The Masson Range is a high broken chain of , consisting primarily of the North Masson, Central Masson and South Masson Ranges, forming a part of the Framnes Mountains.
Physical
The Masson Range has several peaks over .
The highest point is .
The range is about south of
Mawson Station.
It extends for about in a north–south direction.
The North Masson Range and Central Masson Range are large massifs, and the South Masson Range contains several groups of
.
Exploration
The Masson Range was discovered and charted by the British Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition, 1929–31, under
Douglas Mawson, and named for Professor Sir David Orme Masson, a member of the Advisory Committee for this expedition as well as the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911–14, also under Mawson. The mountains were first visited by an Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions party led by John Béchervaise in 1956.
North Masson Range
. The Masson Range is divided into three parts of which this segment is the northern, rising to and extending three miles in a north-south direction. The Masson Range was discovered and named by BANZARE, 1929-31, under Mawson. This northern range was mapped by Norwegian cartographers from air photos taken by the Lars Christensen Expedition, 1936-37, and named Nordkammen (the north comb or crest). The approved name, suggested by ANCA in 1960, more clearly identifies the feature as a part of Masson Range. Not: Gora Nurkammen, Nordkammen, Nordkammen Crest, North Crest.
Central Masson Range
. The Masson Range is divided into three parts of which this segment is the central, rising to and extending four miles in a north-south direction. The Masson Range was discovered and named by BANZARE, 1929-31, under Mawson. This central range was mapped by Norwegian cartographers from air photos taken by the Lars Christensen Expedition, 1936-37, and named Mekammen (the middle comb or crest). The approved name, suggested by ANCA in 1960, more clearly identifies the feature as a part of Masson Range. Not: Mekammen, Mekammen Crest, Middle Crest.
South Masson Range
. The Masson Range is divided into three parts of which this segment is the southern, rising to and extending two miles in a northeast-southwest arc. The Masson Range was discovered and named by BANZARE, 1929-31, under Mawson.
This southern range was mapped by Norwegian cartographers from air photos taken by the Lars Christensen Expedition, 1936-37, and named Sörkammen (the south comb or crest).
The approved name, suggested by ANCA in 1960, more clearly identifies the feature as a part of Masson Range.
Not: Gora Serkammen, Sörkammen, Sørkammen Crest, South Crest.
Notes
Sources
Further reading
-
Damien Gildea, Mountaineering in Antarctica: complete guide: Travel guide
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B. A. Marmo, J. Dawson, Movement and structural features observed in ice masses, Framnes Mountains, Mac.Robertson Land, East Antarctica
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Mackintosh, Andrew & White, Duanne & Fink, David & Gore, Damian & Pickard, John & Fanning, Patricia. (2007), Exposure ages from mountain dipsticks in Mac. Robertson Land, East Antarctica, indicate little change in ice-sheet thickness since the Last Glacial Maximum
