The Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE) was an expedition from 1947–1948 which researched the area surrounding the head of the

Weddell Sea The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean and contains the Weddell Gyre. Its land boundaries are defined by the bay formed from the coasts of Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula. The easternmost point is Cape Norvegia at Princess Martha ...

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

Background

Finn Ronne led the RARE which was the final privately sponsored expedition from the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

and explored and mapped the last unknown coastline on earth and determined that the

and 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 ...

were not connected. The expedition included

Isaac Schlossbach Isaac "Ike" Schlossbach (c. August 20, 1891 – August 1984) was an American polar explorer, submariner and aviation pioneer. He was born in Bradley Beach, New Jersey and raised in Neptune Township, New Jersey where he attended Neptune High Scho ...

, as second in command, who was to have

Cape Schlossbach Cape Schlossbach () is a headland forming the eastern end of the Prehn Peninsula, located between Hansen Inlet, Hansen and Gardner Inlet, Gardner inlets on the eastern side of the base of the Antarctic Peninsula. The cape was discovered by Finn Ron ...

named after him. The expedition, based out of

Stonington Island Stonington Island is a rocky island lying northeast of Neny Island in the eastern part of Marguerite Bay off the west coast of Graham Land, Antarctica. It is long from north-west to south-east and wide, yielding an area of . It was formerly ...

was the first to take women to over-winter. Ronne's wife,

Edith Ronne Jackie Ronne (October 13, 1919 – June 14, 2009) was an American explorer of Antarctica and the first woman in the world to be a working member of an Antarctic expedition (1947–48). She is also the namesake of the Ronne Ice Shelf. Biography ...

was correspondent for the North American Newspaper Alliance for expedition and the chief pilot Darlington took his wife.

Partial Listing of Discoveries

Mount Abrams Mount Abrams () is a mountain east of Mount Brice, in the Behrendt Mountains. It was discovered and photographed from the air by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE) of 1947–48 under Finn Ronne. It was named by Ronne for Talbert A ...

- Named for

Talbert Abrams Talbert "Ted" Abrams (August 17, 1895, Tekonsha, Michigan – August 25, 1990) was an American photographer and aviator known as the "father of aerial photography". Early years Born in Tekonsha, Michigan, Abrams learned to fly at the Curti ...

, noted photogrammetric engineer *

Mount Becker Mount Becker () is a prominent mountain northeast of Mount Boyer, in the Merrick Mountains, Ellsworth Land Ellsworth Land is a portion of the Antarctic continent bounded on the west by Marie Byrd Land, on the north by Bellingshausen Sea, on ...

- Named for Ralph A. Becker, legal counsel who assisted in the formation of RARE *

Mount Brundage Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, Co ...

- Named for Burr Brundage, U.S. Department of State, who assisted in making arrangements for the expedition *

English Coast English Coast is a portion of the coast of Antarctica between the northern tip of Rydberg Peninsula and the Buttress Nunataks, on the west side of Palmer Land. To the west is Bryan Coast, and northward runs Rymill Coast east of Alexander Island ...

- Named for Capt. Robert A.J. English, USN, Executive Secretary of the USAS * Sweeney Mountains - Named for Mrs. Edward C. Sweeney, a contributor to the expedition *

Behrendt Mountains The Behrendt Mountains () is a group of mountains, 32 km (20 mi) long, aligned in the form of a horseshoe with the opening to the southwest, standing 11 km (7 mi) SW of Merrick Mountains at the base of the Antarctic Peninsula. Discovered ...

- Named for John C. Behrendt, traverse seismologist at Ellsworth Station *

Merrick Mountains The Merrick Mountains () are a cluster of mountains, 13 km (8 mi) long, standing 11 km (7 mi) northeast of the Behrendt Mountains in Ellsworth Land, Antarctica. Discovered and photographed from the air by the Ronne Antarctic ...

- Named for Conrad G. Merrick, USGS topographic engineer *

Gardner Inlet Gardner Inlet () is a large, ice-filled inlet at the southwest side of Bowman Peninsula, on the east coast of Palmer Land, Antarctica. It was discovered by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition, 1947–48, under Finn Ronne, who named it for Ir ...

- Named for Irvine Gardner, physicist at the

National Bureau of Standards The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce whose mission is to promote American innovation and industrial competitiveness. NIST's activities are organized into physical sci ...

Thuronyi Bluff Thuronyi Bluff () is a prominent escarpment on the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, which faces the Larsen Ice Shelf and the Weddell Sea and lies immediately south of the Antarctic Circle. It is located above Mill Inlet in British Antarctic ...

- Named for Géza Thuronyi, an Antarctic scholar at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

Wetmore Glacier Wetmore Glacier is a glacier about 40 miles (64 km) long, flowing southeast between the Rare Range and Latady Mountains into the north part of Gardner Inlet. It was discovered by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE), 1947–48, u ...

- Named for

Alexander Wetmore Frank Alexander Wetmore (June 18, 1886 – December 7, 1978) was an American ornithologist and avian paleontologist. He was the sixth Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Early life and education The son of a Country Physician, Frank Ale ...

, Secretary of the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...

Irvine Glacier Irvine Glacier () is a glacier, long, draining southeast between the Guettard Range and the Rare Range into the northern part of Gardner Inlet, Antarctica. It was discovered by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE), 1947–48, under ...

- Named for George J. Irvine, of the Engineer Depot at

Fort Belvoir, Virginia A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

Quilty Nunataks Quilty Nunataks () is a group of nunataks (exposed ice-free ridges) which extend over 8 miles (13 km), located 15 miles (24 km) southwest of the Thomas Mountains in Palmer Land. Discovered by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RAR ...

- Named for Patrick Quilty, geologist with the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

Mount Coman Mount Coman () is a prominent isolated mountain which rises above the ice-covered plateau of Palmer Land, located just westward of the Playfair Mountains in Antarctica. It was discovered by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition, 1947–48, under ...

- Named for Dr. F. Dana Coman, physician with the

Byrd Antarctic Expedition Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. (October 25, 1888 – March 11, 1957) was an American naval officer and explorer. He was a recipient of the Medal of Honor, the highest honor for valor given by the United States, and was a pioneering American aviator, p ...

Haag Nunataks The Haag Nunataks () in Antarctica are a group of three low elevations aligned nearly north–south. The dominant central nunatak and the southern elevation have definite rock exposures; the minor northern elevation may be entirely snow-covered. T ...

- Named for Joseph Haag, head of

Todd Pacific Shipyards Vigor Shipyards is the current entity operating the former Todd Shipyards after its acquisition in 2011. Todd Shipyards was founded in 1916, which owned and operated shipyards on the West Coast of the United States, East Coast of the United S ...

* Ewing Island - Named for Dr. Maurice Ewing,

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

, assisted in planning RARE *

Cape Adams Cape Adams is an abrupt rock scarp marking the south tip of Bowman Peninsula and forming the north side of the entrance to Gardner Inlet, on the east coast of Palmer Land in Antarctica. It was discovered by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition ...

- Named for Lt. Charles J. Adams of the then USAAF, pilot with the expedition * Bowman Peninsula - Named for

Isaiah Bowman Isaiah Bowman, AB, Ph. D. (December 26, 1878, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada – January 6, 1950, Baltimore, Maryland), was an American geographer and President of the Johns Hopkins University, 1935–1948, controversial for his antisemitism and ...

, American geographer. *

Orville Coast Orville Coast is that portion of the coast of Antarctica lying west of Ronne Ice Shelf between Cape Adams and Cape Zumberge. It was discovered by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE), 1947–48, under Ronne, who named this coast for Capta ...

- Named for Capt. Howard T. Orville, USN, Head of the Naval Aerological Service *

Ketchum Glacier Ketchum Glacier () is an eastward flowing glacier at the base of Palmer Land, Antarctica, about long, descending between the Latady Mountains and the Scaife Mountains into Gardner Inlet. It was discovered by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedit ...

- Named for Cdr. Gerald Ketchum, USN, commander of the ''Burton Island'' * Mount Austin (Antarctica) - Named for

Stephen F. Austin Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas" and the founder of Anglo Texas,Hatch (1999), p. 43. he led the second and, ultimately, the successful colonization ...

, American colonizer in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

Mount Edward The Sweeney Mountains () is a group of mountains of moderate height and about extent, located north of the Hauberg Mountains in Palmer Land, Antarctica. Discovered by the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition (RARE), 1947–48, under Finn Ronne, ...

- Named for Cdr. Edward C. Sweeney, USNR, a contributor to the expedition *

Mount Owen (Antarctica) Mount Owen is a mountain on the eastern coast of Palmer Land on the Antarctic Peninsula. It stands 1,105 m in height, and was named by Ronne for Arthur Owen, a member of the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition. References Owen Owen may ...

- Named for Arthur Owen, a member of the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition

References

External links

Expedition map
History of Antarctica United States and the Antarctic 1947 in the United States 1947 in Antarctica 1948 in Antarctica Antarctic expeditions Expeditions from the United States {{Antarctica-stub

Background

Partial Listing of Discoveries

See also

References

External links