ANTARCTICA AND THE ARCTIC ARCTIC VS ANTARCTICA ARCTIC

ANTARCTICA AND THE ARCTIC

ARCTIC VS. ANTARCTICA ARCTIC ANTARCTICA • NORTH POLE • SOUTH POLE • NORTH MOST POINT AWAY FROM EQUATOR • SOUTH MOST POINT AWAY FROM EQUATOR

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS ANTARCTICA?

ANOTHER VIEW…

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE ARCTIC?

ANOTHER VIEW…

DISCOVERING ANTARCTICA…A TIMELINE 1772 -1775 • THE FIRST WELL-DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF A SOUTHERN, FROZEN WORLD. • CAPTAIN JAMES HOOK SAILED INTO THE ANTARCTIC OCEAN AND NOTICED FRIGID WATERS AND ICEBERGS

EDWARD BRANSFIELD -ENGLISH EXPLORER -BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST TO SIGHT THE ANTARCTIC MAINLAND -CHARTED A PORTION OF IT -CLAIMED HE SAW “HIGH MOUNTAINS COVERED IN SNOW”

ROALD AMUNDSEN • NORWEGIAN POLAR EXPLORER WHO WAS THE FIRST TO REACH THE SOUTH POLE IN 1911 • ARTICLE

1911 -1914 -CAPTAIN JOHN DAVIS -AMERICAN GROUP OF EXPLORERS -NICKNAMED “GLOOMY DAVIS” -MADE MULTIPLE TRIPS -HARROWING TRIP -ESTABLISHED WINTERING BASES ON THE ANTARCTIC MAINLAND

DISCOVERING THE ARCTIC DR. FREDERICK COOK ROBERT E. PEARY • CLAIMED TO HAVE DISCOVERED THE NORTH POLE IN APRIL OF 1908 • CLAIMED TO HAVE DISCOVERED THE NORTH POLE IN SEPTEMBER OF 1909 • DOCTOR FROM NEW YORK • CIVIL ENGINEER, INVOLVED IN THE NAVY

CLIMATE OF ANTARCTICA • COLDEST CONTINENT ON EARTH • AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS -55º CELSIUS • POLAR DESERT – LOW LEVELS OF PRECIPITATION • 99% OF AREA COVERED IN ICE

FOR THE RECORD… • THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED ON EARTH WAS IN ANTARCTICA • -89. 2 DEGREES C. • -128. 6 DEGREES F.

LANDSCAPE • COVERS 14 MILLION SQUARE MILES • ½ THE SIZE OF THE UNITED STATES • VERY MOUNTAINOUS • LARGEST FEATURE – TRANSANTARCTIC MOUNTAIN CHAIN

TRANSANTARCTIC MOUNTAIN CHAIN • FORMED MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO • STRETCH FOR MORE THAN 2000 MILES • COVERED IN A LARGE ICE SHEET • CONNECTED BY LARGE GLACIERS • ESTIMATED WORLD’S LARGEST NATURAL COAL DEPOSIT • HOUSES FOSSILIZED REMAINS OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES

TRANSANTARCTIC MOUNTAIN CHAIN

ANIMALS OF THE SOUTH AND NORTH POLE SOUTH POLE NORTH POLE • SEALS • POLAR BEARS • WOLF • PENGUINS • MUSK OX • LEMMING • WHALES • CARIBOU • BEARS • PORPOISES • FOX • HARE

ANTARCTIC ANIMALS

ARCTIC ANIMALS

PLANTS FOUND IN THE ARCTIC • 1700 SPECIES OF PLANTS • POPPIES, COTTON GRASS, ARCTIC MOSS • FLOWERS, BUSHES, TREES, GRASS

TO BE CLEAR… • POLAR BEARS LIVE IN THE NORTH AND PENGUINS LIVE IN THE SOUTH!

CLIMATE OF THE ARCTIC • TUNDRA MARKED WITH TREES AND SHRUBBERY • STRONG SEASONAL CLIMATE • NOT AS WINDY • WARM IN THE SUMMER AND COLD IN THE WINTER

WHAT ARE WE STUDYING IN ANTARCTICA? • PRINCESS ELIZABETH STATION DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS (NOVEMBER –MARCH) • RESEARCHERS CAN STAY FOR WEEKS TO MONTHS AT A TIME • SHEET ICE THICKNESS, ICE MOVEMENT, HUNTING FOR METEORITES, CLIMATE CHANGE, FOSSILS…

ANTARCTICA CLOSE TO HOME WHAT HE DID • COLLECTED ICE FROM 2. 5 MILES DEEP IN ANTARCTICA TO STUDY • CREATED A 2 MILLION DOLLAR SUBZERO LAB AT MSU SO STUDENTS COULD STUDY SNOW • ALSO STUDIES AVALANCHES ED ADAMS