Buxton Glacier
Encyclopedia
Buxton Glacier is a glacier
flowing northeast between Heaney Glacier
and Cook Glacier
, on the north coast of the island of South Georgia, immediately south of Mount Skittle
. The terminus
of Buxton Glacier is located at Saint Andrews Bay
. Buxton Glacier is close to Ross Glacier
, which is leaving a gravel beach in the wake of its retreat
.
in 1987 after three members of the Buxton family
: Major Aubrey Leland Oakes Buxton
(Baron Buxton of Alsa), Pamela Mary Birkin (Baroness Buxton of Alsa), and their daughter the Hon. Lucinda Catherine (Cindy) Buxton
, FRGS, who visited South Georgia in March 1982.
(Aptenodytes patagonicus) rookery
near the terminus of Buxton Glacier at Saint Andrews Bay. This breeding colony
has more than 100,000 penguins. Because of the long breeding cycle, the colony is continuously occupied.
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...
flowing northeast between Heaney Glacier
Heaney Glacier
Heaney Glacier is a glacier, 4 nautical miles long, which lies close northwest of Cook Glacier and flows northeast and then east toward Saint Andrews Bay on the north coast of South Georgia. Surveyed by the South Georgia Survey, 1951-52, and named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names...
and Cook Glacier
Cook Glacier, South Georgia
Cook Glacier is a glacier which flows in a north-northeasterly direction to Saint Andrews Bay on the north coast of South Georgia. It was named by the German group of the International Polar Year Investigations based at nearby Moltke Harbour in 1882–83, for Captain James Cook....
, on the north coast of the island of South Georgia, immediately south of Mount Skittle
Mount Skittle
Mount Skittle is a prominent rocky mountain, 480 m, forming the north limit of Saint Andrews Bay on the north coast of South Georgia. The name "Kegel-Berg" was given for this feature by the German group of the International Polar Year Investigations, 1882-83. During the SGS, 1951–52, the mountain...
. The terminus
Glacier terminus
A glacier terminus, or snout, is the end of a glacier at any given point in time. Although glaciers seem motionless to the observer, in reality glaciers are in endless motion and the glacier terminus is always either advancing or retreating...
of Buxton Glacier is located at Saint Andrews Bay
St Andrews Bay, South Georgia
Saint Andrews Bay is a bight 2 miles wide, indenting the north coast of South Georgia immediately south of Mount Skittle. Probably first sighted by the British expedition under Cook which explored the north coast of South Georgia in 1775. The name dates back to at least 1920 and is now well...
. Buxton Glacier is close to Ross Glacier
Ross Glacier
Not to be confused with Ross Ice Shelf in AntarcticaRoss Glacier is a glacier 6 miles long, flowing east from the juncture of Allardyce and Salvesen Ranges to Little Moltke Harbour, Royal Bay, on the north coast of South Georgia...
, which is leaving a gravel beach in the wake of its retreat
Retreat of glaciers since 1850
The retreat of glaciers since 1850 affects the availability of fresh water for irrigation and domestic use, mountain recreation, animals and plants that depend on glacier-melt, and in the longer term, the level of the oceans...
.
Discovery and naming
Buxton Glacier was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names CommitteeUK Antarctic Place-Names Committee
The UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee is a United Kingdom government committee, part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, responsible for recommending names of geographical locations within the British Antarctic Territory and the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
in 1987 after three members of the Buxton family
Buxton Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created in the surname of Buxton.The Baronetcy Buxton of Shadwell Lodge, Norfolk was created in the Baronetage of Great Britain on 25 November 1800 for Robert John Buxton...
: Major Aubrey Leland Oakes Buxton
Aubrey Buxton, Baron Buxton of Alsa
Major Aubrey Leland Oakes Buxton, Baron Buxton of Alsa KCVO, MC, DL was a British soldier, politician, television executive and writer.-Career:...
(Baron Buxton of Alsa), Pamela Mary Birkin (Baroness Buxton of Alsa), and their daughter the Hon. Lucinda Catherine (Cindy) Buxton
Cindy Buxton
-External links:*...
, FRGS, who visited South Georgia in March 1982.
Flora and fauna
There is a King PenguinKing Penguin
The King Penguin is the second largest species of penguin at about , second only to the Emperor Penguin. There are two subspecies—A. p. patagonicus and A. p...
(Aptenodytes patagonicus) rookery
Rookery
A rookery is a colony of breeding animals, generally birds. A rook is a Northern European and Central Asian member of the crow family, which nest in prominent colonies at the tops of trees. The term is applied to the nesting place of birds, such as crows and rooks, the source of the term...
near the terminus of Buxton Glacier at Saint Andrews Bay. This breeding colony
Bird colony
A bird colony is a large congregation of individuals of one or more species of bird that nest or roost in close proximity at a particular location. Many kinds of birds are known to congregate in groups of varying size; a congregation of nesting birds is called a breeding colony...
has more than 100,000 penguins. Because of the long breeding cycle, the colony is continuously occupied.