The Porthos Range is the second range south in the
Prince Charles Mountains of Antarctica, extending for about 30 miles in an east-to-west direction between
Scylla Glacier and
Charybdis Glacier. First visited in December 1956 by the
Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions
The Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE ) is the historical name for the Australian Antarctic Program (AAp) administered for Australia by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD).
History
Australia has had a long involv ...
(ANARE) southern party under W.G. Bewsher (1956-57) and named after
Porthos, a character in
Alexandre Dumas, père
Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer. ...
's novel ''
The Three Musketeers'', the most popular book read on the southern journey.
Features
*
Charybdis Glacier
* Corry Massif () is a large
massif
In geology, a massif ( or ) is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole. The term also refers to a ...
marked by an unusual
moraine
A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris ( regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice sh ...
pattern on the north side, standing west-northwest of Crohn Massif. It was mapped from ANARE surveys and air photos, 1955–65, and named by the
Antarctic Names Committee of Australia
The Australian Antarctic Names and Medals Committee (AANMC) was established to advise the Government on names for features in the Australian Antarctic Territory and the subantarctic territory of Heard Island and the McDonald Islands. The commi ...
(ANCA)(ANCA) for M.J. Corry, a surveyor at
Mawson Station
The Mawson Station, commonly called Mawson, is one of three permanent bases and research outposts in Antarctica managed by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD). Mawson lies in Holme Bay in Mac. Robertson Land, East Antarctica in the Austra ...
in 1965.
* Crohn Massif () is a large, domed massif in Antarctica, west of Mount Kirkby. It was sighted by the ANARE southern party and named for Peter W. Crohn, a geologist at Mawson Station in 1955 and 1956.
* Cutcliffe Peak () is a peak just south of Mount Mervyn. It was plotted from ANARE air photos of 1965, and named by the ANCA for M.A. Cutcliffe, an electrical fitter at Mawson Station in 1966, who assisted with the ANARE survey program.
* Hulcombe Ridge () is a rock ridge, extending in a north–south direction, situated west of Wignall Peak. It was plotted from ANARE air photos taken in 1956, and named by the ANCA for G.C. Hulcombe, a diesel mechanic at
Davis Station in 1962.
* Martin Massif () is a massif just east of Mount Lied. It was plotted from ANARE air photos, and was named for P.J. Martin, officer in charge at Mawson Station in 1964.
* Morgan Ridge () is a small rock ridge trending east–west, standing between Mount Pollard and Mount Small. It was mapped from ANARE surveys and air photos, 1956–65, and was named by the ANCA for P.J. Morgan, a glaciologist at
Wilkes Station
Wilkes Station was an Antarctic research station established 29 January 1957 by the United States as one of seven U.S. stations established for the International Geophysical Year (IGY) program in Antarctica. It was taken over by Australia on ...
in 1964.
* Mount Canham () is a mountain at the north end of the
Bennett Escarpment, about south of Corry Massif. The feature was plotted from ANARE air photos of 1965, and named by the ANCA for J.R. Canham, officer in charge at Wilkes Station in 1967.
* Mount Creighton () is a mountain about east-northeast of Mount Gavaghan. It was plotted from ANARE air photos and named for
D.F. Creighton, an electronics engineer at Mawson Station in 1963.
* Mount Eather () is a mountain about south of the
Martin Massif. It was plotted from ANARE air photos, and was named for R.H. Eather, an auroral physicist at Mawson Station in 1963.
* Mount Gaston () is a mountain southeast of
Mount Tarr. It was plotted from ANARE air photos of 1965, and was named by the ANCA for Joseph Gaston, an aircraft engineer with the ANARE Prince Charles Mountains survey party in 1969.
* Mount Gavaghan () is a mountain between
Mount Kirkby and
Mount Creighton. It was plotted from ANARE air photos, and was named for E.J. Gavaghan, a radio operator at Mawson Station in 1963.
* Mount Kirkby is a very large, prominent, linear, flat-topped mountain on the northern face of the Porthos Range. Situated about east of Crohn Massif, it is approximately long east–west and wide at the western end, tapering to the east. It rises to ( above the plateau). The mountain was first visited by the ANARE southern party in December 1956, and was named by the ANCA for
Sydney L. Kirkby, a surveyor at Mawson Station in 1956 and 1960.
* Mount Kerr (), a mountain about south of
Mount Creighton. It was plotted from ANARE air photos of 1965, and was named by the ANCA for A.G. Kerr, a physicist at Mawson Station in 1967.
* Mount Leckie () is a roughly circular outcrop about east of Martin Massif. It was visited by the ANARE southern party, and was named for Squadron Leader D.W. Leckie,
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
, who commanded the
RAAF Antarctic Flight at Mawson Station, 1956.
* Mount Lied () is a prominent pyramidal
peak about east-northeast of Mount Mervyn. . It was sighted by the ANARE southern party lin 1956 and named for Nils T. Lied, a weather observer at Mawson Station in 1956 and at
Davis Station in 1957.
* Mount McCarthy is the easternmost peak, high, of the Porthos Range. It was first visited by the ANARE southern party in 1956, and was named by the ANCA for James W. McCarthy, senior meteorologist and second in charge at Mawson Station in 1956.
* Mount Mervyn () is a very sharp
peak standing south of the main body of the Porthos Range, about south of Mount Kirkby. It was sighted in December 1956 by the ANARE southern party and named for Mervyn Christensen, a weather observer at Mawson Station in 1956.
* Mount Pollard () is a partly snow-covered mountain just south of Corry Massif and 3 nautical miles (6 km) west of Crohn Massif. Mapped from ANARE surveys and air photos, 1956–65. It was named by ANCA for J.R. Pollard, ionosphere physicist at Wilkes Station, 1964.
* Mount Small () is a partly snow-covered peak standing 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) southwest of Crohn Massif. It was mapped from ANARE surveys and air photos, 1956–65. It was named by ANCA for G.R. Small, geophysicist at Wilkes Station, 1964.
* Mount Tarr () is a mountain 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east-southeast of Mount Creighton. It was plotted from ANARE air photos of 1965. It was named by ANCA for F. Tarr, aircraft engineer with the ANARE Prince Charles Mountains survey party in 1969.
* Mount Ware () is a mountain just south of Mount Kerr. It was plotted from ANARE air photos of 1965. Named by ANCA for W.R. Ware, weather observer at Mawson Station in 1968.
* O'Shea Peak () is a small peak just south of
Mount McCarthy in the eastern part of the Porthos Range. Plotted from ANARE air photos taken in 1956 and 1960. Named for J.H. O'Shea, radio officer at Wilkes Station in 1962 and 1964 and at
Macquarie Island
Macquarie Island is an island in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, about halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica. Regionally part of Oceania and politically a part of Tasmania, Australia, since 1900, it became a Tasmanian State Reserve in 19 ...
in 1966.
* Thomas Nunataks () is a group of three
nunataks lying 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) southwest of Mount Mervyn. Plotted from ANARE air photos of 1965. Named by ANCA for I.L. Thomas, physicist at Mawson Station in 1967.
* Webster Peaks is a group of five peaks 3 nautical miles (6 km) southeast of Mount Kirkby. Plotted from ANARE air photos of 1965. Named by ANCA for G.K. Webster, ionospheric physicist at Mawson Station in 1965.
* Whitworth Ridge () is a rock ridge about 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) northeast of Mount Leckie. Plotted from ANARE air photos taken in 1956. Named by ANCA for R. Whitworth, geophysicist at
Wilkes Station
Wilkes Station was an Antarctic research station established 29 January 1957 by the United States as one of seven U.S. stations established for the International Geophysical Year (IGY) program in Antarctica. It was taken over by Australia on ...
in 1963.
* Wignall Peak () is a small
peak just west of Mount McCarthy. Plotted from ANARE air photos taken in 1956 and 1960. Named for R. Wignall, weather observer at Davis Station in 1964.
References
External links
Australian Antarctic DivisionAustralian Antarctic GazetteerUnited States Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)PDF Map of the Australian Antarctic Territory
Mountain ranges of Mac. Robertson Land
{{MacRobertsonLand-geo-stub