McDonald Ice Rumples
Encyclopedia
The McDonald Ice Rumples (75°28′S 26°18′W) constitute an ice rise
on the Brunt Ice Shelf
bordering the Weddell Sea
in Antarctica. It covers an area of 3 by 2 miles.
The feature is named for Briton
Allan McDonald of the British Association of Magallanes at Punta Arenas who in July 1916, assisted Ernest Shackleton
to raise the necessary funds to send a schooner
, the Emma, to rescue 22 men shipwrecked on Elephant Island during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition
. In recognition of this, Shackleton named a glacier
after McDonald; however, when others’ attempts to locate the glacier failed, this ice rise was named for McDonald instead. It is impossible to know with certainty whether this feature and Shackleton's are one and the same.
The Royal Society
IGY expeditions occupied a base
nearby (1955-59) and were familiar with this feature. In 1957 the maximum elevation above the general surface of the ice shelf
was about 18 meters, a few hundred meters from the ice front.
An excellent aerial photograph of the ice rise can be seen here: http://simonc.f2o.org/south/gallery/brunt/06_rumples.jpg (accessed 12/5/2007; alternate copy: http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/95/8918/1024/06_rumples_scogs.jpg ).
Ice rise
An ice rise is a clearly defined elevation of the otherwise totally flat ice shelf, typically dome-shaped and rising 100 to 200 meters above the surrounding ice shelf. An ice rise forms where the ice shelf touches the rocky seabed because of an elevation in the seabed that remains below sea level...
on the Brunt Ice Shelf
Brunt Ice Shelf
The Brunt Ice Shelf borders the Antarctic coast of Coats Land between Dawson-Lambton Glacier and Stancomb-Wills Glacier Tongue. It was the location of the base of the Royal Society Expedition, 1955–59 which was taken over as the British Halley Research Station...
bordering the Weddell Sea
Weddell Sea
The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean and contains the Weddell Gyre. Its land boundaries are defined by the bay formed from the coasts of Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula. The easternmost point is Cape Norvegia at Princess Martha Coast, Queen Maud Land. To the east of Cape Norvegia is...
in Antarctica. It covers an area of 3 by 2 miles.
The feature is named for Briton
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
Allan McDonald of the British Association of Magallanes at Punta Arenas who in July 1916, assisted Ernest Shackleton
Ernest Shackleton
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE was a notable explorer from County Kildare, Ireland, who was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration...
to raise the necessary funds to send a schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
, the Emma, to rescue 22 men shipwrecked on Elephant Island during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition
Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition
The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition , also known as the Endurance Expedition, is considered the last major expedition of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Conceived by Sir Ernest Shackleton, the expedition was an attempt to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic continent...
. In recognition of this, Shackleton named a 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...
after McDonald; however, when others’ attempts to locate the glacier failed, this ice rise was named for McDonald instead. It is impossible to know with certainty whether this feature and Shackleton's are one and the same.
The Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
IGY expeditions occupied a base
Halley Research Station
Halley Research Station, run by the British Antarctic Survey, is located on the Brunt Ice Shelf floating on the Weddell Sea in Antarctica. It is a British research facility dedicated to the study of the Earth's atmosphere...
nearby (1955-59) and were familiar with this feature. In 1957 the maximum elevation above the general surface of the ice shelf
Ice shelf
An ice shelf is a thick, floating platform of ice that forms where a glacier or ice sheet flows down to a coastline and onto the ocean surface. Ice shelves are only found in Antarctica, Greenland and Canada. The boundary between the floating ice shelf and the grounded ice that feeds it is called...
was about 18 meters, a few hundred meters from the ice front.
An excellent aerial photograph of the ice rise can be seen here: http://simonc.f2o.org/south/gallery/brunt/06_rumples.jpg (accessed 12/5/2007; alternate copy: http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/95/8918/1024/06_rumples_scogs.jpg ).
