Prince Gustav Ice Shelf 64°15'S, 58°30'W
An ice shelf of more than 15 mi extent occupying the S part of Prince Gustav Channel, including Rohss Bay, James Ross Island.
Named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) in 1990 in association with the channel.[1]
On 27 February 1995, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) reported that the ice shelf formerly blocking the channel had disintegrated.
This ice shelf had spanned approximately 700 square kilometres (270 sq mi) prior to its disintegration.[3]
In the area previously covered by the shelf, the channel's water depth is between 600 and 800 metres (2,000 and 2,600 ft). Between February and March 2000, scientists collected sediment cores 5 to 6 m in length from the ocean floor.[citation needed] Carbon dating of organic material found in the sediment layers suggested that for a period between 2,000 and 5,000 years ago, much of the channel was seasonally open water. While icebergs were able to navigate the channel, ice rafted debris was deposited within the sediment.
Prince Gustav Ice Shelf retreated in the mid-Holocene period 5000 to 2000 years before present, [this] "corresponds to regional climate warming deduced from other paleoenvironmental records."[4]
It appears that before and after this period, the channel remained closed. The period when the channel was open coincides with a period of local warming supported by data gathered from land-based studies of lake sediments and ancient, abandoned penguin rookeries. With the return of colder conditions about 1900 years ago, the Prince Gustav Ice Shelf reformed until its recent retreat and collapse.[5]
64°14′S59°00′W / 64.233°S 59.000°W / -64.233; -59.000.
A glacier 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) long in the south part of Trinity Peninsula, flowing southeast from Detroit Plateau to the south side of Mount Wild where it enters Prince Gustav Channel.
Discovered in 1903 by the SwedAE under Otto Nordenskjöld.
He named it Hj. Sjögren Fiord after a patron of the expedition.
The true nature of the feature was determined by the FIDS in 1945.[8]
63°57′S58°44′W / 63.950°S 58.733°W / -63.950; -58.733.
Glacier about 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) long, flowing east-southeast from the Detroit Plateau, Graham Land, to Prince Gustav Channel close north of Alectoria Island.
Mapped from surveys by FIDS (1960–61).
Named by UK-APC for Neil Aitkenhead, FIDS geologist at Hope Bay (1959–60).[9]
63°49′S58°25′W / 63.817°S 58.417°W / -63.817; -58.417.
A gently sloping glacier, 8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi) long, flowing east-southeast from the north end of Detroit Plateau on Trinity Peninsula to Prince Gustav Channel immediately north of Pitt Point.
Surveyed by the FIDS, and so named because the glacier was sighted in the week following the surrender of Japan in World War II, in August 1945.[10]
63°44′S58°20′W / 63.733°S 58.333°W / -63.733; -58.333.
A glacier, 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) long and 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) wide, which lies at the north end of Detroit Plateau and flows from Mount Canicula eastward into Prince Gustav Channel.
This glacier together with Russell West Glacier, which flows westward into Bone Bay on the north side of Trinity Peninsula, form a through glacier across the north part of Antarctic Peninsula.
It was first surveyed in 1946 by the FIDS.
Named by the UK-APC for V.I. Russell, surveyor and leader of the FIDS base at Hope Bay in 1946.[11]
Islands
Alectoria Island
63°59′S58°37′W / 63.983°S 58.617°W / -63.983; -58.617.
A low, nearly ice-free island less than 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) long.
It lies in Prince Gustav Channel, about 0.5 nautical miles (0.93 km; 0.58 mi) off the terminus of Aitkenhead Glacier.
Surveyed in 1945 by the FIDS, who named it after the lichen Alectoria which was predominant on the island at the time.[12]
Carlson Island
63°53′S58°16′W / 63.883°S 58.267°W / -63.883; -58.267.
Rocky island 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) long and 300 metres (980 ft) high high, lying in Prince Gustav Channel 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) southeast of Pitt Point, Trinity Peninsula.
Discovered in 1903 by the SwedAE under Otto Nordenskjöld, who named it for Wilhelm Carlson, one of the chief patrons of the expedition.[13]
Long Island
63°46′S58°12′W / 63.767°S 58.200°W / -63.767; -58.200.
An island 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) long, in a northeast–southwest direction, and 0.5 nautical miles (0.93 km; 0.58 mi) wide, lying opposite the mouth of Russell East Glacier and 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) south of Trinity Peninsula in Prince Gustav Channel.
Discovered and named by the FIDS in 1945. The name is descriptive.[14]
Red Island
63°44′S57°52′W / 63.733°S 57.867°W / -63.733; -57.867.
Circular, flat-topped island, 1 nautical mile (1.9 km; 1.2 mi) in diameter and 495 metres (1,624 ft) high, with reddish cliffs of volcanic rock, lying 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km; 4.0 mi) northwest of Cape Lachman, James Ross Island, in Prince Gustav Channel.
Discovered and named by the SwedAE under Otto Nordenskjöld, 1901-04.[15]
The Monument
63°44′S57°53′W / 63.733°S 57.883°W / -63.733; -57.883.
A rock pillar rising to 495 metres (1,624 ft) high on Red Island in Prince Gustav Channel.
The feature was sighted by the SwedAE under Otto Nordenskjöld, 1901-04.
It was surveyed and named descriptively by the FIDS in 1945.[16]
