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45-601: The Nash Range is 40 nautical miles (70 km) long, bordering the west side of the Ross Ice Shelf between the Dickey and Nimrod Glaciers . The Dickey Glacier flows north into Beaumont Bay to the north of the range. To the south of Bridge Pass , the Algie Glacier flows south along the west edge of the range to enter Nimrod Glacier, which passes round the southern end of the range. The Holyoake Range lies to

90-493: A first exploration of the area by the Discovery Expedition in 1901–1904, Robert Falcon Scott made a significant study of the shelf and its surroundings from his expedition's base on Ross Island . By measurement of calved ice bergs and their buoyancy, he estimated the ice sheet to be on average 274 meters thick; the undisturbed morphology of the ice sheet and its inverted temperature profile led him to conclude it

135-581: Is of Greenlandic origin and has been used in English since the 1870s. The term nunatak is typically used in areas where a permanent ice sheet is present and the ridge protrudes above the sheet. Nunataks present readily identifiable landmark reference points in glaciers or ice caps and are often named. While some are isolated, they can also form dense clusters, such as Queen Louise Land in Greenland. Nunataks are generally angular and jagged, hampering

180-432: Is the largest ice shelf of Antarctica (as of 2013 , an area of roughly 500,809 square kilometres (193,363 sq mi) and about 800 kilometres (500 mi) across: about the size of France). It is several hundred metres thick. The nearly vertical ice front to the open sea is more than 600 kilometres (370 mi) long, and between 15 and 50 metres (50 and 160 ft) high above the water surface. Ninety percent of

225-441: The 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai eruption and tsunami . Nunatak A nunatak (from Inuit nunataq ) is the summit or ridge of a mountain that protrudes from an ice field or glacier that otherwise covers most of the mountain or ridge. They often form natural pyramidal peaks . Isolated nunataks are also called glacial islands, and smaller nunataks rounded by glacial action may be referred to as rognons . The word

270-609: The Southern Ocean , including the Ross Sea area, between 1963 and 2000. 81°56′S 161°11′E  /  81.933°S 161.183°E  / -81.933; 161.183 . A rounded, ice-covered prominence 6 miles (9.7 km) west-south-west of Mount Christmas, overlooking the head of Algie Glacier. Named by US-ACAN for Lt. Cdr. James A. Powell, USN, communications officer at McMurdo Station during USN OpDFrz 1963 and 1964. Ross Ice Shelf The Ross Ice Shelf

315-601: The cliffs of Dover ". Ross, who in 1831 had located the North Magnetic Pole , spent the next two years vainly searching for a sea passage to the South Pole; later, his name was given to the ice shelf and the sea surrounding it. Two volcanoes in the region were named by Ross for his vessels. For later Antarctic explorers seeking to reach the South Pole, the Ross Ice Shelf became a starting area. In

360-534: The Nash Range into the Ross Ice Shelf , Antarctica. The peninsula rises to over 800 metres (2,600 ft) and is ice-covered except for fringing spurs, as at Cape May, the northeastern extremity. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after Stanley S. Jacobs, an oceanographer at Columbia University 's Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory , who made physical/chemical observations in

405-469: The Nash Range. Discovered by the BrNAE (1901-04) and so named because it was the most salient feature in view when the polar party was abreast of it on Christmas Day, 1902. 82°04′S 162°43′E  /  82.067°S 162.717°E  / -82.067; 162.717 . A snow-free summit, 1,720 metres (5,640 ft) high, standing 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Smith Bluff in the Nash Range. Mapped by

450-651: The Nash Range. Named by the N.Z. Ross Sea Committee for the Hon. R.M. Algie who, as Minister in Charge of Scientific and Industrial Research, gave his strong support to the N.Z. party of the CTAE, 1956-58. Download coordinates as: Geographical features from north to south include: 81°40′S 161°22′E  /  81.667°S 161.367°E  / -81.667; 161.367 . A peak rising to 1,060 metres (3,480 ft), 5 kilometres (3 mi) south west of Mount Kolp , at

495-484: The Ross Ice Shelf Project was launched with a plan of drilling into the shelf to sample the biomass in the area and make other determinations about the shelf and its relationship to the sea floor. This is believed to be the first oceanographic ice shelf borehole. The project included surface glaciological observations as well as drilling, and the glaciological portion started during the planning phase of

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540-651: The Surveyors and Nash Ranges, at the upper reaches of the Dickey and Algie Glaciers, affording a passage from the Nimrod Glacier region to Beaumont Bay. Named by NZGSAE (1960-61) for Capt. Lawrence D. Bridge, RNZE, leader at Scott Base from November 1960 to February 1961. 81°52′S 162°39′E  /  81.867°S 162.650°E  / -81.867; 162.650 . A massive peninsula, 5 miles (8 km) long and 3 miles (5 km) wide, extending east from

585-627: The USGS from tellurometer surveys and Navy air photos, 1960-62. Named by US-AC AN for William A. Babis, USARP oceanographer on the USCGC Eastwind, 1962-63, and on the USS Burton Island, 1963-64. 82°14′S 163°47′E  /  82.233°S 163.783°E  / -82.233; 163.783 . A bold, rocky, snow-covered cape, forming the southeast end of the Nash Range and marking the northern entrance point to Shackleton Inlet on

630-671: The USGS from tellurometer surveys and Navy air photos, 1960-62. Named by US-ACAN for Karl E. Ricker, USARP biologist at McMurdo Sound, 1961. 82°05′S 162°20′E  /  82.083°S 162.333°E  / -82.083; 162.333 . A steep rounded bluff on the west side of Nash Range to the west of Ricker Dome, overlooking Algie Glacier. Mapped by the USGS from tellurometer surveys and Navy air photos, 1960-62. Named by US-ACAN for H.T.U. Smith, USARP geologist at McMurdo Station, 1963-64. 82°08′S 163°40′E  /  82.133°S 163.667°E  / -82.133; 163.667 . Spur 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Cape Wilson on

675-501: The analyses have resulted in some interesting theories being posited and publicized. One such opinion, given in 2006 based on a geological survey, suggested that the ice shelf had collapsed previously, perhaps suddenly, which could well happen again. A science team from New Zealand installed a camp in the centre of the shelf in late 2017. The expedition was led by glaciologist Christina Hulbe and brought together oceanographers, glaciologists, biologists and sedimentologists to examine

720-427: The drilling. The drilling portion of the project was to have begun during 1974, but the actual drilling was delayed until 1976. Finally, in 1977, the scientists were able to drill successfully through the ice, making a hole that could be sampled every few days for three weeks. The team was able to map the sea floor, study the tides, and assess the fish and various other forms of life in the waters. The team also examined

765-488: The east side of Dickey Glacier in the Churchill Mountains. They surmount the end of the broad ice-covered ridge that extends north from Mount Arcone , and were so named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names because of their apparent resemblance to the eyes of an alligator . 81°50′S 162°50′E  /  81.833°S 162.833°E  / -81.833; 162.833 A high rock cape along

810-670: The east side of Dickey Glacier , 7 nautical miles (13 km) north of Mount Canopus. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) after Steven A. Arcone, U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), who conducted ground radar traverses and airborne radar surveys in the South Pole area, Transantarctic Mountains , and ice sheet of West Antarctica during six field seasons, 1993–2002. 81°50′S 161°00′E  /  81.833°S 161.000°E  / -81.833; 161.000 . A prominent ice-free peak, 1,710 metres (5,610 ft) high, surmounting

855-404: The east side of Nash Range. Mapped by the USGS from tellurometer surveys and Navy air photos 1960-62. Named by US-ACAN for Thomas B. Ballard, USARP aurora scientist at Hallett Station, 1961. 82°13′S 163°03′E  /  82.217°S 163.050°E  / -82.217; 163.050 . Rocky spur in the south part of Nash Range, about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Cape Wilson. Mapped by

900-731: The first humans to cross the Ice Shelf during its failed attempt to reach the South Pole . Both Roald Amundsen and Scott crossed the shelf to reach the Pole in 1911. Amundsen wrote: "Along its outer edge the Barrier shows an even, flat surface; but here, inside the bay, the conditions were entirely different. Even from the deck of the Fram we were able to observe great disturbances of the surface in every direction; huge ridges with hollows between them extended on all sides. The greatest elevation lay to

945-636: The floating ice, however, is below the water surface. Most of the Ross Ice Shelf is in the Ross Dependency claimed by New Zealand. It floats in, and covers, a large southern portion of the Ross Sea and the entire Roosevelt Island located in the east of the Ross Sea. The ice shelf is named after Sir James Clark Ross , who discovered it on 28 January 1841. It was originally called "The Barrier", with various adjectives including " Great Ice Barrier ", as it prevented sailing further south. Ross mapped

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990-467: The formation of glacial ice on their tops, although snow can accumulate on them. This can contrast strongly with the softer contours of the glacially eroded land after a glacier retreats. They are not greatly affected by frost weathering , given the low frequency of freeze-thaw cycles in areas of ice caps and ice sheets. Typically nunataks are the only places where plant life can survive on ice sheets or ice caps. Lifeforms on nunataks are often isolated by

1035-565: The glaciers and others the valleys on the ice shelf. From 1967 to 1972 the Scott Polar Research Institute reported extensive observations using radio echo sounding . The technique allowed measurements to be taken from the air; allowing a criss cross track of 35,000 km to be covered; compared with a 3,000 km track from previous seismic sounding on the ground. More detailed surveys were executed between 1973 and 1978. A significant scientific endeavor called

1080-511: The glaciers' surfaces. Once their ice shelves are removed, the glaciers increase in speed due to meltwater percolation and/or a reduction of braking forces, and they may begin to dump more ice into the ocean than they gather as snow in their catchments. Glacier ice speed increases are already observed in Peninsula areas where ice shelves disintegrated in prior years." The Ross Ice Shelf is one of many such shelves. It reaches into Antarctica from

1125-557: The grounding line region of the Kamb Ice Stream . The hot water drill borehole at this site penetrated through over 500 m of snow and ice to an ocean cavity only 30 m deep at this location. As well as sampling the ocean and sediment, it was the first deployment beneath the Ross Ice Shelf of the Remotely operated underwater vehicle Icefin developed at Georgia Tech , a vehicle designed around parameters suitable for exploration of

1170-442: The help of tackles? Or a great and dangerous fissure, which we should not be able to cross without going a long way round? We naturally expected something of the sort. This mighty and terrible monster would, of course, offer resistance in some form or other," he wrote. "The mystic Barrier! All accounts without exception, from the days of Ross to the present time, had spoken of this remarkable natural formation with apprehensive awe. It

1215-627: The ice front eastward to 160° W. In 1947, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names applied the name "Ross Shelf Ice" to this feature and published it in the original U.S. Antarctic Gazetteer. In January 1953, the name was changed to "Ross Ice Shelf"; that name was published in 1956. On 5 January 1841, the British Admiralty's Ross expedition in the Erebus and the Terror , three- masted ships with specially strengthened wooden hulls ,

1260-422: The ice, ocean and sediment in the central shelf region. One of the key findings was that the ice in the region was re-freezing. This re-freezing and growth of an ice shelf is not uncommon but the Ross Ice Shelf situation appeared to be very variable as there was no evidence of long-term freezing. A recent study attribute this variability in-part to tidal mixing. A second New Zealand expedition in 2019 traveled to

1305-518: The liquid cavities of places like Europa . The same New Zealand team returned to another site along the Kamb coast in December 2021, this time drilling through an under-ice river that proved to be essentially oceanic. The team were able to melt through the ice to discover the 250 m deep river had formed a relatively narrow channel beneath the ice. They also recorded evidence of the tsunami generated by

1350-410: The north west end of the Nash Range. It was named in honor of Peter Allan Lowe, a member of the 1961 Cape Hallett winter-over team, working as a technician on the geomagnetic project. 81°43′S 161°2′E  /  81.717°S 161.033°E  / -81.717; 161.033 ) A horseshoe-shaped mountain rising to 1,350 metres (4,430 ft) in Nash Range, Churchill Mountains. It stands at

1395-448: The north, and covers an area of about 520,000 km (200,000 sq mi), nearly the size of France. The ice mass is about 800 km (500 mi) wide and 970 km (600 mi) long. In some places, namely its southern areas, the ice shelf can be almost 750 m (2,450 ft) thick. The Ross Ice Shelf pushes out into the sea at between 1.5 and 3 m (5 and 10 ft) a day. Other glaciers gradually add bulk to it. At

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1440-411: The oceanographic and geological conditions as well as the temperature of the ice. They estimated that the base of the shelf was −2.16 °C (27.3 °F). They also made other calculations about the fluctuations of the temperatures. The results of these various projects were published in a series of reports in the 2 February 1979 issue of Science . During the 1980s, a network of weather stations

1485-473: The same time, the freezing of seawater below the ice mass increases the thickness of the ice from 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 in) . Sometimes, fissures and cracks may cause part of the shelf to break off; the largest known is about 31,000 km (12,000 sq mi), that is, slightly larger than Belgium. Iceberg B-15 , the world's largest recorded iceberg , was calved from the Ross Ice Shelf during March 2000. Scientists have long been intrigued by

1530-471: The shelf and its composition. Many scientific teams researching the Antarctic have made camps on or adjacent to the Ross Ice Shelf. This includes McMurdo Station , built next to the Ross Ice Shelf on volcanic rock. One major effort was a series of studies conducted in 1957 and 1958, which were continued during the 1960–61 season. The efforts involved an international team of scientists. Some parties explored

1575-582: The shelf is "only a few degrees too cool in summer presently to undergo the same kind of retreat process. The Ross Ice Shelf is the main outlet for several major glaciers draining the West Antarctic Ice Sheet , which contains the equivalent of 5 m of sea level rise in its above-sea-level ice." The report added that observations of "iceberg calving " on the Ross Ice Shelf are, in their opinion, unrelated to its stability. Scientific exploration continues to uncover interesting information and

1620-562: The south in the form of a lofty, arched ridge, which we took to be about 500 feet [150 m] high on the horizon. But it might be assumed that this ridge continued to rise beyond the range of vision". The next day, the party made its first steps on the Barrier. "After half an hour's march we were already at the first important point—the connection between the sea-ice and the Barrier. This connection had always haunted our brains. What would it be like? A high, perpendicular face of ice, up which we should have to haul our things laboriously with

1665-544: The south to Beaumont Bay in the north. The average height is about 4,500 feet (1,400 m). Mount Christmas is the highest peak, at 5,608 feet (1,709 m). The west and east sides of the range have steep scarps, with granite cliffs 2,000 to 3,000 feet (610 to 910 m) high, and sharp ridges spurs of metagreywackes along the coast. 82°08′S 162°05′E  /  82.133°S 162.083°E  / -82.133; 162.083 . Glacier about 25 miles (40 km) long, flowing southeast into Nimrod Glacier just west of

1710-668: The southwest of the Nash Range. The Surveyors Range is to the northwest. The range was named by the Ross Sea Committee for Walter Nash who, as Leader of the Opposition and later as Prime Minister of New Zealand , gave strong support to New Zealand participation in the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition , 1956–58. The Nash Range is composed of metagreywacke intruded by granite. It trends north-north-west from Cape Wilson in

1755-466: The west edge of the Nash Range, 4.5 miles (7.2 km) east of Centaur Bluff. Named by the NZGSAE (1960-61) after the second-brightest of the stars, Canopus , used for survey fixes. 81°54′S 161°56′E  /  81.900°S 161.933°E  / -81.900; 161.933 . A uniform sharp peak, 1,745 metres (5,725 ft) high, standing 9 miles (14 km) west-south-west of Cape May , in

1800-590: The west side of Ross Ice Shelf, 8 miles (13 km) southeast of Cape Laird . Discovered by the BrNAE (1901-04) and named for Admiral of the Fleet Sir William Henry May , Lord of the Admiralty and Controller of the Navy, 1901-05. Not: Cape William Henry May, May Point. 81°46′S 160°42′E  /  81.767°S 160.700°E  / -81.767; 160.700 . A high pass between

1845-452: The western edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. Discovered by Capt. Robert F. Scott, RN, in December 1902, on his attempted trip to the South Pole. He was accompanied on this trip by Lt. (later Sir) Ernest H. Shackleton, RNR, and Dr. Edward A. Wilson, for whom the cape was named. 81°38′S 160°55′E  /  81.633°S 160.917°E  / -81.633; 160.917 . Two adjacent nunataks that rise to over 600 metres (2,000 ft) on

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1890-427: Was as though one could always read between the lines the same sentence: 'Hush, be quiet! the mystic Barrier!' "One, two, three, and a little jump, and the Barrier was surmounted!" Ice shelves are thick plates of ice, formed continuously by glaciers, that float atop an ocean. The shelves act as "brakes" for the glaciers. These shelves serve another important purpose—"they moderate the amount of melting that occurs on

1935-499: Was floating on water; and measurements in 1902–1903 showed it had advanced 555 meters northwards in 13.5 months. The findings were presented at a lecture entitled "Universitas Antarctica!" given 7 June 1911 and were published in the account of Scott's second expedition (the Terra Nova Expedition of 1910–1913). Ernest Shackleton 's southern party (Shackleton, Adams, Marshal, Wild) of the 1908 Nimrod expedition were

1980-683: Was going through the pack ice of the Pacific near Antarctica in an attempt to determine the position of the South Magnetic Pole. Four days later, they found their way into open water and were hoping that they would have a clear passage to their destination. But on 11 January, the men were faced with an enormous mass of ice. Sir James Clark Ross , the expedition's commander, remarked: "It was an obstruction of such character as to leave no doubt upon my mind as to our future proceedings, for we might with equal chance of success try to sail through

2025-401: Was installed to record temperatures on the shelf and throughout the more remote parts of the continent. University of Colorado's National Snow and Ice Data Center has been studying ice shelves and, in 2002, announced that, based on several breakups of ice shelves, including Larsen B, has begun to reassess their stability. Their scientists stated that the temperature of the warmest portion of

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