Aster Glacier is an Antarctic

Antarctic

The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...

 glacier

Glacier

A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...

 descending the east slope of Craddock Massif

Craddock Massif

Craddock Massif is a mountain massif in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, in the Chilean claim of West Antarctica.-Location and highest point:...

 and flowing between Elfring Peak

Elfring Peak

Elfring Peak is a peak rising to between the lower part of Della Pia Glacier and Aster Glacier, where the two glaciers enter Thomas Glacier on the east side of Sentinel Range, Ellsworth Mountains. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names in 2006 after Christine A...

 and Willis Ridge

Willis Ridge

Willis Ridge is a narrow-crested ridge extending west–east between Aster Glacier and Sowers Glacier on the east side of Craddock Massif, Sentinel Range. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names in 2006 after Michael J...

 into Thomas Glacier

Thomas Glacier

Thomas Glacier is a roughly Z-shaped glacier which drains the southeast slopes of Vinson Massif and flows for 17 nautical miles through the south part of the Sentinel Range, Ellsworth Mountains, leaving the range south of Johnson Spur. Discovered by U.S...

 in the Sentinel Range

Sentinel Range

The Sentinel Range is a major mountain range situated northward of Minnesota Glacier and forming the northern half of the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica. The range trends NNW-SSE for about and is 24 to 48 km wide...

, Ellsworth Mountains

Ellsworth Mountains

The Ellsworth Mountains are the highest mountain ranges in Antarctica, forming a long and wide chain of mountains in a north to south configuration on the western margin of the Ronne Ice Shelf. They are bisected by Minnesota Glacier to form the northern Sentinel Range and the southern Heritage...

. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names

Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names

The Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names is an advisory committee of the United States Board on Geographic Names responsible for recommending names for features in Antarctica...

 in 2006, after Richard C. Aster

Richard C. Aster

Richard C. Aster is an American seismologist and Professor of Geophysics at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Dr. Aster's research involves seismic imaging, volcano seismology, microseismicity, seismic noise, seismic instrumentation and Antarctic cryoseismology. Dr. Aster...

, Professor of Geophysics at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology is a university located in Socorro, New Mexico....

, who has been involved in volcanological studies at the Mount Erebus

Mount Erebus

Mount Erebus in Antarctica is the southernmost historically active volcano on Earth, the second highest volcano in Antarctica , and the 6th highest ultra mountain on an island. With a summit elevation of , it is located on Ross Island, which is also home to three inactive volcanoes, notably Mount...

 volcano observatory on Ross Island

Ross Island

Ross Island is an island formed by four volcanoes in the Ross Sea near the continent of Antarctica, off the coast of Victoria Land in McMurdo Sound.-Geography:...

, with ice and tectonic seismic sources in Antarctica, and with seismic noise and structural studies of the continent.