Stefansson Strait
| Stefansson Strait | |
|---|---|
  Stefansson Strait | |
| Location | Wilkins Coast, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica |
| Coordinates | 69°26′S 62°25′W / 69.433°S 62.417°W |
| Type | Inlet |
| Ocean/sea sources | Weddell Sea |
Stefansson Strait (69°26′S 62°25′W / 69.433°S 62.417°W) is an ice-filled strait 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) long and 3 to 10 nautical miles (5.6 to 18.5 km; 3.5 to 11.5 mi) wide, between the east coast of Palmer Land and Hearst Island, Antarctica.[1]
Location
Stefansson Strait is on the Wilkins Coast of Palmer Land, beside the Weddell Sea to the east. It is east of the Eternity Range, north of Hughes Ice Piedmont and south of Scripps Heights and Casey Inlet. The strait separates Hearst Island from the mainland. The south of the strait is at the north side of the mouth of Anthony Glacier, which flows eastward past the Engel Peaks and Mount Martin to enter the sea north of
Discovery and name
Stefansson Strait strait was first sighted by Sir Hubert Wilkins at the south end of his flight of December 20, 1928, and was named by him for Vilhjalmur Stefansson. He believed it to be a strait cutting off what is now known to be Antarctic Peninsula from the main land mass of Antarctica. The true orientation of the strait was determined by members of the
Features
Hearst Island
69°25′S 62°10′W / 69.417°S 62.167°W. An ice-covered, dome-shaped island lying 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) east of Cape Rymill, off the east coast of Palmer Land. The island is 36 nautical miles (67 km; 41 mi) long, in a north–south direction, 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi) wide, and rises to 365 metres (1,198 ft) high. First sighted on a flight on December 20, 1928 by Sir Hubert Wilkins. Thinking it was part of the mainland of Antarctica, he named it Hearst Land for William Randolph Hearst, who helped finance the expedition. It was resighted and its insularity ascertained in 1940 by members of the USAS who explored this coast by land and from the air. They named it Wilkins Island. Examination of aerial photographs have shown, however, that this large island is what Wilkins considered Hearst Land.[3]
Anthony Glacier
69°47′S 62°45′W / 69.783°S 62.750°W. A glacier which flows in an east-southeast direction to the east coast of Palmer Land where it terminates opposite the south tip of Hearst Island. The upper part of this glacier was seen by a sledge party of the
Engel Peaks
69°32′S 63°08′W / 69.533°S 63.133°W. Three peaks, the highest 1,460 metres (4,790 ft) high, extending in a northwest–southeast direction for 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi), standing 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) west of Cape Rymill on the east side of Palmer Land. This feature was photographed from the air in 1928 by Sir Hubert Wilkins, and again in 1940 by members of the USAS who also sledge surveyed along this coast. The peaks were resighted by the RARE, 1947-48, under Ronne, who named them for Bud Engel, president of the Albert Richard Division of the Osterman Co., Milwaukee, who contributed garments suitable for winter use to the expedition.[5]
Mount Martin
69°40′S 62°59′W / 69.667°S 62.983°W. A mountain, 1,360 metres (4,460 ft) high, with conspicuous rock exposures on its southeast side, standing immediately north of the head of Anthony Glacier on the east coast of Palmer Land. The mountain lies on the fringe of the area explored by the BGLE in 1936, and was photographed from the air by the USAS in 1940. During 1947 the mountain was photographed from the air by members of the RARE, under Ronne, who in conjunction with the
Rhino Rock
69°34′S 62°32′W / 69.567°S 62.533°W. A prominent black rock with steep sides rising to 700 metres (2,300 ft) high, standing 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) southwest of Cape Rymill. It was named Rhino Horn Rock for its suggestive appearance by members of the East Base of the USAS who charted the area on land and from the air in 1940, but the name has been shortened to Rhino Rock.[7]
Cape Rymill
69°30′S 62°25′W / 69.500°S 62.417°W. A steep, metamorphic rock cliff standing opposite the central part of Hearst Island and jutting out from the icecap along the east coast of Palmer Land. Named for John Rymill by members of the East Base of the USAS who charted this coast by land and from the air in 1940. Rymill was the leader of the BGLE, and in 1936 sledged eastward across Antarctic Peninsula to 69°45'S, 63°28'W.[8]
Briesemeister Peak
69°28′S 62°45′W / 69.467°S 62.750°W. A peak, 690 metres (2,260 ft) high, which stands 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi) west-northwest of Cape Rymill. This peak was photographed from the air by Sir Hubert Wilkins on December 20, 1928, and by the USAS in 1940. It was named by the RARE under
Cape Reichelderfer
69°22′S 62°43′W / 69.367°S 62.717°W. A rounded, mainly ice-covered headland 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) east of DeBusk Scarp, lying at the west side of Stefansson Strait. This cape was seen by Sir Hubert Wilkins who explored this coast on his aerial flight of December 20, 1928. It was charted in 1940 by the USAS and erroneously called Cape Rymill at that time. Resighted in 1947 by the RARE under Ronne who named it for Francis W. Reichelderfer, Chief of the
Lurabee Glacier
69°15′S 63°37′W / 69.250°S 63.617°W. A glacier 27 nautical miles (50 km; 31 mi) long, flowing northeast between Scripps Heights and Finley Heights to the east coast of Palmer Land. This glacier was discovered by Sir Hubert Wilkins on December 20, 1928 on his pioneer Antarctic flight. He named it Lurabee Channel for Lurabee Shreck of San Francisco, in recognition of her aid in procuring equipment for this and an earlier Arctic flight, and for her editorial assistance on his book Flying the Arctic. The term "channel" has been amended to "glacier", in keeping with the true nature of the feature.[11]
Cape Hinks
69°10′S 63°10′W / 69.167°S 63.167°W. A bold headland surmounted by a high ice-covered dome, marking the north extremity of Finley Heights on the east coast of Palmer Land. Discovered and photographed by Sir Hubert Wilkins on his flight of December 20, 1928. Later photographed from the air by Lincoln Ellsworth in 1935, and by the USAS in 1940. Named by the US-SCAN for
Finley Heights
69°13′S 63°13′W / 69.217°S 63.217°W. Rugged coastal heights rising to 1,070 metres (3,510 ft) high between the mouths of Bingham and Lurabee Glaciers, on the east coast of Palmer Land. Discovered by Sir Hubert Wilkins in an aerial flight on December 20, 1928. He considered the heights to be islands lying in a great transverse channel across Antarctic Peninsula and named them Finley Islands for John Huston Finley of The New York Times, then president of the American Geographical Society. Correlation of aerial photographs taken by
References
- ^ a b Alberts 1995, p. 710.
- ^ Palmer Land USGS.
- ^ Alberts 1995, p. 322.
- ^ Alberts 1995, p. 23.
- ^ Alberts 1995, p. 222.
- ^ Alberts 1995, p. 465.
- ^ Alberts 1995, p. 616.
- ^ Alberts 1995, p. 640.
- ^ Alberts 1995, p. 94.
- ^ Alberts 1995, p. 611.
- ^ Alberts 1995, p. 448.
- ^ Alberts 1995, p. 335.
- ^ Alberts 1995, p. 240.
Sources
- Alberts, Fred G., ed. (1995), Geographic Names of the Antarctic (PDF) (2 ed.), United States Board on Geographic Names, retrieved 2023-12-03
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Board on Geographic Names. - Palmer Land, USGS: United States Geological Survey, retrieved 2024-04-25
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Geological Survey.