Siple

Siple is a name used for a surname and several geographic features in Antarctica, most notably named in honor of the American explorer Paul A. Siple.

Paul Anthony Siple (1908–1968) was an American Antarctic explorer and geographer who participated in several U.S. Antarctic Program expeditions. He contributed to the study of polar meteorology and geography and is commonly associated with early work in wind-related temperature perception. He is also credited as a co-developer of the wind chill concept, an early attempt to quantify how wind affects perceived cold.

Geographic features named after Siple include Siple Island, a broad island off the coast of Marie Byrd Land in Antarctica, located near the Getz Ice Shelf and associated with mid-20th-century exploration efforts. The Siple Coast refers to a portion of the Marie Byrd Land coastline named to recognize Siple’s contributions to Antarctic science. Siple Station was a United States research outpost on the Getz Ice Shelf named for Paul Siple; it served as a site for meteorological and glacio­logical research during the mid- to late 20th century.

The Siple name thus appears in both personal and geographic contexts, reflecting Paul Siple’s role in the history of Antarctic exploration and study.