An Overview on Antarctica

Antarctica is the world’s southernmost continent. It contains the geographic South Pole, which is located almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean. Antarctica is the world’s fifth-largest continent, about twice the size of Australia, with a surface area of 14,200,000 square kilometres (5,500,000 sq mi). The majority of Antarctica is covered with ice, which has an average thickness of 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi).

Antarctica:

Antarctica has the highest average elevation and is the coldest, driest, and windiest of the continents. It is primarily a polar desert, with annual precipitation totalling more than 200 mm (8 in) along the shore and significantly less inland. Antarctica holds over 70% of the world’s freshwater reserves, which, if melted, would raise global sea levels by nearly 60 metres (200 ft). Antarctica has the record for the lowest observed temperature on Earth, at 89.2 degrees Celsius (128.6 degrees Fahrenheit). In the summer, the coastal regions can reach temperatures of exceeding 10 °C (50 °F). Mites, nematodes, penguins, seals, and tardigrades are among the native animal species. Its vegetation closely resembles that of a tundra.

Interesting Facts about Antartica:

1. Antarctica’s Dry Valleys are the driest areas on the planet. Because of the low humidity and moisture levels on this part of the continent, snow and ice cannot form, leaving the valleys as a dusty expanse of dirt.
2. Antarctica has the highest average wind speed on the planet. Wind rates of up to 200 miles per hour have been reported by scientists studying this southerly island.
3. The Antarctic Ice Sheet is the world’s largest single mass of ice, measuring up to four miles thick at times. The continent as a whole includes over 90% of the world’s freshwater ice and roughly 70% of the world’s total fresh water!
4. According to scientists, melting the West Antarctic Ice Sheet would raise global sea levels by around 16 feet.
5. Mount Erebus, the world’s southernmost active volcano, is found in Antarctica, as are the world’s only known “lava lakes,” which have kept molten magma for aeons despite the continent’s freezing temperatures.
6. There are 80 research stations spread over the continent, operated by 30 different countries. During the summer, the human inhabitants of these institutions number roughly 4,000, but just 1,000 during the long, hard winters.
7. The sun does not rise in Antarctica from the vernal equinox to the autumnal equinox due to the earth’s tilt, hence the continent is dark for the entire winter season.
8. In contrast, the sun does not set in Antarctica throughout the summer months, meaning it receives more sunshine than the equator during that period.
9. In March of 2000, a 270-kilometre-long and 40-kilometre-wide ice chunk broke off the Ross Ice Shelf, nearly the size of the state of Connecticut.
10. Deep Lake in Antarctica is so salty that it never freezes, even in temperatures as low as minus 15°C!

Glacier:

A glacier is a huge block of ice that is generated from falling and collected snow over a period of time. They form in places where the temperatures are extremely low, such as at sea level and, more commonly, at high altitudes such as mountain peaks. Glacier melting occurs as a result of heat changes, particularly at relatively high temperatures. This is a process in which ice transforms from solid to liquid or water.

Causes of Melting Ice Glaciers:

Fossil fuel combustion

Because greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, the burning of fossil fuels has resulted in a buildup of greenhouse gases in the environment, influencing the warming trend. As the climate warms, more glaciers melt, revealing the soil beneath.

Drilling for oil and gas

Methane, the major ingredient of natural gas, is also released during the oil and gas extraction process. Furthermore, the gas is more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide, trapping heat more effectively and hastening global warming.

Deforestation has a number of negative consequences, including rising sea levels. It accelerates global warming and sea level rise.

Ships that crack ice

Because open water has a lower ability to deflect sun rays than ice, the water absorbs more heat. As a result, the water warms up, causing more ice to melt.

Conclusion:

A large white land — Antarctica – located in the deep south of our world, beyond the southernmost points of Patagonia, South Africa, and New Zealand. It’s white due to the ice and snow that blankets the majority of this vast continent. In truth, ice covers practically all of Antarctica; only 2% of the land area is unfrozen, and that is usually covered in snow! This ice is the Antarctic Ice Sheet, the world’s largest quantity of ice.

Antarctica is a continent surrounded by sea ice and surrounded by an ocean. The Arctic, on the other hand, is fully water, ice-covered, and bordered by continents.