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Antarctica
Antarctica is an uninhabited continent dedicated to science and governed by The Antarctic Treaty. As questions about the highest, driest, windiest, iciest, darkest continent on earth.
3,949 Questions
What are some important research stations in antarctica?
There are permanent, semi-permanent and temporary research stations on Antarctica. The number of permanent stations exceeds 40, on a continent that covers 10% of the surface of Earth.
From the permanent stations, seasonal/ semi-permanent and temporary research stations are established as needed.
Wikipedia lists less than 1,000 people who have died either in the Southern Ocean around the continent or on Antarctica since 1810 -- in 'disasters'. About 15 people are listed as having died on Antarctica in expeditions since 1899.
There have also been accidental deaths of temporary workers since the 1960s, but the numbers are not readily available.
Why would people want to own Antarctica?
Resources ( link ) and research opportunities.
Another Answer
Today, and since the 1960s, Antarctica is governed by The Antarctic Treaty, which in fact governs the earth south of 60 degrees South Latitude. Governments representing 80% of the earth's population are signatories to this treaty.
The Treaty does not recognize existing claims and prevents future claims. The only value Antarctica presents to any government is as a research facility to study the health of planet earth.
Extraction of any and all resources from Antarctica is expressly forbidden by the treaty.
You can read more about it, below.
What crops are grown in antarctica?
I think not, read on. Because Antarctica is a "polar" region, there is no precipitation, it has no lakes or rivers and is in fact the driest continent. Average temperatures in the Antarctic interior get down to -70 degrees Celsius during the winter months and -35 degrees Celsius in the warmer months. The coastal temperatures are much warmer with a range of -15 to -32 Celsius in Winter and -5 to +5 Celsius in Summer. The interior of Antarctica is considered the world's driest desert because the extreme cold freezes water vapour out of the air. Annual snowfall on the polar plateau is equivalent to less than 5 cm of rain. Antarctica has some of the strongest winds on earth, with some winds reaching 320 kph.
What are the two largest ice shelves in Antarctica?
You can pick any two you want.
From the Wikipedia entry: here is a list of the ice shelves, listed clockwise, starting in the West of East Antarctica. An ice sheet is included in the list:
"Filchner Ice Shelf
"Brunt Ice Shelf
"Riiser-Larsen Ice Shelf
"Quar Ice Shelf
"Ekstrom Ice Shelf
"Jelbart Ice Shelf
"Fimbul Ice Shelf
"Lazarev Ice Shelf
"King Baudouin Ice Shelf
"Hannan Ice Shelf
"Zubchatyy Ice Shelf
"Wyers Ice Shelf
"Edward VIII Ice Shelf
"Amery Ice Shelf
"Publications Ice Shelf
"West Ice Shelf
"Shackleton Ice Shelf
"Moscow University Ice Shelf
"Voyeykov Ice Shelf
"Cook Ice Shelf
"Slava Ice Shelf
"Gillett Ice Shelf
"Nansen Ice Sheet
"McMurdo Ice Shelf
"Ross Ice Shelf
"Swinburne Ice Shelf
"Sulzberger Ice Shelf
"Nickerson Ice Shelf
"Getz Ice Shelf
"Dotson Ice Shelf
"Crosson Ice Shelf
"Cosgrove Ice Shelf
"Abbot Ice Shelf
"Venable Ice Shelf
"Stange Ice Shelf
"Bach Ice Shelf
"George VI Ice Shelf
"Wilkins Ice Shelf
"Wordie Ice Shelf
"Jones Ice Shelf
"Müller Ice Shelf
"Prince Gustav Ice Shelf
"Larsen Ice Shelf (Larsen A and B)
"Ronne Ice Shelf"
Is it possible to live in Antarctica?
yes you can
In order to live in Antarctica, you must work for a government that sponsors, funds and conducts scientific research on the Antarctic continent.The government entity that represents Antarctic science for the United States is the National Science Foundation.
What fraction of the earth does Africa cover?
Africa covers 11,725,385 square miles (or 30,368,609 square kilometers) of land.
Africa accounts for 20.5 of the Earth's land surface and almost 6% of it's total surface.
How do people get to Antarctica?
God put them there.
It is possible that the continent of Antarctica was once part of a larger land mass, and animals could have easily moved between locations. The climate appears to have once been much warmer, and so the type of animal that lived there would have been much different and more diverse than today. == ==
When did Ernest Shackleton set out to go to Antarctica?
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE, FRGS led three expeditions to Antarctica.
His first journey was as the third officer with Captain Robert Falcon Scott's Discovery expedition in 1901. Discovery set sail from the Isle of Wight on 6 August 1901.
His second expedition attempted to 'conquer' the South Pole, and his team achieved 88 degrees S, only 97 miles from the South Pole. The Nimrod sailed on 11 August 1907, but Shackleton sailed at a later date.
Shackleton led the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, planned for 1914-1917. This was to be the first land crossing of the continent. Endurance left Plymouth on 8 August 1914, but Shackleton, remaining in England to finish expedition business, sailed on a faster ship on a later date and joined the expedition in Buenos Aires.
These details all from multiple entries in Wikipedia covering Shackleton and his three expeditions.
When is the best time to travel in Antarctica?
Tourists do not visit Antarctica during the winter, when the ice pack extends its frozen mantle for 1000km (621mi) around most of the continent, barricading all ship traffic. In any case, few people would pay thousands of dollars, pounds euros to experience the Antarctic winter's near round-the-clock darkness and extreme cold. At that temperature, boiling water thrown into the air freezes instantly -and nosily- into a cloud of snow. Antarctic tour season is short- about four months, with each offering its own highlights. REMEMBER: November is the start of Antarctic summer time. For additional Information go to: www.coolantarctica.com (probably best to type it in google and see what address best fits,
What is the main source of antarctica's water?
Antarctica is surrounded by the Southern Ocean, which when desalinated, can provide potable water. As well, the ice sheet covering 98% of the Antarctic continent contains 70% of the earth's supply of fresh water.
What type of work is conducted in Antarctica?
The only work currently being done in Antarctica is scientific research are finding out how fish live in freezing weather and penguins eat. some of the types are seeing of microorganisms that survive the weather or plants that survive
Does daylight last for six months in Antarctica?
Right at the South Pole- yes. Same thing applies to the North Pole. As you move away from the Pole, days and nights do get shorter/longer, but are still very different in length.
Another Answer
All of Earth south of 60 degrees South latitude experiences at least one 24-hour period where there is either no sun rise or no sun set. Antarctica covers 10% of the Earth's surface -- about as large as USA and Mexico combined. The duration of squential days or nights, with or without sun, depends on where you are on the continent.
How long does it take for sea water in antarctica to freeze?
Frostbite may take a few minutes to set in, but frost-nip is a threat whenever one is out of doors in Antarctica.
Specifically, the length of time it takes for frostbite -- stage one, two or three -- to occur depends on the individual, on the temperature below zero and wind to which the person is exposed.
According to the Modern Survival Blog, with constant wind and temperatures in the mid-50 to mid-70 degrees below zero F, frostbite can occur within about five minutes.
How do marine biologists get to Antarctica?
Yes. Marine biologists who are funded by their government to study marine life in the Southern Ocean, which surrounds the continent, live there temporarily. Their work increases our knowledge of the health of planet Earth.
Does anyone permanently live on Antarctica?
People who live and work temporarily on Antarctica do so for short periods, up to six months, or one year. Then, they are required to go 'off ice' for a period, if they plan to return to Antarctica. The 'off ice' period is generally six weeks.
What are the three main American research stations locations on Antarctica?
You can find:
Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station at 90 degrees S.
McMurdo Station at 77°50′43.4″S, 166°40′11.2″E.
Palmer Station at 64°46′27.1″S 64°03′11″W.
How do you get to antarctica from the UK?
You can fly commercially to New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Argentina or South Africa, then charter a private excursion -- all of which you'd pay for -- to take you to your Antarctic destination.
Otherwise from one of the countries listed above, you may be able to find a tour that will take you to the continent.
Is there precipitation in the dry valley region of Antarctica?
All of Antarctica is considered a desert -- the driest continent on earth, because there is no substantial precipitation or humidity.
The dry valleys are essentially ice-free, making their desert features more familiar than the arid nature of the ice sheet that covers 98% of the continent.
What is the biggest town in Antarctica?
Biggest town in Antarctica is Villa Las Estrellas, It has a summer population of 120 and 80 in the winter. It also has an hospital and school. It's located on King George Island, wich is part of antarctica. It is one of only two civilian settlements on Antarctica.
