An Aberdeen-born professor has landed a cool accolade – by having a giant antarctic glacier named after him in recognition of his work.
Measuring 4,931ft long and 1,640ft wide, Glasser Glacier is located on James Ross Island on the Northern Antarctic Peninsula and flows westward from a large ice dome.
Prof Glasser is originally from Bucksburn and attended local schools including the former Bankhead Academy, before studying at Edinburgh University.
It was while studying geography in the Scottish capital that he took an interest in glaciers.
Proud mum Lesley said the family is thrilled with the news.
Prof Glasser is a glaciologist at Aberystwyth University and works in the department of geography and earth sciences.
He is also the director of the university’s institute of geography, history, politics and psychology.
The naming of the glacier has been made by the Antarctic Place-Names Committee “in recognition of his significant research on Ulu Peninsula, James Ross Island and wider contributions to Antarctic and polar science.”
Prof Glasser said: “I am really honoured to have this glacier named after me.
“We spent seven weeks on fieldwork in this area of Antarctica in 2011.
“On all our maps and publications it is called ‘un-named glacier’ but it is great to know that from now on it will be known as Glasser Glacier.”
He added that it was important for studies into the melting of big glaciers and ice sheets like Greenland and Antartica to be carried out to understand future sea level rises, but stressed the smaller glaciers in the Alps and Himalayas are also vital.
So will his family be going along to see the glacier in all its glory?
“My wife and I have already taken the children to a number of glaciers in the Alps – in Switzerland and France – so they are used to hiking about on glaciers and listening to me talking about glaciers,” he said.
“Not sure they would care to share a tent with me for seven weeks in Antarctica though.”