Gamburtsev Mountain Range

Gamburtsev Mountain Range
Map
Highest point
Elevation3,400 m (11,200 ft)
Coordinates80°30′S 76°00′E / 80.500°S 76.000°E / -80.500; 76.000
Dimensions
Length1,200 km (750 mi)
Geography
ContinentAntarctica
RegionEast Antarctica

The Gamburtsev Mountain Range (also known as the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains) is a subglacial mountain range located in East Antarctica, just underneath the lofty Dome A, near the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility.[1] The range was discovered by the 3rd Soviet Antarctic Expedition in 1958 and is named for Soviet geophysicist Grigoriy A. Gamburtsev.[2][3] It is approximately 1,200 kilometres (750 mi) long, and the mountains are believed to be about 2,700 metres (8,900 ft) high,[4] although they are completely covered by over 600 metres (2,000 ft) of ice and snow. The Gamburtsev Mountain Range is about the same size as the European Alps.[5] As of 2008, it was unknown how the mountains were formed due to the lack of data. Studies conducted during the International Polar year demonstrated that ancient plate collisions produced a core that was rejuvenated in the early to mid-Mesozoic [1]. The main features of the range formed before 34 million years ago, when the area was covered by the present ice sheet.[6] Current models suggest that the East Antarctic ice sheet was formed from the glaciers that began sliding down the Gamburtsev range at the end of the Eocene.[1] Vostok Subglacial Highlands form an east extension of Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains.[7]

Gamburtsev Mountain Range in Antarctica
Gamburtsev Mountain Range in Antarctica
Gamburtsev
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Gamburtsev Mountain Range in Antarctica

As part of the 2007–09 International Polar Year, so called, the AGAP project was a multinational effort to gather information about the Gamburtsev mountain chain.[8][9]

  1. ^ a b Jonathan Amos (2006-12-13). "Survey targets 'ghost' mountains". BBC. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
  2. ^ Australian Antarctic Data Centre (2000-01-01). "Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains". Australian Government, Antarctic Division. Archived from the original on 2007-09-20. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
  3. ^ "20 лет открытию Полюса недоступности Антарктиды: Метеорология и Гидрология. 1979, №3. Гидрометеоиздат" (in Russian). Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. Archived from the original on 2007-03-10. Retrieved 2007-01-26.
  4. ^ Robin E Bell (2008-11-12). "Dispatches from the Bottom of the Earth: An Antarctic Expedition in Search of Large Mountains Encased in Ice". Scientific American. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference 'Ghost peaks' emerge from the ice was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ The Gamburtsev mountains and the origin and early evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, Sun Bo, Martin J. Siegert, Simon M. Mudd, David Sugden, Shuji Fujita, Cui Xiangbin, Jiang Yunyun, Tang Xueyuan & Li Yuansheng; Nature magazine 459, 690–693 (2009-06-04), accessed 2009-06-09
  7. ^ Vostok Subglacial Highlands: Antarctica geographic.org
  8. ^ Bryan C. Storey (2006-03-23). "The Gamburtsev Mountains: Integrated International Exploration of the Earths Most Enigmatic Mountain Range". International Polar Year. Archived from the original on 2006-08-19.
  9. ^ Jonathan Amos (2008-10-14). "Expedition set for 'ghost peaks'". BBC News.