| Ellsworth Mountains | |
|---|---|
 The central part of Ellsworth Mountains withMount Tyree,Mount Shinn andMount Vinson;Nimitz Glacier in the foreground | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Mount Vinson |
| Elevation | 4,892 m (16,050 ft) |
| Coordinates | 78°31′31.74″S85°37′01.73″W / 78.5254833°S 85.6171472°W /-78.5254833; -85.6171472 |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 360 km (220 mi) NNW-SSE |
| Width | 48 km (30 mi) WE |
| Geography | |
  Ellsworth Mountains Location of Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica | |
 Location of Ellsworth Mountains in Antarctica | |
| Continent | Antarctica |
| Land | Ellsworth Land |
| Range coordinates | 78°45′S85°00′W / 78.750°S 85.000°W /-78.750; -85.000[1] |
TheEllsworth Mountains are the highestmountain ranges inAntarctica, forming a 350 km (217 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) wide chain ofmountains in a north to south configuration on the western margin of theRonne Ice Shelf inMarie Byrd Land. They are bisected byMinnesota Glacier to form theSentinel Range to the north and theHeritage Range to the south. The former is by far the higher and more spectacular withMount Vinson (4,892 meters (16,050 ft)) constituting the highest point on the continent.[1][2] The mountains are located within theChilean Antarctic territorial claim but outside of theArgentinian andBritish ones.
The mountains were discovered on November 23, 1935, by the American explorerLincoln Ellsworth in the course of a trans-Antarctic flight fromDundee Island to theRoss Ice Shelf. He gave them the descriptive name Sentinel Range.[1]
The mountains were mapped in detail by theU.S. Geological Survey from ground surveys andU.S. Navy aerial photography, 1958–1966. When it became evident that the mountains comprise two distinct ranges, theUS-ACAN restricted the application of Sentinel Range to the high northern one and gave the name Heritage Range to the southern one; the Committee recommended the name of the discoverer for this entire group of mountains.[1]
Geologically, the Ellsworth Mountains occupy a discrete block ofcontinental crust known as the Ellsworth-Whitmore Mountain terrane. Thisterrane was part of the earlyPaleozoic amalgamation ofGondwana and consists of a 13,000 meters (43,000 ft) thick section offoldedCambrian–Permianstrata, which accumulated onGrenville-age continental crust. It was likely once part of theCape Fold Belt that was detached from southernAfrica during the breakup of Gondwana and later incorporated into Antarctica.[3][4]
Thestratigraphy consists of the 7,500 meters (24,600 ft) thickEarly Cambrian-Middle Cambrian Heritage Group overlain by the 3,000 meters (9,800 ft) thickLate Cambrian-Devonian Crashsite Group; the 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) thickPermo-Carboniferous WhiteoutConglomerate (blackdiamictite) from Gondawanaland glaciation; and the 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) thickPermian PolarstarFormation consisting of blackargillite,siltstone,sandstone, and coal. Within the Heritage Group is the Union Glacier Formation of ashflowtuff-lahar deposits, the Hyde Glacier Formation ofgraywacke-argillite-conglomerate, the Drake Icefall Formation of black shales and marble, the Conglomerate Ridge Formation of conglomerate andquartzite, the Liberty Hills-Springer Peak-Frazier Ridge Formations of quartzite-argillite, and the Minaret Formation of marble. Within the Crashsite Group is the Howard Nunataks Formation of quartzites, the Mt. Liptak Formation of quartzites, and the Mount Wyatt Earp Formation of quartzites. Major deformation of thesedimentary rocks occurred during theGondwanide orogeny, followed by lateruplift.[3]
Temperatures in the Ellsworth Mountains average around −30 °C or −22 °F. The best time for expeditions is November through January, mid-summer in theSouthern Hemisphere. Arranging an outing here is a difficult task, requiring either official scientific sponsorship or considerable financial resources.
.jpg)
.jpg)
_from_East_by_Christian_Stangl_(flickr).jpg)
.jpg)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
