69-584: The Kerguelen Islands ( / k ər ˈ ɡ eɪ l ə n / or / ˈ k ɜːr ɡ əl ə n / ; in French commonly Îles Kerguelen but officially Archipel Kerguelen , pronounced [kɛʁɡelɛn] ), also known as the Desolation Islands ( Îles de la Désolation in French), are a group of islands in the sub-Antarctic region. They are among the most isolated places on Earth , with
138-463: A carbon sink , absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide and storing it in solution. If the SAMW temperature increases as a result of climate change , the SAMW will have less capacity to store dissolved carbon dioxide. Research using a computerized climate system model suggests that if atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration were to increase to 860 ppm by the year 2100 (roughly double today's concentration),
207-422: A trap rock formation to start emerging above the level of the ocean 35 million years ago. The accumulation is of a considerable amount; basalt flows, each with a thickness of three to ten metres, stacked on top of each other, sometimes up to a depth of 1,200 metres (660 fathoms). This form of volcanism creates a monumental relief shaped as stairs of pyramids. Other forms of volcanism are present locally, such as
276-596: A number of fictional works: 49°15′S 69°10′E / 49.250°S 69.167°E / -49.250; 69.167 Subantarctic The subantarctic zone is a region in the Southern Hemisphere , located immediately north of the Antarctic region. This translates roughly to a latitude of between 46° and 60° south of the Equator . The subantarctic region includes many islands in
345-654: A populated, but foreign, place like Australia or New Zealand. Agricultural activities were limited until 2007 to raising sheep (about 3,500 Bizet sheep, a breed that is rare in mainland France) on Longue Island for consumption by the occupants of the base, as well as small quantities of vegetables in a greenhouse within the immediate vicinity of the main French base. There are also feral rabbits and sheep that can be hunted, as well as wild birds. There are also five fishing boats and vessels, owned by fishermen on Réunion Island (a department of France about 3,500 km or 1,900 nmi north) who are licensed to fish within
414-416: A recent time period. The glaciers of Laurens Peninsula, whose maximum elevation is only 500 m above sea level, are smaller and shorter than most of the other Heard Island glaciers, and therefore much more sensitive to temperature effects. Accordingly, their total area has decreased by over 30 percent. Jacka Glacier on the east coast of Laurens Peninsula has also demonstrated marked recession since 1955. In
483-409: A return visit in early 1980. Retreat of Heard Island glaciers is most dramatic on the eastern section of the island, where the termini of former tidewater glaciers are now located inland. Glaciers on the northern and western coasts have narrowed significantly, while the area of glaciers and ice caps on Laurens Peninsula have shrunk by 30% – 65%. During the time period between 1947 and 1988,
552-516: A site just east of Port-aux-Français was a launching site for sounding rockets , some for French ( Dragon rockets ), American ( Arcas ) or French-Soviet ( Eridans ) surveys, but at the end mainly for a Soviet program ( M-100 ). The following is a list of the most important adjacent islands: Principal activities on the Kerguelen Islands focus on scientific research, mostly earth sciences and biology. The former sounding rocket range to
621-602: A unique environment, noted for its very high marine productivity , especially for antarctic krill . Because of this, all lands and waters situated south of the Antarctic Convergence are considered to belong to the Antarctic from a climatological , biological and hydrological standpoint. However, the text of the Antarctic Treaty , article VI ("Area covered by Treaty") states: "The provisions of
690-405: Is a large pot used to remove and render the oil from blubber obtained from cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and pinnipeds (seals), and also to extract oil from penguins . Once a suitable animal such as a whale had been caught and killed, the blubber was stripped from the carcass in a process known as flensing , cut into pieces, and melted in the try pots to extract the oil. Early on in
759-685: Is along the eastern shore of the Gulf of Morbihan on La Grande Terre. Facilities there include scientific-research buildings, a satellite tracking station, dormitories, a hospital, a library, a gymnasium, a pub, and the chapel of Notre-Dame des Vents . The highest point is Mont Ross in the Gallieni Massif , which rises along the southern coast of the island and has an elevation of 1,850 metres (6,070 ft). The Cook Ice Cap ( French : Calotte Glaciaire Cook ), France's largest glacier with an area of about 403 km (156 sq mi), lies on
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#1732765544889828-603: Is also a French satellite tracking station. Until 1955, the Kerguelen Islands were administratively part of the French Colony of Madagascar and Dependencies . That same year, they collectively became known as Les Terres australes et antarctiques françaises (French Southern and Antarctic Lands) and were administratively part of the French Département d'outre-mer de la Réunion . In 2004 they were permanently transformed into their own entity (keeping
897-523: Is also well documented. Many subantarctic glaciers are also in retreat. Mass balance is significantly negative on many glaciers on Kergeulen Island, Heard Island, South Georgia and Bouvet Island. Heard Island is a heavily glacierized, subantarctic volcanic island located in the Southern Ocean , roughly 4000 kilometers southwest of Australia . 80% of the island is covered in ice, with glaciers descending from 2400 meters to sea level . Due to
966-498: Is characterized by tundra, permafrost , and volcanoes . These islands are situated close to or south of the Antarctic Convergence, but north of 60° S latitude (the continental limit according to the Antarctic Treaty). Therefore, although some are located south of the Antarctic Convergence, they should still be considered as subantarctic islands by virtue of their location north of 60° S. At between 60° – 69° south of
1035-488: Is considered to be an ET or tundra climate , which is technically a form of polar climate , as the average temperature in the warmest month is below 10 °C (50 °F). Comparable climates include the Aleutian Islands , Campbell Island (New Zealand), Falkland Islands , Iceland , northern Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia), Labrador (Canada), and Wollaston Islands (Chile). All climate readings come from
1104-772: Is debatable whether these islands should be considered as such because their climate and geography differs significantly from other subantarctic islands. At between 52° – 57° south of the Equator, the Campbell Island Group , Heard Island and McDonald Islands , Bouvet Island , the South Georgia Group , Macquarie Island , and the South Sandwich Islands are also located in the Furious Fifties. The geography of these islands
1173-486: Is estimated to have decreased by roughly 29% between 1947 and 2004. This degree of loss of glacier mass is consistent with the measured increase in temperature of +0.9 °C over that time span. The coastal ice cliffs of Brown Glacier and Stephenson Glacier, which in 1954 were over 50 feet (15 m) high, had disappeared by 1963 when the glaciers terminated as much as 100 yards (91 m) inland. Baudissin Glacier on
1242-424: Is mainly limited to grasses, mosses , and lichens , although the islands are also known for the indigenous, edible Kerguelen cabbage , a good source of vitamin C to mariners . The main indigenous animals are insects along with large populations of ocean-going seabirds , seals , and penguins . The wildlife is particularly vulnerable to introduced species ; one particular problem has been cats. The main island
1311-619: Is now one to two kilometres (550 to 1,100 fathoms) below sea level. Kerguelen's sedimentary rocks are similar to ones found in Australia and India, indicating they were all once connected. Scientists hope that studying the Kerguelen sub-continent will help them discover how Australia, India, and Antarctica broke apart. Kerguelen's climate is oceanic, cold, and extremely windswept. Under the Köppen climate classification , Kerguelen's climate
1380-626: Is that portion of the global ocean circulation that is driven by global density gradients created by surface heat and evaporation . Several distinct water masses converge in the immediate vicinity of the APF or Antarctic Convergence (in particular the Subantarctic Surface Water (Subantarctic Mode Water or SAMW), Antarctic Surface Water , and the Antarctic Intermediate Water ). This convergence creates
1449-560: Is the home of a well-established feral cat population, descended from ships' cats . They survive on sea birds and the feral rabbits that were introduced to the islands. There are also populations of wild sheep ( Ovis orientalis orientalis ) and reindeer . In the 1950s and 1960s, French geologist Edgar Albert de la Rue began to introduce several species of salmonids. Of the seven species introduced, only brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and brown trout Salmo trutta survived to establish wild populations. The islands appear in
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#17327655448891518-708: Is the most important ocean current in the Southern Ocean , and the only current that flows completely around the Earth. Flowing eastward through the southern portions of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, the ACC links these three otherwise separate oceanic basins . Extending from the sea surface to depths of 2000–4000 meters, and with a width of as great as 2000 kilometers, the ACC transports more water than any other ocean current. The ACC carries up to 150 Sverdrups (150 million cubic meters per second), equivalent to 150 times
1587-590: The French Southern and Antarctic Lands and are administered as a separate district. The islands constitute one of the two exposed parts of the Kerguelen Plateau (the other being Heard Island and the McDonald islands), a large igneous province mostly submerged in the southern Indian Ocean. The main island, Grande Terre, is 6,675 km (2,577 sq mi) in area, about three-quarters of
1656-796: The Kerguelen Islands , the Antipodes Islands , and the Auckland Islands . The geography of these islands is characterized by tundra, with some trees on the Snares Islands and the Auckland Islands. These islands are all located near the Antarctic Convergence (with the Kerguelen Islands south of the Convergence) and are properly considered to be subantarctic islands. At between 51° – 56° south of
1725-524: The Port-aux-Français base, which has one of the more favourable climates in Kerguelen because of its proximity to the coast and its location in a gulf sheltered from the wind. The average annual temperature is 4.9 °C (40.8 °F) with an annual range of around 6 °C (43 °F). The warmest months of the year include January and February, with average temperatures between 7.8 and 8.2 °C (46.0 and 46.8 °F). The coldest month of
1794-441: The history of whaling , vessels had no means to process blubber at sea and had to bring it into port for processing. Later, though, whaling vessels frequently included a trywork , a brick furnace and set of try pots built into the deck. In the 18th- and 19th-century New England whaling industry, the use of the trywork allowed ships to stay at sea longer and boil out their oil. The slices of blubber were kept as thin as possible for
1863-532: The strombolian volcano Mont Ross , and the volcano-plutonic complex on the Rallier du Baty Peninsula. Various veins and extrusions of lava such as trachytes , trachyphonolites, and phonolites are common all over the islands. No eruptive activity has been recorded in historic times, but some fumaroles are still active in the south-west of Grande-Terre island. Fossilized wood found in the islands has been identified as Araucarians and Cypresses , showing that
1932-459: The transit of Venus . For the 1874 transit, George Biddell Airy of the U.K. Royal Observatory organised and equipped five expeditions to different parts of the world. Three of these were sent to the Kerguelen Islands and led by Stephen Joseph Perry , who set up his main observation station at Observatory Bay and two auxiliary stations, one at Thumb Peak led by Sommerville Goodridge, and the second at Supply Bay, led by Cyril Corbet. Observatory Bay
2001-831: The British sealer John Nunn and three crew members from Favourite were shipwrecked on Kerguelen until they were rescued in 1827 by Captain Alexander Distant during his hunting campaign. The islands were not completely surveyed until the Ross expedition of 1840. The Australian James Kerguelen Robinson (1859–1914) was the first human born south of the Antarctic Convergence , on board the sealing ship Offley in Gulf of Morbihan (Royal Sound then), Kerguelen Island on 11 March 1859. In 1874–1875, British, German, and U.S. expeditions visited Kerguelen to observe
2070-550: The Brown Glacier, in an effort to determine whether glacial retreat is rapid or punctuated. Using a portable echo sounder , the team took measurements of the volume of the glacier. Monitoring of climatic conditions continued, with an emphasis on the impact of Foehn winds on glacier mass balance. Based on the findings of that expedition, the rate of loss of glacier ice on Heard Island appears to be accelerating. Between 2000 and 2003, repeat GPS surface surveys revealed that
2139-546: The Equator, in the region often referred to as the Shrieking Sixties , the South Orkney Islands , South Shetland Islands , Balleny Islands , Scott Island , and Peter I Island are all properly considered to be Antarctic islands for the following three reasons: In light of the above considerations, the following should be considered to be subantarctic islands : This is a list of glaciers in
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2208-663: The Equator, the Falkland Islands , Isla de los Estados , Ildefonso Islands , Diego Ramírez Islands , and other islands associated with Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn , lie north of the Antarctic Convergence in the region often referred to as the Furious Fifties . Unlike other subantarctic islands, these islands have trees , temperate grasslands (mostly tussac grass ), and even arable land . They also lack tundra and permanent snow and ice at their lowest elevations. Despite their more southerly location, it
2277-422: The French explorer Raymond Rallier du Baty made a privately funded expedition to the island. His autobiographical account of the adventure (1917 - 15,000 Miles in a Ketch . Thomas Nelson and Sons: London) describes the months that he spent surveying the island and hunting seals to finance his expedition. The German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis called at Kerguelen during December 1940. During their stay
2346-414: The French navigator Yves-Joseph de Kerguelen-Trémarec on 12 February 1772. The next day, Charles de Boisguehenneuc landed and claimed the island for the French crown. Yves de Kerguelen organised a second expedition in 1773 and arrived at the "baie de l'Oiseau" by December 1773. On 6 January 1774 he commanded his lieutenant, Henri Pascal de Rochegude, to leave a message notifying any passers-by of
2415-528: The Kerguelen Islands, the islands of Amsterdam and St. Paul, and the Crozet Archipelago. In 1924, it was decided to administer these territories (in addition to that portion of Antarctica claimed by France and known as Adélie Land ) from Madagascar; as with all Antarctic territorial claims, France's possession on the continent is held in abeyance until a new international treaty is ratified that defines each claimant's rights and obligations. In 1908,
2484-729: The PFZ (and hence, the southern border of the subantarctic region) is the Antarctic Convergence, located approximately 200 kilometers south of the Antarctic Polar Front (APF). The subantarctic Front, found between 48°S and 58°S in the Indian and Pacific Ocean and between 42°S and 48°S in the Atlantic Ocean, defines the northern boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (or ACC). The ACC
2553-709: The SAMW will decrease in density and salinity. The resulting reductions in the subduction and transport capacity of SAMW and AAIW water masses could potentially decrease the absorption and storage of CO 2 in the Southern Ocean. The Antarctic realm and Antarctic Floristic Kingdom include most of the subantarctic islands native biota , with many endemic genera and species of flora and fauna . The physical landscape and biota communities of Heard Island and McDonald Islands are constantly changing due to volcanism , strong winds and waves, and climate change . Volcanic activity has been observed in this area since
2622-727: The Southern Lands contained between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Pole, where the new discoveries made in 1739 to the south of the Cape of Good Hope may be seen'). It is possible this early name was after Abel Tasman 's ship De Zeeuwsche Nachtegaal . On the Buache map, "Ile de Nachtegal" is located at 43°S, 72°E, about 6° north and 2° east of the accepted location of Grande Terre. The islands were officially discovered by
2691-571: The archipelago's exclusive economic zone . The Kerguelen Islands form an emerged part of the submerged Kerguelen Plateau , which has a total area nearing 949,000 km (366,000 sq mi). The plateau was built by volcanic eruptions associated with the Kerguelen hotspot , and now lies on the Antarctic Plate . The major part of the volcanic formations visible on the islands is characteristic of an effusive volcanism, which caused
2760-605: The closest territory being the Heard Island and McDonald Islands territory of Australia located at roughly 450 km (240 nmi), and the nearest inhabited territory being Madagascar at more than 3,300 kilometres (1,800 nautical miles) in distance. The islands, along with Adélie Land , the Crozet Islands , Amsterdam and Saint Paul islands, and France's Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean , are part of
2829-435: The crew performed maintenance and replenished their water supplies. This ship's first fatality of the war occurred when a sailor, Bernhard Herrmann, fell while painting the funnel. He is buried in what is sometimes referred to as "the southernmost German war grave" of World War II . Kerguelen has been continually occupied since 1950 by scientific research teams, with a population of 50 to 100 personnel frequently present. There
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2898-516: The early 1950s, Jacka Glacier had receded only slightly from its position in the late 1920s, but by 1997 it had receded about 700 m back from the coastline. Possible causes of glacier recession on Heard Island include: The Australian Antarctic Division conducted an expedition to Heard Island during the austral summer of 2003–04. A small team of scientists spent two months on the island, conducting studies on avian and terrestrial biology and glaciology. Glaciologists conducted further research on
2967-516: The east of Port-aux-Français is currently the site of a SuperDARN radar. Since 1992, the French Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES) has operated a satellite and rocket tracking station , located four kilometres ( 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 mi) east of Port-aux-Français . CNES needed a tracking station in the Southern Hemisphere , and the French government required that it be located on French territory, rather than in
3036-650: The end of the whaling and sealing era, most of the islands' species have been able to increase their population again. Relics of the sealing period include try pots , hut ruins, graves and inscriptions. In 1800, the Hillsborough spent eight months sealing and whaling around the islands. During this time Captain Robert Rhodes, her master, prepared a chart of the islands. That vessel returned to London in April 1801 with 450 tons of sea elephant oil. In 1825,
3105-771: The gulfs at the north and east of the archipelago. Erosion caused by the glacial and fluvial activity carved out the valleys and fjords; erosion also created conglomerate detrital complexes, and the plain of the Courbet Peninsula . The islands are part of a submerged microcontinent called the Kerguelen Subcontinent . The microcontinent emerged substantially above sea level for three periods between 100 million years ago and 20 million years ago. The so-called Kerguelen Subcontinent may have had tropical flora and fauna about 50 million years ago. The Kerguelen Subcontinent finally sank 20 million years ago and
3174-492: The ice formations above 5,000 feet (1,500 m) on the southwestern slopes of Big Ben , possibly as a result of volcanic activity . By 1963, major recession was obvious below 2,000 feet (610 m) on almost all glaciers, and minor recession was evident as high as 5,000 feet (1,500 m). Retreat of glacier fronts across Heard Island is evident when comparing aerial photographs taken in December 1947 with those taken on
3243-607: The islands are between the Roaring Forties and the Furious Fifties. Wind speeds of 150 km/h (81 kn; 42 m/s) are common and can even reach 200 km/h (110 kn; 56 m/s). Waves up to 12–15 m (39–49 ft) high are common, but there are many sheltered places where ships can anchor. The islands are part of the Southern Indian Ocean Islands tundra ecoregion that includes several subantarctic islands. Plant life
3312-411: The islands were once forested with conifers. While an exact date for these wood fragments is unknown, they have been tentatively described as being from the early Cenozoic . The presence of these species may suggest that Kerguelen's prehistoric flora may have been similar to the Antarctic flora found across the southern hemisphere. Glaciation caused the depression and tipping phenomena which created
3381-400: The islands, so all travel to and from the outside world is by ship. Before being officially catalogued in 1772, the Kerguelen Islands appear as the "Ile de Nachtegal" on Philippe Buache 's 1754 map entitled Carte des Terres Australes comprises entre le Tropique du Capricorne et le Pôle Antarctique où se voyent les nouvelles découvertes faites en 1739 au Sud du Cap de Bonne Esperance ('Map of
3450-752: The mid-1980s, with fresh lava flows on the southwest flanks of Heard Island. Satellite imagery shows that McDonald Island increased in size from about 1 to 2.5 square kilometers between 1994 and 2004, as a result of volcanic activity. In addition to new land being produced by volcanism, global warming of the climate is causing the retreat of glaciers on the islands ( see section below ). These combined processes produce new ice-free terrestrial and freshwater ecoregions , such as moraines and lagoons , which are now available for colonization by plants and animals. Heard Island has vast colonies of penguins and petrels , and large harems of land-based marine predators such as elephant seals and fur seals . Due to
3519-467: The north coast has lost at least 100 vertical feet (30 vertical m), and Vahsel Glacier on the west coast has lost at least 200 vertical feet (61 vertical m). Winston Glacier , which retreated approximately one mile (1.6 km) between 1947 and 1963, appears to be a very sensitive indicator of glacier change on the island. The young moraines flanking Winston Lagoon show that Winston Glacier has lost at least 300 vertical feet (91 vertical m) of ice within
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#17327655448893588-681: The present Treaty shall apply to the area south of 60° South latitude ". Therefore, Antarctica is defined from a political standpoint as all land and ice shelves south of 60°S latitude. At between about 46° – 50° south of the Equator, in the region often referred to as the Roaring Forties , are the Crozet Islands , the Prince Edward Islands , Wager Island , the Bounty Islands , the Snares Islands ,
3657-477: The rate of loss of ice in both the ablation zone and the accumulation zone of Brown Glacier was more than double average rate measured from 1947 to 2003. The increase in the rate of ice loss suggests that the glaciers of Heard Island are reacting to ongoing climate change, rather than approaching dynamic equilibrium . The retreat of Heard Island's glaciers is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Download coordinates as: Try pot A try pot
3726-421: The resident populations of whales and seals to the point of near extinction, including fur seals in the 18th century and elephant seals in the 19th century. The sealing era lasted from 1781 to 1922 during which time 284 sealing visits are recorded, nine of which ended when the vessel was wrecked. Modern industrial sealing, associated with whaling stations, occurred intermittently between 1908 and 1956. Since
3795-416: The same name) but having inherited another group of five very remote tropical islands, les îles Éparses , which are also ruled by France and are dispersed widely throughout the southern Indian Ocean. The main island of the archipelago is called La Grande Terre . It measures 150 km (93 mi) east to west and 120 km (75 mi) north to south. Port-aux-Français , a scientific base,
3864-475: The size of Corsica , and is surrounded by a further 300 smaller islands and islets, forming an archipelago of 7,215 km (2,786 sq mi). The climate is harsh and chilly with frequent high winds throughout the year. The surrounding seas are generally rough and they remain ice-free year-round. There are no indigenous inhabitants, but France maintains a permanent presence of 45 to 100 soldiers, scientists, engineers, and researchers. There are no airports on
3933-971: The southern hemisphere. With respect to glaciers of the Andes mountains in South America , abundant evidence has been collected from ongoing research at Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia , Quelccaya Ice Cap and Qori Kalis Glacier in Peru , Zongo , Chacaltaya and Charquini glaciers in Bolivia , the Aconcagua River Basin in the central Chilean Andes , and the Northern Patagonian and Southern Patagonian ice fields . Retreat of glaciers in New Zealand and Antarctica
4002-513: The southern parts of the Atlantic , Indian , and Pacific oceans, especially those situated north of the Antarctic Convergence . Subantarctic glaciers are, by definition, located on islands within the subantarctic region. All glaciers located on the continent of Antarctica are by definition considered to be Antarctic glaciers . The subantarctic region comprises two geographic zones and three distinct fronts . The northernmost boundary of
4071-439: The steep topography of Heard Island, most of its glaciers are relatively thin (averaging only about 55 meters in depth). The presence of glaciers on Heard Island provides an excellent opportunity to measure the rate of glacial retreat as an indicator of climate change. Available records show no apparent change in glacier mass balance between 1874 and 1929. Between 1949 and 1954, marked changes were observed to have occurred in
4140-538: The subantarctic . This list includes one snow field ( Murray Snowfield ). Snow fields are not glaciers in the strict sense of the word, but they are commonly found at the accumulation zone or head of a glacier. For the purposes of this list, Antarctica is defined as any latitude further south than 60° (the continental limit according to the Antarctic Treaty). Together, the Subantarctic Mode Water (SAMW) and Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) act as
4209-845: The subantarctic region is the rather ill-defined Subtropical Front (STF), also referred to as the Subtropical Convergence. To the south of the STF is a geographic zone, the Subantarctic Zone (SAZ). South of the SAZ is the Subantarctic Front (SAF). South of the SAF is another marine zone, called the Polar Frontal Zone (PFZ). The SAZ and the PFZ together form the subantarctic region. The southernmost boundary of
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#17327655448894278-429: The total area of Heard Island's glaciers decreased by 11%, from 288 km (roughly 79% of the total area of Heard Island) to only 257 km . A visit to the island in the spring of 2000 found that the Stephenson , Brown and Baudissin glaciers, among others, had retreated even further. The terminus of Brown Glacier has retreated approximately 1.1 kilometres since 1950. The total ice-covered area of Brown Glacier
4347-473: The two passages and of the French claim to the islands. Thereafter, a number of expeditions briefly visited the islands, including the third voyage of Captain James Cook in December 1776. Cook verified and confirmed the passage of de Kerguelen by discovering and annotating the message left by the French navigator. Soon after its discovery, the archipelago was regularly visited by whalers and sealers (mostly British, American, and Norwegian) who hunted
4416-510: The very high numbers of seabirds and marine mammals on Heard Island, the area is considered a "biological hot spot". The marine environment surrounding the islands features diverse and distinctive benthic habitats that support a range of species including corals , sponges , barnacles and echinoderms . This marine environment also serves as a nursery area for a range of fishes, including some species of commercial interest. Glaciers are currently retreating at significant rates throughout
4485-442: The volume of water flowing in all the world's rivers. The ACC and the global thermohaline circulation strongly influence regional and global climate as well as underwater biodiversity . Another factor that contributes to the climate of the subantarctic region, though to a much lesser extent than the thermohaline circulation, is the formation of Antarctic Bottom Water (ABW) by halothermal dynamics . The halothermal circulation
4554-430: The west coast which receives an estimated three times as much precipitation per year. The mountains are frequently covered in snow but can thaw very quickly in rain. Over the course of several decades, many permanent glaciers have shown signs of retreat, with some smaller ones having disappeared completely. The west coast receives almost continuous wind at an average speed of 35 km/h (19 kn; 10 m/s) because
4623-406: The west-central part of the island. Overall, the glaciers of the Kerguelen Islands cover just over 500 km (190 sq mi). Grande Terre has also numerous bays, inlets, fjords, and coves, as well as several peninsulas and promontories. The most important ones are listed below: There are also a number of notable localities, all on La Grande Terre (see also the main map): From 1968 to 1981,
4692-464: The year is August with an average temperature of 2.1 °C (35.8 °F). Annual high temperatures rarely surpass 20 °C (68 °F), while temperatures in winter have never been recorded below −10 °C (14 °F) at sea level. Kerguelen receives frequent precipitation, with snow throughout the year as well as rain. Port-aux-Français receives a modest amount of precipitation ( 708 mm or 27 + 7 ⁄ 8 in per annum) compared to
4761-399: Was also used by the German Antarctic Expedition, led by Erich Dagobert von Drygalski in 1902–1903. In January 2007, an archaeological excavation was carried out at this site. In 1877 the French started a coal mining operation, but soon abandoned it. In 1892, due to German operations in the area, France sent the aviso Eure , under Commander Lieutard , to reassert its claim over
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