Rippon Glacier

Map of Antarctica indicating location of Rippon Glacier
Type Mountain glacier
Location Kemp Land, Australian Antarctic Territory, East Antarctica
Coordinates 66°40′00″S 56°29′00″E / 66.66667°S 56.48333°E / -66.66667; 56.48333Coordinates: 66°40′00″S 56°29′00″E / 66.66667°S 56.48333°E / -66.66667; 56.48333

Rippon Glacier is a small glacier located in Kemp Land, Australian Antarctic Territory, East Antarctica. It is close east of Seaton Glacier, flowing southward into Edward VIII Ice Shelf.

Discovery and naming

Rippon Glacier was mapped from aerial photos taken by ANARE (Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions) in 1956, and named for Sgt. Ralph. Rippon, RAAF, airframe fitter at Mawson Station in 1959.[1][2]

Weather conditions

Just to the south of Rippon Glacier is a large valley formed by the Robert and Wilma Glaciers. These two glaciers, along with the Seaton and Rippon Glaciers, all flow into the King Edward Ice Shelf. To the west are the Napier Mountains, running northwest from Mount Elkins. Still further west are the Tula Mountains, beyond which the Beaver Glacier flows into Amundsen Bay. Collectively, these terrain features significantly modify weather produced by synoptic scale systems. Dramatic changes can occur over short distances and in short time intervals.[3] One problem with some moist southeasterly airstreams is cloud formation northwest of Seaton and Rippon Glaciers that produces whiteout conditions looking inland of Rippon Depot.[3]

Flora

The following species have been sighted within 1.0 degrees of Rippon Glacier:[2]

Scientific Name Authority Common Name Observations
Bryum cf. caespiticium Tufted thread-moss
Bryum pseudotriquetrum Marsh bryum
Bryum urbanskyi

Fauna

The following species have been sighted within 1.0 degrees of Rippon Glacier:[2]

Scientific Name Authority Common Name Observations
Aptenodytes forsteri Gray, 1844 Emperor penguin
Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède,1804 Minke whale
Balaenoptera bonaerensis Burmeister, 1867 Antarctic minke whale (also known as the 'dark-shoulder minke whale")
Balaenoptera musculus Linnaeus, 1758 Blue whale
Daption capense Linnaeus, 1758 Cape petrel
Euphausia superba Dana, 1852 Antarctic krill
Fulmarus glacialoides Smith,1840 Southern fulmar
Lobodon carcinophaga Hombron and Jacquinot,1842 Crabeater seal
Oceanites oceanicus Kuhl, 1820 Wilson's storm petrel
Orcinus orca Linnaeus, 1758 Killer whale
Pagodroma nivea Forster,1777 Snow petrel
Puffinus spp. Linnaeus, 1758 Shearwater
Pygoscelis adeliae Hombron and Jacquinot,1841 Adélie penguin
Thalassoica antarctica Gmelin,1789 Antarctic petrel

See also

References

  1. ↑ Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) of the United States Geological Survey: Rippon Glacier. Accessed 22 May 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Gazeteer of the Australian Antarctic Data Centre: Rippon Glacier. Accessed 22 May 2010.
  3. 1 2 John Turner and Steve Pendlebury (2004). "Section 7.6: Enderby Land and Kemp Land". In John Turner and Steve Pendlebury. The International Antarctic Weather Forecasting Handbook (PDF). Cambridge: British Antarctic Survey. pp. 362–364. ISBN 1-85531-221-2. Retrieved 22 May 2010.

"Rippon Glacier". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 31 May 2010. 

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "Rippon Glacier" (content from the Geographic Names Information System).

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