News & information on Antarctica & the Southern Ocean

Byrd Glacier, one of East Antarctica’s largest glaciers

Byrd Glacier flowing into the Ross Ice Shelf, Horney Bluff at left. Photo: Charles Goines, NSF

Byrd Glacier flows through the Transantarctic Mountains into the Ross Ice Shelf; it's 135km long, and 20 km wide. One of East Antarctica’s largest glaciers, it carries more ice to the Ross Ice Shelf than any other ice stream.

Two large sub-glacial lakes. located within its 1 million km2 catchment area on the polar plateau, periodically drain and refill, influencing the flow speed.

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