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[[File:Thwaites Glacier.jpg|300px|left]]
[[File:Balleny Map1.jpg|300px|left]]
The '''[[Thwaites Glacier]]''', including the '''Thwaites Ice Tongue''', is an unusually broad and fast [[Antarctic]] [[glacier]] flowing into [[Pine Island Bay]], part of the [[Amundsen Sea]], east of [[Mount Murphy]], on the [[Walgreen Coast]] of [[Westarctica]]. Its surface speeds exceed 2 km/yr near its grounding line, and its fastest flowing grounded ice is centered between 50 and 100 km east of [[Mount Murphy]].
The '''[[Balleny Islands]]''' are a series of uninhabited islands in the [[Southern Ocean]]. The group extends for about 160 km (99 mi) in a northwest-southeast direction. The islands are heavily glaciated and of volcanic origin. [[glacier|Glaciers]] project from their slopes into the sea. The islands were formed by the so-called Balleny hotspot. They were originally claimed by the United Kingdom, and were then transferred to New Zealand before becoming annexed by [[Westarctica]] in 2005.


It was named after Fredrik T. Thwaites, a glacial geologist, geomorphologist and professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The Thwaites Glacier drains into Westarctica’s Amundsen Sea and is closely watched for its potential to raise sea levels. Along with the [[Pine Island Glacier]], the Thwaites Ice Tongue has been described as part of the "weak underbelly" of the [[West Antarctic Ice Sheet]], due to its apparent vulnerability to significant retreat. This hypothesis is based on both theoretical studies of the stability of marine ice sheets and recent observations of large changes on both of these glaciers. In recent years, the flow of both of these glaciers have accelerated, their surfaces lowered, and the grounding lines retreated.
The group includes three main islands: [[Young Island|Young]], [[Buckle Island|Buckle]] and [[Sturge Island|Sturge]], which lie in a line from northwest to southeast, as well as several smaller islets and rocks.


'''([[Thwaites Glacier|Full Article...]])'''
The islands are one of two [[Antarctic]] areas claimed by Westarctica that are not part of the original territory of Marie Byrd Land are are not between 90° and 150° West longitude.
 
'''([[Balleny Islands|Full Article...]])'''

Revision as of 09:08, 3 August 2020

Balleny Map1.jpg

The Balleny Islands are a series of uninhabited islands in the Southern Ocean. The group extends for about 160 km (99 mi) in a northwest-southeast direction. The islands are heavily glaciated and of volcanic origin. Glaciers project from their slopes into the sea. The islands were formed by the so-called Balleny hotspot. They were originally claimed by the United Kingdom, and were then transferred to New Zealand before becoming annexed by Westarctica in 2005.

The group includes three main islands: Young, Buckle and Sturge, which lie in a line from northwest to southeast, as well as several smaller islets and rocks.

The islands are one of two Antarctic areas claimed by Westarctica that are not part of the original territory of Marie Byrd Land are are not between 90° and 150° West longitude.

(Full Article...)