Kyle Hills facts for kids
The Kyle Hills are a cool group of volcanic cones, hills, and peaks found on the eastern side of Ross Island in Antarctica. They stretch out between two other famous spots: Mount Terror and Cape Crozier.
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What are the Kyle Hills?
The Kyle Hills are a collection of different landforms. They include volcanic cones, which are shaped like giant ice cream cones, along with other hills and ridges. They are a very noticeable part of the landscape in this icy region.
Where are they located?
These hills are located on Ross Island, which is a special island in Antarctica. They sit on the eastern part of the island, right between Mount Terror and Cape Crozier. This area is known for its amazing icy views and volcanic activity.
How big are they?
The Kyle Hills stretch for about 8 nautical miles (which is about 15 kilometers) from east to west. They start at sea level near Cape Crozier and rise up to about 2,600 meters (or 8,500 feet) high at Mount McIntosh. That's taller than many mountains you might know!
Who are the Kyle Hills named after?
The Kyle Hills were named in the year 2000 by a group called the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names. They decided to name these hills after a very important scientist.
Meet Philip R. Kyle
The hills are named after Philip R. Kyle. He is a Professor of Geochemistry, which is a science that studies the chemistry of the Earth. Dr. Kyle works at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro, USA.
Dr. Kyle's Antarctic Adventures
Dr. Kyle spent a lot of time working in Antarctica. He visited the continent for 28 field seasons between 1969 and 2000. A "field season" is a period when scientists go out into the field to do their research.
He worked with both the New Zealand Antarctic Research Program and the United States Antarctic Program. He led many research projects, focusing on the famous volcano Mount Erebus.
Studying Mount Erebus
From the year 2000, Dr. Kyle was in charge of the Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory. This observatory helps scientists study Mount Erebus, which is an active volcano in Antarctica. His long-term research helped us understand a lot about this amazing volcano.
77°30′S 169°2′E / 77.500°S 169.033°E
