An extreme trip to the mainland of Antarctica. Huge area of ice
Did you learn interesting facts about Antarctica in geography school? Surely yes. Then you must know that Antarctica is the largest desert on the planet. However, it still remains a blank spot on geographical maps. For the continent is surrounded by mysteries and secrets. For example, many scientists believe that the continent is actually the lost Atlantis. You will learn many more interesting facts about the continent of Antarctica while reading the article. Let's talk about everything in order.
Pioneers
Antarctica is the sixth continent of the Earth. Moreover, it opened much later than all the others.
It is believed that the first scientist in Antarctica was Carsten Borchgrevink from Norway. But there is evidence that Bellingshausen and Lazarev were the first to set foot on the harsh continent with their expedition. This was at the very beginning of January 1820. To be honest, the existence of the mainland was a real surprise to them. Because previously everyone was sure that this territory was an archipelago or a group of islands.
A century later, the famous Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was the first person to reach the South Pole.
And only a few decades later scientists began to seriously study the Antarctic, creating scientific bases.
Geography of the continent
The continental territory is the harshest area of the planet. More than 99% of the continent is covered with ice. Their thickness reaches 4.5 kilometers. Low air temperatures (up to -70 degrees) prevail in Antarctica. February is considered the most “summer” month. Although in prehistoric times the climate of the mainland was very warm. There were even palm trees growing here.
Now there are often snow storms and strong winds. However, Antarctica is not only the coldest place on the planet, but also the driest. The combination of dryness and cold is absolute there.
There are mountainous areas in the territory. Moreover, scientists even discovered two volcanoes. One of them - Erebus - is the southernmost volcano on the planet. Moreover, he is active.
Mineral resources were also found here. We are talking about coal, iron ore, mica, copper, lead, zinc and graphite.
Bloody Falls, Onyx and Clear Sea
The continent's ice sheet contains about 80% of the planet's fresh water reserves.
There are also reservoirs here. So, on the mainland there is the Weddell Sea. It is recognized as the cleanest in the whole world. The water is so clear that through its thickness you can see objects that are located at a depth of 80 m!
As for rivers, the Onyx River is considered the most famous. Its length is almost forty kilometers. True, it flows only for two months and in the summer.
There are also a large number of subglacial lakes in Antarctica. The most famous is Lake Vostok, 250 km long and 50 km wide.
Of course, there are many glaciers on the mainland. One of them gives rise to the so-called Bloody Waterfall. The water has a high iron content. This gives it a beautiful blood-red color. By the way, the water there never freezes.
Iceberg Country
What else is Antarctica known for? An interesting fact for children is that this is a country of icebergs. Here they reach truly record sizes. So, one of them broke away in 2000. Its length was almost 300 kilometers, and its width was 37. The weight of the “ice floe” was three billion tons. This iceberg was larger in area than Jamaica! Interestingly, part of this iceberg has not yet melted.
And just recently, a giant iceberg broke away and set off on a free journey. It is an order of magnitude smaller than the ice floe in 2000. But scientists believe that if it were melted, it could easily fill about 460 million artificial swimming pools. Or, say, fill the famous Lake Michigan in the United States. By the way, this body of water is one of the largest lakes in the world.
The continent is hospitable to fur seals, blue whales and killer whales. “Whitebloods” also live in the water. These are the so-called ice fish. Their blood is colorless because there is no hemoglobin or red blood cells in the body. But still, the most numerous species of inhabitants of this territory are crustaceans, or krill. Their quantity is measured in tons. This is the largest population in the world! By the way, Uruguayan doctors use krill powder to treat their patients. Thanks to this drug, people tend to quickly lose excess cholesterol.
By the way, researchers from Chile were able to prove that the imperial penguins of Antarctica, interesting facts about which we are considering, feed exclusively on these crustaceans. That is why they do not suffer from atherosclerosis!
By the way, these birds live only in Antarctica. They mainly hunt in water and can swim even tens of kilometers away. Emperor penguins are loners and form large colonies only during the breeding season. This is when the Antarctic winter sets in.
In general, Antarctica is more than sparse in land animals. There are no reptiles here, but there are ants. But polar bears do not live here at all, but in the Arctic. Although recently a number of scientists have already thought about populating this southern continent with them.
Antarctic population
For obvious reasons, there are no permanent residents here. But scientists live and work in this inhospitable territory. In summer their number is about 5 thousand people. In winter, this figure decreases several times. They say that specialists live more than amicably. In any case, there are already registered interethnic marriages.
And in 1978, seven Argentine families arrived on the mainland. They wanted to see how long they could survive in these difficult conditions. Jokes aside, Emilio Marcos Palma turned out to be the first representative of the stronger sex to be born on this uninhabitable continent.
True, Antarctica is not at all isolated from the outside world. There is Internet, television, telephone communication with a code, and an ATM. It also has its own currency. It's called the Antarctic dollar. There is also a bar. In fact, it is considered the most inaccessible drinking establishment on the entire planet. By the way, the diet of specialists also includes a foamy drink - beer.
There are several Christian churches in Antarctica. One of them is a Russian Orthodox church.
At one time, there was also a nuclear power plant here, which belonged to the United States of America.
By the way, before a person is going to go to the icy continent, he has to remove his wisdom teeth and appendix to minimize the risks of sudden inflammation. They don't do surgery there. But one day, in 1961, a Soviet scientist was forced to operate on himself due to acute appendicitis. Fortunately, the surgery was successful.
Politics of Antarctica
There is no president and no government on the mainland. Antarctica does not belong to anyone at all. Although a number of powers at one time claimed ownership over this territory. But these plans turned out to be in vain.
Several years ago, representatives of a number of countries signed the so-called “Antarctic Treaty”. The document proclaims this territory an international protected area or “natural reserve.” Since then, the continent has been considered a demilitarized zone. Scientists from any state can only conduct research here.
Secrets of the continent
Interesting facts about Antarctica don’t end there. She is surrounded by secrets. So, at one time, researchers discovered some buildings here. Their dimensions were similar to those of the Egyptian pyramids of Giza. In addition, there are legends about Adolf Hitler’s underground bases. It is known that during the war the Fuhrer began to explore this territory.
Anyone who studies meteorites knows that there is no better place in this regard than Antarctica. The fact is that fireballs that hit the continental ice cover are preserved much better than in any other place on the planet. Thus, in Antarctica, scientists discovered fragments of a meteorite from Mars. This was an unexpected discovery. After relevant research, scientists stated that the continent is similar to the red planet. In the sense that the territory of the continent is so similar to Mars that they began to use the icy continent as a model of Mars!
Antarctic tourism
Since 1980, the mainland has been accessible to tourists. Fortunately, there are many abandoned places that guests of the continent want to visit. For example, there is still a camp that was founded by the famous traveler R. Scott back in 1911. Such bases have already become a real tourist attraction.
In addition, wrecked ships are often found on the Antarctic coast. As a rule, these are Spanish galleons of the 16th-17th centuries.
Well, one more interesting fact about Antarctica: several years ago, musicians from the cult band Metallica arrived here as guests and tourists of the mainland. They even performed a concert for an audience of 120 people! The most interesting thing is that the group members were able to comply with accepted international agreements related to environmental regulations on the mainland. Namely, they did not use sound amplifiers. The latter was broadcast into fans' headphones...
Antarctica is an unusual continent. Big, cold, deserted. There are few places on earth where such harsh, hostile conditions for humans are found. But what’s most interesting is that people also live and work there.
Our article is about what kind of continent this is, its characteristics, location, organic world and much more.
Where is Antarctica
Sometimes there is confusion - mainland or continent? For Antarctica, let's be absolutely clear - it is both a continent and a continent. On the globe it can be found in the southern hemisphere. The South Pole is located almost in the middle of the continent.
Map of Antarctica (click to enlarge)
Due to its unique location, Antarctica is washed by the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
On the world map, the area of Antarctica is about 14 million km 2. During the cold period, the ice “coat” grows, adding a little to the area of the continent. In summer (Antarctic summer - from December to February), the temperature on the coast rises to almost zero, the ice cover is reduced, and the famous icebergs break off from it.
How did the discovery of Antarctica take place?
Due to the harsh conditions, the continent was the last to be discovered, much later than others explored by mankind in ancient times. Here are some dates.
The famous Cook was unable to reach the shores of the mainland in 1773. The expedition almost died in the ice; in the end, Cook declared the ice around Antarctica continuous and impassable.
In 1820, the mainland was discovered by a Russian naval reconnaissance expedition. The expedition was led by F. Bellishausen and M. Lazarev.
They sailed around the mainland on two ships and compiled the first maps of the coastline. Of course, the entire continent within these borders was a large white spot, one of the last places of life on the planet.
Discovery of the pole
The history of the exploration of Antarctica and the conquest of the South Pole is dramatic. The first of the people to explore the continent was the Englishman Ross in 1841. He discovered a huge glacier, which later received the name Ross, discovered active volcanoes - Erebus and Terror, and reached the 78th southern parallel.
In 1902, the Englishmen Scott, Shackleton and Wilson were able to overcome a third of the distance to the pole. At that time, no one knew the real conditions of Antarctica. Inappropriate equipment and conflicts within the group forced the scientists to retreat. The expedition covered a total of 1,500 km and spent 3 months in the ice.
In 1911, the Norwegian Amundsen and the Englishman Scott, already known to us, set out to storm the pole. The expeditions started almost simultaneously. It was a competition to be the first.
Amundsen walked on a dog sled; 9 people took part in the expedition. They reached the pole on December 14, 1911, in just under 2 months, and went down in history as discoverers.
Scott used ponies and mechanical sleds. There were 5 people with him, not all of them had experience in polar expeditions. When the ponies fell and the equipment failed, the expedition continued its march. Scott reached the Pole 23 days later than Amundsen. All people were brought to an extreme degree of fatigue. No one could go back.
Who owns Antarctica
Antarctica has been a neutral territory since 1961. Despite this, many countries regularly make claims on different parts of it. The reason for this was the discovery of rich fossil resources.
In the 80s of the last century, the continent was declared a nuclear-free zone, any nuclear installations and the entry of nuclear ships were prohibited.
Antarctica and Antarctica - what is the difference
Antarctica is a continent and mainland.
A Antarctica is the area around the mainland, ocean and islands.
The current of the Western winds is considered the border of Antarctica. This poetic name is given to the circular current that circles the planet between 40 and 50 southern parallels.
Antarctic waters are sometimes called the Southern Ocean, by analogy with the Arctic Ocean.
Climate and climatic zones of Antarctica
The continent's climate is determined by its unique position. The sun's rays pass tangentially and do not warm the soil. It can be very sunny here, but the sun doesn’t warm up here at all.
Map of average annual temperature in Antarctica (click to enlarge)
In the southern hemisphere, the opposite is true: the winter months are warm and the summer months are cold. The Antarctic summer lasts from December to February, the temperature in the interior of the continent rises to -30 0 C. On the coast the temperature is higher, from -15 to 0 degrees.
In winter (June to August), temperatures in the mainland drop to an average -50 and even -75.
Fierce winter storms (with wind speeds of up to 300 km/h) completely disrupt communications with stations for 8 months. Planes do not fly, most explorers go home until the next favorable season, and those who decide to stay must rely only on their own strength.
Above the Arctic Circle, the change of day and night occurs every six months. The winter months are all night, twilight at best. In summer – never-setting sun. The sun in the Arctic is such that without sunglasses a person becomes snow blind in a matter of minutes.
The two climatic zones of Antarctica are Antarctica proper and Subantarctic.
Antarctica is dry, very cold, and there is almost no life.
Subantarctic is the coast of a continent and an island. The conditions here are a little softer. In summer, the temperature even rises slightly above 0 0. Mosses and lichens are found on rocks and stones. However, cold strong winds blow here too and the conditions are extremely harsh.
Population of Antarctica - do people live there?
All residents of Antarctica are researchers at the stations. The climate is too harsh for people to live here permanently, and naturally, cities and countries do not exist in Antarctica.
In the summer season there are about 5 thousand people, no more than 1 thousand remain for the winter.
There is a strict selection of candidates. This is both health and psychological stability. By the way, to work at a station in Antarctica, you need to have your appendix and wisdom teeth removed.
Relief of the mainland - the highest and lowest points
It is known that the structure of the relief of Antarctica is the same as that of other continents. The most notable part of the relief is the Transantarctic Mountains. They divide the continent into two parts - eastern and western. The average height of the chain is 4500 m.
The highest point in Antarctica is Wilson Massif. Opened in 1957. At that time, the height of the mountain was 5140 m. Now, due to the melting of glaciers, its height has decreased to 4890 m.
The lowest point of the continent is the Bentley Deep. The depth of the depression is 2500 m, it is completely filled with ice. Opened in 1961
The study of the relief is complicated by the ice sheet. Interestingly, the mass of ice is so great that the Antarctic Plate has caved in, and now most of the continent's actual surface lies below ocean level.
Extreme points of Antarctica
If you stand exactly at the South Pole, then all directions will be north.
Based on this, on the globe Antarctica has only one extreme point - the northern one - Cape Sifre, located at 63 0 south. w.
Flora and fauna
Life in Antarctica is sparse. Several hundred species of algae (including single-celled ones) in the ocean.
Colobanthus Quito
Two species of higher plants - Colobanthus Quito and Meadowsweet Antarctica from the grass family. These plants have very little water, and metabolic processes are extremely slow, which helps them survive in frosts.
Note: There are no purely land animals in these places. The reason is simple - only the ocean can serve as a food source.
Representatives of the animal world:
Rivers and lakes
In summer, rivers and lakes form in the ice cover. Antarctic rivers are usually winding and short. The largest such river, Onyx, is 20 km long.
The lakes are covered with ice; only at the very peak of the short summer does the ice crust melt and the water opens. A total of 140 such lakes have been discovered. The largest is the lake. Figured, with an area of 14 km 2.
The only ice-free body of water on the continent is Lake. East.
Glaciers and icebergs
The South Pole Glacier is the largest glacier on earth. It completely hides the entire continent, including large mountain ranges. The maximum ice thickness reaches 4.8 km.
It's interesting that:
- The continental glacier has solid land underneath it and exists for thousands of years, hardly changing in size.
- An ice shelf is an extension of continental ice into the ocean. Its thickness decreases towards the edges and decreases from 1 km to 200 m. In winter, the ice shelf grows, in summer it melts, ice blocks and icebergs break off from it.
Majestic, dazzling white icebergs are an amazing natural phenomenon. The largest recorded iceberg (2000) was as large as the island of Jamaica.
Rare, dark blue icebergs form when a block of ice capsizes, exposing the underwater portion to air.
This occurs due to the melting of the iceberg in warm water.
Sights of Antarctica
Several interesting natural objects:
Queen Maud's Land Located in the Atlantic part of the mainland, on the coast.
Named after the Norwegian queen.
According to some reports, Nazi Germany built underground fortifications on the island. Nowadays there are Russian and German scientific stations operating here – Lazorevskaya and Neumayer.
Bloody Falls
A stream of water from a lake hidden in the ice.
Salts and iron oxides explain the strange color of the water and prevent the stream from freezing even at -10 0 C.
McMurdo Valley The driest place on earth.
Bare rocks, sand, constant strong wind.
It is believed that of all the places on earth, this place is most similar to Mars.
Modern research
Research stations on this inhospitable continent work on a variety of tasks, from studying the world's climate to testing equipment before sending it to Mars.
- The main directions of modern research: Ice.
- Properties, speed of movement of glaciers. Thanks to these studies, we better understand the times of the great glaciation. Geology, paleontology.
- The ancient history of the earth, the formation of the crust, the development of the animal world. Minerals.
Antarctica is rich in fossils. Diamonds, oil, metals - exploration is necessary to assess the possibilities of industrial resource extraction.
Minerals
Of particular interest are rare metals and elements: silver, copper, titanium, nickel, zirconium, chromium and cobalt. However, at the moment, industrial extraction of resources on this inhospitable continent will require too much money.
Scientific stations
According to the Antarctic Treaty, any country can establish a scientific station in Antarctica. In 1898, Norwegian explorer Carsten Borchgrevink founded the first Antarctic station. The wooden hut served as a transit point for expeditions deep into the mainland and is still well preserved.
Only after the Second World War did active construction of scientific stations begin. The first Russian station “Vostok” was built in 1957.
Three stations are located inland - Amundsen-Scott at the Pole itself, the Russian Vostok and Concordia, owned by France and Germany. All other stations operate on the coast.
Now there are 89 stations operating here: from Argentina, Chile, France, Germany, India and other countries. Antarctica is truly an international continent.
Conclusion
It is very cold, windy and dry here. The continent, discovered later than all the others, in the future may become a rich source of rare metals and clean fresh water.
The history of the discovery of Antarctica is dramatic. Currently, it is a free territory that does not belong to any state. There are many scientific stations in Antarctica.
Fauna and flora are sparse due to the extreme climate, but the ocean is rich in small invertebrates, plankton and algae.
This is a real end of the world, another world, more like Mars than our planet.
flickr.com/dominique-filippi
about country
Antarctica is an ice-covered continent located at the Earth's south pole, with an area of approximately 14.1 million km2. From Greek, "Antarctica" means "the place opposite the Arctic." The continent is almost 2 times larger than Australia and 1.4 times larger than Europe. Antarctica's ice shelves, with a total area of 0.93 million km2, represent 1/15 of the continent's entire territory and are the source of the largest icebergs on the planet. The continent includes the continent of Antarctica and the adjacent islands (South Shetland Islands, Alexander Island, Peter I Island, Anvers Island, Adelaide Island, etc.). The continent is divided into territories (“lands”) named after their discoverers and historical figures, for example: Kemp Land, Macrobertson Land, Princess Elizabeth Land, Coats Land, Ellsworth Land, Wilhelhem Land, etc. Only 3-4% of the area of Antarctica (40 thousand km2) is free from ice cover, these are sections of islands and coasts, “Dry Valleys”, ridges and peaks of the transantarctic mountains (they are also called “nunataks”). The thickness of the Antarctic ice dome is on average 2600 meters; the world's supply of fresh water is concentrated in this ice (about 80% of all fresh water on Earth). Thanks to the ice cover, the continent rises 2000 meters above world sea level. Antarctica was discovered by a Russian scientific expedition in January 1820, its scientific leaders were Mikhail Lazarev and Thaddeus Bellingshausen. Since then, for almost two centuries, scientists from different countries have been constantly studying Antarctica. More than 45 scientific stations from different countries of the world have been built here, including Russia, the USA, China, Japan, Germany and Chile. Among the Russian scientific facilities in Antarctica that are currently operating: Vostok, Novolazarevskaya, Mirny, Bellingshausen and Progress, two more stations are reserved. Antarctica is recognized as a free zone for scientific research. According to the settlement agreement of December 1, 1959, Antarctica cannot belong to any country. The placement of military strategic facilities, nuclear power units and other nuclear carriers is prohibited on the mainland. Every 50 years, this treaty is revised; in 2009, a meeting of countries decided to leave the convention unchanged. Interest in studying the icy continent is growing as the need for new sources of energy resources grows, which, according to experts, are abundant in Antarctica. According to polar scientists, rich sources of oil, gas, precious metals, coal and charcoal are concentrated in the bowels of the continent. The development of such deposits requires enormous funds; scientists from the USA and China are working most actively in this direction today.
Geography of Antarctica
The center of the continent coincides with the southern geographic pole of the earth. Antarctica is washed by the waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. The waters surrounding Antarctica are also called the Southern Ocean; its area is conventionally defined as 20 million km2. The continent includes the continent of Antarctica, the Antarctic Peninsula and nearby islands. The entire territory of the mainland is penetrated by subglacial rivers and lakes.
The area of Antarctica is 14.1 million km. sq.
Population
Population of Antarctica
Due to the cold climate, there is no permanent population in Antarctica. Scientific stations operate here in winter and summer; about 1,000 people are employed on the continent in winter, and about 4,000 people in summer. Tourists visit the continent every year; in 2010, their number was 36,000. It is noteworthy that in 1978, a human child was born for the first time on the mainland; this happened at the Esperanza station, where Argentinean Emilio Marcos Palma was born. In 2004 on the island. Waterloo illuminated the first Orthodox Church in Antarctica - the Church of the Holy Trinity. In 2007, the first wedding ceremony in Antarctica took place here, the priest blessed Eduardo Aliaga Ilabac (a scientist from Chile) and Angelina Zhuldybina (the daughter of a Russian researcher) for marriage.
Weather in Antarctica
Antarctica is characterized by harsh climatic conditions with low temperatures, strong winds (katabatic winds, the speed of which reaches 300 km/h), snow storms and fog. It never rains here, and the air humidity is almost zero. In the eastern part of the continent in 1983, the lowest temperature in the entire history of meteorological observations was recorded, minus 89.2 Celsius. Winter here lasts from June to August, with an average temperature from -60 to -70 degrees, in summer (December, January, February) - from -30 to -50 degrees. On the coast of Antarctica, the temperature is much higher than the average for the mainland; in winter the thermometer here shows from -8 to -35 degrees, and in summer - from 0 to -5 degrees. The tourist season to Antarctica opens in November-December and ends in March-April.
This occurs due to the melting of the iceberg in warm water.
Every year Antarctica receives tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world, and every year the tourist flow only increases. Such interest in the ice continent is explained by the desire to visit an extraordinary, mysterious and deserted place, admire the majestic icebergs of gigantic size, look at the wonderful animals of Antarctica, admire the polar lights, visit mysterious places and stations of polar scientists, and also enjoy the peace and tranquility of the eternal ice. It should be noted that Antarctica has transparent, clean air, which is unusual for the human eye; because of this, objects here seem closer than they really are. The sunlight here is very bright, so all agencies recommend that tourists take good sunglasses and special attachments (lenses) for cameras. Most tourists come to the continent on cruise ships. The organizers of such trips additionally offer their clients diving services (studying the underwater world of Antarctica, including observing unusual “ice” white-blooded fish); “kayaking” (exploring glaciers and icebergs from the sea on boats called kayaks); mountaineering (climbing Antarctic mountain peaks, including Vinson, Erebus, etc.); camping (services of a tent camp located on the coast); skiing and photo tours. Particular attention is paid to organizing New Year's tours to Antarctica, during which tourists will be able to celebrate the New Year within the walls of a polar research station. The cost of such cruises averages from 10,000 USD for 13-18 days of travel. Among the attractions of Antarctica, the South Shetland Islands and Deception Island are especially popular. Notable for its volcanic origin and geothermal activity, the island. Deception is part of a once existing volcano; "Dry Valleys" The conditions of this area are close to those on Mars, astronauts are trained here, and the desert itself has been protected by the UNESCO community since 2004; "Bloody Falls" Found in the Dry Valleys, East Antarctica; Ice active volcano Erebus. This is one of the highest volcanoes on Earth (3794 m), it is notable for its unusual origin, and the composition of the erupted lava differs significantly from the composition of the eruptions of other terrestrial volcanoes; South Pole. Tours to the South Pole of the Earth are in demand among tourists; the average annual temperature here is -49 degrees. Harsh weather conditions do not deter people who want to reach the southernmost point of the Earth. Tour costs from 43,000 USD; Vinson Massif. Vinson Peak is the highest peak in Antarctica, its height is 4892 m; Lake Vanda. One of the saltiest lakes on the planet, its depth is 69 meters. In winter, this lake is covered with a crust of ice, and in summer you can swim here. Particular attention is paid to flora and fauna in Antarctica. Its representatives live mainly in the coastal zone. Vegetation on the mainland is sparse, with some species of mosses and lichens and several flowering plant species found here. But here live unique birds (arctic skuas, skuas, petrels), seals (elephant seals, Ross seals, leopard seals, Weddell seals, etc.), emperor penguins, Adélie penguins, and whales.
Transport
Antarctica can be reached by water or air transport. Tourists travel to Antarctica by plane from Chile and South Africa. Australian airlines organize tourist air excursions to Antarctica, but do not make landing stops. Expedition and cruise ships to Antarctica depart from the shores of Argentina, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.
Health
To visit Antarctica as part of a cruise tour, a tourist will need to fill out a special medical questionnaire and submit it to the cruise ship doctor. Each passenger must have his own first aid kit, which will contain his personal medications, as well as medications for seasickness. A cruise ship doctor will be able to provide emergency medical assistance to a tourist.
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When you mention the coldest continent on the planet, typical images of glaciers, endless snowy deserts and penguins frolicking on the coasts flash in the minds of most people. In general, the picture is quite monotonous and even boring... In fact, Antarctica can surprise you with not only unique natural phenomena, but also with the number of different kinds of records on a planetary scale. In a word, get acquainted!
McMurdo Dry Valleys
It is a fairly common misconception that the driest place in the world is the Atacama Desert in Chile. In fact, this corner of the planet is noticeably inferior to the Dry Valleys in Antarctica: these places have not seen precipitation (neither rain nor even snow) for two million years. This is the largest (about 8000 km²) ice-free area of the sixth continent, located in the oases of Victoria Land.
The winds blowing here, reaching speeds of up to 320 km/h (the highest wind speed on Earth), cause moisture evaporation. Thanks to this, the valleys have been practically free of ice and snow for about 8 million years, which makes geological and other studies convenient. The dry valleys are so close to the natural conditions of Mars that NASA tested the Viking spacecraft there.
Blood Falls in Taylor's Valley
The source of water is a lake several kilometers away from the waterfall. It was formed when dry valleys were flooded by sea water, and after its retreat 4-1.5 million years ago, it was covered with a thick layer of ice (about 400 meters). The salinity of the water in the lake is four times higher than that in the ocean, so the water does not freeze even at –10 °C. By analyzing the chemical and isotopic composition of the water flowing from the lake, a team of scientists led by Jill Micucchi from Harvard University was able to prove that the red color of the waterfall is due to the activity of anaerobic bacteria, whose metabolism is based on the processing of iron and sulfur.
In the absence of sunlight necessary for photosynthesis, as well as nutrients coming from outside, these microorganisms have adapted to obtain the energy necessary for life by reducing sulfates dissolved in water to sulfites, followed by their oxidation by ferric ions entering the water from the bottom soil. The discovered ecosystem allows astrobiologists to speculate about the possibility of preserving life under similar conditions on other planets of the solar system. Including under the ice caps of Mars or in the oceans of Jupiter’s satellite Europa.
Volcano Erebus on Ross Island
The southernmost active volcano on Earth, almost 4,000 meters above sea level, is also one of the most active: since 1972, it has not slept even between eruptions. When the volcano begins to erupt, it throws out “bombs” that reach a diameter of six meters or more. The reason for this activity is the location of the volcano at the intersection of faults in the earth’s crust, from which powerful emissions of deep gases periodically occur, including hydrogen and methane, which, reaching the stratosphere, destroy ozone.
In the crater of Mount Erebus there is a unique lake of molten lava (there are only three such “reservoirs” in the world). And on the slopes of the mountain, here and there, ice “chimneys” are scattered: hot gases emerge from the bowels of the earth, melting the ice and forming caves. Warm, moist air comes out of them and, upon contact with frosty air, turns into ice structures that are constantly “growing” above the surface. Their height reaches twenty meters or more.
Lake Don Juan
Do you think the Dead Sea is the saltiest body of water on the planet? No matter how it is! The salt content (mostly calcium chloride) in the Antarctic Lake Don Juan reaches 40.2%, while the salinity of the Dead Sea is only 34.7%, and the average salinity of the World Ocean is only 3.38%. When the lake was discovered in 1961, the water temperature was −30°C, but due to the concentration of minerals dissolved in it, there was no ice on the lake. It was subsequently found that the reservoir does not freeze even at air temperatures down to −53°C, although its average depth is only 30 centimeters and its area is no more than a quarter of a kilometer.
A reservoir is an outlet for groundwater. Dry valleys in which such lakes are located are characterized by strong winds and extreme dry air. Under these conditions, evaporating meltwater from surrounding glaciers concentrates the mineral content of the rocks through which it drains over millions of years. In turn, a chemical reaction between the soil and salt water leads to the formation of nitrous oxide, or so-called “laughing gas.” It would be a fun excursion!
Wilkes Land Crater
In 2006, a team led by Ralph von Frese and Laramie Potts discovered a massive concentrate with a diameter of more than 300 km, around which there is a large ring structure. This combination is typical for impact craters, which was officially confirmed in 2008. Since this geological formation is hidden from view by the Antarctic ice sheet, scientists had to search for the truth “by touch”, relying on measurements of the Earth’s gravitational field by the GRACE satellites and radar data.
According to American scientists, the collision of the Earth with this meteorite caused the Permian-Triassic extinction event about 250 million years ago. The same one that gave the green light to dinosaurs and marked the beginning of the era of their prosperity on the planet. The size and location of the crater also suggests that its formation caused the breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana, creating a tectonic rift that displaced Australia north. “It’s funny, but the crater on the Yucatan Peninsula, the appearance of which 65 million years ago put an end to the history of giant reptiles, is about half the size of the Antarctic one,” the researchers note.
The article talks about places on the mainland that are favored by tourists from all over the world. Describes the living conditions of research station employees.
This occurs due to the melting of the iceberg in warm water.
Antarctica is the last vast wilderness on the planet that has not yet been fully and thoroughly inhabited by humans.
Due to Antarctica being the most isolated continent on the planet, travel to the polar south must be considered. Visiting these places is possible only in a long and inconvenient way: a flight on a passing ship or an expensive flight. Despite the harsh conditions and insurmountable roads, there is a lot to see in Antarctica. The circumstances of arrival and stay here are dictated by:
- ice;
- weather conditions.
In these places, no one is guided by wait times or calendar schedules.
Rice. 1. Tourists in Antarctica.
The polar stations and research bases are great attractions in their own right.
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Any of them is transformed by the people living there into an exhibition of the scientific achievements of the state to which it belongs.
Antarctic polar explorers have a clear tendency towards clubs - there are at least 300 of them. Clubs are characterized by individual characteristics and unique traditions.
At the Amundsen-Scott base in the South Pole region, in order to become a member of the club you need to visit the sauna at a temperature of +93 ° C, and then run around the marker, which serves as the approximate point of the pole. The temperature outside can sometimes drop to minus 73°C.
Rice. 2. Polar clubs.
Attractions of the mainland Antarctica
Lemaire Strait is the pride of Antarctica. This is a narrow channel between the Antarctic Peninsula and Booth Island. A favorite place for visiting tourist ships. At the northern end of the strait there is a colorful pair of rounded, snow-covered peaks - Unas Tits. This is a favorite place for tourist picnics.
Tourist companies present certificates at these peaks indicating that you have crossed the Antarctic Circle.
Zavidovsky Island in the South Sandwich Islands is one of the largest penguin colonies in the world. About two million king penguins regularly live here.
Rice. 3. King penguins on the island.
Bouvet Island is the most isolated and most mysterious island on Earth. Glaciers cover about 93% of the 54 square kilometers. km. territory of the island. This area is rarely visited, but it is shrouded in many secrets and mysteries. In September 1979, a powerful explosion was noted in the western part of the piece of land, which was classified as a thermonuclear bomb, but the source was never discovered. Not a single country in the world took responsibility for what happened.
What have we learned?
We found out where on the mainland the largest colony of king penguins in the world is located. We found out which place is recognized as the most mysterious and enigmatic. We got acquainted with the entertainment provided by polar scientists.
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