They are also home to a number of high mountains. The oceans surrounding Antarctica provide an important physical component of the Antarctic region.
The waters surrounding Antarctica are relatively deep, reaching 4, to 5, meters 13, to 16, feet in depth. Climate Antarctica has an extremely cold, dry climate. An even lower temperature was measured using satellite data taken in Precipitation in the Antarctic is hard to measure.
It always falls as snow. The Antarctic desert is one of the driest deserts in the world. The Antarctic region has an important role in global climate processes. Ice is more reflective than land or water surfaces. Interestingly, NASA scientist s have found that climate change has actually caused more ice to form in some parts of Antarctica. They say this is happening because of new climate patterns caused by climate change.
These patterns create a strong wind pattern called the " polar vortex. This effect is not seen throughout the Antarctic, however, and some parts are experiencing ice melt.
The cold waters surrounding Antarctica, known as the Antarctic Bottom Water , are so dense that they push against the ocean floor. The Antarctic Bottom Water causes warmer waters to rise, or upwell.
Antarctic upwelling is so strong that it helps move water around the entire planet. This movement is aided by strong winds that circumnavigate Antarctica. Flora and Fauna Lichen s, moss es, and terrestrial algae are among the few species of vegetation that grow in Antarctica.
More of this vegetation grows in the northern and coastal regions of Antarctica, while the interior has little if any vegetation. The ocean, however, teems with fish and other marine life. In fact, the waters surrounding Antarctica are among the most diverse on the planet. Upwelling allows phytoplankton and algae to flourish. Thousands of species, such as krill , feed on the plankton. Fish and a large variety of marine mammal s thrive in the cold Antarctic waters.
Blue, fin, humpback, right, minke, sei, and sperm whale s have healthy populations in Antarctica. One of the apex, or top, predators in Antarctica is the leopard seal. The leopard seal is one of the most aggressive of all marine predators.
This 3-meter 9-foot , kilogram pound animal has unusually long, sharp teeth, which it uses to tear into prey such as penguins and fish. The most familiar animal of Antarctica is probably the penguin.
They have adapt ed to the cold, coastal waters. Their feathers retain a layer of air, helping them keep warm in the freezing water. Cultural Geography A Culture of Science While the Antarctic does not have permanent residents, the region is a busy outpost for a variety of research scientists. These scientists work at government -supported research station s and come from dozens of different countries. The number of scientists conducting research varies throughout the year, from about 1, in winter to around 5, in summer.
Researchers from a variety of scientific backgrounds study the Antarctic not only as a unique environment , but also as an indicator of broader global processes. Marine biologist s study the behavior of whales, seals, and squid. In , a meteorite from Mars was found in Antarctica. The markings on this meteorite were similar to markings left by bacteria on Earth. If this meteorite, millions of years old, actually has the remains of Martian bacteria, it would be the only scientific evidence for life outside Earth.
McMurdo Station is a U. McMurdo is the largest station in Antarctica, capable of supporting 1, residents. Most of these residents are not scientists, but work to support station operations, construction , maintenance, and daily life.
McMurdo has more than 80 buildings and operates like a small city. Like all Antarctic research stations, McMurdo has a specific method of receiving necessary supplies. Once a year, cargo ships bring more than 5 million kilograms 11 million pounds of equipment and supplies, ranging from trucks and tractors to dry and frozen food s, to scientific instruments. Coast Guard icebreaker s. Additional supplies and personnel are flown in from Christchurch, New Zealand, when weather permits.
Base Esperanza also houses the first Catholic chapel and first school built on the continent. It is located in an ice-free area known as the Vestfold Hills.
Like most research stations in Antarctica, food is very important at Davis Station. Residents live and work closely together in facilities and outdoor environments that are often very monotonous. As such, food plays an important role in providing variety to residents like those at Davis Station.
Food supplies are, however, very limited. The food supply for a year at Davis Station is ration ed, per person per year. Residents live mostly on frozen and canned food. The chef is often thought of as one of the most important people at Davis Station. He or she must make sure to use all commodities in such a way that is both creative and sustainable. Hydroponics is the practice of growing plants with water and nutrient s only.
Hydroponics requires excellent gardener s because produce is grown without soil. Fresh produce adds variety and nutrition to Antarctic meals. The greenhouse also serves as a sunroom for sunlight-deprived residents, especially during the long winter months. By the early 20th century, explorers started to traverse the interior of Antarctica. The aim of these expeditions was often more competitive than scientific. In , Amundsen, of Norway, and Scott, of the United Kingdom , began expeditions with the aim of becoming the first man to reach the South Pole.
Each team used different methods, with drastic ally different levels of success. The team was healthy, and successfully made the journey out of Antarctica. They all died on their journey home. Hoping to one-up his predecessors, Shackleton, of the United Kingdom, attempted the first transcontinental crossing of Antarctica in Shackleton planned the trip by using two ships, the Aurora and the Endurance , at opposite ends of the continent.
Aurora would sail to the Ross Sea and deposit supplies. On the opposite side, Endurance would sail through the Weddell Sea to reach the continent. Once there, the team would march to the pole with dog teams, dispose of extra baggage, and use supplies left by Aurora to reach the other end of the continent. The plan failed. The Endurance became frozen in the pack ice of the Weddell Sea. The pack ice crushed and sunk the ship. Their food sources were leopard seals, fish, and, ultimately, their sled dogs.
Although some of the crew sustained injuries, they all survived. The journey of the Endurance expedition symbolizes the Heroic Age, a time of extreme sacrifice and bravery in the name of exploration and discovery. Apsley George Benet Cherry-Garrard, a polar explorer, summed up the Heroic Age in his book The Worst Journey in the World : "For a joint scientific and geographical piece of organisation, give me Scott; for a Winter Journey, Wilson; for a dash to the Pole and nothing else, Amundsen: and if I am in the devil of a hole and want to get out of it, give me Shackleton every time.
This change was initially fueled by the Cold War , a period of time defined by the division between the United States and the Soviet Union , and the threat of nuclear war. The International Geophysical Year IGY of aimed to end Cold War divisions among the scientific community by promoting global scientific exchange. The IGY prompted an intense period of scientific research in the Antarctic. Many countries conducted their first Antarctic explorations and constructed the first research stations on Antarctica.
Under the treaty, the size of these claims cannot be changed and new claims cannot be made. Most importantly, the treaty establishes that any treaty-state has free access to the whole region. As such, research stations supported by a variety of treaty-states have been constructed within each of these territorial claims.
Today, 47 states have signed the Antarctic Treaty. The Antarctic Treaty was an important geopolitical milestone because it was the first arms control agreement established during the Cold War.
Along with the IGY, the Antarctic Treaty symbolized global understanding and exchange during a period of intense division and secrecy. Many important documents have been added to the Antarctic Treaty. Collectively known as the Antarctic Treaty System, they cover such topics as pollution , conservation of animals and other marine life, and protection of natural resource s. Only 28 of the 47 treaty-states have decision-making powers during these meetings.
These include the 12 original signatories of the Antarctic Treaty, along with 16 other countries that have conducted substantial and consistent scientific research there. Future Issues Two important and related issues that concern the Antarctic region are climate change and tourism. The ATCM continues to address both issues. Antarctic tourism has grown substantially in the last decade, with roughly 40, visitors coming to the region in Officials worked closely with the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators IAATO to establish better practices that would reduce the carbon footprint and environmental impact of tour ships.
These include regulations and restrictions on: numbers of people ashore; planned activities; wildlife watching; pre- and post-visit activity reporting; passenger, crew, and staff briefings; and emergency medical-evacuation plans. Climate change disproportionately affects the Antarctic region, as evidenced by reductions in the size of the Antarctic Ice Sheet and the warming waters off the coast.
The ACTM recommended that treaty-states develop energy-efficient practices that reduce the carbon footprint of activities in Antarctica and cut fossil fuel use from research stations, vessels, ground transportation, and aircraft. The Antarctic has become a symbol of climate change. Scientists and policymakers are focusing on changes in this environmentally sensitive region to push for its protection and the sustainable use of its scientific resources. Although widely thought of as not being owned by anyone, Antarctica is actually claimed by seven different countries - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Norway , New Zealand and the United Kingdom -- and all of these countries maintain a base on Antarctica.
The United States, Russia and Brazil have all reserved the right to claim territory in Antarctica and, although they have not yet made a claim, they also each maintain a permanent presence. With many governments maintaining permanent manned research facilities here, there is a small but not very stable population between 1, and 5,, depending on the season.
This means Antarctica has a population density of just 0. The first real semi-permanent residents of the area around Antarctica were sealers from Britain and America who used to spent at least a year in the area from onward.
During the great whaling era until , the population of the area was 1, to 2, during the summer, and during the winter. The first child born in the region was a Norwegian girl born in Grytviken in , and she was the daughter of an assistant manager at a whaling station. Emilio Marcos Palma was the first person born south of the 60th parallel south, which is the continental limit. He was also the first person born on the mainland of Antarctica and his birth occurred in at Base Esperanza, as his parents were sent to the area by the Argentine government to see if the area could sustain family life.
Because of this, and the presence of scientists from other countries around the world, Antarctica has a very cosmopolitan population. Scientists from the USA make up the largest single group, but citizens of 19 other countries were also resident on the world's most southerly continent in
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