The main mineral resource known on the continent is coal. [141], Since the 1970s an important focus of study has been the ozone layer in the atmosphere above Antarctica. The introduction of alien plants or animals can bring a criminal penalty, as can the extraction of any indigenous species. It was once believed that the lake had been sealed off for 500,000 to one million years, but a recent survey suggests that, every so often, there are large flows of water from one lake to another. Realizing the importance of preserving the peace and sanctity of the pristine habitats of Antarctica for the welfare of the world, the countries active in the continent signed an Antarctic Treaty on December 1st, 1959. King penguins, chinstrap penguins, and gentoo penguins also breed in the Antarctic. [126], Other countries participating as members of the Antarctic Treaty have a territorial interest in Antarctica, but the provisions of the Treaty do not allow them to make their claims while it is in force. Around 23 Ma, the Drake Passage opened between Antarctica and South America, resulting in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that completely isolated the continent. These are floating extensions of outflowing glaciers from the continental ice mass. The flightless midge Belgica antarctica, up to 6 mm (1⁄4 in) in size, is the largest purely terrestrial animal in Antarctica. This hole covers almost the whole continent and was at its largest in September 2008, when the longest lasting hole on record remained until the end of December. Antarctica is considered to be a desert as it only gets a small amount of rain per year. East Antarctica is colder than its western counterpart because of its higher elevation. Antarctic fisheries in 2000–01 reported landing 112,934 tonnes. The Antarctic Treaty means that the continent can only be used for scientific, and not military or economic, reasons. It contains the geographic South Pole and is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. This desert is so-defined because it has an annual precipitation of less than 8 inches along the coast and less than 2 inches in the interior. Minimum temperatures in the interior of Antarctica range between -80° Celsius and -90° Celsius at times, while in the coastal areas maximum temperatures range between 5° Celsius and 15° Celsius are seen. [86] He was born in 1978 at Esperanza Base, on the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula;[87][88] his parents were sent there along with seven other families by the Argentine government to determine if the continent was suitable for family life. [78][79] Sunburn is often a health issue as the snow surface reflects almost all of the ultraviolet light falling on it. During that period, geographers had to make do with clumsy phrases such as "the Antarctic Continent". [118] In 1988, the Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resources (CRAMRA) was adopted. [169], In 2002 the Antarctic Peninsula's Larsen-B ice shelf collapsed. It can be located below the country of Australia in the Antarctic region of the southern hemisphere. [138], About thirty countries maintain about seventy research stations (40-year-round or permanent, and 30 summer-only) in Antarctica, with an approximate population of 4000 in summer and 1000 in winter. The Roman authors Hyginus and Apuleius (1–2 centuries CE) used for the South Pole the romanised Greek name polus antarcticus,[12][13] from which derived the Old French pole antartike (modern pôle antarctique) attested in 1270, and from there the Middle English pol antartik in a 1391 technical treatise by Geoffrey Chaucer (modern Antarctic Pole). The emperor penguin is the only penguin that breeds during the winter in Antarctica; it and the Adélie penguin breed farther south than any other penguin. Qantas resumed commercial overflights to Antarctica from Australia in the mid-1990s. [64] It was during this era that Gondwana began to break up. The treaty was signed by twelve countries including the Soviet Union (and later Russia), the United Kingdom, Argentina, Chile, Australia, and the United States. [176], In February 2020, the region recorded the highest temperature of 18.3 °C (64.9 °F), which was a degree higher than the previous record of 17.5 °C (63.5 °F) in March 2015. Jacobsen arrived on the island in 1904 and became the manager of Grytviken, serving from 1914 to 1921; two of his children were born on the island. [citation needed] Several Antarctic ice streams, which account for about 10% of the ice sheet, flow to one of the many Antarctic ice shelves: see ice-sheet dynamics. [50], Roald Amundsen and his crew looking at the Norwegian flag at the South Pole, 1911, The French Dumont d'Urville Station, an example of modern human settlement in Antarctica. Lake Vostok, discovered beneath Russia's Vostok Station in 1996, is the largest of these subglacial lakes. Third, the Earth is at aphelion in July (i.e., the Earth is farthest from the Sun in the Antarctic winter), and the Earth is at perihelion in January (i.e., the Earth is closest to the Sun in the Antarctic summer). All but a small portion of this region lies within the Eastern Hemisphere. [46], On 28 November 1979, Air New Zealand Flight 901, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30, crashed into Mount Erebus, killing all 257 people on board. Antarctic sea life includes penguins, blue whales, orcas, colossal squids and fur seals. He sailed along a huge wall of ice that was later named the Ross Ice Shelf. [137] The primary response by Antarctic Treaty Parties has been to develop, through their Committee for Environmental Protection and in partnership with IAATO, "site use guidelines" setting landing limits and closed or restricted zones on the more frequently visited sites. Because meteorites in space absorb and record cosmic radiation, the time elapsed since the meteorite hit the Earth can be determined from laboratory studies. There can be either hot deserts or cold deserts. [48] Ousland got aid from a kite on parts of the distance. The habitats near the Antarctic coast, meanwhile, are comparatively much more hospitable, and thrive with marine and semi-aquatic animals like large colonies of penguins. The flora of the continent largely consists of bryophytes. At 14,200,000 square kilometres (5,500,000 square miles), it is the fifth-largest continent and nearly twice the size of Australia. It generally forms under otherwise clear or nearly clear skies, so people sometimes also refer to it as clear-sky precipitation. Charles Wilkes, and a separate French expedition under Jules Dumont d'Urville. [151][152], Melting of floating ice shelves (ice that originated on the land) does not in itself contribute much to sea-level rise (since the ice displaces only its own mass of water). [47], In the southern hemisphere summer of 1996–97 the Norwegian explorer Børge Ousland became the first human to cross Antarctica alone from coast to coast. Approximately 98% of Antarctica is covered with ice that in on average is 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) thick. There is also evidence of volcanic activity, even after the ice sheet had formed, in Marie Byrd Land and Alexander Island. A major concern within this committee is the risk to Antarctica from unintentional introduction of non-native species from outside the region. Glaciation began at the end of the Devonian period (360 Ma), as Gondwana became centred on the South Pole and the climate cooled, though flora remained. The cooling of Antarctica occurred stepwise, as the continental spread changed the oceanic currents from longitudinal equator-to-pole temperature-equalising currents to latitudinal currents that preserved and accentuated latitude temperature differences. [173][174] According to NASA, the most widespread Antarctic surface melting of the past 30 years occurred in 2005, when an area of ice comparable in size to California briefly melted and refroze; this may have resulted from temperatures rising to as high as 5 °C (41 °F). By Oishimaya Sen Nag on April 25 2017 in Environment. Second, the Arctic Ocean covers the north polar zone: the ocean's relative warmth is transferred through the icepack and prevents temperatures in the Arctic regions from reaching the extremes typical of the land surface of Antarctica. The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 by the 12 countries who then had a presence in Antarctica. [125] Argentine–UK relations had previously been damaged throughout 2012 due to disputes over the sovereignty of the nearby Falkland Islands, and the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War. Geologically, West Antarctica closely resembles the Andes mountain range of South America. [1], Antarctica is colder than the Arctic for three reasons. Sea ice extent expands annually in the Antarctic winter and most of this ice melts in the summer. In the interior, wind speeds are typically moderate. The Antarctic desert is the world’s largest desert. The name Antarctica is the romanised version of the Greek compound word ἀνταρκτική (antarktiké), feminine of ἀνταρκτικός (antarktikós),[9] meaning "opposite to the Arctic", "opposite to the north". Other dormant volcanoes may potentially be active. At a number of points in its long history, it was farther north, experienced a tropical or temperate climate, was covered in forests,[61] and inhabited by various ancient life forms. Antarctica has a rich and adventure laden history. [84], The first child born in the southern polar region was Norwegian girl Solveig Gunbjørg Jacobsen, born in Grytviken on 8 October 1913, and her birth was registered by the resident British Magistrate of South Georgia. They proposed instead that a comprehensive regime to protect the Antarctic environment be negotiated in its place. [122] The only documented military land manoeuvre has been the small Operation NINETY by the Argentine military in 1965.[123]. Antarctica contains many other mountains, on both the main continent and the surrounding islands. In 1998, a compromise agreement was reached to place an indefinite ban on mining, to be reviewed in 2048, further limiting economic development and exploitation. The First Russian Antarctic Expedition led by Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev on the 985-ton sloop-of-war Vostok ("East") and the 530-ton support vessel Mirny ("Peaceful") reached a point within 32 km (20 mi) of Queen Maud's Land and recorded the sight of an ice shelf at 69°21′28″S 2°14′50″W / 69.35778°S 2.24722°W / -69.35778; -2.24722,[29] on 27 January 1820,[30] which became known as the Fimbul ice shelf. [68] The ice began to spread, replacing the forests that until then had covered the continent. However, many of us are seemingly unaware that the world’s largest desert is the cold desert of Antarctica, located concentrically around the South Pole. There, despite the land being covered permanently by ice and snow, there is very little precipitation (amounting to less than 50 millimeters a year in the interiors of the continent), qualifying it as a "cold desert". The settlements included Grytviken, Leith Harbour, King Edward Point, Stromness, Husvik, Prince Olav Harbour, Ocean Harbour and Godthul. The sheet has been of recent concern because of the small possibility of its collapse. Richard E. Byrd led several voyages to the Antarctic by plane in the 1930s and 1940s. This study also noted that West Antarctica has warmed by more than 0.1 °C (0.2 °F) per decade in the last 50 years, and this warming is strongest in winter and spring. The ozone hole is attributed to the emission of chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs into the atmosphere, which decompose the ozone into other gases. Synapsids, commonly known as "mammal-like reptiles", were common in Antarctica during the Early Triassic and included forms such as Lystrosaurus. An expedition led by Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen from the ship Fram became the first to reach the geographic South Pole on 14 December 1911, using a route from the Bay of Whales and up the Axel Heiberg Glacier. [18] In February 1775, during his second voyage, Captain Cook called the existence of such a polar continent "probable" and in another copy of his journal he wrote: "[I] firmly believe it and it's more than probable that we have seen a part of it".[19]. If the sheet were to break down, ocean levels would rise by several metres in a relatively geologically short period of time, perhaps a matter of centuries. Antarctica is noted as the last region on Earth in recorded history to be discovered, unseen until 1820 when the Russian expedition of Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev on Vostok and Mirny sighted the Fimbul ice shelf. The Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting is advised on environmental and conservation issues in Antarctica by the Committee for Environmental Protection. The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), a treaty that came into force in 1980, requires that regulations managing all Southern Ocean fisheries consider potential effects on the entire Antarctic ecosystem. It is composed of a metamorphic and igneous platform which is the basis of the continental shield. The research is part of the global Census of Marine Life and has disclosed some remarkable findings. Not all vessels associated with Antarctic tourism are members of IAATO, but IAATO members account for 95% of the tourist activity. Minor eruptions are frequent, and lava flow has been observed in recent years. [95] The snow petrel is one of only three birds that breed exclusively in Antarctica. The largest known area uninhabited by humans, the "white desert" of the Antarctic receives about one thousand to five thousand people each year. Positioned asymmetrically around the South Pole and largely south of the Antarctic Circle, Antarctica is the southernmost continent and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean; alternatively, it may be considered to be surrounded by the southern Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, or by the southern waters of the World Ocean. A study by Eric Steig published in 2009 noted for the first time that the continent-wide average surface temperature trend of Antarctica is slightly positive at >0.05 °C (0.09 °F) per decade from 1957 to 2006. These specimens, particularly ALH84001 discovered by ANSMET, are at the centre of the controversy about possible evidence of microbial life on Mars. In the dry valleys, the same effect occurs over a rock base, leading to a desiccated landscape.[53]. The continent has about 90% of the world's ice (and thus about 70% of the world's fresh water). Antarctica's … Towards the end of the Permian period, continued warming led to a dry, hot climate over much of Gondwana.[62]. Many astronomical observations are better made from the interior of Antarctica than from most surface locations because of the high elevation, which results in a thin atmosphere; low temperature, which minimises the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere; and absence of light pollution, thus allowing for a view of space clearer than anywhere else on Earth. By the start of the Devonian period (416 Ma), Gondwana was in more southern latitudes and the climate was cooler, though fossils of land plants are known from this time. [1] McMurdo Station, which is the largest research station in Antarctica, is capable of housing more than 1,000 scientists, visitors, and tourists. [170] Between 28 February and 8 March 2008, about 570 km2 (220 sq mi) of ice from the Wilkins Ice Shelf on the southwest part of the peninsula collapsed, putting the remaining 15,000 km2 (5,800 sq mi) of the ice shelf at risk. [1] Despite these new acts, unregulated and illegal fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish (marketed as Chilean Sea Bass in the U.S.), remains a serious problem. At 14,200,000 square kilometres (5,500,000 square miles), it is the fifth-largest continent and nearly twice the size of Australia. A lower air temperature of −94.7 °C (−138.5 °F) was recorded in 2010 by satellite—however, it may be influenced by ground temperatures and was not recorded at a height of 7 feet (2 m) above the surface as required for the official air temperature records. There are about 100 species of mosses and 25 species of liverworts, but only three species of flowering plants, all of which are found in the Antarctic Peninsula: Deschampsia antarctica (Antarctic hair grass), Colobanthus quitensis (Antarctic pearlwort) and the non-native Poa annua (annual bluegrass). [39] One month later, the doomed Scott Expedition reached the pole. Ongoing experiments are conducted by more than 4,000 scientists from many nations. Biologists, in addition to examining the wildlife, are interested in how harsh temperatures and the presence of people affect adaptation and survival strategies in a wide variety of organisms. Most of the fauna there is found in the coastal regions, and plant growth periods are limited to but a few weeks in the summertime. found instead that the net change in ice mass is slightly positive at approximately 82 gigatonnes per year (with significant regional variation) which would result in Antarctic activity reducing global sea-level rise by 0.23 mm per year. This ice is formed from the ocean water and floats in the same water and thus does not contribute to rise in sea level. [109][110], Several countries claim sovereignty in certain regions. [38] In addition, Shackleton and three other members of his expedition made several firsts in December 1908 – February 1909: they were the first humans to traverse the Ross Ice Shelf, the first to traverse the Transantarctic Mountains (via the Beardmore Glacier), and the first to set foot on the South Polar Plateau. [114] A coalition of international organisations[115] launched a public pressure campaign to prevent any minerals development in the region, led largely by Greenpeace International,[116] which operated its own scientific station—World Park Base—in the Ross Sea region from 1987 until 1991[117] and conducted annual expeditions to document environmental effects of humans on Antarctica. Geographic South Pole, doing so on December 14th, 1911 covers Antarctica covered... And included forms such as `` the Antarctic Treaty System became the first two have! To Land on the continent of Antarctica is located in and comprises 20 percent of the whaling often. Treaty parties began negotiations on a convention to regulate mining in Antarctica, seed ferns or pteridosperms became and... There can be considered to be considered a desert due to its location at the Frei Montalva Station becoming... 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