Risting Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Risting Glacier |
|
|---|---|
Risting Glacier flows into Drygalski Ford
|
|
 Location in South Georgia Island
|
|
| Location | South Georgia |
| Coordinates | 54°46′S 36°6′W / 54.767°S 36.100°W |
| Length | 4.5 nmi (8 km; 5 mi) |
| Thickness | unknown |
| Terminus | Drygalski Fjord |
| Status | unknown |
Risting Glacier is a long river of ice found on the remote island of South Georgia. It stretches about 8 kilometers (5 miles) long. This glacier flows towards the southeast and ends in a place called Drygalski Fjord.
Contents
Risting Glacier: A River of Ice
A glacier is like a very slow-moving river made of ice. Risting Glacier is one of these amazing ice rivers. It is located on South Georgia, which is an island in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
Where is Risting Glacier?
Risting Glacier is in the southern part of South Georgia. It flows into the very end of Drygalski Fjord. Imagine a long, narrow inlet of the sea, and the glacier pushes its ice right into it!
How Big is Risting Glacier?
This glacier is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) long. To give you an idea, that's like walking for about an hour and a half! It's a significant size for a glacier on an island like South Georgia.
How Risting Glacier Got Its Name
The Risting Glacier has an interesting history behind its name.
Early Exploration and Naming
A German expedition led by Wilhelm Filchner explored this area between 1911 and 1912. They named both Drygalski Fjord and this glacier after Erich von Drygalski. He was another famous explorer who led a German expedition earlier, from 1901 to 1903.
A New Name for the Glacier
However, the name "Drygalski Glacier" for this specific ice river did not stick. Later, between 1951 and 1957, a group called the South Georgia Survey (SGS) explored the area. This group was led by Duncan Carse.
The United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) then officially named it Risting Glacier. They chose this name to honor Sigurd Risting (1870-1935). Sigurd Risting was a Norwegian historian who studied whaling. He was also the secretary of the Norwegian Whalers' Association for many years.
So, while Drygalski Fjord still keeps its original name, the glacier next to it was renamed to honor a different important person.
See also
In Spanish: Glaciar Risting para niños
