McMurdo Ice Shelf

The McMurdo Ice Shelf is the portion of the Ross Ice Shelf bounded by McMurdo Sound and Ross Island on the north and Minna Bluff on the south. Studies show this feature has characteristics quite distinct from the Ross Ice Shelf and merits individual naming. A.J. Heine, who made investigations in 1962–63, suggested the name for the ice shelf bounded by Ross Island, Brown Peninsula, Black Island and White Island. The Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names has extended the application of this name to include the contiguous ice shelf southward to Minna Bluff.[1]

In March 2010, while scientists were taking photographs of the underside of the ice shelf, they discovered a living Lyssianasid amphipod.[2]

View

Annotated view of the area near Scott Base and McMurdo Station

References

  1. ↑ "McMurdo Ice Shelf". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  2. ↑ "NASA discovers life hidden 600 feet below Antarctic ice". CNN. Retrieved 2010-03-16.

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

Coordinates: 78°S 167°E / 78°S 167°E / -78; 167


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