ATOW1996 is one of the northernmost documented points of land on Earth. It is a small island about long and one metre high, located several miles north of Cape Morris Jesup in northern Greenland at . It was discovered by and named after the ( American)

Top of the World Expedition A spinning top, or simply a top, is a toy with a squat body and a sharp point at the bottom, designed to be spun on its vertical axis, balancing on the tip due to the gyroscopic effect. Once set in motion, a top will usually wobble for a few se ...

of 1996. A non-permanent island even farther north—at —was noted in a Twin Otter flyover by the 2001 Return to the Top of the World Expedition (RTOW2001). This expedition also confirmed the continuing existence of ATOW1996. For years, Kaffeklubben Island, discovered in 1921 by Danish explorer Lauge Koch at , was thought to be the northernmost point of land. In 1977, however, a Danish expedition discovered Oodaaq Island further north at . The American Top of the World Expedition of 1996 was able to locate what they thought was Oodaaq Island, but doubts remain because of the inconsistency between the island they reached, "ATOW1996," and those recorded by the original discoverers of Oodaaq. The coordinates for ATOW1996 are actually further north than those for Oodaaq, so it currently holds the record for the most northerly point of land. An expedition was planned for 2003 to confirm this island's existence, and to clarify all other outstanding issues. Another island, called 83-42, was found at . It is tiny, measuring about and high. Whether that islet is permanent has not yet been confirmed.

References

Xefer.com
Uninhabited islands of Greenland {{Greenland-geo-stub

See also

References