Spath Peninsula

Spath Peninsula (

64°21′S 56°55′W / 64.350°S 56.917°W / -64.350; -56.917Coordinates: 64°21′S 56°55′W / 64.350°S 56.917°W / -64.350; -56.917) is an ice-free peninsula, 4.0 mi (6.5 km), forming the northeast extremity of Snow Hill Island.^[1] Historic , Antarctic Historic Site #28, is located on the west coast of the peninsula.^[2] The Karlsen Cliffs form the peninsula's northwest coast.^[3] Wickens Gully, a water-cut ravine, cuts into clay-rich rocks on the peninsula's east side.^[4]

The peninsula has several distinct hills on it. Thyasira Hill is a distinctive hill within a group of smaller hills rising to about 60 m (200 ft) tall, 250–300 m (820–980 ft) south of Nordenskjold's Hut.^[5] Tesore Hill rises about 160 m (520 ft) high on the east side of the peninsula.^[6]

Naming[]

The peninsula and its features were named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) in 1995. The peninsula was named for Leonard Frank Spath (1882–1957), eminent UK paleontologist.^[1] The cliffs and gully were named for Anders Karlsen, First Engineer on the Swedish Antarctic Expedition, 1901–04 and Professor , eminent German paleontologist, respectively.^[3][4] Thyasira Hill was named because of the abundance of the fossil bivalve mollusk found in this area.^[5] Tesore Hill is the English translation of the original Argentine name "Cerro Tesore".^[6]

References[]

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Geological Survey.