Irwin Glacier is a steep tributary glacier

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...

 in the Bowers Mountains

Bowers Mountains

Bowers Mountains is a group of north-south trending mountains in Antarctica, about 145 km long and 56 km wide, bounded by the coast on the north and by the Rennick, Canham, Black and Lillie glaciers in other quadrants. The seaward end was first sighted in February 1911 from the Terra...

, draining northeast from Edlin Neve and at the terminus coalescing with Montigny Glacier (from the north), with which it enters the larger Graveson Glacier. Mapped by United States Geological Survey

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,...

 (USGS) from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-64. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names

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...

(US-ACAN) for Carlisle S. Irwin, glaciologist, who participated in the study of Meserve Glacier in 1966-67.