Minnesota Glacier
Encyclopedia
Minnesota Glacier is a broad glacier
in Antarctica. It is about 64 km (40 mi) long and 8 km (5 mi) 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
glaciers. Minnesota Glacier merges into the larger Rutford Ice Stream at the eastern margin of the Ellsworth Mountains.
It was named by the US-ACAN
for the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, which sent research parties to the Ellsworth Mountains in 1961–62, 1962–63 and 1963–64.
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 Antarctica. It is about 64 km (40 mi) long and 8 km (5 mi) wide, and flows east through 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...
, separating the Sentinel
Sentinel Range
The Sentinel Range is a major mountain range situated northward of Minnesota Glacier and forming the northern half of the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica. The range trends NNW-SSE for about and is 24 to 48 km wide...
and Heritage
Heritage Range
The Heritage Range is a major mountain range, long and wide, situated southward of Minnesota Glacier and forming the southern half of the Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica...
ranges
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...
. It is nourished by ice from the plateau west of the mountains and by the Nimitz
Nimitz Glacier
The Nimitz Glacier is an Antarctic glacier, 64 km long and 8 km wide, draining the area about 16 km west of the Vinson Massif and flowing southeast between the Sentinel Range and Bastien Range to enter Minnesota Glacier, in the central Ellsworth Mountains.Discovered by USN...
and Splettstoesser
Splettstoesser Glacier
Splettstoesser Glacier is a glacier, 35 nautical miles long, draining from the plateau just south of Founders Escarpment and flowing east-northeast through the Heritage Range to the south of Founders Peaks and Anderson Massif to enter the Minnesota Glacier. Named by the University of Minnesota...
glaciers. Minnesota Glacier merges into the larger Rutford Ice Stream at the eastern margin of the Ellsworth Mountains.
It was named by the 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...
for the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, which sent research parties to the Ellsworth Mountains in 1961–62, 1962–63 and 1963–64.