Mount Elkins
Encyclopedia
Mount Elkins, also known as Jökelen (which means "The Glacier") is a dark, steep-sided mountain
with three major peaks, the highest 2,300 metres above sea level. This peak is located in the Napier Mountains
, in Enderby Land
. Enderby Land is part of the Australian Antarctic Territory
, in East Antarctica
. The mountain was named after Terence James Elkins
, ionospheric physicist with ANARE at Mawson Station in 1960.
(92 km to the north), the Young Nunataks
(7.4 km to the south), Sortoppen Nunatak (30 km to the east), the Newman Nunataks
(26 km to the west), Mount McMaster
(97 km to the west), and Mount Kjerringa
(57 km to the northeast). The nearest permanently inhabited place is Mawson Station
, an Australian research station to the southeast. Molodyozhnaya Station, a former Soviet research station which was mothballed in 1989, is located to the southwest of Mount Elkins. There are plans to reopen Molodyozhnaya Station in 2008.
Mount Elkins is the highest peak in the Napier Mountains. It is the second highest peak in the Enderby Land Coast Ranges
, behind Mount McMaster
, whose summit lies at 2830 metres above sea level. It is also the second highest peak in the Wilkes Land Coast Ranges
, which are the parent range of the Enderby Land Coast Ranges. It is the 27th highest peak in the East Antarctica Ranges
, which are the parent range of the Wilkes Land Coast Ranges.
was formed in the Precambrian
period by a series of tectonothermal orogenic
events. Napier orogeny formed the cratonic nucleus approximately 4 billion years ago. Mount Elkins is a classic example of Napier orogeny. Napier orogeny is characterized by high-grade metamorphism
and plate tectonics
. The orogenic events which resulted in the formation of the Napier Complex (including Mount Elkins) have been dated to the Archean
Eon
. Radiometrically dated
to as old as 3.8 billion years, some of the zircon
s collected from the orthogneisses
of the Napier Complex are among the oldest rock specimens found on Earth. Billions of years of erosion
and tectonic deformation
have exposed the metamorphic rock
core of these ancient mountains.
The oldest crustal
components found to date in the Napier Complex appear to be of igneous
derivation. This rock appears to have been overprinted by an ultra-high temperature metamorphic event (UHT) that occurred near the Archean-Proterozoic boundary. Using a lutetium-hafnium
(Lu-Hf) method to examine garnet
, orthopyroxene
, sapphirine
, osumilite
and rutile
from this UHT granulite
belt, Choi et al determined an isochron
age of 2.4 billion years for this metamorphic event. Using SHRIMPU–Pb zircon dating methodology, Belyatsky et al determined the oldest tectonothermal event in the formation of the Napier Complex to have occurred approximately 2.8 billion years ago.
Preservation of the UHT mineral assemblage in the analyzed rock suggests rapid cooling, with closure likely to have occurred for the Lu-Hf system at post-peak UHT conditions near a closure temperature
of 800°C. UHT granulites appear to have evolved in a low Lu-Hf environment, probably formed when the rocks were first extracted from a mantle
profoundly depleted in lithophile elements. The source materials for the magma
s that formed the Napier Complex were extremely depleted relative to the chondritic uniform reservoir (CHUR). These results also suggest significant depletion of the early Archean mantle, in agreement with the early igneous differentiation
of the Earth that the latest core formation models require.
To date, no flora has been observed at Mount Elkins.
Fauna
The following species have been sighted within 1.0 degrees of Mount Elkins:
(2,228 metres), which is one of the Seven Summits
. The East Antarctica Ranges
, located on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet
, is one of the three largest mountain ranges in Antarctica (the other two being the Transantarctic Mountains
and the West Antarctica Ranges). There are 29 known peaks in the East Antarctica Ranges whose summits exceed 2000 metres above sea level. These peaks are collectively referred to as the East Antarctic two-thousanders
. With its summit at 2300 meters above sea level, Mount Elkins ranks 27th on this list, but because of its remoteness it has not become a popular target for peak bagging
.
and Wilma
Glaciers. To the northeast are the Seaton
and Rippon
Glaciers. All of these glaciers run into the King Edward Ice Shelf
. Other notable terrain features in this area include the Beaver Glacier
, located to the west of Mount King
. Collectively, these terrain features significantly modify weather produced by synoptic scale
systems. Dramatic changes can occur over short distances and in short time intervals.
Expedition, 1936–37, and named at that time Jökelen (The Glacier). It was remapped by ANARE from aerial photographs taken from an ANARE aircraft in 1956. The Napier Mountains were first visited by an ANARE survey party from Mawson Station in 1960. The survey party was led by Syd Kirkby, and included Terence James Elkins.
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...
with three major peaks, the highest 2,300 metres above sea level. This peak is located in the Napier Mountains
Napier Mountains
The Napier Mountains are a group of more-or-less separated peaks, the highest being Mount Elkins, at about 2,300 meters above sea level. This mountain range is located in Enderby Land, in the claimed Australian Antarctic Territory, East Antarctica.-Location:...
, in Enderby Land
Enderby Land
Enderby Land is a projecting land mass of Antarctica, extending from Shinnan Glacier at to William Scoresby Bay at .Enderby Land was discovered in February 1831 by John Biscoe in the whaling brig Tula, and named after the Enderby Brothers of London, owners of the Tula, who encouraged their...
. Enderby Land is part of the Australian Antarctic Territory
Australian Antarctic Territory
The Australian Antarctic Territory is a part of Antarctica. It was claimed by the United Kingdom and placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1933. It is the largest territory of Antarctica claimed by any nation...
, in East Antarctica
East Antarctica
East Antarctica, also called Greater Antarctica, constitutes the majority of the Antarctic continent, lying on the Indian Ocean side of the Transantarctic Mountains...
. The mountain was named after Terence James Elkins
Terence James Elkins
Terence James Elkins is an Australian-born American physicist. In 1960, he participated in an expedition from Mawson Station which conducted the first geological surveys of the Napier Mountains in Antarctica. The highest of this group of mountains, Mount Elkins, was subsequently named after him...
, ionospheric physicist with ANARE at Mawson Station in 1960.
Location
Some notable geographic features in the general vicinity of Mount Elkins include Cape BatterbeeCape Batterbee
Cape Batterbee is a small, rocky point on the coast, the most northerly cape of Enderby Land. It is located 92 km north of Mount Elkins.-Discovery and naming:Cape Batterbee was discovered by BANZARE on 13 January 1930...
(92 km to the north), the Young Nunataks
Young Nunataks
Young Nunataks is a group of nunataks in the Napier Mountains standing 2 nautical miles south of Mount Elkins. Mapped by Norwegian cartographers from aerial photos taken by the Lars Christensen Expedition, 1936-37. Remapped from aerial photos taken by ANARE in 1956 and named for W.F...
(7.4 km to the south), Sortoppen Nunatak (30 km to the east), the Newman Nunataks
Newman Nunataks
Newman Nunataks These are a group of nunataks about 19 km west of Aker Peaks, and 26 km west of Mount Elkins, in Enderby Land. Their position was plotted from air photographs taken by ANARE in 1956 and 1960. They were named after A.J...
(26 km to the west), Mount McMaster
Mount McMaster
Mount McMaster is an outcrop 2,830 m above sea level, located about 74 km northeast of Mount Pardoe and 97 km west of Mount Elkins in Enderby Land. Enderby Land is part of East Antarctica, and is claimed by Australia....
(97 km to the west), and Mount Kjerringa
Mount Kjerringa
Mount Kjerringa is an isolated peak, 1,220 meters above sea level, situated roughly north of Aker Peaks, west of Magnet Bay, and 57 km northeast of Mount Elkins in Enderby Land, East Antarctica.-Discovery and naming:...
(57 km to the northeast). The nearest permanently inhabited place is Mawson Station
Mawson Station
Mawson Station is one of three permanent Australian bases in the Australian Antarctic Territory of East Antarctica. Named after Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson, the base is managed by the Australian Antarctic Division...
, an Australian research station to the southeast. Molodyozhnaya Station, a former Soviet research station which was mothballed in 1989, is located to the southwest of Mount Elkins. There are plans to reopen Molodyozhnaya Station in 2008.
Mount Elkins is the highest peak in the Napier Mountains. It is the second highest peak in the Enderby Land Coast Ranges
Enderby Land Coast Ranges
The Enderby Land Coast Ranges are a mountain range centered at in Enderby Land, in the Australian Antarctic Territory, East Antarctica. These ranges are considered to be a subset of their parent ranges, the Wilkes Land Coast Ranges. The Wilkes Land Coast Ranges are, in turn, a subsidiary of their...
, behind Mount McMaster
Mount McMaster
Mount McMaster is an outcrop 2,830 m above sea level, located about 74 km northeast of Mount Pardoe and 97 km west of Mount Elkins in Enderby Land. Enderby Land is part of East Antarctica, and is claimed by Australia....
, whose summit lies at 2830 metres above sea level. It is also the second highest peak in the Wilkes Land Coast Ranges
Wilkes Land Coast Ranges
-Location:Wilkes Land Coast Ranges are centered at in the Wilkes Land area of the Australian Antarctic Territory, East Antarctica. These ranges are considered to be a subset of their parent ranges, the East Antarctica Ranges. The highest peaks in the Wilkes Land Coast Ranges are listed below:-...
, which are the parent range of the Enderby Land Coast Ranges. It is the 27th highest peak in the East Antarctica Ranges
East Antarctica Ranges
The East Antarctica Ranges are one of the three largest mountain ranges in Antarctica, the others are the Transantarctic Mountains and West Antarctica Ranges. The East Antarctica Ranges, located on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, have 29 known peaks whose summits reach or exceed 2000 meters above sea...
, which are the parent range of the Wilkes Land Coast Ranges.
Geology & orogeny
Much of the East Antarctic cratonEast Antarctic craton
The East Antarctic craton is an ancient craton that forms most of Antarctica. The East Antarctic craton was part of the Nena supercontinent 1.8 billion years ago.During the early Paleozoic Era East Antarctica joined the Gondwana supercontinent.- Breakup :...
was formed in the Precambrian
Precambrian
The Precambrian is the name which describes the large span of time in Earth's history before the current Phanerozoic Eon, and is a Supereon divided into several eons of the geologic time scale...
period by a series of tectonothermal orogenic
Orogeny
Orogeny refers to forces and events leading to a severe structural deformation of the Earth's crust due to the engagement of tectonic plates. Response to such engagement results in the formation of long tracts of highly deformed rock called orogens or orogenic belts...
events. Napier orogeny formed the cratonic nucleus approximately 4 billion years ago. Mount Elkins is a classic example of Napier orogeny. Napier orogeny is characterized by high-grade metamorphism
Metamorphism
Metamorphism is the solid-state recrystallization of pre-existing rocks due to changes in physical and chemical conditions, primarily heat, pressure, and the introduction of chemically active fluids. Mineralogical, chemical and crystallographic changes can occur during this process...
and plate tectonics
Plate tectonics
Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere...
. The orogenic events which resulted in the formation of the Napier Complex (including Mount Elkins) have been dated to the Archean
Archean
The Archean , also spelled Archeozoic or Archæozoic) is a geologic eon before the Paleoproterozoic Era of the Proterozoic Eon, before 2.5 Ga ago. Instead of being based on stratigraphy, this date is defined chronometrically...
Eon
Geologic time scale
The geologic time scale provides a system of chronologic measurement relating stratigraphy to time that is used by geologists, paleontologists and other earth scientists to describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred during the history of the Earth...
. Radiometrically dated
Radiometric dating
Radiometric dating is a technique used to date materials such as rocks, usually based on a comparison between the observed abundance of a naturally occurring radioactive isotope and its decay products, using known decay rates...
to as old as 3.8 billion years, some of the zircon
Zircon
Zircon is a mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates. Its chemical name is zirconium silicate and its corresponding chemical formula is ZrSiO4. A common empirical formula showing some of the range of substitution in zircon is 1–x4x–y...
s collected from the orthogneisses
Gneiss
Gneiss is a common and widely distributed type of rock formed by high-grade regional metamorphic processes from pre-existing formations that were originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks.-Etymology:...
of the Napier Complex are among the oldest rock specimens found on Earth. Billions of years of erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
and tectonic deformation
Tectonics
Tectonics is a field of study within geology concerned generally with the structures within the lithosphere of the Earth and particularly with the forces and movements that have operated in a region to create these structures.Tectonics is concerned with the orogenies and tectonic development of...
have exposed the metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock is the transformation of an existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in form". The protolith is subjected to heat and pressure causing profound physical and/or chemical change...
core of these ancient mountains.
The oldest crustal
Crust (geology)
In geology, the crust is the outermost solid shell of a rocky planet or natural satellite, which is chemically distinct from the underlying mantle...
components found to date in the Napier Complex appear to be of igneous
Igneous rock
Igneous rock is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic rock. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava...
derivation. This rock appears to have been overprinted by an ultra-high temperature metamorphic event (UHT) that occurred near the Archean-Proterozoic boundary. Using a lutetium-hafnium
Hafnium
Hafnium is a chemical element with the symbol Hf and atomic number 72. A lustrous, silvery gray, tetravalent transition metal, hafnium chemically resembles zirconium and is found in zirconium minerals. Its existence was predicted by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869. Hafnium was the penultimate stable...
(Lu-Hf) method to examine garnet
Garnet
The garnet group includes a group of minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. The name "garnet" may come from either the Middle English word gernet meaning 'dark red', or the Latin granatus , possibly a reference to the Punica granatum , a plant with red seeds...
, orthopyroxene
Pyroxene
The pyroxenes are a group of important rock-forming inosilicate minerals found in many igneous and metamorphic rocks. They share a common structure consisting of single chains of silica tetrahedra and they crystallize in the monoclinic and orthorhombic systems...
, sapphirine
Sapphirine
Sapphirine is a rare mineral, a silicate of magnesium and aluminium with the chemical formula 86O20 . Named for its sapphire-like colour, sapphirine is primarily of interest to researchers and collectors: well-formed crystals are treasured and occasionally cut into gemstones...
, osumilite
Osumilite
Osumilite a very rare hydrate potassium-sodium-iron-magnesium-aluminium silicate mineral. Osumilite is part of the milarite group of cyclosilicates.-Characteristics:...
and rutile
Rutile
Rutile is a mineral composed primarily of titanium dioxide, TiO2.Rutile is the most common natural form of TiO2. Two rarer polymorphs of TiO2 are known:...
from this UHT granulite
Granulite
Granulites are medium to coarse–grained metamorphic rocks that have experienced high temperature metamorphism, composed mainly of feldspars sometimes associated with quartz and anhydrous ferromagnesian minerals, with granoblastic texture and gneissose to massive structure...
belt, Choi et al determined an isochron
Isochron
In the mathematical theory of dynamical systems, an isochron is a set of initial conditions for the system that all lead to the same long-term behaviour.-An introductory example:...
age of 2.4 billion years for this metamorphic event. Using SHRIMPU–Pb zircon dating methodology, Belyatsky et al determined the oldest tectonothermal event in the formation of the Napier Complex to have occurred approximately 2.8 billion years ago.
Preservation of the UHT mineral assemblage in the analyzed rock suggests rapid cooling, with closure likely to have occurred for the Lu-Hf system at post-peak UHT conditions near a closure temperature
Closure temperature
In radiometric dating, closure temperature or blocking temperature refers to the temperature of a system, such as a mineral, at the time given by its radiometric date. In physical terms, the closure temperature at which a system has cooled so that there is no longer any exchange of parent or...
of 800°C. UHT granulites appear to have evolved in a low Lu-Hf environment, probably formed when the rocks were first extracted from a mantle
Mantle (geology)
The mantle is a part of a terrestrial planet or other rocky body large enough to have differentiation by density. The interior of the Earth, similar to the other terrestrial planets, is chemically divided into layers. The mantle is a highly viscous layer between the crust and the outer core....
profoundly depleted in lithophile elements. The source materials for the magma
Magma
Magma is a mixture of molten rock, volatiles and solids that is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and is expected to exist on other terrestrial planets. Besides molten rock, magma may also contain suspended crystals and dissolved gas and sometimes also gas bubbles. Magma often collects in...
s that formed the Napier Complex were extremely depleted relative to the chondritic uniform reservoir (CHUR). These results also suggest significant depletion of the early Archean mantle, in agreement with the early igneous differentiation
Igneous differentiation
In geology, igneous differentiation is an umbrella term for the various processes by which magmas undergo bulk chemical change during the partial melting process, cooling, emplacement or eruption.-Primary melts:...
of the Earth that the latest core formation models require.
Ecology
FloraTo date, no flora has been observed at Mount Elkins.
Fauna
The following species have been sighted within 1.0 degrees of Mount Elkins:
| Scientific Name | Authority | Common Name | Observations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balaenoptera bonaerensis Antarctic Minke Whale The Antarctic minke whale or southern minke whale , is a species of minke whale within the suborder of baleen whales.-Taxonomy:... |
Burmeister Hermann Burmeister Karl Hermann Konrad Burmeister was a German zoologist, entomologist, and herpetologist.Burmeister was born in Stralsund and became a professor of Zoology at the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg from 1837 to 1861... , 1867 |
Antarctic Minke Whale Antarctic Minke Whale The Antarctic minke whale or southern minke whale , is a species of minke whale within the suborder of baleen whales.-Taxonomy:... (also known as the 'Dark-shoulder Minke Whale") |
|
| Fulmarus glacialoides Southern Fulmar The Southern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialoides, is a seabird of the Southern Hemisphere. Along with the Northern Fulmar, F. glacialis, it belongs to the fulmar genus Fulmarus in the family Procellariidae, the true petrels... |
Smith Andrew Smith (zoologist) Sir Andrew Smith KCB was a Scottish surgeon, explorer, ethnologist and zoologist. He is considered the father of Zoology in South Africa having described many species across a wide range of groups in his major work, Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa.Smith was born in Hawick, Roxburghshire... ,1840 |
Southern Fulmar Southern Fulmar The Southern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialoides, is a seabird of the Southern Hemisphere. Along with the Northern Fulmar, F. glacialis, it belongs to the fulmar genus Fulmarus in the family Procellariidae, the true petrels... |
|
| Halecium banzare Halecium Halecium is a genus of hydrozoa in the Haleciidae family, consisting of approximately 120 species. These marine invertebrates are found in all oceans, where they often form large colonies.... |
Watson, 2008 | Banzare hydroid Leptomedusae Leptomedusae or Leptomedusa, commonly called thecate hydroids, are a cnidarian order in the subclass Leptolinae. They were formerly placed at suborder rank in the paraphyletic "Hydroida"... |
|
| Halecium brevithecum Halecium Halecium is a genus of hydrozoa in the Haleciidae family, consisting of approximately 120 species. These marine invertebrates are found in all oceans, where they often form large colonies.... |
Watson, 2008 | Brevithecate hydroid Leptomedusae Leptomedusae or Leptomedusa, commonly called thecate hydroids, are a cnidarian order in the subclass Leptolinae. They were formerly placed at suborder rank in the paraphyletic "Hydroida"... |
|
| Pagodroma nivea Snow Petrel The Snow Petrel is the only member of the genus Pagodroma. It is one of only three birds that breed exclusively in Antarctica and has been seen at the South Pole. It has the most southerly breeding distribution of any bird.-Taxonomy:... |
Forster Johann Reinhold Forster Johann Reinhold Forster was a German Lutheran pastor and naturalist of partial Scottish descent who made contributions to the early ornithology of Europe and North America... ,1777 |
Snow Petrel Snow Petrel The Snow Petrel is the only member of the genus Pagodroma. It is one of only three birds that breed exclusively in Antarctica and has been seen at the South Pole. It has the most southerly breeding distribution of any bird.-Taxonomy:... |
|
| Pygoscelis adeliae Adelie Penguin The Adélie Penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae, is a species of penguin common along the entire Antarctic coast. They are among the most southerly distributed of all seabirds, as are the Emperor Penguin, the South Polar Skua, the Wilson's Storm Petrel, the Snow Petrel, and the Antarctic Petrel... |
Hombron Jacques Bernard Hombron Doctor Jacques Bernard Hombron was a French naval surgeon and naturalist.Hombron served on the French voyage of the Astrolabe and Zelee between 1837 and 1840 to investigate the perimeter of Antarctica. He described a number of plants and animals with Honoré Jacquinot.-See also:* European and... and Jacquinot Honoré Jacquinot Honoré Jacquinot was a French surgeon and zoologist. Jacquinot was the younger brother of the naval officer Charles Hector Jacquinot, and sailed with him as a naturalist on La Zelee on Dumont d'Urville's Astrolabe expedition . With J. B... ,1841 |
Adelie Penguin Adelie Penguin The Adélie Penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae, is a species of penguin common along the entire Antarctic coast. They are among the most southerly distributed of all seabirds, as are the Emperor Penguin, the South Polar Skua, the Wilson's Storm Petrel, the Snow Petrel, and the Antarctic Petrel... |
|
| Thalassoica antarctica Antarctic Petrel The Antarctic Petrel is a boldly marked dark brown and white petrel, found in Antarctica, most commonly in the Ross and Weddell seas. They eat Antarctic krill, fish, and small squid... |
Gmelin Johann Friedrich Gmelin Johann Friedrich Gmelin was a German naturalist, botanist, entomologist, herpetologist and malacologist.- Education :Johann Friedrich Gmelin was born as the eldest son of Philipp Friedrich Gmelin in 1748 in Tübingen... ,1789 |
Antarctic Petrel Antarctic Petrel The Antarctic Petrel is a boldly marked dark brown and white petrel, found in Antarctica, most commonly in the Ross and Weddell seas. They eat Antarctic krill, fish, and small squid... |
|
Significance to mountaineers
The summit of Mount Elkins is higher than that of any mountain in Australia—including even Mount KosciuszkoMount Kosciuszko
Mount Kosciuszko is a mountain located in the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park. With a height of 2,228 metres above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Australia...
(2,228 metres), which is one of the Seven Summits
Seven Summits
The Seven Summits are the highest mountains of each of the seven continents. Summiting all of them is regarded as a mountaineering challenge, first postulated as such and achieved on April 30, 1985 by Richard Bass .-Definition:...
. The East Antarctica Ranges
East Antarctica Ranges
The East Antarctica Ranges are one of the three largest mountain ranges in Antarctica, the others are the Transantarctic Mountains and West Antarctica Ranges. The East Antarctica Ranges, located on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, have 29 known peaks whose summits reach or exceed 2000 meters above sea...
, located on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet
East Antarctic Ice Sheet
The East Antarctic Ice Sheet is one of two large ice sheets in Antarctica, and the largest on the entire planet. The EAIS lies between 45° West and 168° East longitudinally....
, is one of the three largest mountain ranges in Antarctica (the other two being the Transantarctic Mountains
Transantarctic Mountains
The three largest mountain ranges on the Antarctic continent are the Transantarctic Mountains , the West Antarctica Ranges, and the East Antarctica Ranges. The Transantarctic Mountains compose a mountain range in Antarctica which extend, with some interruptions, across the continent from Cape Adare...
and the West Antarctica Ranges). There are 29 known peaks in the East Antarctica Ranges whose summits exceed 2000 metres above sea level. These peaks are collectively referred to as the East Antarctic two-thousanders
East Antarctic two-thousanders
The three largest mountain ranges in Antarctica are the Transantarctic Mountains, the West Antarctica Ranges, and the East Antarctica Ranges. The East Antarctica Ranges, located on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, have 29 known peaks whose summits reach or exceed 2000 meters above sea level. These...
. With its summit at 2300 meters above sea level, Mount Elkins ranks 27th on this list, but because of its remoteness it has not become a popular target for peak bagging
Peak bagging
Peak bagging is an activity in which hillwalkers and mountaineers attempt to reach the summit of some collection of peaks, usually those above some height in a particular region, or having a particular feature.Peak bagging can be distinguished from highpointing...
.
Weather conditions
The Napier Mountains run northwest from Mount Elkins. To the east is a large valley formed by the RobertRobert Glacier
Robert Glacier is the eastern of two glaciers entering the southern part of Edward VIII Bay. It was seen by Robert Dovers and G. Schwartz in 1954 while carrying out a sledge journey and survey of Edward VIII Bay. Named by ANCA for Dovers, who was surveyor and officer in charge at Mawson Station in...
and Wilma
Wilma Glacier
Wilma Glacier is the western of two glaciers entering the southern part of Edward VIII Ice Shelf in Kemp Land, Australian Antarctic Territory, East Antarctica. The other glacier is Robert Glacier.-Discovery and naming:...
Glaciers. To the northeast are the Seaton
Seaton Glacier
Seaton Glacier is a glacier 17 miles long, flowing southeast into Edward VIII Ice Shelf at the northwest part of Edward VIII Bay. It was mapped by Norwegian cartographers from aerial photos taken by the Lars Christensen Expedition, 1936–37, remapped, 1954–58, by ANARE and named by ANCA in 1958...
and Rippon
Rippon Glacier
Rippon Glacier is a small glacier located in Kemp Land, Australian Antarctic Territory, East Antarctica. It is close east of Seaton Glacier, flowing southward into Edward VIII Ice Shelf.-Discovery and naming:...
Glaciers. All of these glaciers run into the King Edward Ice Shelf
Edward VIII Bay
Edward VIII Bay is a bay about 20 miles in extent, located between Edward VIII Plateau and the Øygarden Group of islands. The head of the bay is occupied by the Edward VIII Ice Shelf...
. Other notable terrain features in this area include the Beaver Glacier
Beaver Glacier (Enderby Land)
Beaver Glacier is a glacier about long and wide, flowing west into Amundsen Bay between Auster Glacier and Mount Gleadell. The head of Beaver Glacier is located very close to the base of Mount King in Enderby Land...
, located to the west of Mount King
Mount King (Antarctica)
Mount King is a large, smooth-crested mountain in the eastern extremity of the Tula Mountains. Part of the Australian Antarctic Gazetteer and the SCAR Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica, it is located in Enderby Land, Australian Antarctic Territory, East Antarctica...
. Collectively, these terrain features significantly modify weather produced by synoptic scale
Synoptic scale meteorology
The synoptic scale in meteorology is a horizontal length scale of the order of 1000 kilometres or more. This corresponds to a horizontal scale typical of mid-latitude depressions...
systems. Dramatic changes can occur over short distances and in short time intervals.
Nearby terrain features
Place names within 1.0 degrees of Mount Elkins (Latitude 66°40.0'S Longitude 54°09.0'E)| Name | Feature | Latitude | Longitude | Distance | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aagaard Islands Aagaard Islands Aagaard Islands , also known as Bjarne Aagaard Islands or Ostrova B'yarne-Ogor, are a group of small islands lying to the west of Proclamation Island and Cape Batterbee, near the coast of Antarctica in the Southern Ocean... |
Island Island An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm... |
65°51.0'S | 53°40.0'E | 93.4 km | 346° |
| Armstrong Peak Armstrong Peak Armstrong Peak is a peak, high, standing southeast of Mount Codrington in Enderby Land, part of the Australian Antarctic Territory, in East Antarctica.-Discovery and naming:... |
Peak Summit (topography) In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation... |
66°24.0'S | 53°23.0'E | 45.1 km | 311° |
| Bandy Nunataks | 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... |
66°55.0'S | 53°36.0'E | 36.8 km | 221° |
| Bird Ridge Bird Ridge Bird Ridge is a partially ice-covered ridge long, standing northwest of Mount Storegutt, westward of Edward VIII Bay. It was mapped from aerial photos taken by Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions in 1956, and named for G. Bird, senior electronics technician at Mawson Station in... |
Ridge Ridge A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:... |
66°47.0'S | 55°04.0'E | 42.3 km | 108° |
| Bratthø | Peak Summit (topography) In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation... |
66°39.0'S | 54°40.0'E | 22.8 km | 086° |
| Cape Batterbee Cape Batterbee Cape Batterbee is a small, rocky point on the coast, the most northerly cape of Enderby Land. It is located 92 km north of Mount Elkins.-Discovery and naming:Cape Batterbee was discovered by BANZARE on 13 January 1930... |
Cape Cape Cape can be used to describe any sleeveless outer garment, such as a poncho, but usually it is a long garment that covers only the back half of the wearer, fastening around the neck. They were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon, and have had periodic... |
65°51.0'S | 53°48.0'E | 92.2 km | 350° |
| Conradi Peak Conradi Peak Conradi Peak is an isolated peak, high, rising northward of the Napier Mountains and inland from the coast, some southwest of Cape Borley. It was discovered in January 1930 by the British Australian New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition under Mawson, who named it after a prominent member of... |
Peak Summit (topography) In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation... |
66°08.0'S | 54°35.0'E | 62.4 km | 018° |
| Doyle Point Doyle Point Doyle Point is a point between Cape Batterbee and Cape Borley on the coast of Enderby Land. Discovered on January 12, 1930 by the British Australian New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition under Mawson, who named it for Stuart Doyle, who assisted the expedition photographer with the film record.... |
Point Point -Business and finance:* Basis point, 1/100 of one percent, denoted bp, bps, and ‱* Pivot point, a price level of significance in analysis of a financial market that is used as a predictive indicator of market movement... |
65°53.0'S | 54°52.0'E | 92.8 km | 021° |
| Grimsley Peaks Grimsley Peaks Grimsley Peaks are five linear peaks just south of Stor Hanakken Mountain in the Napier Mountains, Enderby Land. They were mapped by Norwegian cartographers from air photos taken by the Lars Christensen Expedition of 1936-37... |
Peak Summit (topography) In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation... |
66°34.0'S | 53°40.0'E | 24.1 km | 297° |
| Knausen | Peak Summit (topography) In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation... |
66°22.0'S | 53°13.0'E | 53.1 km | 308° |
| Mjåkollen | Peak Summit (topography) In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation... |
66°33.0'S | 53°28.0'E | 32.8 km | 293° |
| Mount Bennett Mount Bennett Mount Bennett is a prominent mountain about 3 nautical miles east of Mount Boyd, surmounting the west part of Anderson Heights, Queen Maud Mountains. Discovered by the United States Antarctic Service , and surveyed by the U.S. Ross Ice Shelf Traverse Party led by A.P. Crary. Named by Crary for... |
Mountain 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... |
66°32.0'S | 53°38.0'E | 27.2 km | 303° |
| Mount Breckinridge Mount Breckinridge Mount Breckinridge is a mountain, 2,050 m, standing 4 mi S of Stor Hanakken Mountain in the Napier Mountains, Enderby Land.Mount Breckinridge was mapped by Norwegian cartographers from aerial photos taken by the Lars Christensen Expedition, 1936–37, and named Langnuten... |
Mountain 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... |
66°37.0'S | 53°41.0'E | 21.3 km | 285° |
| Mount Bride | Mountain 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... |
66°26.0'S | 53°57.0'E | 27.4 km | 341° |
| Mount Gate | Mountain 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... |
66°51.0'S | 53°18.0'E | 42.5 km | 241° |
| Mount Griffiths Mount Griffiths Mount Griffiths is an elongated mountain with two prominent peaks of 1,650 and 1,680 m, standing northwest of Wilkinson Peaks and northwest of Mount Elkins in the Napier Mountains in Enderby Land.-Discovery and naming:... |
Mountain 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... |
66°28.0'S | 54°01.0'E | 23.0 km | 345° |
| Mount Maines Mount Maines Mount Maines, also known as Stornuten, is a mountain, , standing roughly SE of Stor Hanakken Mountain and W of Mount Elkins in the Napier Mountains, Enderby Land.-Discovery and naming:... |
Mountain 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... |
66°38.0'S | 53°54.0'E | 11.6 km | 288° |
| Mount Pasco Mount Pasco Mount Pasco is a mountain standing westward of Edward VIII Bay, 18 nautical miles west-southwest of Mount Storegutt. It was plotted from aerial photos taken by ANARE in 1956 and was named by the Antarctic Names Committee of Australia for Commander C... |
Mountain 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... |
66°59.0'S | 54°44.0'E | 43.5 km | 144° |
| Mount Stadler Mount Stadler Mount Stadler is a mountain 2.5 nautical miles southeast of Mount Cordwell and 23 nautical miles south-southwest of Stor Hanakken Mountain in Enderby Land. It was plotted from air photos taken from ANARE aircraft in 1957 and was named by the Antarctic Names Committee of Australia for S... |
Mountain 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... |
66°54.0'S | 53°14.0'E | 47.8 km | 237° |
| Napier Mountains Napier Mountains The Napier Mountains are a group of more-or-less separated peaks, the highest being Mount Elkins, at about 2,300 meters above sea level. This mountain range is located in Enderby Land, in the claimed Australian Antarctic Territory, East Antarctica.-Location:... |
Mountain 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... |
66°30.0'S | 53°40.0'E | 28.3 km | 311° |
| Newman Nunataks Newman Nunataks Newman Nunataks These are a group of nunataks about 19 km west of Aker Peaks, and 26 km west of Mount Elkins, in Enderby Land. Their position was plotted from air photographs taken by ANARE in 1956 and 1960. They were named after A.J... |
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... |
66°40.0'S | 54°45.0'E | 26.4 km | 090° |
| Proclamation Island Proclamation Island Proclamation Island is a small rocky island 2.5 nautical miles west of Cape Batterbee and close east of Aagaard Islands. Discovered by the British Australian New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition , led by Mawson, 1929–1931, and so named, following the reading of a proclamation on its summit on... |
Island Island An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm... |
65°51.0'S | 53°41.0'E | 93.2 km | 347° |
| Rabben | Peak Summit (topography) In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation... |
66°27.0'S | 54°07.0'E | 24.1 km | 356° |
| Skarvet Nunatak | 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... |
66°26.0'S | 53°45.0'E | 31.4 km | 326° |
| Sørtoppen Nunatak Sørtoppen Nunatak Sørtoppen Nunatak is a nunatak about 1900 m above sea level, about 11.1 km south-west of Mount Breckinridge in Enderby Land. Mapped from air photographs taken by the Lars Christensen Expedition and called Sørtoppen by Norwegian cartographers.Some notable geographic features in the general... |
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... |
66°40.0'S | 53°28.0'E | 30.1 km | 270° |
| Tippet Nunataks | 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... |
66°44.0'S | 53°15.0'E | 40.3 km | 259° |
| Vicars Island Vicars Island Vicars Island is a small ice-covered island about 2 nautical miles off the coast of Enderby Land. It was discovered on January 12, 1930 by the British Australian New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition under Mawson. He named it after an Australian textile company which presented the expedition... |
Island Island An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm... |
65°50.0'S | 54°29.0'E | 93.9 km | 009° |
| Wheeler Rocks | Rock Rock (geology) In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic... |
66°17.0'S | 55°08.0'E | 61.0 km | 046° |
| Wilkinson Peaks Wilkinson Peaks The Wilkinson Peaks, also known as Langnabbane, is a group of peaks in the Napier Mountains standing southeast of Mount Griffiths and northeast of Mount Elkins in Enderby Land.-Discovery and naming:... |
Peak Summit (topography) In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation... |
66°37.0'S | 54°15.0'E | 7.1 km | 038° |
| Young Nunataks Young Nunataks Young Nunataks is a group of nunataks in the Napier Mountains standing 2 nautical miles south of Mount Elkins. Mapped by Norwegian cartographers from aerial photos taken by the Lars Christensen Expedition, 1936-37. Remapped from aerial photos taken by ANARE in 1956 and named for W.F... |
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... |
66°44.0'S | 54°08.0'E | 7.4 km | 186° |
History
Mount Elkins was first mapped by Norwegian cartographers from aerial photographs taken by the Lars ChristensenLars Christensen
Lars Christensen was a Norwegian shipowner and whaling magnate with a keen interest in the exploration of Antarctica.-Career:...
Expedition, 1936–37, and named at that time Jökelen (The Glacier). It was remapped by ANARE from aerial photographs taken from an ANARE aircraft in 1956. The Napier Mountains were first visited by an ANARE survey party from Mawson Station in 1960. The survey party was led by Syd Kirkby, and included Terence James Elkins.
See also
- History of AntarcticaHistory of AntarcticaThe history of Antarctica emerges from early Western theories of a vast continent, known as Terra Australis, believed to exist in the far south of the globe...
- List of Antarctic expeditions
- List of research stations in Antarctica
Further reading
- Douglas Mawson, the Survivor, by David Parer and Elizabeth Parer-Cook (Morwell, Victoria: Allela Books and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 1983).
- Antarctic Days with Mawson : A Personal Account of the British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition of 1929-31, by Harold Fletcher (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1984).
- Going to Extremes: Project Blizzard and Australia's Antarctic Heritage (Sydney: Doubleday, 1986).
- International Law and Australian Sovereignty in Antarctica, by Gillian Triggs (Sydney: Legal Books Pty Ltd, 1986).
- Antarctic Science, edited by DWH Walton, with contributions by CSM Doake, JR Dudley, I Everson and RM Laws (Cambridge; Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 1987).
- International Research in the Antarctic, by Richard Fifield (Oxford: Oxford University Press for the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, 1987).
- Antarctica: The Next Decade: Report of a Group Study Chaired by Sir Anthony Parsons (Studies in Polar Research), edited by Sir Anthony Parsons (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987).
- Mawson's Antarctic Diaries, edited by Fred and Eleanor Jacka (Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 1988).
- Aurora Australis, edited by E.H. Shackleton (Sydney: Bay Books, 1988).
- Sitting on Penguins: People and Politics in Australian Antarctica, by Stephen Murray-Smith (Surry Hills, NSW Hutchinson Australia, 1988).
- Antarctica: The Extraordinary History of Man's Conquest of the Frozen Continent (Sydney: Reader's Digest, 1988).
- A History of Antarctic Science, by G E Fogg (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992).
- The Australian Geographic Book of Antarctica, by Keith Scott (Terrey Hills, New South Wales: Australian Geographic for the Australian Geographic Society, 1993).
- A History of Antarctica, by Stephen Martin (Sydney: State Library of New South Wales Press, 1996).
- The Home of the Blizzard: The Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-14, by Douglas Mawson (Kent Town, South Australia: Wakefield Press, 1996).
- An Alien in Antarctica: Reflections upon Forty Years of Exploration and Research on the Frozen Continent, by Charles Swithinbank (Blacksburg, Virginia: McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, 1997).
- A revised Archaean chronology for the Napier Complex, Enderby Land, from SHRIMP ion-microprobe studies, S.L. Harley and L.P. Black, Antarctic Science (1997), 9: 74-91 Cambridge University Press.
- The Silence Calling: Australians in Antarctica 1947-97: the ANARE Jubilee history, by Tim Bowden (St Leonards, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin, 1997).
- The Backpackers' Guide to ANARE Science (Kingston, Tas.: Australian Antarctic Division, 2000).
- To the ends of the earth: the history of polar exploration, by Richard Sale (London: HarperCollins, 2002).
- Voyage to the end of the world: Tales from the Great Ice Barrier, by David Burke (Annandale, NSW: Envirobook, 2002).
- Australian Antarctic science: the first 50 years of ANARE, edited by Harvey J. Marchant, Desmond J. Lugg and Patrick G. Quilty (Kingston, Tas.: Australian Antarctic Division, 2002).
- End of the Earth: voyages to Antarctica, by Peter Matthiessen (National Geographic Society, 2003).
External links
- Australian Antarctic Division
- Australian Antarctic Gazetteer
- Australian Antarctic Names and Medals Committee (AANMC)
- United States Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)
- Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)
- PDF Map of the Australian Antarctic Territory
- Mawson Station
- ANARE Club
- List of Peaks in Enderby Land
- Click here to see a satellite map of Mount Elkins at the United States Antarctic Resource Center's Atlas of Antarctic Research.
- Animation of craton formation of Antarctica Precambrian formation of the Antarctic craton, beginning with Napier orogenic events