Keystone Cliffs

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The Keystone Cliffs ( 71°35′S68°13′W / 71.583°S 68.217°W / -71.583; -68.217 Coordinates: 71°35′S68°13′W / 71.583°S 68.217°W / -71.583; -68.217 ) are a set of cliffs, 610 metres (2,000 ft) high, marking the east face of the sedimentary ridge between Mercury Glacier and Venus Glacier, on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica. The coast in this vicinity was first seen from the air by Lincoln Ellsworth on November 23, 1935, and roughly mapped from photos obtained on that flight by W.L.G. Joerg. The cliffs were roughly surveyed in 1936 by the British Graham Land Expedition and resurveyed in 1948 by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS). They were so named by the FIDS because the geologic structures revealed in these cliffs provided the key to the general tectonic structure of the area. [1]

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.

Venus Glacier is a glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 10 nautical miles (18 km) long and 6 nautical miles (11 km) wide at its mouth flowing east into George VI Sound lying between Keystone Cliffs and Triton Point. The coast in this vicinity was first seen from the air by Lincoln Ellsworth on November 23, 1935 and roughly mapped from photos obtained on that flight by W.L.G. Joerg. The glacier was first surveyed in 1949 by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey and named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee for the planet Venus, the second planet of the Solar System.

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Uranus Glacier is a glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 30 kilometres long and 10 km (6 mi) wide at its mouth, flowing east into George VI Sound immediately south of Fossil Bluff. Along the south face of the glacier is an east–west escarpment called Kuiper Scarp.

Neptune Glacier is a glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 12 nautical miles (22 km) long and 4 nautical miles (7 km) wide, flowing east into George VI Sound and the George VI Ice Shelf to the south of Triton Point. Although Neptune Glacier is not located within the mountain range Planet Heights, the glaciers name derives from the mountain range along with many other nearby glaciers named after planets of the Solar System. There are also other nearby landforms named in association with these glaciers. The glacier was first sighted from the air by Lincoln Ellsworth on November 23, 1935, and roughly mapped from photos obtained on that flight by W.L.G. Joerg. The mouth of the glacier was positioned in 1936 by the British Graham Land Expedition (BGLE). Named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) for the planet Neptune following a Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) survey in 1949. The head of the glacier was mapped from air photos taken by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE), 1947–48, by Searle of the FIDS in 1960.

Defant Glacier is a glacier 2 nautical miles (4 km) wide at its mouth, which flows east-southeast to the west side of Violante Inlet, on the east coast of Palmer Land. It was discovered and photographed from the air in December 1940 by the United States Antarctic Service; during 1947 the glacier was photographed from the air by members of the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition, who in conjunction with the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) charted it from the ground. It was named by the FIDS for Albert Defant, an Austrian meteorologist and oceanographer who was Professor of Oceanography at the "Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität" and also Director of the "Institut and Museum für Meereskunde" in Berlin, Germany, from 1926 to 1945.

Succession Cliffs is a line of steep cliffs 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km) extending along the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, facing east towards George VI Sound immediately south of the mouth of Pluto Glacier. The cliffs were probably first sighted by Lincoln Ellsworth who photographed segments of the coast in this vicinity on November 23, 1935. First roughly surveyed from the ground in 1936 by the British Graham Land Expedition and resurveyed in 1948 by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey. So named by the FIDS because a geologic succession, or depositional sequence, is revealed by the accessible rock exposures of the cliffs.

Grotto Glacier is a glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, which flows east into George VI Sound between Belemnite Point and Ablation Point. It is 46 km (29 mi) long, 6 km (4 mi) wide where it emerges from the coastal mountains, and 13 km (8.1 mi) wide at its mouth. It was first photographed from the air on 23 November 1935, by Lincoln Ellsworth and mapped from these photographs by W.L.G. Joerg. It was roughly surveyed in 1936 by the British Graham Land Expedition and resurveyed in 1949 by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS). The glacier was so named by the FIDS because a sledge dog was rescued from a grotto-likecrevasse in the glacier.

Planet Heights is a series of summits running along an ice-free ridge, extending 24 nautical miles (44 km) in a north-south direction between the southernmost extremity of the LeMay Range and George VI Sound in the east part of Alexander Island, Antarctica. Many landforms and nearby features are named in association with this mountain range, some of these include landforms named after astronomers, satellites, planets and other things related to astrology and astrophysics. The mountain range was first mapped from air photos taken by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE), 1947–48, by Searle of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) in 1960. Named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) from association with the nearby glaciers named for planets of the solar system. The only planet that is not featured in any of these glaciers is the planet Earth, as there are no glaciers named "Earth Glacier" and this glacier does not exist.

Pluto Glacier is a glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 10 nautical miles (18 km) long and 4 nautical miles (7 km) wide, which flows east into George VI Sound to the north of Succession Cliffs. Although Pluto Glacier is not located within nearby Planet Heights, the glacier was named in association with the mountain range along with many other nearby glaciers that are named after planets of the Solar System. The glacier was first photographed from the air on November 23, 1935, by Lincoln Ellsworth and mapped from these photos by W.L.G. Joerg. Roughly surveyed in 1936 by the British Graham Land Expedition (BGLE). Named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) for Pluto, then considered the ninth planet of the Solar System, following Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) surveys in 1948 and 1949.

Palestrina Glacier is a glacier lying in the northern portion of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 11 nautical miles (20 km) long and 8 nautical miles (15 km) wide, flowing west from Nichols Snowfield into Lazarev Bay. The glacier was mapped from air photos taken by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE), 1947–48, by Searle of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) in 1960. Named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) for Giovanni da Palestrina (1525–1594), Italian composer.

The Eland Mountains are a range of mountains which rise above 2,440 metres (8,000 ft) and extend about 20 nautical miles (40 km) in a northeast–southwest direction along the south side of Clifford Glacier, on the east coast of Palmer Land. The mountains were discovered in 1936 by the British Graham Land Expedition, and they appear in aerial photographs taken by the United States Antarctic Service in September 1940. During 1947 they were photographed from the air by members of the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition, who in conjunction with the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS), charted them from the ground. The name Eland, Lady Clifford's maiden name, was given in 1952 by Sir Miles Clifford, Governor of the Falkland Islands, at the request of members of the FIDS staff.

Eros Glacier is a glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 7 nautical miles (13 km) long and 2 nautical miles (4 km) wide at its mouth, flowing southeast from the Planet Heights into George VI Sound immediately north of Fossil Bluff. It was probably first seen on November 23, 1935, by Lincoln Ellsworth, who flew directly over the glacier and obtained photos of features north and south of it. The mouth of the glacier was observed and positioned by the British Graham Land Expedition in 1936 and the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) in 1948 and 1949. The glacier was mapped in detail from air photos taken by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition, 1947–48, by D. Searle of the FIDS in 1960. It was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee after the minor planet Eros in association with nearby Pluto Glacier and Uranus Glacier.

Garfield Glacier is a glacier, 6 nautical miles (11 km) long, flowing between the Peden Cliffs and Cox Point to the east side of Hull Bay on the coast of Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1959–65, and was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Donald E. Garfield, who participated in deep core drilling activities at Byrd Station, 1967–68.

Mercury Glacier is a glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica, 5 nautical miles (9 km) long and 2 nautical miles (4 km) wide, flowing east into George VI Sound between the Waitabit Cliffs and Keystone Cliffs. The glacier was probably first sighted from a distance by Lincoln Ellsworth, who flew near it and photographed segments of this coast on November 23, 1935. It was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee for the planet Mercury following rough surveys from George VI Sound by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) in 1948 and 1949. The glacier was mapped in detail from air photos taken by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition, 1947–48, by D. Searle of the FIDS in 1960. Although Mercury Glacier is not located within the Planet Heights, it is named in association with the heights along with many other nearby glaciers named after planets of the Solar System.

Two Step Cliffs is the eastern face of a flat-topped sedimentary mountain, rising to about 680 m, immediately east of Mars Glacier on the east coast of Alexander Island, Antarctica. At the bottom of the cliffs is the Two Step Moraine. First seen from the air by Lincoln Ellsworth on November 23, 1935, and mapped from photos obtained on that flight by W.L.G. Joerg. Roughly surveyed from the ground in 1936 by the British Graham Land Expedition and in 1940-41 by the United States Antarctic Service, who used the names "Two Step Mountains" and "Table Mountain" for this feature. The name Two Step Cliffs derives from the name used by USAS, and was suggested by Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey following surveys in 1949 as being particularly descriptive of this feature.

Saturn Glacier is a glacier lying in southeast Alexander Island, Antarctica. The glacier is 15 nautical miles (28 km) long and 6 nautical miles (11 km) wide, flowing southeast into the George VI Ice Shelf of George VI Sound north of Corner Cliffs. Although the glacier is not situated within Planet Heights, its name derives from the nearby mountain range along with many other glaciers named after planets of the Solar System. The nunataks at the head of the glacier are also named after solar system features, for example the Enceladus Nunataks named for a moon of Saturn. The coast in this vicinity was first seen from the air by Lincoln Ellsworth on November 23, 1935, and roughly mapped from photos obtained on that flight by W.L.G. Joerg. The glacier was surveyed in 1949 by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) and named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) for the planet Saturn, the sixth planet of the Solar System.

Snowshoe Glacier is a glacier 8 nautical miles (15 km) long flowing west from a col in the southwest flank of Neny Glacier into Neny Fjord, western Graham Land. Roughly surveyed from the ground (1936) and photographed from the air (1937) by British Graham Land Expedition (BGLE). Surveyed by Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) in 1949. The name was suggested by K.S.P. Butler of the FIDS in 1948 because the shape of the glacier with its narrow head and wide mouth resembles a snowshoe.

Horrocks Block is a large rectangular outcrop that is composed mainly of sandstone, lying on the north side of Venus Glacier, 2 nautical miles (4 km) southwest of the Keystone Cliffs, on the east side of Alexander Island, Antarctica. It was mapped by the Directorate of Overseas Surveys from satellite imagery supplied by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey, and was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee from association with Venus Glacier after Jeremiah Horrocks, the British astronomer who predicted and first observed a transit of Venus, in 1639.

Tofani Glacier is a glacier flowing northeast into the head of Solberg Inlet, Bowman Coast, to the north of Houser Peak. The feature was photographed from the air by United States Antarctic Service (USAS), 1940, U.S. Navy, 1966, and was surveyed by Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS), 1946-48. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) in 1977 after Dr. Walter Tofani, M.D., station physician at Palmer Station, 1975.

Rhyolite Islands is a group of islands and rocks which extend 4 nautical miles (7 km) in an east-west direction, lying close off the Rymill Coast of Palmer Land opposite the north side of the mouth of Eureka Glacier, in George VI Sound. Surveyed in 1948 by Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) and so named from the rock of which the islands are largely composed. The name "Grupo Maipo," after the Chilean oil tanker Maipo, may refer to these islands roughly charted by the Chilean Antarctic Expedition, 1947, in about 6954S, 6833W.

Robillard Glacier is a narrow glacier flowing east-northeast and entering the north side of the head of Solberg Inlet, on the east coast of Graham Land. It was discovered by members of East Base of the United States Antarctic Service (USAS), 1939–41, and was photographed from the air in 1947 by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE), under Ronne, and charted in 1948 by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS). It was named by Ronne for Captain George Robillard, U.S. Navy, of the legal section of the Bureau of Ships, who assisted in gaining Congressional support which resulted in procuring the expedition ship.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates  public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "Keystone Cliffs" (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.