Whillans Ice Stream

West Antarctic ice streams

Whillans Ice Stream, formerly Ice Stream B, moving belt of ice in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet that deposits ice onto the massive Ross Ice Shelf. Whillans Ice Stream is approximately 2,600–3,000 feet (792–914 metres) thick and about 50–60 miles (80.5–96.5 km) wide. It is named for American glaciologist Ian Whillans, who was known for his studies of West Antarctic ice streams.

Whillans Ice Stream has been studied since the late 1950s, with its exploration’s having provided basic insight into ice-stream mechanics, such as the role of ice-stream margins in determining the speed of ice flow. In the early 21st century, it was of particular interest to researchers, because of its subglacial lakes and dynamic properties as well as rising concerns about the effects of climate change on ice in the Antarctic.