The Pecora Escarpment (85°38′S 68°42′W / 85.633°S 68.700°W / -85.633; -68.700 (Pecora Escarpment)) is an irregular escarpment, 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi) long, standing 35 nautical miles (65 km; 40 mi) southwest of Patuxent Range and marking the southernmost exposed rocks of the Pensacola Mountains.[1]

Pecora Escarpment
Pecora Escarpment is located in Antarctica
Pecora Escarpment
Geography
ContinentAntarctica
Range coordinates85°38′S 68°42′W / 85.633°S 68.700°W / -85.633; -68.700 (Pecora Escarpment)
Parent rangePensacola Mountains

Exploration and name edit

The Pecora Escarpment was mapped by United States Geological Survey (USGS) from surveys and United States Navy air photos in 1956–66. It was named by Dwight Schmidt, geologist to the Pensacola Mountains, 1962–66, for William Thomas Pecora, eighth director of the United States Geological Survey, 1965–71.[1]

Location edit

 
Pecora Escarpment towards southwest of map

The Pecora Escarpment is an isolated at the southwest end of the Pensacola Mountains. It is south of the Patuxent Ice Stream. The Patuxent Range is to the north of the ice stream. Features, from southwest to northeast, are Horton Ledge, Damschroder Rock and Lulow Rock.[2]

Features edit

Horton Ledge edit

85°41′S 69°05′W / 85.683°S 69.083°W / -85.683; -69.083. A flat rock ledge that caps the southwest extremity of Pecora Escarpment. Mapped by USGS from surveys and United States Navy air photos, 1956-66. Named by the United States Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for Edward C. Horton, Jr., electronics technician at Plateau Station, winter 1966.[3]

Damschroder Rock edit

85°38′S 69°14′W / 85.633°S 69.233°W / -85.633; -69.233. A conspicuous rock outlier, 1,595 metres (5,233 ft) high, at the end of a snow-covered spur extending westward for 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 km; 2.9 mi) from central Pecora Escarpment. Mapped by USGS from surveys and United States Navy air photos, 1956-66. Named by US-ACAN for Gerald H. Damschroder, construction mechanic at Plateau Station, winter 1966.[4]

Lulow Rock edit

85°36′S 68°30′W / 85.600°S 68.500°W / -85.600; -68.500. A prominent rock, 1,695 metres (5,561 ft) high, which is the northernmost exposed rock along the face of the Pecora Escarpment. Mapped by USGS from surveys and United States Navy air photos, 1956-66. Named by US-ACAN for William F. Lulow, cook at Plateau Station, winter 1966.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Alberts 1995, p. 564.
  2. ^ Pecora Escarpment USGS.
  3. ^ Alberts 1995, p. 347.
  4. ^ Alberts 1995, p. 171.
  5. ^ Alberts 1995, p. 447.

Sources edit

  • Alberts, Fred G., ed. (1995), Geographic Names of the Antarctic (PDF) (2 ed.), United States Board on Geographic Names, retrieved 2023-12-03   This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Board on Geographic Names.
  • Pecora Escarpment, USGS: United States Geological Survey, retrieved 2024-03-18