Bigger than and all of , makes up a whopping 10 percent of the earth’s land.It is a mammoth and intimidating area with incredible gale force winds and lethal cold. The Southern Ocean surrounds the continent of .

These waters are home to the world’s most nourishing nutrient currents, supporting unmeasurable numbers of whales, fish, seals, penguins, dolphins, and flying birds. Micro forage, also known as krill, grown under the vast ice shelves of the region.Krill, also used for human purposes in Japan, is the primary diet for seals, whales, and penguins.antarctica travel

As Antarctica is the driest, most tempestuous and frigid region on the planet, the wildlife living there are acclimated to the harsh and brutal elements. Antarctica has the highest average elevation of all the continents, and it has an average precipitation of just 200mm a year on the coastline and much less further inland.Seals and penguins are among the animals living in Antarctica who have adapted to the cold, and some plant forms of tundra vegetation and algae have also adapted to the cold.

Antarctica is still the most pristine and undisturbed area in the world.Antarctica has a high pressure atmosphere which means the molecules which compose the atmosphere are highly concentrated, thus the Greenhouse Effect over Antarctica is more pronounced.The sun produces radiant energy which is absorbed by the earth’s surface, the earth has begun absorbing more heat at the poles and as a result both the Arctic and Antarctica are becoming warmer.

The surrounding atmosphere is comprised of almost eighty percent nitrogen.Methane and carbon dioxide also contribute to the make-up of the atmosphere, but in minute quantities.These substances, combined with water, serve to generate a tremendous amount of heat.This process is called the greenhouse effect.antarctic travel

Because of the so-called “slingshot effect” at the equator, the regions around the poles build up methane and carbon dioxide faster than more temperate regions of the earth.Because this tremendous heat generated by the Greenhouse effect is so much more extreme than that of other areas, Antartica is the subject of a great deal of scientific scrutiny.

The ice covering Antarctica is nearly three miles thick.This tremendous thickness is a build up of snow accumulated over many centuries.Drilling in order to research core samples of prehistoric air bubbles and atomic isotopes is revealing vast amounts of information on prehistoric eras.

The infamous hole in the ozone layer is caused by fluorocarbons released from refrigerants into the atmosphere interacting with ozone.Such gases destroy the protective layer of ozone surrounding Earth’s atmosphere, and causes temperatures to rise.The increase in temperature has resulted in the melting of many ice shelves.

These shelves, once separated, will gradually head in a northerly direction and melt away.The melting water adds more volume to the ocean’s level, slowing increasing it.As the icecap shrinks, so do the spawning grounds of the krill, which ultimately effects the food supply of the other Antarctic animals.

The seas will rise approximately 180 feet or more when the ice shelves from Antarctica all split off and thaw.This could send rising to the 20th floor of skyscrapers in New York City! Countries that are more low lying, like and the archipelagos of the South Pacific, would disappear entirely.

Those who have made the trip to Antartica testify that the continent is absolutely stunning to look at. The animals don’t always view people as a threat.Viewing the grandeur of the scenery in conjunction with the trusting innocence of Antarctica’s creatures, is an exhilarating experience.

We must remain optimistic that people in our era and future eras will care for and maintain Antarctica and its unspoiled beauty.Sadly, this continent has been dissolving slowly for decades.Fortunately, many nations have joined forces and are now working together so some small steps toward conservation, preservation and preserving sustainability have already been taken.

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