The Daniels Range () is a principal

mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have aris ...

of the

Usarp Mountains The Usarp Mountains are a major mountain range in North Victoria Land, Antarctica. They are west of the Rennick Glacier and trend north to south for about . The mountains are bounded to the north by Pryor Glacier and the Wilson Hills. They are we ...

, about 80 km (50 mi) long and 16 km (10 mi) wide, bounded to the north by Harlin Glacier and to the south by Gressitt Glacier.

Exploration and name

The range was mapped by the

United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on Mar ...

(USGS) from surveys and

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

air photographs in 1960–63. It was named by the

Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names The Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (ACAN or US-ACAN) is an advisory committee of the United States Board on Geographic Names responsible for recommending commemorative names for features in Antarctica. History The committee was established ...

(US-ACAN) after Ambassador Paul Clement Daniels (1903–86), a leading American figure in the formulation of the

Antarctic Treaty The Antarctic (, ; commonly ) is the polar region of Earth that surrounds the South Pole, lying within the Antarctic Circle. It is diametrically opposite of the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of A ...

in 1959.

Location

The Daniels Range is in the

in northern

Victoria Land Victoria Land is a region in eastern Antarctica which fronts the western side of the Ross Sea and the Ross Ice Shelf, extending southward from about 70°30'S to 78th parallel south, 78°00'S, and westward from the Ross Sea to the edge of the Ant ...

. The range is aligned north–south. It is about long and has an area of about . The western flank is gently inclined and merges into the polar plateau, while the eastern flank is generally steep. Bedrock is exposed extensively along both the west and the east of the range where ridges jut out from the ice-covered crest of the mountains. Often the cliffs and peaks rise several hundred meters above the ice. The

Emlen Peaks The Emlen Peaks () is a group of scattered peaks and nunataks, long and wide. It is south of Daniels Range in the south end of the Usarp Mountains in northern Victoria Land, Antarctica. Early exploration and name Emlen Peaks was mapped by the ...

Helliwell Hills The Helliwell Hills () are a group of rocky hills and low mountains about long and wide in the Usarp Mountains of North Victoria Land, Antarctica. Location The Helliwell Hills are part of the Usarp Mountains of North Victoria Land, Antarctica ...

and

Morozumi Range The Morozumi Range () is a mountain range in the Usarp Mountains of North Victoria Land, Antarctica. It extends northwest–southeast for , with its northern elevations overlooking the convergence of Gressitt Glacier and Rennick Glacier. Early ...

are to the south and southwest. The

Rennick Glacier Rennick Glacier () is a broad glacier, nearly long, which is one of the largest in Antarctica. It rises on the polar plateau westward of Mesa Range and is wide, narrowing to near the coast. It takes its name from Rennick Bay where the glacier r ...

is to the west. The

Pomerantz Tableland The Pomerantz Tableland () is a high ice-covered tableland in the Usarp Mountains, Antarctica. It is about long, standing northwest of Daniels Range. Early exploration and naming The Pomerantz Tableland was mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S ...

is to the north.

Geology

The Daniels Range seems to be a large fault block that may have been uplifted more along the eastern flank. The range is underlain by a structurally complex combination of intrusive rocks and intensely deformed metamorphic rocks. Most of the plutonic rocks were formed at the same time as the Granite Harbour Intrusives. Almost all the metamorphic rocks are sedimentary in origin. The basement rocks of the Daniels Range consists of the Rennick Schist, Wilson Gneisses and Granite Harbor Intrusives. These stratigraphic units are exposed in the Allegro Valley and Largo Valley, along the

Thompson Spur The Daniels Range () is a principal mountain range of the Usarp Mountains, about 80 km (50 mi) long and 16 km (10 mi) wide, bounded to the north by Harlin Glacier and to the south by Gressitt Glacier. Exploration and name ...

and

Schroeder Spur The Daniels Range () is a principal mountain range of the Usarp Mountains, about 80 km (50 mi) long and 16 km (10 mi) wide, bounded to the north by Harlin Glacier and to the south by Gressitt Glacier. Exploration and name ...

, and in other locations in the range. The Rennick Schist grades into the Wilson Gneisses, which may imply that the gneisses were formed from the schist by regional metamorphosis and partial melting. The Wilson Gneisses appear to have cooled in the

Neoproterozoic The Neoproterozoic Era is the last of the three geologic eras of the Proterozoic geologic eon, eon, spanning from 1 billion to 538.8 million years ago, and is the last era of the Precambrian "supereon". It is preceded by the Mesoproterozoic era an ...

or early

Paleozoic The Paleozoic ( , , ; or Palaeozoic) Era is the first of three Era (geology), geological eras of the Phanerozoic Eon. Beginning 538.8 million years ago (Ma), it succeeds the Neoproterozoic (the last era of the Proterozoic Eon) and ends 251.9 Ma a ...

. The Rennick Schist crystalized around 532 Ma, in the

Early Cambrian The Cambrian ( ) is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, and the Phanerozoic Eon. The Cambrian lasted 51.95 million years from the end of the preceding Ediacaran period 538.8 Ma (million years ago) to the beginning of the Ordovic ...

Glaciers

The Gressitt Glacier forms to the south of the southern end of the range and flows northeast past the range to join the

. The Edwards Glacier and Swanson Glacier form in the southern part of the range and flow east towards the Gressit Glacier. The Harlin Glacier forms to the west of the northern part of the range, and flows north and then east round the north of the range to join the Rennick Glacier, which empties into

Rennick Bay Rennick Bay () is an embayment of the coastline of Antarctica at the terminus of Rennick Glacier. It is bounded on the west and east by Belousov Point and Stuhlinger Ice Piedmont. Discovery and naming The eastern part of the bay was discovere ...

Edwards Glacier

. A glacier draining the east slopes of Daniels Range between Thompson Spur and Schroeder Spur, in the Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN for Lloyd N. Edwards,

USARP The United States Antarctic Program (or USAP; formerly known as the United States Antarctic Research Program or USARP and the United States Antarctic Service or USAS) is an organization of the United States government which has a presence in the ...

geologist at McMurdo Station, 1967–68.

Swanson Glacier

. A glacier, long, draining the east slopes of Daniels Range northward of Thompson Spur, in the Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN for Charles D. Swanson, USARP biologist at McMurdo Station, 1967-68.

Northern section

Milles Nunatak

. A nunatak lying 3 mi NE of Howell Peak on the north end of Daniels Range, Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy aerial photographs, 1960-62. Named by US-AC AN for David B Milles, USARP biological laboratory technician at McMurdo Station, 1967-68.

Howell Peak

. A small rock peak (1,750 m) on the NW end of Daniels Range, Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy aerial photographs, 1960-62. Named by US-ACAN for Kenneth R. Howell, USARP meteorologist at the South Pole Station, 1967-68.

Lee Nunatak

. A nunatak (1,920 m) northwest of Penseroso Bluff in the northwest part of Daniels Range, Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN for Chun Chi Lee, USARP biologist at McMurdo Station, 1967-68.

Ship Nunatak

. A very striking nunatak which rises above the ice near the center of the upper portion of Harlin Glacier, in the Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960–63. A descriptive name applied by US-ACAN because of the appearance of the feature, resembling that of a ship at sea.

Penseroso Bluff

. A prominent bluff (1,945 m) surmounting the narrow, northern neck of the Daniels Range, northeast of Mount Nero, in the Usarp Mountains. The Northern Party of the NZGSAE, 1963-64, reached this bluff in gloomy weather. The feature appeared dark and sombre; hence, the party gave the name from Milton's "II Penseroso" in antithesis to Allegro Valley 14 miles to the south.

Central section

Fisher Spur

. A rugged rock spur jutting northward from the west flank of Daniels Range immediately north of Mount Nero, in the Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN for Dean F. Fisher, USARP geophysicist at McMurdo Station, 1967-68.

Mount Nero

. A mountain (2,520 m) surmounting the west wall of Daniels Range north of Forsythe Bluff, in the Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN for Leonard L. Nero, USARP biologist at McMurdo Station, 1967-68.

Misch Crag

A rock crag 1 mi NE of Forsythe Bluff, rising to c. 2,590 m on the west side of Daniels Range, Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and USN aerial photographs, 1960–63. Named by US-ACAN in 1986 after Peter Misch, Professor Emeritus of Geology, University of Washington, who has contributed to the training of numerous geologists who have worked in the Antarctic.

Forsythe Bluff

. A bluff rising to more than along the west edge of Daniels Range, in the Usarp Mountains. The bluff is north of Big Brother Bluff. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN after Warren L. Forsythe, USARP geologist at McMurdo Station, 1967-68.

Bystander Nunatak

. A nunatak (2,435 m) lying southwest of Forsythe Bluff, on the W side of Daniels Range in the Usarp Mountains. The name applied by the northern party of NZGSAE, 1963-64, is suggestive of the aspect of this relatively isolated feature.

Allegro Valley

. A steep-sided, glacier-filled valley indenting the east side of Daniels Range just north of White Spur, in the Usarp Mountains. The northern party of the

New Zealand Geological Survey Antarctic Expedition The New Zealand Geological Survey Antarctic Expedition (NZGSAE) describes a series of scientific explorations of the continent Antarctica. The expeditions were notably active throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Features named by the expeditions 19 ...

(NZGSAE), 1963–64, experienced fine weather here after several days of unpleasant travel; therefore, members named it after

John Milton John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet, polemicist, and civil servant. His 1667 epic poem ''Paradise Lost'' was written in blank verse and included 12 books, written in a time of immense religious flux and politic ...

's poem "''

L'Allegro ''L'Allegro'' is a pastoral poem by John Milton published in his 1645 ''Poems''. ''L'Allegro'' (which means "the happy man" in Italian) has from its first appearance been paired with the contrasting pastoral poem, '' Il Penseroso'' ("the mela ...

''" in antithesis with Penseroso Bluff, 14 mi to the north.

White Spur

. A spur forming part of the south wall of Allegro Valley as it juts eastward from the central portion of the Daniels Range, Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960–63. Named by US-ACAN for Russell F. White, USARP meteorologist at South Pole Station, 1967-68.

Southeast section

Big Brother Bluff

. A high, angular granite bluff (2,840 m) along the west wall of Daniels Range, north of Mount Burnham, in the Usarp Mountains. So named by the northern party of NZGSAE, 1963-64, because it is visible from north and from many points across Rennick Glacier. Hence the reminiscence from

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950) was an English novelist, poet, essayist, journalist, and critic who wrote under the pen name of George Orwell. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to a ...

's famous saying ig Brother is Watching You

Fikkan Peak

A peak midway between Big Brother Bluff and Mount Burnham along the W wall of Daniels Range, in the Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN for Philip R. Fikkan, USARP geologist at McMurdo Station, 1967-68.

Mount Burnham

A projecting, bluff-type mountain (2,810 m) along the west wall of Daniels Range, south of Big Brother Bluff, in the Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-AC AN for James B. Burnham, ionospheric physicist who wintered at South Pole Station in 1958 and 1961.

Bounty Nunatak

. A prominent, largely ice-free nunatak, high, located southeast of Mount Burnham in the south part of Daniels Range, Usarp Mountains. The name was applied by the NZGSAE, 1963–64, because the party was out of food upon arrival at a food and fuel cache established near this nunatak.

Southwest section

Thompson Spur

. A large, rugged mountain spur that descends eastward from Daniels Range between the Swanson Glacier and Edwards Glacier, in the Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN for David H. Thompson, USARP biologist at Hallett Station, 1965-66 and 1967-68.

Mount Toogood

. A mountain (2,100 m) at the south side of the head of Edwards Glacier in the Daniels Range, Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960–63. Named by US-AC AN for David J. Toogood, USARP geologist at McMurdo Station, 1967-68 and 1968-69.

Fruitcake Bluff

. A steep rock outcrop in the form of a bluff high, extending in a northeast–southwest direction for in the southeast portion of Thompson Spur, Daniels Range. Recorded by USARP geologists C.C. Plummer and R.S. Babcock, who made a geological reconnaissance of Daniels Range in December 1981. Descriptively named from the prevalent intrusive rock on the bluff which has the appearance in color and texture of a fruitcake.

Schroeder Spur

. A large mountain spur lying south of Edwards Glacier and the parallel Thompson Spur, at the south end of Daniels Range, Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN for Lauren A. Schroeder, USARP biologist at McMurdo Station, 1967-68.

Mount McKenny

. A mountain (1,890 m) at the south end of Daniels Range, southeast of Mount Toogood, in the Usarp Mountains. Mapped by USGS from surveys and U.S. Navy air photos, 1960-63. Named by US-ACAN for Clarence D. McKenny, USARP meteorologist who wintered at the South Pole Station in 1959 and 1961, and at Eights Station in 1963.

Notes

References

Sources

* * * * * {{refend