West Antarctica, or Lesser Antarctica is one of the two major regions of Antarctica, lying on the Pacific Ocean side of the Transantarctic Mountains and comprising Marie Byrd Land, Ellsworth Land, and the Antarctic Peninsula. All of West Antarctica lies within the Western Hemisphere. It is separated from the main land mass of the continent by the Ross Sea and Weddell Sea, and resembles a giant peninsula that stretches roughly from the South Pole towards the southern tip of South America.
West Antarctica includes the Antarctic Peninsula, Orville Coast, Ronne Ice Shelf, Filchner Ice Shelf, Berkner Island, and the Ross Ice Shelf.
West Antarctica is mostly covered by a massive ice sheet referred to as the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). This ice sheet has shown signs of increasing mass loss.[1]
The parts of West Antarctica not covered with ice (mostly Antarctic Peninsula) constitute a tundra-type biodiversity region known as Marielandia (after the Marie Byrd Land).[2]
The name has existed for more than 90 years (Balch, 1902; Nordenskiöld, 1905), but its greatest use followed the International Geophysical Year (1957-58) and explorations disclosing that the Transantarctic Mountains provide a useful regional separation of West Antarctica and East Antarctica. The name was approved by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) in 1962.
References
- ^ "Antarctic ice sheet is an 'awakened giant'". New Scientist. 2 February 2005. http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6962. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
- ^ "Marielandia Antarctic tundra". National Geographic. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/an/an1101.html. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
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This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Geological Survey document "West Antarctica" (content from the Geographic Names Information System). Coordinates: 79°S 100°W / 79°S 100°W
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