Lied Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lied Glacier |
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A satellite view of southern Heard Island. You can see Cape Arkona on the left, with Lied Glacier just above it. Gotley Glacier is just below. Big Ben Volcano and Mawson Peak are at the lower right.
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| Type | cirque/tidewater |
| Location | Heard Island Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands Australia |
| Coordinates | 53°09′S 73°26′E / 53.150°S 73.433°E |
| Thickness | approximately 55 meters |
| Terminus | between Cape Arkona and Cape Pillar |
| Status | Retreating |
Lied Glacier is a large river of ice found on the southwest side of Heard Island. This island is located far away in the southern Indian Ocean. Lied Glacier is just north of a place called Cape Arkona.
To the southeast of Lied Glacier, you'll find another glacier called Gotley Glacier. Its end, or "terminus," is between Cape Arkona and Cape Labuan. Cape Arkona acts like a natural divider, separating Lied Glacier from Gotley Glacier. North of Lied Glacier is yet another ice river, the Abbotsmith Glacier.
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What is Lied Glacier?
Lied Glacier is a type of glacier known as a cirque glacier. This means it forms in a bowl-shaped hollow on the side of a mountain. It's also a tidewater glacier, which means its front edge reaches the sea.
Where is Heard Island?
Heard Island is a very remote and icy island. It's part of the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands. This territory belongs to Australia. The island is home to a huge volcano called Big Ben Volcano. Most of the island is covered in ice and snow.
How Big is Lied Glacier?
Lied Glacier is quite thick. It measures about 55 meters (or 180 feet) from its surface down to the ground beneath it. That's like stacking about 12 school buses on top of each other!
Is Lied Glacier Changing?
Yes, Lied Glacier is currently retreating. This means it is getting smaller over time. Its ice is melting faster than new snow can fall and turn into ice. This is a common trend for many glaciers around the world due to climate change.
Discovery and Naming of Lied Glacier
Lied Glacier was first explored and mapped in 1948. This survey was done by a group called the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE). ANARE is a scientific program that studies the Antarctic region.
The glacier was later named by the Antarctic Names Committee of Australia. They decided to name it after a person named N.T. Lied. He was a radio operator and weather observer. N.T. Lied worked with ANARE on Heard Island in 1951 and again in 1963.
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "Lied Glacier" (content from the Geographic Names Information System).
