| Don Juan Pond | |
|---|---|
 Satellite image | |
  Don Juan Pond | |
| Location | East Antarctica |
| Coordinates | 77°33′52″S 161°10′20″E / 77.56444°S 161.17222°E |
| Type | Hypersaline lake |
| Basin countries | (Antarctica) |
| Max. length | 300 m (980 ft) |
| Max. width | 100 m (330 ft) |
| Surface area | 0.03 km2 (0.012 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 16 in (410 mm) |
| Max. depth | 3 ft (0.91 m) |
| Water volume | 3,000 m3 (110,000 cu ft) |
| Surface elevation | 116 m (381 ft) |
| Frozen | No |
| Islands | 0 |
| Settlements | Vanda Station (14 km to the east) |
Don Juan Pond is a small and very shallow hypersaline lake in the western end of Wright Valley (South Fork), Victoria Land, Antarctica, 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) west from Lake Vanda. It is wedged between the Asgard Range to the south and the Dais Range to the north. On the west end is a small tributary and a rock glacier. With a salinity level of 33.8%, Don Juan Pond is the saltiest of the Antarctic lakes.[1][2] This salinity causes significant freezing-point depression, allowing the pond to remain liquid even at temperatures as low as −50 °C (−58 °F).
Don Juan Pond was discovered in 1961. It was named for two helicopter pilots, Lt. Don Roe and Lt. John Hickey, who piloted the helicopter involved with the first field party investigating the pond.[2]
- ^ Hammer, U.T. (1986). Saline Lake Ecosystems of the World. Springer. p. 109. ISBN 9789061935353. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- ^ a b Vanjo, Grobljar. "Don Juan Pond and Lake Vanda". pbase.com. Retrieved April 7, 2017.