AntarcticaAntarctica

Ms. Patten 2014Ms. Patten 2014

What is Antarctica like?What is Antarctica like?

The prefix ant- means opposite or opposingThe prefix ant- means opposite or opposing Most southerly continentMost southerly continent Fifth largest continentFifth largest continent Driest, highest, coldest and windiest continentDriest, highest, coldest and windiest continent Antarctica holds 90 percent of all the world's Antarctica holds 90 percent of all the world's

ice and 70 percent of all the world's fresh ice and 70 percent of all the world's fresh water. water.

What is Antarctica like?What is Antarctica like?

Antarctica is a large land mass buried under a Antarctica is a large land mass buried under a vast ice cap (98%)vast ice cap (98%) very different from the Arctic which is a frozen very different from the Arctic which is a frozen

ocean surrounded by landocean surrounded by land the North Pole is located on shifting sea-ice the North Pole is located on shifting sea-ice

In the winter, the temperature at the South In the winter, the temperature at the South Pole averages about -60 degrees C (-76 Pole averages about -60 degrees C (-76 degrees F). degrees F).

The farther from the coast one goes the higher The farther from the coast one goes the higher and colder it becomes. and colder it becomes.

What is Antarctica like?What is Antarctica like?

The average thickness of the ice sheet is 7,200 The average thickness of the ice sheet is 7,200 feet feet

If the ice cap were to melt, the average sea If the ice cap were to melt, the average sea level would rise 230 feet, easily inundating level would rise 230 feet, easily inundating most coastal cities: New York, London, and most coastal cities: New York, London, and Hong Kong Hong Kong

The weight of the ice is so enormous that the The weight of the ice is so enormous that the continent buried beneath it would rise to an continent buried beneath it would rise to an average altitude of 3,280 feet if the ice sheet average altitude of 3,280 feet if the ice sheet were removed were removed

Animal life?Animal life?

Penguins, whales, seals, krill Penguins, whales, seals, krill (Norwegian word for whale (Norwegian word for whale food) and fish but no land food) and fish but no land mammals and no native mammals and no native peoplespeoples

Polar bears, Eskimos and Polar bears, Eskimos and Santa are found in the Arctic, Santa are found in the Arctic, not the Antarctic not the Antarctic

Do people live on Do people live on Antarctica?Antarctica?

There are no permanent residents of AntarcticaThere are no permanent residents of Antarctica Roughly 4,000 scientists and personnel during Roughly 4,000 scientists and personnel during

the summer season; 1000 in the winterthe summer season; 1000 in the winter The population at the South Pole peaks when The population at the South Pole peaks when

the summer sun is high, reaching 125. the summer sun is high, reaching 125. The number of people at the South Pole during The number of people at the South Pole during

the winter of 1993 was only 28.the winter of 1993 was only 28.

Who owns Antarctica?Who owns Antarctica?

No one country actually No one country actually owns Antarctica owns Antarctica although several states although several states have claimed territoryhave claimed territory

Antarctic Treaty signed Antarctic Treaty signed by 12 countries in 1959 by 12 countries in 1959 dictates the use of the dictates the use of the continentcontinent

AustraliaAustralia

The Australian Antarctic The Australian Antarctic Division maintains four Division maintains four permanent research stations; permanent research stations; Mawson, Davis and Casey on Mawson, Davis and Casey on the Antarctic mainland, and the Antarctic mainland, and Macquarie Island in the Macquarie Island in the subantarctic. subantarctic.

All four stations are occupied All four stations are occupied year-round by scientists and year-round by scientists and support staff. support staff.

SourcesSources

http://faculty.umf.maine.edu/~legler/http://faculty.umf.maine.edu/~legler/antarcticawebsite/coolf.htmantarcticawebsite/coolf.htm

http://geography.about.com/cs/http://geography.about.com/cs/politicalgeog/a/antarctica.htm?politicalgeog/a/antarctica.htm?terms=antarcticterms=antarctic

http://www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?http://www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=6238casid=6238

http://astro.uchicago.edu/cara/outreach/http://astro.uchicago.edu/cara/outreach/coldfacts.htmlcoldfacts.html