The Fosdick Mountains () are an east–west trending mountain range with marked serrate outlines, standing along the south side of

Balchen Glacier Block Bay () is a long ice-filled bay lying east of Guest Peninsula along the coast of Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica. Discovery and name Block Bay was discovered in 1929 by the Byrd Antarctic Expedition (ByrdAE), and named by Richard E. Byrd for ...

at the head of Block Bay, in the

Ford Ranges The Ford Ranges () are a collection of mountain groups and ranges standing east of Sulzberger Ice Shelf and Block Bay in the northwest part of Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica. Location The Ford Ranges lie along the coast of Marie Byrd Land to the s ...

Marie Byrd Land Marie Byrd Land (MBL) is an unclaimed region of Antarctica. With an area of , it is the largest unclaimed territory on Earth. It was named after the wife of American naval officer Richard E. Byrd, who explored the region in the early 20th centu ...

, Antarctica.

Location

The Fosdick Mountains are on the north side of the base of the

Guest Peninsula The Guest Peninsula () is a snow-covered peninsula about long between the Sulzberger Ice Shelf and Block Bay, in the northwest part of Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica. Location The Guest Peninsula extends westward into the Pacific Ocean from t ...

. The

enters Block Bay to their north, and the

Crevasse Valley Glacier Sulzberger Ice Shelf () is an ice shelf about long and wide bordering the coast of Marie Byrd Land between Edward VII Peninsula and Guest Peninsula in Antarctica. Exploration and name The Sulzberger Ice Shelf was observed and roughly mapped ...

flows past their south to enter the Sulzberger Ice Shelf. Northern features from west to east include Mount Avers, Mount Lockhart, Mount Bitgood, Mount Colombo, Bird Bluff, Recess Nunatak and Mount Perkins. Southern features from west to east include Mount Ferranto, Mount Getz, Dermas Bluff, Mount Richardson and Vulcan Nunatak.

Geology and geography

The dominant topography is tall, steep-sided ridges, trending north-south, with peak elevations spanning 1000 to 1200 m. The range consists of the Fosdick Metamorphic Rocks of

migmatite Migmatite is a composite rock (geology), rock found in medium and high-grade metamorphic environments, commonly within Precambrian craton, cratonic blocks. It consists of two or more constituents often layered repetitively: one layer is an old ...

gneiss Gneiss (pronounced ) is a common and widely distributed type of metamorphic rock. It is formed by high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic processes acting on formations composed of igneous or sedimentary rocks. This rock is formed under p ...

and

granite Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...

Metamorphism Metamorphism is the transformation of existing Rock (geology), rock (the protolith) to rock with a different mineral composition or Texture (geology), texture. Metamorphism takes place at temperatures in excess of , and often also at elevated ...

occurred in the middle of the

Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 143.1 to 66 mya (unit), million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era (geology), Era, as well as the longest. At around 77.1 million years, it is the ...

period. Mount Perkins is a

Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( ; referred to colloquially as the ''ice age, Ice Age'') is the geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was fin ...

volcano within the range.

Discovery and name

The Fosdick Mountains were discovered by the

Byrd Antarctic Expedition Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. (October 25, 1888 – March 11, 1957) was an United States Navy, American naval officer, and pioneering aviator, polar explorer, and organizer of polar logistics. Aircraft flights in which he served as a navigator and e ...

(ByrdAE) in 1929, and named by

Richard E. Byrd Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. (October 25, 1888 – March 11, 1957) was an American naval officer, and pioneering aviator, polar explorer, and organizer of polar logistics. Aircraft flights in which he served as a navigator and expedition leader cr ...

for

Raymond B. Fosdick Raymond Blaine Fosdick (9 June 1883 – 19 July 1972) was an American lawyer, public administrator and author. He served as the fourth president of the Rockefeller Foundation for twelve years (1936–1948). He was an ardent internationalist and su ...

, who became president of the

Rockefeller Foundation The Rockefeller Foundation is an American private foundation and philanthropic medical research and arts funding organization based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The foundation was created by Standard Oil magnate John D. Rockefeller (" ...

Western features

Thompson Ridge

. A rock ridge, long and trending north–south on the south shore of Block Bay, northwest of Mount Iphigene. The feature was photographed and mapped by the USAS, 1939-41, led by Byrd. The naming was proposed by Admiral Byrd for Gershom J. Thompson, eminent doctor and professor at the Mayo Clinic, who advised on medical questions relating to the Byrd Antarctic Expeditions, 1928-30 and 1933-35, and made financial contributions to them.

Mount Luyendyk

A summit in the western Fosdick Mountains. It forms a prominent exposure in the northwestern Iphigene massif. The peak is named in recognition of Bruce P. Luyendyk, professor (emeritus),

University of California, Santa Barbara The University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara or UCSB) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Tracing its roots back to 1891 as an ...

, who was active in ground- and ocean-based Antarctic research from 1989 to 2015, significantly advancing the scientific knowledge of the

Ross Embayment The Ross Embayment is a large region of Antarctica, comprising the Ross Ice Shelf and the Ross Sea, that lies between East and West Antarctica. Extent The continent of Antarctica has two major divisions; West Antarctica in mostly western longitu ...

region of

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...

. Luyendyk led two on-land expeditions in the Ford Ranges, and was principal investigator for five marine geophysical expeditions in the

Ross Sea The Ross Sea is a deep bay of the Southern Ocean in Antarctica, between Victoria Land and Marie Byrd Land and within the Ross Embayment, and is the southernmost sea on Earth. It derives its name from the British explorer James Clark Ross who ...

Mutel Peak

. A rock peak high southwest of Mount Iphigene. Photographed and roughly plotted by the ByrdAE, 1928-30, and USAS, 1939-41. Mapped by USGS from surveys and United States Navy air photos, 1959-65. Named by US-ACAN for Robert L. Mutel, ionospheric physicist at Byrd Station, 1969.

Mount Iphigene

. Mountain just west of

Ochs Glacier Block Bay () is a long ice-filled bay lying east of Guest Peninsula along the coast of Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica. Discovery and name Block Bay was discovered in 1929 by the Byrd Antarctic Expedition (ByrdAE), and named by Richard E. Byrd for ...

between Marujupu Peak and Birchall Peaks. Discovered in 1929 by the ByrdAE. Named by Byrd for

Iphigene Ochs Sulzberger Iphigene Bertha Ochs Sulzberger (September 19, 1892 – February 26, 1990) was an American heiress, socialite, newspaper executive, philanthropist and former owner of ''The New York Times''. She was the daughter of Adolph Ochs, wife of Arthur Hay ...

, daughter of

Adolph Ochs Adolph Simon Ochs (March 12, 1858 – April 8, 1935) was an American newspaper publisher and former owner of ''The New York Times'' and ''The Chattanooga Times'', which is now the ''Chattanooga Times Free Press''. Through his only child, Iphigene ...

and wife of

Arthur Hays Sulzberger Arthur Hays Sulzberger (September 12, 1891December 11, 1968) was publisher of ''The New York Times'' from 1935 to 1961. During that time, daily circulation rose from 465,000 to 713,000 and Sunday circulation from 745,000 to 1.4 million; the staff ...

, patrons of the expedition.

Marujupu Peak

. Conspicuous nunatak standing above the main flow of Ochs Glacier, between Mount Iphigene and Mount Ferranto. Discovered and so named by Rear Admiral Byrd on the ByrdAE flight of 5 December 1929. Marujupu combines the letters from the names of three daughters and a son of Mr. and Mrs.

. The daughters are Marian, Ruth and Judy; Punch is the nickname of son Arthur. The Sulzbergers were patrons of the expedition.

Northern features

Mount Avers

. A mountain north of Mount Ferranto. Discovered in December 1929 by the ByrdAE and named for Henry G. Avers, chief mathematician of the Division of Geodesy, United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. He was a member of the National Geographic Society Commission of Experts which determined that Commander (later Rear Admiral) Richard E. Byrd reached the North Pole by airplane (1926) and the South Pole (1929).

Mount Lockhart

. A prominent northerly projection from the main massif of the Fosdick Mountains northeast of Mount Avers. Discovered by the ByrdAE on a flight on 5 December 1929. Named for Ernest E. Lockhart, physiologist at West Base of the USAS and a member of the biological party which visited this area in 1940.

Mount Bitgood

. A mountain high between Mount Lockhart and Mount Colombo on the north side of the Fosdick Mountains. Mapped by the

United States Antarctic Service 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 ...

(USAS) (1939–41) and 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 air photos (1959-65). Named by the United States

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) for Charles D. Bitgood, geologist with the USARP party to the Fosdick Mountains, 1967-68.

Mount Colombo

. A mountainous projection in the northeast part of the main massif of the Fosdick Mountains, standing north of Mount Richardson. Discovered by the ByrdAE on the Eastern Flight of 5 December 1929. Named for Louis P. Colombo, a member of the biological party of the USAS which visited this area in December 1940.

Bird Bluff

. A rock bluff on the north side of the Fosdick Mountains, east of Mount Colombo. Mapped by USAS (1939-41) and by USGS from surveys and United States Navy air photos (1959-65). Named by US-ACAN for Commander Charles F. Bird, Meteorological Officer on the Staff of the United States Naval Support Force, Antarctica, 1968.

Recess Nunatak

. A small but conspicuous nunatak west of Mount Perkins. Mapped by the USAS (1939-41). Later mapped by USGS from surveys and United States Navy air photos (1959-65). So named by US-ACAN because the nunatak is recessed in the ice at the base due to windscooping.

Mount Perkins

. A mountain at the east end of the Fosdick Mountains. Discovered by the ByrdAE on the Northeastern Flight of 15-16 December 1934. Named for Jack E. Perkins, biologist at the USAS West Base (1939-41) and the leader of a biological party which visited this area in December 1940.

Southern features

Mount Ferranto

. A mountain which forms the extreme southwest projection of the main massif of the Fosdick Mountains. Discovered by a sledging party of the ByrdAE which visited this area in November-December 1934. Named for Felix Ferranto, radio and tractor operator with the USAS (1939-41).

Mount Getz

. A mountain high in the south part of the Fosdick Mountains, east-southeast of Mount Ferranto. Mapped by USAS (1939-41) led by R. Admiral R.L. Byrd. Named for George F. Getz, Jr., who, like his father, gave financial support toward the exploration efforts of Admiral Byrd.

Dermas Bluff

. A rock bluff on the south side of the Fosdick Mountains, west of Mount Richardson. Mapped by USAS (1939-41) under Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd. Named for Doctor Charles J. Demas who provided medical assistance and supplies for the ByrdAE (1933-35) and USAS (1939–41).

Mount Richardson

. A peak just west of Reece Pass and south of Mount Colombo in the southeast part of the Fosdick Mountains. Discovered on aerial flights from West Base of the USAS (1939-41). Named for Harrison H. Richardson, meteorological observer with the biological party which visited this area in 1940.

Reece Pass

. A north-south pass just east of Mounts Colombo and Richardson, in the east part of the Fosdick Mountains. Discovered on aerial flights made from West Base of the USAS (1939-41) and visited by a biological party in 1940. Named for J.A. Reece, radio operator at West Base.

Vulcan Nunatak

. A nunatak, badly sculptured away by ice, the remnant of a huge cone of an extinct volcano, located southeast of Mount Richardson. Discovered on 28 November 1934 by Paul Siple and Stevenson Corey of the ByrdAE, 1933-35, who investigated the feature and referred to it as "The Volcano." A form of the original field name has been approved by US-ACAN.

References

Sources

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