Bailey Ice Stream facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bailey Ice Stream |
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Location | Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf |
Coordinates | 79°00′S 30°00′W / 79.000°S 30.000°W |
Thickness | unknown |
Terminus | Filchner Ice Shelf |
Status | unknown |
The Bailey Ice Stream is a huge, fast-moving river of ice in Antarctica. It flows from the northern edge of the Theron Mountains towards the west-southwest. This ice stream ends at the large Filchner Ice Shelf.
What is an Ice Stream?
An ice stream is like a very fast-moving part of a big glacier or ice sheet. It flows much quicker than the ice around it. Think of it as a super-highway for ice! These streams help move ice from the center of Antarctica out to the ocean.
Where is Bailey Ice Stream Located?
The Bailey Ice Stream is found in Antarctica, the coldest continent on Earth. Its exact location is at 79°0′S 30°0′W / 79.000°S 30.000°W. It flows into the Filchner Ice Shelf, which is a massive floating sheet of ice. This area is part of the larger Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf.
How Did Bailey Ice Stream Get its Name?
This ice stream was named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee. It honors Jeremy Thomas Bailey (1941–1965). He was a British Antarctic Survey glaciologist. A glaciologist is a scientist who studies glaciers and ice.
Jeremy Bailey was on a research trip in Antarctica. He was using special equipment to measure the ice. Sadly, he passed away during this expedition on October 12, 1965. Earlier that year, in April 1965, he had explored and measured the upper part of this very ice stream. Naming the ice stream after him was a way to remember his important work.