Posadowsky Glacier (Antarctica)
Encyclopedia
Posadowsky Glacier is a glacier
about 9 nmi (16.7 km; 10.4 mi) long, flowing north to Posadowsky Bay
immediately east of Gaussberg
. Posadowsky Bay is an open embayment
, located just east of the West Ice Shelf
and fronting on the Davis Sea
in Kaiser Wilhelm II Land
. Kaiser Wilhelm II Land is the part of East Antarctica
lying between Cape Penck
, at 87°43'E, and Cape Filchner
, at 91°54'E and is part of the Australian Antarctic Territory
. Other notable geographic features in this area include Drygalski Island
(65°45′S 92°30′E), located 45 mi NNE of Cape Filchner in the Davis Sea, and Mirny Station
(66°34′S 93°01′E), a Russia
n scientific research station.
. The U.S. Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names
(US-ACAN) named the glacier after Drygalski's Posadowsky Bay in 1955 following studies of the aerial photographs taken by United States Navy
Operation Highjump
, 1946-47. Posadowsky Bay, in turn, was named for Count Arthur von Posadowsky-Wehner
, Secretary of the Interior
of the German Empire
, who secured a government grant to cover the cost of the Drygalski expedition.
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...
about 9 nmi (16.7 km; 10.4 mi) long, flowing north to Posadowsky Bay
Posadowsky Bay
Posadowsky Bay is an open embayment in the vicinity of Gaussberg, just east of the West Ice Shelf. Discovered in February 1902 by German Antarctic Expedition under Erich von Drygalski, who named it for Count Arthur von Posadowsky-Wehner, Imperial Home Secretary, who secured a government grant to...
immediately east of Gaussberg
Gaussberg
Gaussberg is an extinct volcanic cone, 370 metres high , fronting on Davis Sea immediately west of the Posadowsky Glacier in Kaiser Wilhelm II Land in Antarctica....
. Posadowsky Bay is an open embayment
Headlands and bays
Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment.- Geology and geography :Headlands and bays are often found on the same coastline. A bay is surrounded by land on three sides, whereas a headland is surrounded by water on three sides. Headlands are characterized by high,...
, located just east of the West Ice Shelf
West Ice Shelf
The West Ice Shelf is a prominent ice shelf extending about 288 km in an E-W direction along the Leopold and Astrid Coast in East Antarctica between Barrier Bay and Posadowsky Bay. Discovered and named by the First German Antarctica Expedition, 1901-03, under Dr. Erich von Drygalski. The toponym...
and fronting on the Davis Sea
Davis Sea
Davis Sea is an area of the sea along the coast of East Antarctica between West Ice Shelf in the west and the Shackleton Ice Shelf in the east, or between 82° and 96°E. East of it is Mawson Sea, and in the west is Cooperation Sea....
in Kaiser Wilhelm II Land
Kaiser Wilhelm II Land
Kaiser Wilhelm II Land is the part of Antarctica lying between Cape Penck, at 87°43'E, and Cape Filchner, at 91°54'E and is claimed as part of the Australian Antarctic Territory, although this claim is not universally recognized....
. Kaiser Wilhelm II Land is the part of East Antarctica
East Antarctica
East Antarctica, also called Greater Antarctica, constitutes the majority of the Antarctic continent, lying on the Indian Ocean side of the Transantarctic Mountains...
lying between Cape Penck
Cape Penck
Cape Penck is an ice-covered point fronting on the West Ice Shelf about 35 miles westnorthwest of Gaussberg, separating the Leopold and Astrid Coast from the Wilhelm II Coast. It was roughly charted by the Western Base Party of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-14, under Mawson, and named...
, at 87°43'E, and Cape Filchner
Cape Filchner
Cape Filchner is an ice-covered cape fronting on Davis Sea, 17 miles west-northwest of Adams Island. Cape Filchner is located at . Cape Filchner is the division between Wilhelm II Coast and Queen Mary Coast...
, at 91°54'E and is part of the Australian Antarctic Territory
Australian Antarctic Territory
The Australian Antarctic Territory is a part of Antarctica. It was claimed by the United Kingdom and placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1933. It is the largest territory of Antarctica claimed by any nation...
. Other notable geographic features in this area include Drygalski Island
Drygalski Island
Drygalski Island is an ice-capped island with a dome about high that is long and rises to in the Davis Sea of the Southern Ocean about north of the coast of Queen Mary Land and north-northeast of Cape Filchner. Drygalski Island is located at and has an elevation of . Drygalski Island has an...
(65°45′S 92°30′E), located 45 mi NNE of Cape Filchner in the Davis Sea, and Mirny Station
Mirny Station
Mirny is a Russian science station in Antarctica, located on the Antarctic coast of the Davis Sea in the Australian Antarctic Territory. Named after support vessel of the Bellingshausen's expedition....
(66°34′S 93°01′E), a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n scientific research station.
Discovery and naming
The glacier was observed in February 1902 from the summit of Gaussberg by the Gauss expedition under Erich von DrygalskiErich von Drygalski
Erich Dagobert von Drygalski was a German geographer, geophysicist and polar scientist, born in Königsberg, Province of Prussia....
. The U.S. 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...
(US-ACAN) named the glacier after Drygalski's Posadowsky Bay in 1955 following studies of the aerial photographs taken by United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Operation Highjump
Operation Highjump
Operation Highjump , officially titled The United States Navy Antarctic Developments Program, 1946-1947, was a United States Navy operation organized by RADM Richard E. Byrd Jr. USN, , Officer in Charge, Task Force 68, and led by RADM Richard H. Cruzen, USN, Commanding Officer, Task Force 68....
, 1946-47. Posadowsky Bay, in turn, was named for Count Arthur von Posadowsky-Wehner
Arthur von Posadowsky-Wehner
Arthur, Count of Posadowsky-Wehner, Baron of Postelwitz was a German conservative politician and statesman. He served as Secretary for the Treasury , Secretary of the Interior, Vice Chancellor of Germany and Prussian Minister of State ....
, Secretary of the Interior
Federal Ministry of the Interior (Germany)
The Federal Ministry of the Interior is a ministry of the German federal government. Its main office is in Berlin, with a secondary seat in Bonn. The current minister of the interior is Dr...
of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
, who secured a government grant to cover the cost of the Drygalski expedition.