COMPOSITE GAZETTEER OF ANTARCTICA

The relatively contiguous system of mountains and ranges between Cape Adare and Coats Land. From the southeast of Ross Iceshelf at Amundsen Coast, the Horlick Mountains, Thiel Mountains, Pensacola Mountains, Shackleton Range, and Theron Mountains at Filchner Ice Shelf are included in the extent, and form the division between East Antarctica and West Antarctica.

descriptive name for the sinuous chain of mountains extending from Oates Land (Australian Antarctic Territory) and N Victoria Land (Ross Dependency), along the W coast of Ross Sea and the W and S margins of Ross Ice Shelf, through Horlick Mountains, Thiel Mountains (Pacific sector) and Pensacola Mountains (q.v.) to the S margin of Filchner Ice Shelf in BAT. The mountains rise to 4530 m at Mount Kirkpatrick (Queen Alexandra Range, Ross Dependency) and divide Greater Antarctica (q.v.) from Lesser Antarctica (q.v.) ([including Shackleton Range and Theron Mountains] USBGN, 1962b, p.23; NGS map, 1963; [as defined above] APC, 1982, p.3; [including Shackleton Range] Drewry, 1983, Sheet2.1). Transantarctic Mountain System (USHO, 1963, p.312). Montagnes Transantarctiques (Cailleux, 1963, p.2). Trans Antarctic Mountains (Hamilton, 1964, p.676).

The mountains and ranges which extend with some interruptions between Cape Adare and Coats Land, these mountains serving as the division between East Antarctica and West Antarctica. Included are the continuous but separately named mountain groups along the west side of Ross Sea and the western and southern sides of Ross Ice Shelf; also the Horlick Mountains, the Thiel Mountains, Pensacola Mountains, Shackleton Range and Theron Mountains. This purely descriptive name was recommended by the US-ACAN in 1962 and has since gained international acceptance.