Ealey Glacier
| Ealey Glacier | |
|---|---|
| Type | cirque/tidewater |
| Location | Heard Island, Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Australia |
| Coordinates | 53°2′S 73°35′E / 53.033°S 73.583°E |
| Thickness | 55 meters |
| Terminus | close southeast of Cape Bidlingmaier, between Melbourne Bluff and North Barrier |
| Status | Retreating |
Ealey Glacier (53°2′S 73°35′E / 53.033°S 73.583°E) is a glacier, flowing northeast from the lower slopes of the Big Ben massif to the northeast side of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. Its terminus is located close southeast of Cape Bidlingmaier, between Melbourne Bluff and North Barrier. The glacier terminates in ice cliffs. To the southeast of Ealey Glacier is Compton Glacier, whose terminus is located at Compton Lagoon, between Gilchrist Beach and Fairchild Beach. To the west of Ealey Glacier is Downes Glacier, whose terminus is located at Mechanics Bay, between Saddle Point and Cape Bidlingmaier.
Ealey Glacier is named after E.H.M. Ealey, biologist on the 1949 ANARE Heard Island Expedition who crossed the glacier during a biological survey en route to Spit Point.
The landscape of Heard Island and nearby McDonald Island is constantly changing due to volcanism, strong winds and waves, and climate change. Volcanic activity has been observed in this area since the mid-1980s, with fresh lava flows on the southwest flanks of Heard Island. Satellite imagery shows that McDonald Island increased in size from about 1 to 2.5 square kilometers between 1994 and 2004, as a result of volcanic activity.
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