Severinghaus Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Severinghaus Glacier |
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Location of Sentinel Range in Western Antarctica
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 Location in Antarctica
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| Type | tributary |
| Location | Ellsworth Land |
| Coordinates | 78°40′00″S 85°15′00″W / 78.66667°S 85.25000°W |
| Thickness | unknown |
| Terminus | Bender Glacier |
| Status | unknown |
The Severinghaus Glacier (78°40′S 85°15′W / 78.667°S 85.250°W) is a large river of ice. It is located in the cold continent of Antarctica. This glacier flows towards the southwest.
It starts near a place called Karnare Col. The glacier then moves between two mountains. It flows along the north side of Mount Strybing. It also runs along the south side of Mount Craddock. Finally, it joins another glacier, the Bender Glacier. All of this happens in the southern part of the Sentinel Range. This range is part of the Ellsworth Mountains.
What is a Glacier?
A glacier is a huge, slow-moving mass of ice. It forms over many years from layers of snow. This snow gets compacted and turns into ice. Glaciers are often called "rivers of ice." They move very slowly, carving out valleys as they go.
How Severinghaus Glacier Got Its Name
The Severinghaus Glacier was named in 2006. It was named by the US-ACAN. This stands for the United States Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names. They named it after a scientist named Jeffrey P. Severinghaus.
Jeffrey Severinghaus is a researcher from the University of Rhode Island. He started working with the USAP in 1996. His research helps us understand Earth's past. He studies the history of our atmosphere. This includes gases like greenhouse gases. He also looks at how Earth's climate has changed over time. He learns about these changes by studying ice cores. Ice cores are long samples of ice taken from glaciers. They hold clues about past climates.
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