| Prince Gustav Channel | |
|---|---|
 View of James Ross Island across Prince Gustav Channel from Long Island | |
  Prince Gustav Channel | |
| Location | Graham Land, Antarctica |
| Type | Strait |
The Prince Gustav Channel ( 63°50′S58°15′W / 63.833°S 58.250°W ) is a strait about 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) long and from 4 to 15 nautical miles (7.4 to 27.8 km; 4.6 to 17.3 mi) wide, separating James Ross Island and Vega Island from the Trinity Peninsula, Antarctica. [1]
Prince Gustav Channel is in Graham Land on the southeast coast of the Trinity Peninsula, which forms the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. It separates the James Ross Island group to the east from the Trinity Peninsula and Detroit Plateau to the west. It extends north from the Weddell Sea and turns east to the Erebus and Terror Gulf. The southern entrance is between Cape Longing on the Longing Peninsula and Cape Foster on James Ross Island. Further north it extends past Röhss Bay and other smaller bays on James Ross Island, and past the Cugnot Ice Piedmont on the mainland. It passes Herbert Sound, which leads south between James Ross Island and Vega Island, passes south of the Eagle Island group, and opens onto the Erebus and Terror Gulf between Cape Gordon on Vega Island and Cape Green on the Tabarin Peninsula. [2]
The Prince Gustav Channel was discovered in October 1903 by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition (SwedAE) under Otto Nordenskjöld , who named it for Crown Prince Gustav of Sweden (later King Gustav V) of Sweden. [1]
Prince Gustav Ice Shelf 64°15'S, 58°30'W An ice shelf of more than 15 mi extent occupying the S part of Prince Gustav Channel, including Rohss Bay, James Ross Island. Named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) in 1990 in association with the channel. [1]
On 27 February 1995, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) reported that the ice shelf formerly blocking the channel had disintegrated. This ice shelf had spanned approximately 700 square kilometres (270 sq mi) prior to its disintegration. [3] In the area previously covered by the shelf, the channel's water depth is between 600 and 800 metres (2,000 and 2,600 ft). Between February and March 2000, scientists collected sediment cores 5 to 6 m in length from the ocean floor.[ citation needed ] Carbon dating of organic material found in the sediment layers suggested that for a period between 2,000 and 5,000 years ago, much of the channel was seasonally open water. While icebergs were able to navigate the channel, ice rafted debris was deposited within the sediment.
Prince Gustav Ice Shelf retreated in the mid-Holocene period 5000 to 2000 years before present, [this] "corresponds to regional climate warming deduced from other paleoenvironmental records." [4] It appears that before and after this period, the channel remained closed. The period when the channel was open coincides with a period of local warming supported by data gathered from land-based studies of lake sediments and ancient, abandoned penguin rookeries. With the return of colder conditions about 1900 years ago, the Prince Gustav Ice Shelf reformed until its recent retreat and collapse. [5]
The San Nicolás Refuge (Spanish : Refugio San Nicolás, 63°39′20″S57°49′46″W / 63.655666°S 57.829346°W ) is an Argentine Antarctic refuge located on the north coast of the entrance to the Prince Gustav Channel, on the Trinity Peninsula, at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The refuge is administered by the Argentine Army and was inaugurated on 12 September 1963. It is one of the 18 shelters that are under the responsibility of the Esperanza Base, which is responsible for the maintenance and the care. The Argentine Antarctic Program reports that the refuge is inactive. [6]
64°03′S58°50′W / 64.050°S 58.833°W . A narrow straight glacier, 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) long, flowing eastward from Detroit Plateau into Prince Gustav Channel 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) south of Alectoria Island. Mapped from surveys by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) (1960-61). Named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) for Bramah J. Diplock, British engineer who made considerable advances in the design of chain-track tractors (1885-1913). [7]
64°14′S59°00′W / 64.233°S 59.000°W . A glacier 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) long in the south part of Trinity Peninsula, flowing southeast from Detroit Plateau to the south side of Mount Wild where it enters Prince Gustav Channel. Discovered in 1903 by the SwedAE under Otto Nordenskjöld. He named it Hj. Sjögren Fiord after a patron of the expedition. The true nature of the feature was determined by the FIDS in 1945. [8]
63°57′S58°44′W / 63.950°S 58.733°W . Glacier about 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) long, flowing east-southeast from the Detroit Plateau, Graham Land, to Prince Gustav Channel close north of Alectoria Island. Mapped from surveys by FIDS (1960-61). Named by UK-APC for Neil Aitkenhead, FIDS geologist at Hope Bay (1959-60). [9]
63°49′S58°25′W / 63.817°S 58.417°W . A gently sloping glacier, 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) long, flowing east-southeast from the north end of Detroit Plateau on Trinity Peninsula to Prince Gustav Channel immediately north of Pitt Point. Surveyed by the FIDS, and so named because the glacier was sighted in the week following the surrender of Japan in World War II, in August 1945. [10]
63°44′S58°20′W / 63.733°S 58.333°W . A glacier, 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) long and 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) wide, which lies at the north end of Detroit Plateau and flows from Mount Canicula eastward into Prince Gustav Channel. This glacier together with Russell West Glacier, which flows westward into Bone Bay on the north side of Trinity Peninsula, form a through glacier across the north part of Antarctic Peninsula. It was first surveyed in 1946 by the FIDS. Named by the UK-APC for V.I. Russell, surveyor and leader of the FIDS base at Hope Bay in 1946. [11]
63°59′S58°37′W / 63.983°S 58.617°W . A low, nearly ice-free island less than 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) long. It lies in Prince Gustav Channel, about 0.5 nautical miles (0.93 km; 0.58 mi) off the terminus of Aitkenhead Glacier. Surveyed in 1945 by the FIDS, who named it after the lichen Alectoria which was predominant on the island at the time. [12]
63°53′S58°16′W / 63.883°S 58.267°W . Rocky island 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) long and 300 metres (980 ft) high high, lying in Prince Gustav Channel 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) southeast of Pitt Point, Trinity Peninsula. Discovered in 1903 by the SwedAE under Otto Nordenskjöld, who named it for Wilhelm Carlson, one of the chief patrons of the expedition. [13]
63°46′S58°12′W / 63.767°S 58.200°W . An island 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) long, in a northeast–southwest direction, and 0.5 nautical miles (0.93 km; 0.58 mi) wide, lying opposite the mouth of Russell East Glacier and 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) south of Trinity Peninsula in Prince Gustav Channel. Discovered and named by the FIDS in 1945. The name is descriptive. [14]
63°44′S57°52′W / 63.733°S 57.867°W . Circular, flat-topped island, 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) in diameter and 495 metres (1,624 ft) high, with reddish cliffs of volcanic rock, lying 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km; 4.0 mi) northwest of Cape Lachman, James Ross Island, in Prince Gustav Channel. Discovered and named by the SwedAE under Otto Nordenskjöld, 1901-04. [15]
63°44′S57°53′W / 63.733°S 57.883°W . A rock pillar rising to 495 metres (1,624 ft) high on Red Island in Prince Gustav Channel. The feature was sighted by the SwedAE under Otto Nordenskjöld, 1901-04. It was surveyed and named descriptively by the FIDS in 1945. [16]
Joinville Island is the largest island of the Joinville Island group, about 40 nautical miles long in an east–west direction and 12 nautical miles wide, lying off the northeastern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, from which it is separated by the Antarctic Sound.
Hope Bay is a bay 3 nautical miles long and 2 nautical miles wide, indenting the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula and opening on Antarctic Sound.
James Ross Island is a large island off the southeast side and near the northeastern extremity of the Antarctic Peninsula, from which it is separated by Prince Gustav Channel. Rising to 1,630 metres (5,350 ft), it is irregularly shaped and extends 40 nautical miles in a north–south direction.
Vega Island is an island in Antarctica, 17 nautical miles long and 6 nautical miles wide, which is the northernmost of the James Ross Island group and lies in the west part of Erebus and Terror Gulf. It is separated from James Ross Island by Herbert Sound and from Trinity Peninsula by Prince Gustav Channel.
Joinville Island group is a group of antarctic islands, lying off the northeastern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, from which Joinville Island group is separated by the Antarctic Sound.
The Longing Peninsula is a peninsula 9 nautical miles long terminating in Cape Longing, situated at the northeast end of the Nordenskjöld Coast where it separates the Larsen Ice Shelf from the Prince Gustav Ice Shelf.
Ulu Peninsula is that portion of James Ross Island northwest of the narrow neck of land between Rohss Bay and Croft Bay, extending from Cape Obelisk to Cape Lachman, in Antarctica.
Aitkenhead Glacier is a 10-mile (16 km) long glacier flowing east-southeast from the Detroit Plateau, Graham Land, into Prince Gustav Channel. It was mapped from surveys by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) (1960–61), and named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee for Neil Aitkenhead, a FIDS geologist at Hope Bay (1959–60).
Andersson Island is an island 7 nautical miles long and 4 nautical miles wide, lying 0.5 nautical miles south of Jonassen Island at the west side of the south entrance to Antarctic Sound, off the northeast tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is a volcanic island of the James Ross Island Volcanic Group.
Eagle Island is an island 5 nautical miles long and 4 nautical miles wide, rising to 560 metres (1,840 ft) on the NE side. It is the largest island in the archipelago which lies between Trinity Peninsula and Vega Island. Eagle Island is separated from the Antarctic mainland by the 1.77 km wide Aripleri Passage. It is volcanic in origin, having been K-Ar dated 1.7 ± 0.2 and 2.0 ± 0.2 million years old. It forms part of the James Ross Island Volcanic Group.
The Tabarin Peninsula is a peninsula 15 nautical miles long and 5 to 12 nautical miles wide, lying south of the trough between Hope Bay and Duse Bay and forming the east extremity of Trinity Peninsula in the Antarctic Peninsula.
Broad Valley is a descriptive name for the broad glacier-filled valley on the south side of Laclavere Plateau, Trinity Peninsula, Antarctica. The name was suggested by V.I. Russell of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) following his survey in 1946.
Cugnot Ice Piedmont is an ice piedmont in Trinity Peninsula, Antarctica. It is about 15 nautical miles long and between 3 and 6 nautical miles wide, extending from Russell East Glacier to Eyrie Bay and bounded on the landward side by Louis Philippe Plateau.
Markham Bay is a bay 8 nautical miles wide, lying between Ekelöf Point and Hamilton Point on the east side of James Ross Island, Antarctica.
Sjogren Glacier is a glacier 12.5 miles (20 km) long in the south part of Trinity Peninsula, flowing southeast from Detroit Plateau in between Aldomir Ridge and Hazarbasanov Ridge to enter Prince Gustav Channel at the head of Sjögren Inlet, west of Royak Point. Discovered in 1903 by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition under Nordenskjold. He named it Sjogren Fiord after a patron of the expedition. The true nature of the feature was determined by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) in 1945.
Russell East Glacier is a glacier, 6 nautical miles long and 3 nautical miles wide, which lies at the north end of Detroit Plateau and flows from Mount Canicula]] eastward into Prince Gustav Channel on the south side of Trinity Peninsula, Antarctica This glacier together with Russell West Glacier, which flows westward into Bone Bay on the north side of Trinity Peninsula, form a through glacier across the north part of Antarctic Peninsula.
The James Ross Island group is a group of islands located close to the northeastern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The largest islands in the group are James Ross Island, Snow Hill Island, Vega Island, and Seymour Island. The islands lie to the south of the Joinville Island group. The groups contains several scientific bases, notably Marambio Base, and numerous important palaeontological sites.
Röhss Bay is a bay 11 nautical miles wide, between Cape Broms and Cape Obelisk on the southwest side of James Ross Island, Antarctica.
Bone Bay is a rectangular bay along the northwest coast of Trinity Peninsula, Antarctica. It is nearly 10 nautical miles wide at the entrance between Notter Point and Cape Roquemaurel.
The Naze is a peninsula in north James Ross Island, marking the southeast entrance to Herbert Sound and extending about 5 nautical miles northeast from Terrapin Hill toward the south-central shore of Vega Island.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Board on Geographic Names. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Geological Survey .