Rignot Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rignot Glacier |
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Map of Thurston Island
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 Location in Antarctica
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| Location | Ellsworth Land |
| Coordinates | 73°06′00″S 102°00′00″W / 73.10000°S 102.00000°W |
| Length | 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) |
| Thickness | unknown |
| Terminus | Abbot Ice Shelf |
| Status | unknown |
The Rignot Glacier (73°6′S 102°0′W / 73.100°S 102.000°W) is a large river of ice found in Antarctica. It is about 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) (about 7.4 kilometers or 4.6 miles) long. This glacier flows north from a place called the King Peninsula and empties into the Abbot Ice Shelf.
What is the Rignot Glacier?
A glacier is a huge mass of ice that moves slowly over land. Think of it like a very slow-moving river, but made of ice instead of water! The Rignot Glacier is one of these icy rivers. It is located in a very cold part of the world, Antarctica.
Where is the Rignot Glacier Located?
The Rignot Glacier is in Ellsworth Land, which is a region of Antarctica. It's specifically on the King Peninsula, a piece of land that sticks out into the ocean. From there, the glacier flows into the Abbot Ice Shelf. An ice shelf is a large, floating platform of ice that forms where a glacier flows off the land and onto the ocean surface.
Who is Rignot Glacier Named After?
This glacier was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN). They named it after Eric Rignot. He is a geophysicist, which is a scientist who studies the Earth using physics. Eric Rignot works at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology. He has spent many years, from the 1990s until now, studying how glaciers in Antarctica move and change. He uses special tools and information from satellites to do his research.
