains the south part of the White Escarpment and flows northeast between the Watlack Hills and the Webers Peaks into Splettstoesser Glacier, in the Heritage Range. It was named by the University of Minnesota Geological Party, 1963–64, for Major Joseph Dobbratz, a United States Marine Corps pilot who supported the party.

Gowan Glacier glacier in Antarctica

Gowan Glacier is a glacier about 15 nautical miles long in the Heritage Range of the Ellsworth Mountains of Antarctica, flowing north from the vicinity of Cunningham Peak in the Founders Escarpment to enter Minnesota Glacier just east of Welcome Nunatak. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1961–66, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Lieutenant Jimmy L. Gowan, U.S. Navy Medical Corps, officer in charge and doctor at Plateau Station in 1966.

Pipe Peak is a sharp peak on a ridge, 1,720 m, rising 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) north of Matney Peak in the Founders Peaks, Heritage Range. It was named so by members of the University of Minnesota Geological Party of 1963–64 because a pipe was left here after a visit to the area.

Dybvadskog Peak is a sharp, somewhat isolated peak, 2,180 metres (7,150 ft) high, the westernmost of those rising above the ice surface just west of the southern part of the Founders Escarpment, in the Heritage Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1961–66, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after Olav Dybvadskog, a Norwegian glaciologist who was a member of the United States Antarctic Research Program South Pole—Queen Maud Land Traverse I, 1964–65.

Epler Glacier glacier in Antarctica

Epler Glacier is a tributary glacier, 10 nautical miles long, draining west from Nilsen Plateau in the Queen Maud Mountains to enter Amundsen Glacier just south of the Olsen Crags. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960–64, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Charles F. Epler, a storekeeper with U.S. Navy Squadron VX-6 on Operation Deep Freeze 1966 and 1967.

Flanagan Glacier glacier in Antarctica

Flanagan Glacier is a glacier in the Pioneer Heights of the Heritage Range, Antarctica, draining east from Thompson Escarpment between the Gross Hills and the Nimbus Hills to the confluent ice at the lower end of Union Glacier. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1961–66, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Lieutenant Walter B. Flanagan, an assistant maintenance officer with U.S. Navy Squadron VX-6 at McMurdo Station during Operation Deep Freeze 1963 and 1964.

Frazier Ridge is a sharp ridge on the west side of Webster Glacier, extending north from Founders Escarpment to Minnesota Glacier, in the Heritage Range of Antarctica. It was named by the University of Minnesota geological party, 1963–64, for Sergeant Herbert J. Frazier, a radioman with the 62nd Transportation Detachment who was of assistance to the party.

Gardiner Glacier is a glacier at the south side of the Quartz Hills of Antarctica, flowing east from the Watson Escarpment into Reedy Glacier. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960–64, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Richard D. Gardiner, a construction electrician at Byrd Station in 1962.

Morales Peak is a peak which rises from the southern part of Metavolcanic Mountain in Antarctica, just east of Reedy Glacier. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960–64, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Tommy S. Morales, a radio operator at Byrd Station in 1962.

Hutto Peak is a sharp peak, 1,620 metres (5,300 ft) high, standing just below the Founders Escarpment on the ridge separating the upper portions of Gowan Glacier and Splettstoesser Glacier, in the Heritage Range of mountains in Antarctica. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos from 1961–66, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Chief Yoeman Grey H. Hutto of the U.S. Navy who was a participant in Operation Deep Freeze in two austral seasons in Antarctica in the period 1964–66.

Splettstoesser Glacier glacier in Antarctica

Splettstoesser Glacier is a glacier, 35 nautical miles long, draining from the plateau just south of Founders Escarpment and flowing east-northeast through the Heritage Range to the south of Founders Peaks and Anderson Massif to enter the Minnesota Glacier. Named by the University of Minnesota Ellsworth Mountains Party which explored the area in 1961-62 for John F. Splettstoesser, geologist with that party.

Schmidt Glacier (Antarctica)

Schmidt Glacier is a glacier, 20 nautical miles long, in the Pioneer Heights of the Heritage Range, Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica. The glacier originates near Hall Peak and drains north along the west side of Thompson Escarpment and Gross Hills to coalesce with the lower part of Splettstoesser Glacier, north of Mount Virginia. It was named by the University of Minnesota Ellsworth Mountains Party, 1961-62, for Paul G. Schmidt, geologist with the party.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates  public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "Founders Escarpment" (content from the Geographic Names Information System ).

United States Geological Survey Scientific agency of the United States government

The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The USGS is a fact-finding research organization with no regulatory responsibility.

Geographic Names Information System geographical database

The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout the United States of America and its territories. It is a type of gazetteer. GNIS was developed by the United States Geological Survey in cooperation with the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) to promote the standardization of feature names.

Coordinates: 79°15′S86°15′W / 79.250°S 86.250°W / -79.250; -86.250

Geographic coordinate system Coordinate system

A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position and two or three of the numbers represent a horizontal position; alternatively, a geographic position may be expressed in a combined three-dimensional Cartesian vector. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation. To specify a location on a plane requires a map projection.