Runcorn Glacier is 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...

 to the west of Hess Mountains

Hess Mountains

Hess Mountains is a group of mountains in the Antarctic rising to about 1,500 m at the head of Hilton Inlet, Black Coast, to the west of Dietz Bluff and bounded to north by Gruening Glacier, to west by Runcorn Glacier and to south by Beaumont Glacier. First photographed from the air by the United...

, flowing southeast to join Beaumont Glacier

Beaumont Glacier

Beaumont Glacier is a broad glacier flowing in a northeast direction to the southwest part of Hilton Inlet, on the east coast of Palmer Land. The United States Antarctic Service discovered and photographed it from the air in 1940...

 near the head of Hilton Inlet

Hilton Inlet

Hilton Inlet is an ice-filled inlet, 12 nautical miles wide, which recedes about 22 nautical miles west from its entrance between Capes Darlington and Knowles, along the east coast of Palmer Land. Discovered by the United States Antarctic Service in 1940, and named for Donald C...

, Black Coast

Black Coast

Black Coast is the portion of the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula between Cape Boggs and Cape Mackintosh. This coast was discovered and photographed from the air by members of the East Base of the U.S. Antarctic Service, 1939–41, on a flight of December 30, 1940...

, Palmer Land

Palmer Land

Palmer Land is that portion of the Antarctic Peninsula which lies south of a line joining Cape Jeremy and Cape Agassiz. This application of Palmer Land is consistent with the 1964 agreement between US-ACAN and UK-APC, in which the name Antarctic Peninsula was approved for the major peninsula of...

. Mapped by United States Geological Survey

United States Geological Survey

The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...

 (USGS) from aerial photographs taken by the U.S. Navy, 1966-69. Surveyed by British Antarctic Survey

British Antarctic Survey

The British Antarctic Survey is the United Kingdom's national Antarctic operation and has an active role in Antarctic affairs. BAS is part of the Natural Environment Research Council and has over 400 staff. It operates five research stations, two ships and five aircraft in and around Antarctica....

 (BAS), 1972-73. In association with the names of continental drift scientists grouped in this area, named by 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) in 1978 after Stanley K. Runcorn, English geophysicist, Professor of Physics, University of Newcastle, from 1963.