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Which two continents are joined by ice in the winter?
Africa
How big is antarctica in winter?
The continent of Antarctica remains the same -- about 10% of the earth's surface. However, the ice sheet that covers 98% of the continent joins with the sea ice that freezes, and essentially doubles the size of the mass.
In the winter why does Antarctica's sea ice expand?
During the winter, the Southern Ocean freezes over around the coast of Antarctica, which it surrounds. Ninety-eight percent of the continent is covered with an ice sheet. In winter, these two merge, essentially doubling the size of the continent with this expansion. Vertically, the increase in the depth of ice on the ice sheet varies, depending on where you are on the continent. The depth increases through the addition of ice, not through its expansion.
How wide is Antarctica in winter?
Antarctica is a continent and does not expand during any season. However, the ice sheet that covers 98% of the continent, during winter, merges with the frozen sea ice of the Southern Ocean, and thus, essentially doubles the size of the ice sheet.
Why does Antarctica double the size each winter?
The waters of the Southern Ocean freeze around the Antarctic shores during the extreme cold and sunless winter. As opposed to the permanent ice, glaciers, and ice shelves, this sea ice extends for miles into the ocean, covering an ocean area about twice the size of the Antarctic continent (14 million km2). This ice melts again during the summer. The continent itself does not change in size, but the ice sheet that covers 98% of the continent merges with the frozen sea ice, essentially doubling the size of the ice sheet.
Why does Antarctica double in size each winter?
The continent itself is land, and land does not generally change in size -- except for volcanic lands. The sea ice that freezes around the continent freezes with and connects to the ice sheet that covers 98% of Antarctica during winter, and effectively the size of this ice mass, then, doubles the size of the ice sheet that covers the continent.
What is the summer and winter area of antarctica?
You may be thinking of the phenomenon where the sea ice of the Southern Ocean that surrounds the continent freezes in winter, and connects to the continental ice sheet. Essentially, then, the size of the ice cover doubles the land mass measurement of the continent. The continent measures 5.405 million sq miles or 14 million km² in summer, and in winter, that size is multiplied by two.
Why does the size of antarctica change throughout the year?
The size of the continent does not change. However, the sea ice of the Southern Ocean freezes during the winter months, and joins with the ice sheet that covers 98% of the continent. Essentially, this combined ice is about twice the size of the Antarctic continent.
What are the Antarctica summer pack ice limits?
The sea ice freezes in winter all around the Antarctic continent -- nearly doubling the size of the continent. During the summer months, all of this ice thaws, leaving the continent's beaches visible.
When water around Antarctica freezes in its winter by how much does it increase the size of the continent in comparison to its summer?
The continent of Antarctica doubles in size, in winter when the sea ice surrounding it freezes.
How much does Antarctica grow in the winter?
The sea ice around the continent -- 10% of the earth's surface -- freezes during the austral winter, thus practically doubling the size of the continent.
How much does the iceshelf in Antarctica expand?
The ice cap -- which includes the ice shelves -- doubles the size of the Antarctic continent in winter.
