Thurston Island (Thurston Island)
Thurston Island is an ice-covered, glacially dissected island, 215 km long, 90 km wide and 15700 km² in area, lying a short way off the northwest end of Ellsworth Land, Antarctica. It is the third-largest island of Antarctica, after Alexander Island and Berkner Island.
The island was discovered from the air by Rear Admiral Byrd on February 27, 1940, who named it for W. Harris Thurston, a New York textile manufacturer, designer of the windproof "Byrd Cloth" and sponsor of Antarctic expeditions. Thurston Island is separated from the mainland by Peacock Sound, which is occupied by the western portion of Abbot Ice Shelf. It divides Bellingshausen Sea to the east from Amundsen Sea to the west.
Originally mistaken as a peninsula, the feature was not recognised an island until 1960.
The western extremity of the island is Cape Flying Fish. The eastern extremity is Cape Annawan, off Tierney Peninsula. The southeast end of the island is Cape Walker.
The island is divided south-north by the Walker Mountains, a range of peaks and nunataks. Several other peaks are situated on the Edwards and Noville Peninsulas. There are many glaciers on Thurston Island.
The island was discovered from the air by Rear Admiral Byrd on February 27, 1940, who named it for W. Harris Thurston, a New York textile manufacturer, designer of the windproof "Byrd Cloth" and sponsor of Antarctic expeditions. Thurston Island is separated from the mainland by Peacock Sound, which is occupied by the western portion of Abbot Ice Shelf. It divides Bellingshausen Sea to the east from Amundsen Sea to the west.
Originally mistaken as a peninsula, the feature was not recognised an island until 1960.
The western extremity of the island is Cape Flying Fish. The eastern extremity is Cape Annawan, off Tierney Peninsula. The southeast end of the island is Cape Walker.
The island is divided south-north by the Walker Mountains, a range of peaks and nunataks. Several other peaks are situated on the Edwards and Noville Peninsulas. There are many glaciers on Thurston Island.
Map - Thurston Island (Thurston Island)
Map
Country - Antarctica
Antarctica is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, being about 40% larger than Europe, and has an area of 14200000 km2. Most of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, with an average thickness of 1.9 km.
Antarctica is, on average, the coldest, driest, and windiest of the continents, and it has the highest average elevation. It is mainly a polar desert, with annual precipitation of over 200 mm along the coast and far less inland. About 70% of the world's freshwater reserves are frozen in Antarctica, which, if melted, would raise global sea levels by almost 60 m. Antarctica holds the record for the lowest measured temperature on Earth, −89.2 C. The coastal regions can reach temperatures over 10 C in summer. Native species of animals include mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades. Where vegetation occurs, it is mostly in the form of lichen or moss.
Antarctica is, on average, the coldest, driest, and windiest of the continents, and it has the highest average elevation. It is mainly a polar desert, with annual precipitation of over 200 mm along the coast and far less inland. About 70% of the world's freshwater reserves are frozen in Antarctica, which, if melted, would raise global sea levels by almost 60 m. Antarctica holds the record for the lowest measured temperature on Earth, −89.2 C. The coastal regions can reach temperatures over 10 C in summer. Native species of animals include mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades. Where vegetation occurs, it is mostly in the form of lichen or moss.