Geology of Antarctica > Taylor Valley and Commonwealth Glacier, Antarctica by Zbigniew Malolepszy

Taylor Valley is the southern one of the three large Dry Valleys in the Transantarctic Mountains, Victoria Land, located west of McMurdo Sound. The valley extends from Taylor Glacier in the west to McMurdo Sound at Explorers Cove at the northwest head of New Harbor in the east and is about 29 km long. It was once occupied by the receding Taylor Glacier, from which it derives its name. Taylor valley was discovered by the British National Antarctic Expedition (1901-04), it was more fully explored by the BrAE (1907-09) and the BrAE (1910-13), and named after Australian Geologist Thomas Griffith Taylor. (wiki)

Commonwealth Glacier is a glacier which flows in a southeastern direction and enters the northern side of Taylor Valley immediately west of Mount Coleman, in Victoria Land, Antarctica. Charted and named by the British Antarctic Expedition under Scott, 1910-13. Named for the Commonwealth of Australia, which made a financial grant to the expedition and contributed two members to the Western Geological Party which explored this area. Close-up panorama of the glacier at www.gigapan.org/gigapans/63121/