Antarctica Fact

The word "Antarctica" originates from the Greek antarctikos which means "on the opposite side of Arctica" (arktikos – Greek "land under the constellation Great Bear", bear - Greek arktos ) The Antarctic continent is the southernmost continent, located largely south of the polar circle, and overlying the South Pole. It is surrounded by the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean (Southern Ocean). The Ross Sea and the Weddell Sea deeply indent the continent. The area of Antarctica amounts 13.2 million square kilometres (14.1 including islands and ice-shelves) and the length of the coastline is about 24,000 km. The coasts are mostly represented by steep ice cliffs several meters high. It is the coldest, windiest, driest, and highest continent on Earth. The average elevation of the Antarctic continent is around 2500 m. Antarctica contains two major mountain belts – the Transantarctic Mountains and the mountains of the Antarctic Peninsula. Rising 4,897 m above sea level, the Vinson Massif is the highest mountain on the continent. It was discovered in 1935 by U.S. explorer Lincoln Ellsworth.

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Antarctica is a continent of climatic extremes. In the summer period (December, January, and February) fine, sunny days with comparatively high inflow of solar heat are common in Antarctica. However most of the incoming solar radiation (75-80%) is reflected by snow and ice. Thus the total amount of the received solar heat is 4-5 times less than at the same latitudes in northern hemisphere. The World's absolute minimal temperature of -89.2°C (?128.56 °F) was registered in Antarctica at the Russian Station Vostok on 21 July in 1983.

Three basic climatic regions can be distinguished: the interior of the continent, the coastal regions, and the Antarctic Peninsula. The interior of Antarctcia is characterized by continental polar climate with temperatures far below zero all the year and a small amount of precipitation. Most areas of the Antarctic interior can be classified as true desserts, since the annual precipitation is only about 50 mm. The climate is determined by a predominant anticyclone air mass regime. The annual average temperature is about -50°C. In the coastal areas precipitation is much higher (500 to 1,000 mm per year) and temperatures are milder and due to the tempering effect of the Southern Ocean. The annual mean temperature in these areas ranks between -10 to -15°C. Temperature can rise up to 10°C in the austral summer and can drop to -50°C during winter. The Antarctic Peninsula expands further north than the other regions. During the austral summer temperatures above zero are common and they can rise up to 15°C in sunny, calm days. Especially in the northern parts of the peninsula rain is as common as snow. In summer there is a relatively high amount of ice-free areas where lichens and mosses are growing and sea birds are nesting. In the area of the Antarctic Peninsula the most rapid change in temperature occurs. The air temperature in the region of the Antarctic Peninsula has risen by 2.5°C in the last 50 years. It is impossible to give a general conclusion about the effect of global warming on Antarctica. While the edges of Antarctica are warming, the centre of the continent is cooling at the same time. An overall decline of Antarctic sea ice has not been proved yet.

The highest cyclonic activity can be found along the Antarctic Peninsula and the coastal areas. Most cyclones travel eastwards, but often they penetrate far inland, bringing warm and humid air into the continental areas.

The high pressure system over the continent results mostly in lighter winds and clearer days, but some of the most vigorous storms are created by temperature invasion on the ice plateau. The cold air from the central plateau of the continent settles down to the warmer coastal areas. Katabatic winds are generated by the intensifying effect of channels in the landscape on inversion winds. These winds become stronger towards the coast and can speed up to 85 meter per second.

Our perception of temperature is highly dependent on the wind speed. The higher the wind speed the lower is the temperature of our skin (wind chill)

Almost the entire area of the Antarctic continent is covered with an enormous ice cap (13.0 million sq.km) of an average thickness about 1500 m. The maximal known thickness is about 4 700 m. The estimated volume of the ice cap is about 19 million cubic kilometres. The Antarctic ice cover accounts for 85.3% of square area and for 87% of volume of the total glaciation on Earth. It contains 75% of the World's fresh water. The ice sheet of Antarctica is so heavy, that without its ice cover the Antarctic continent would rise up about 500 m.

Glacial streams are flowing slowly from central to peripheral parts of the continent, descending towards the sea at a rate of about one to ten meters per year. Where they reach the sea, the ice calves off as ice bergs or adds to ice shelves. Ice shelves consist of floating ice, attached to the ice sheets of the continent. Typical for Antarctica are huge tabular icebergs broken away from ice shelves. The biggest iceberg ever recorded broke from the Ross Ice Shelf in 2000. With a size of 11,000 sq.km, it was even larger than Jamaica.

But there are also "Black spots" on the white map of Antarctica. It is generally believed that there are only "white spots" left on the map of Antarctica. However, the "white continent" also contains "black spots", the so called oases. These are ice-free segments of land, absolutely differing from other places by their natural conditions. Though their relative dimensions are not large (less than 1% of the Antarctic territory) the absolute size of such areas is quite significant. Liquid water allows lichens and mosses to exist in these areas and many of the Antarctic research stations are situated in Antarctic oasis zones. Special "black spots" are the Dry Valleys. These are ice-free areas in the interior of Antarctica with a very low humidity caused by katabatic winds evaporating all moisture.