Continent
antarctica is located in the southern hemisphere and surrounds the south pole.
in antarctica there are animals such as:
a seal, a penguin, killer whales, albatross, blue whales, elephant seals and lots of other animals live in antarctica.
antarctica is so much more different then australia because antarctica is much more bigger than australia and it is closer to the south pole.
australia is closer to the equator and has tropical climate, rain forests and lots of native animals. antarctica has a freezing cold climate and not that many people live there but are home to some native animals.
in antarctica there are animals such as:
a seal, a penguin, killer whales, albatross, blue whales, elephant seals and lots of other animals live in antarctica.
antarctica is so much more different then australia because antarctica is much more bigger than australia and it is closer to the south pole.
australia is closer to the equator and has tropical climate, rain forests and lots of native animals. antarctica has a freezing cold climate and not that many people live there but are home to some native animals.
exploration
Roald Amundson,
In December 1911, the first trip to the South Pole was held. It was held by a Norwegian scientist, Roald Amundsen, who lived from 1872 to 1928. He was the first person to make it back all the way to his home. Other scientists could not make it back, and would die on their way either back to their ship or on their way back to their homes.
Robert Falcon Scott
Robert Falcon Scott, and Roald Amundsen were racing to the south pole. Their teams started at different points and got there at different times. The first one to get there was Amundsen, and five weeks later, Scott got there. Scott's team died on there way back to their ship because they were wearing wool instead of heavy down parkas. Amundsen's team wore heavy down parkas and made it back to their homes. It was a very long and difficult journey, and it took them almost two years to do it. They were traveling by foot, on sled, and in their ships for over 2000 miles!
Richard Byrd
He lived from 1868 to 1957. He was the first person to accomplish a flight over Antarctica as an American explorer. After he accomplished that goal, he worked as a United States naval officer. There is a part of Antarctica named after his wife, Marie Byrd, though the place is called "Marie Byrd Land."
Ernest Shakleton
He was born on February 17, 1874, and died on January 25, 1922, on South Georgia Island. When he went to Antarctica for the first time in 1901-1902 with Robert Falcon Scott (see above), almost no one had gone there before. He made another trip to Antarctica in 1907-1909.
In December 1911, the first trip to the South Pole was held. It was held by a Norwegian scientist, Roald Amundsen, who lived from 1872 to 1928. He was the first person to make it back all the way to his home. Other scientists could not make it back, and would die on their way either back to their ship or on their way back to their homes.
Robert Falcon Scott
Robert Falcon Scott, and Roald Amundsen were racing to the south pole. Their teams started at different points and got there at different times. The first one to get there was Amundsen, and five weeks later, Scott got there. Scott's team died on there way back to their ship because they were wearing wool instead of heavy down parkas. Amundsen's team wore heavy down parkas and made it back to their homes. It was a very long and difficult journey, and it took them almost two years to do it. They were traveling by foot, on sled, and in their ships for over 2000 miles!
Richard Byrd
He lived from 1868 to 1957. He was the first person to accomplish a flight over Antarctica as an American explorer. After he accomplished that goal, he worked as a United States naval officer. There is a part of Antarctica named after his wife, Marie Byrd, though the place is called "Marie Byrd Land."
Ernest Shakleton
He was born on February 17, 1874, and died on January 25, 1922, on South Georgia Island. When he went to Antarctica for the first time in 1901-1902 with Robert Falcon Scott (see above), almost no one had gone there before. He made another trip to Antarctica in 1907-1909.
Environment
East Antarctica is roughly the size of the U.S. and is composed of continental crust covered by an ice sheet that averages 1.6 miles thick. Rock exposures are limited to isolated coastal regions and to alpine elevations in the 2,000-mile long Transantarctic Mountains. West Antarctica, the smaller portion, is a mosaic of small blocks of continental crust covered by the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and an Andean-like mountain chain forming the Antarctic Peninsula. Most of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is grounded below sea level, in places over 1.5 miles below sea level.
food web
climate
Antarctica and its surrounding ocean are dominated and shaped by the presence of snow and ice which, while themselves controlled by the climatic regime and very sensitive to climate change, also influence and provide major feedbacks to the global climate system.
Many globally significant processes are driven by the unique climate and geography of the Antarctic region. These include the uptake of carbon dioxide by the Southern Ocean; the overturning circulation of the deep ocean; the balance between water storage and discharge in the main continental ice-sheet; changes in surface energy, mass and momentum exchange by ice masses; and energy transfer between all levels of the atmosphere to space. Understanding these processes is vital for understanding and predicting climate and environmental changes and their impacts. These impacts include future greenhouse gas levels, sea-level rise, the variability and rate of change of climate, and changes in atmospheric composition. The latter includes the stratospheric 'ozone hole', which affects life in Southern Hemisphere nations.
the threats to Antarctica
Human impact is the greatest threat to Antarctica. In the last 100 years, a number of Antarctic species have been brought close to extinction because of human impact, in the form of pollution from sewage and other contaminants, and general interference. Scientific research can also pose a threat if it is not undertaken with strict controls. Fortunately, protection measures are underway, to limit too much further interference, although increasing tourism may cause problems.
Many globally significant processes are driven by the unique climate and geography of the Antarctic region. These include the uptake of carbon dioxide by the Southern Ocean; the overturning circulation of the deep ocean; the balance between water storage and discharge in the main continental ice-sheet; changes in surface energy, mass and momentum exchange by ice masses; and energy transfer between all levels of the atmosphere to space. Understanding these processes is vital for understanding and predicting climate and environmental changes and their impacts. These impacts include future greenhouse gas levels, sea-level rise, the variability and rate of change of climate, and changes in atmospheric composition. The latter includes the stratospheric 'ozone hole', which affects life in Southern Hemisphere nations.
the threats to Antarctica
Human impact is the greatest threat to Antarctica. In the last 100 years, a number of Antarctic species have been brought close to extinction because of human impact, in the form of pollution from sewage and other contaminants, and general interference. Scientific research can also pose a threat if it is not undertaken with strict controls. Fortunately, protection measures are underway, to limit too much further interference, although increasing tourism may cause problems.
bibliography
1. http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/environment/climate-change
2. http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215022/explorers.htm
3. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1997/antpanel/3enviro.htm
4. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_threats_does_Antarctica_face
2. http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215022/explorers.htm
3. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1997/antpanel/3enviro.htm
4. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_threats_does_Antarctica_face