{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{short description|Peninsula of Antarctica}} thumb| Large numbers of Adélie penguins breed on the peninsula
'''Clark Peninsula''' is a rocky peninsula, about {{convert|3|km|0|abbr=on}} long and wide, lying {{convert|5|km|0|abbr=on}} north-east of Australia's Casey Station at the north side of Newcomb Bay on the Budd Coast of Wilkes Land in Antarctica.
==History== The peninsula was first mapped from aerial photographs taken by the US Navy's Operation Highjump in February 1947 and thought to be an island connected by a steep snow ramp to the continental ice overlying Budd Coast.<ref name=Siple /> It was subsequently photographed from the air by the Soviet expedition of 1956 and the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) of 1956 and 1962.<ref name="gnis-SC" /><ref name="gnis-BP" />
The Wilkes Station party of 1957, whose headquarters were on Clark, determined that it was a peninsula rather than an island. This party was led by Scientific Station Leader Carl R. Eklund, who conducted many ground surveys and named many of the peninsula's features.<ref name=Siple/> The peninsula itself was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for Captain John E. Clark, captain of {{USS|Currituck|AV-7|6}}, flagship of the western task group of Operation Highjump, 1946–1947.<ref name="gnis-CP" />
== Geography == Clark Peninsula is large enough that numerous features on its coast have been individually charted and named. The peninsula protrudes into the ocean to the west. Notable features will be described following the coastline, beginning from the north and continuing towards the south. Unless otherwise noted, all of the following features were first mapped from air photos taken by Operation Highjump in 1946–1947, and named by Carl Eklund following ground surveys in 1957, typically for members of the Wilkes Station party.
The first notable feature on the northern coast of the peninsula is Stevenson Cove. It was named for Andrew Stevenson, economic advisor to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, author of a report for the Committee on the International Geophysical Year in the Arctic and Antarctic.<ref name="gnis-SC" /> To the west is the peninsula's northernmost extremity, Blakeney Point. It was named by US-ACAN for A. A. Blakeney, photographer's mate on Operation Highjump.<ref name=gnis-BP/>
Whitney Point is a rocky point that marks the north side of the entrance to Powell Cove. When initially charted, it was thought to be a small island. It was named for photographer's mate I.A. Whitney of Operation Highjump.<ref name=gnis-WP/> Powell Cove was named for aerographer James T. Powell.<ref name="gnis-PC" /> The westernmost extremity of the peninsula is rocky Stonehocker Point, which is the site of Wilkes Station. It was named for ionospheric scientist Garth H. Stonehocker.<ref name="gnis-SP" /> South of Stonehocker Point is Noonan Cove, named for photographer Paul F. Noonan.<ref name=gnis-NC/> To the south, Newcomb Bay separates Clark Peninsula from Bailey Peninsula.<ref name=gnis-NB/> Inland to the east, at the base of the peninsula are the Løken Moraines, a line of north-south trending moraines, or accumulations of glacial debris.<ref name=gnis-LM/>
=== Offshore features === A narrow rock reef called Dahl Reef, which uncovers at low tide, lies {{convert|1.4|nmi|km}} northwest of Stonehocker Point. It was first charted in 1962, during a hydrographic survey of Newcomb Bay and approaches, by d'A. T. Gale of ANARE. It was named for Egil Dahl, third mate on {{ship||Thala Dan}}, the ship used by ANARE in 1962.<ref name=gnis-DR/>
Gibney Reef is exposed off the shore {{convert|0.5|nmi|km|1}} to the west of the peninsula. It was first charted in February 1957 by a party from {{USS|Glacier|AGB-4|6}}. The name was suggested by Lt. Robert C. Newcomb, USN, the navigator of ''Glacier'', after Seaman Joseph Gibney's idea to name it Mussolini Reef was rejected.<ref name=gnis-GR/>
==Antarctic Specially Protected Area== The 9.4 km<sup>2</sup> peninsula is protected under the Antarctic Treaty System as Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) No.136 because of the long-term and ongoing research programs and monitoring studies carried out on its plant communities and Adélie penguin breeding colonies. Other birds breeding at the site include south polar skuas, Wilson's storm petrels and snow petrels.<ref name=ats/> The site has also been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because of its large numbers of breeding seabirds.<ref name=bli> {{cite web |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/clark-peninsula-iba-antarctica |title= Clark Peninsula|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2015 |website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 30 October 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist| <ref name=ats>{{cite web |url= http://www.ats.aq/documents/recatt/Att425_e.pdf |title= Clark Peninsula, Budd Coast, Wilkes Land |access-date=2013-03-11 |work=Management Plan for Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 136: Measure 7, Annex |publisher=Antarctic Treaty Secretariat |year=2009}}</ref> <ref name=gnis-BP>{{cite gnis | type = antarid | id = 1499| name = Blakeney Point| access-date = 2020-02-06|links=off}}</ref> <ref name=gnis-CP>{{cite gnis | type = antarid | id = 2837| name = Clark Peninsula| access-date = 2020-02-01}}</ref> <ref name=gnis-DR>{{cite gnis | type = antarid | id = 3451| name = Dahl Reef| access-date = 2020-02-01|links=off}}</ref> <ref name=gnis-GR>{{cite gnis | type = antarid | id = 5654| name = Gibney Reef| access-date = 2020-02-06|links=off}}</ref> <ref name=gnis-LM>{{cite gnis | type = antarid | id = 8970| name = Løken Moraines| access-date = 2020-02-06|links=off}}</ref> <ref name=gnis-NB>{{cite gnis | type = antarid | id = 10647| name = Newcomb Bay| access-date = 2020-02-06|links=off}}</ref> <ref name=gnis-NC>{{cite gnis | type = antarid | id = 10788| name = Noonan Cove| access-date = 2020-02-01|links=off}}</ref> <ref name=gnis-PC>{{cite gnis | type = antarid | id = 12019| name = Powell Cove| access-date = 2020-02-01|links=off}}</ref> <ref name=gnis-SC>{{cite gnis | type = antarid | id = 14581| name = Stevenson Cove| access-date = 2020-02-06|links=off}}</ref> <ref name=gnis-SP>{{cite gnis | type = antarid | id = 14625| name = Stonehocker Point| access-date = 2020-02-01|links=off}}</ref> <ref name=gnis-WP>{{cite gnis | type = antarid | id = 16552| name = Whitney Point| access-date = 2020-02-01|links=off}}</ref> <ref name=Siple>{{cite journal|author=Paul A. Siple|year=1963|title=Carl R. Eklund (1909-1962)|url=http://arctic.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/view/3531|url-status=dead|journal=Arctic|volume=16|issue=2|pages=147|doi=10.14430/arctic3531|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410034139/http://arctic.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/arctic/index.php/arctic/article/view/3531|archive-date=April 10, 2016|access-date=May 15, 2016|doi-access=free}}</ref> }}
==External links== *{{USGS}} {{Coord|66|15|S|110|33|E|source:GNIS|display=title}}
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Category:Peninsulas of Wilkes Land Category:Antarctic Specially Protected Areas Category:Seabird colonies Category:Penguin colonies Category:Important Bird Areas of Antarctica