Heritage Range
Encyclopedia
The Heritage Range is a major mountain range
, 160 km (99 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) wide, situated southward of Minnesota Glacier
and forming the southern half of the Ellsworth Mountains
in Antarctica. The range is complex, consisting of scattered ridges and peaks
of moderate height, escarpments, hills and nunatak
s, the various units of relief set off by numerous intervening glaciers.
The northern portion of the range was probably first sighted by Lincoln Ellsworth
in the course of his trans-Antarctic flight of November 23, 1935. On December 14, 1959, the southern range was seen for the first time in a reconnaissance flight from Byrd Station
, made by Edward C. Thiel, J.C. Craddock and E.S. Robinson. The team landed at a glacier on Pipe Peak on December 26, in the northwestern part of the range.
During the 1962-63 and 1963-64 seasons, the University of Minnesota
expeditions made geologic and cartographic surveys of the range. The entire range was mapped by USGS
from aerial photographs taken by the U.S. Navy, 1961-66.
So named by US-ACAN
because topographic units within the range have received names relating to the theme of American
heritage
.
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
, 160 km (99 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) wide, situated southward of Minnesota Glacier
Minnesota Glacier
Minnesota Glacier is a broad glacier in Antarctica. It is about 64 km long and 8 km wide, and flows east through the Ellsworth Mountains, separating the Sentinel and Heritage ranges. It is nourished by ice from the plateau west of the mountains and by the Nimitz and Splettstoesser...
and forming the southern half of the Ellsworth Mountains
Ellsworth Mountains
The Ellsworth Mountains are the highest mountain ranges in Antarctica, forming a long and wide chain of mountains in a north to south configuration on the western margin of the Ronne Ice Shelf. They are bisected by Minnesota Glacier to form the northern Sentinel Range and the southern Heritage...
in Antarctica. The range is complex, consisting of scattered ridges and peaks
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
of moderate height, escarpments, hills and nunatak
Nunatak
A nunatak is an exposed, often rocky element of a ridge, mountain, or peak not covered with ice or snow within an ice field or glacier. The term is typically used in areas where a permanent ice sheet is present...
s, the various units of relief set off by numerous intervening glaciers.
The northern portion of the range was probably first sighted by Lincoln Ellsworth
Lincoln Ellsworth
Lincoln Ellsworth was an arctic explorer from the United States.-Birth:He was born on May 12, 1880 to James Ellsworth and Eva Frances Butler in Chicago, Illinois...
in the course of his trans-Antarctic flight of November 23, 1935. On December 14, 1959, the southern range was seen for the first time in a reconnaissance flight from Byrd Station
Byrd Station
Byrd Station refers to a research station established by the United States during the International Geophysical Year by the U.S. Navy during Operation Deep Freeze II in West Antarctica at 80°, 120°W...
, made by Edward C. Thiel, J.C. Craddock and E.S. Robinson. The team landed at a glacier on Pipe Peak on December 26, in the northwestern part of the range.
During the 1962-63 and 1963-64 seasons, the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
expeditions made geologic and cartographic surveys of the range. The entire range was mapped by USGS
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
from aerial photographs taken by the U.S. Navy, 1961-66.
So named by US-ACAN
Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names
The Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names is an advisory committee of the United States Board on Geographic Names responsible for recommending names for features in Antarctica...
because topographic units within the range have received names relating to the theme of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
.