Difference between revisions of "Template:POTD protected"

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'''[[Lepley Nunatak]]''' is a small yet conspicuous rocky [[nunatak]] located 2 nautical miles (4 km) southwest of [[Dendtler Island]], near the inner part and eastern end of the [[Abbot Ice Shelf]] in [[Westarctica]].
The '''[[Backer Islands]]''' are a chain of small islands at the south side of [[Cranton Bay]]. The islands trend northwest for 22 kilometers (12 nmi) from the [[ice shelf]] which forms the southern limit of the bay. They were mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and from [[U.S. Navy]] air photos, 1960–66, and named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Walter K. Backer, a U.S. Navy chief construction mechanic at [[Byrd Station]] in 1967.


The nunatak is named for Larry K. Lepley, an oceanographer of the [[U.S. Navy]] Hydrographic Office, who, along with three other scientists, was marooned at this nunatak in February 1961 during a severe snowstorm.
In 2011, scientists from the POLar Earth-observing NETwork (POLENET) traveled to the Backer Islands via a Twin Otter aircraft and installed a GPS monitoring site. This equipment is used to remotely monitor GPS and seismic data that will help scientists determine trends in ice sheet movement and other geophysical phenomena.


It was first sighted on 9 February 1961 from helicopters of the [[USS Glacier|USS ''Glacier'']] (AGB-4) and USS ''Staten Island'' (AGB-5). While the three-person field survey team was exploring surrounding area, they became trapped on the ground by severe winds and heavy snowfall causing total whiteout conditions. The team sheltered in place at the nunatak until the storm blew over, and it was later named for Larry Lepley, one of the members of the team.
<p><small>Photographer: Ellie Boyce</small></p>
 
<p><small>Photographer: Jeremy Miner</small></p>
[[:Category:Images|'''(More Featured Images)''']]
[[:Category:Images|'''(More Featured Images)''']]
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Revision as of 05:52, 1 April 2019

Backer Islands GPS.jpg

The Backer Islands are a chain of small islands at the south side of Cranton Bay. The islands trend northwest for 22 kilometers (12 nmi) from the ice shelf which forms the southern limit of the bay. They were mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and from U.S. Navy air photos, 1960–66, and named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Walter K. Backer, a U.S. Navy chief construction mechanic at Byrd Station in 1967.

In 2011, scientists from the POLar Earth-observing NETwork (POLENET) traveled to the Backer Islands via a Twin Otter aircraft and installed a GPS monitoring site. This equipment is used to remotely monitor GPS and seismic data that will help scientists determine trends in ice sheet movement and other geophysical phenomena.

Photographer: Ellie Boyce

(More Featured Images)