Vesleskarvet [SEP] continent
Vesleskarvet
Vesleskarvet is a nunatak on the west side of Ahlmann Ridge in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. Its western side consists of a series of cliffs, approximately 250 m high, while the eastern side slopes more gradually down to the icefields. The accessibility of the relatively level wind-swept snow-free summit made it ideal for the establishment of the permanent South African National Antarctic Programme research base SANAE IV.
It was mapped by Norwegian cartographers from surveys and air photos by the Norwegian-British-Swedish Antarctic Expedition
Ahlmann Range of mountains. The base is approximately from the edge of the continent (also known as the grounding line or hinge zone) and from the edge of the ice shelf. Vesleskarvet is completely surrounded by the glacial ice sheet.
Concept.
The first three SANAE research stations were located on the Fimbul Ice Shelf near to the coast, and were subject to the gradual snow burial and eventual crushing that occurs with all stations constructed in this fashion. With a vision of creating a more permanent station, SANAE IV