Why is Antarctica the coldest continent? The coldest continent on earth.

The coldest areas on Earth are the poles. It is cold at the poles of the earth because the sun's rays do not fall there vertically, but obliquely. And the more vertically it falls on the Earth, the more intensely a sunbeam heats. At the poles, the sun's rays seem to glide across the Earth, and therefore do not warm.

Where is it colder - at the north pole (in the Arctic) or at the south (Antarctica)? The first thing that comes to mind is that it is colder in the north. And this is wrong! The lowest temperature recorded on our planet was recorded at Vostok station near the South Geomagnetic Pole and amounted to -86.9°C. The average temperature of the southern continent is -49°C, which is the coldest climate on Earth. In the Arctic, the average winter temperature approaches only -34°C, and in the summer it is even warmer there.

And all because the Arctic is just a frozen cover of the ocean, and Antarctica is a huge continent. In terms of territory, Antarctica covers an area of ​​about 14 million km 2, which is almost twice the area of ​​Australia and one and a half times the area of ​​Europe! Therefore, the climate in the Southern Arctic Circle is more severe than in the Arctic. In addition, Antarctica is completely covered with ice, and the ice reflects 95% of solar radiation. Finally, the cold climate of Antarctica is due to an area of ​​high atmospheric pressure with downward air currents that do not form clouds. For the same reason, there is no precipitation in Antarctica.

Antarctica is so cold that the snow in some parts of the continent never melts. This continent contains almost 90% of the world's ice reserves, containing approximately ¾ of our planet's fresh water.

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Antarctica is the only continent that does not belong to anyone, but is a continent of international cooperation. The real masters of the continent are scientists from different parts of the world. Antarctica has no indigenous history and is under the jurisdiction of the Antarctic Treaty, which requires respect for the land and resources and their use only for peaceful and scientific purposes.

Not a single continent on our planet has attracted researchers as much as Antarctica. No one has been able to keep their many secrets so skillfully to this day. This is a unique continent, it is completely different from the others. Of course, its main difference from others is the extremely harsh climatic conditions that turned Antarctica into the coldest continent. This was also facilitated by the fact that the continent is the highest on Earth, its surface rises 4000 meters above the ocean. And also the fact that it is almost completely located beyond the Antarctic Circle. In Antarctica there is the South Pole of our planet, and also the Pole of Cold.

History of the study

People assumed the existence of a large landmass beyond the Antarctic Circle back in ancient times. On some maps of the Middle Ages, not only the full outlines of the continent are visible, but also details are indicated that are strikingly similar to the actual ones. Many attempts were made to find the coldest continent, but the Russian sailors Lazarev and Bellingshausen were the first to do so. This happened in 1820. The first people to visit the South Pole were Norwegians led by Roald Amundsen in 1911. But the mainland really began to be studied only in the second half of the 20th century. Then it became known that Antarctica is the coldest continent.

Modern research

The territory of the continent does not belong to any state; there is no permanent resident population. But the continent is of interest to many countries around the world, and they have built scientific stations to explore it. Russia is no exception. Since 1959, a special International Treaty has essentially turned Antarctica into a huge natural scientific laboratory in which scientists from different countries work together.

Researchers were able to establish that the basis of the sixth continent is the Antarctic platform. It is covered on top with a huge glacial dome, the thickness of which in some places reaches 4 km. And below it, as in other parts of the world, lie mountains and plains, not much different from the rest. There are also active volcanoes here, the highest of which is Erebus. There are many minerals in the depths of Antarctica, but they are still poorly studied.

Why is Antarctica the coldest continent?

The climate here is unusually harsh. -89.2 °C – such a low temperature was once recorded here. This coldest place on our planet, called the Pole of Cold, is located near the Vostok polar station. The surface of the continent, covered with snow and ice, reflects almost all incoming solar energy. There is always an area of ​​high atmospheric pressure above the continent.
pressure, air moves from its center to the periphery. This causes strong winds and very low temperatures. The entire landmass here is occupied by an icy desert.

Cruises to Antarctica

Today it has become possible for everyone to make an unforgettable journey into the kingdom of eternal cold. There are many travel companies that organize such trips. Tours usually last from 10 to 40 days, their cost, depending on the chosen type of transport, reaches 60 thousand dollars.

Despite the harshness of local conditions, there are many unusual and interesting places for tourists on the mainland. An example is the Victoria, Master and Taylor dry valleys - these are truly the driest places on Earth; no precipitation has fallen here for the last two million years. There is no snow or ice there. The island of South Georgia will amaze you with its extraordinary views, just like the rest of Antarctica. A photo taken in this corner of the planet will for a long time remind you of the coldest, but so beautiful in its severity, continent.

>> Antarctica is the coldest continent

§ 6. Antarctica is the coldest continent

Geographical position. Size and outline. Antarctica the coldest and highest continent on Earth (if we take the surface of a glacier reaching a thickness of 4 km as its surface). Its territory (with the exception of the Antarctic Peninsula) is located within the Antarctic Circle. The area of ​​the continent, including ice shelves, is 14 million km2. The continent is washed by the waters of the Southern Ocean, forming shallow seas protruding into the land: Wedell, Bellingshausen, Amundsen, Ross seas. The coast of the continent consists of high glacial cliffs. Antarctica is the largest “supplier” of icebergs to the World Ocean. 80% of the planet's fresh water is concentrated here.

The South Pole and the Earth's cold pole are located on the continent.

From the history of research. Antarctica was discovered by Russian travelers Fadey Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev on January 28, 1820. The Norwegian Roald Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole on December 24, 1911. Systematic exploration of the continent began in the 1950s. Antarctica does not belong to any country in the world; there is no permanent population on its territory, but many countries have their own research stations here. Our country is no exception here. Aerometeorological stations "Molodezhnaya" and "Vostok" are studying the harshest - eastern - part of the continent. In 1959, on the initiative of the USSR, the International Treaty on Antarctica was signed, prohibiting the testing of any types of weapons there and creating the basis for successful cooperation between scientists from different countries.

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Antarctica is considered the coldest continent on our planet. Antarctica is also called the part of the world that includes the mainland itself and the adjacent islands. In this article we will consider Antarctica as a continent. This continent was discovered by a Russian expedition in January 1820. The continent is located in the very south of the planet. Translated from Greek, Antarctica means “opposite the Arctic” or “opposite the north.” Approximately the center of the continent is located at the location of the Earth's south pole. The continent is washed by the southern part of the waters of three oceans: the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean; since 2000, this area of ​​water has become known as the Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean is characterized by strong winds and storms.

The area of ​​this continent is approximately 14.107 million km2. In terms of its average height (2040 m), Antarctica ranks first among the continents. The only thing that should be taken into account is that this height is achieved thanks to glaciers, while the land of this continent is located much lower than this figure. Therefore, the first place in terms of land height is given to the Eurasian continent. And in the central part, the ice cover can reach more than 4,000 meters in height. If we compare the amount of ice on Antarctica with the ice reserves on the entire planet, then Antarctica contains 90% of all the planet's ice reserves. Also, 80% of the total fresh water on the planet is stored in these Ice. If all the continent's glaciers melt, this will lead to an increase in water levels in all oceans by 60 meters, and Antarctica itself will become an archipelago (a collection of islands).

Relief of Antarctica

The structure of the continent of Antarctica resembles a dome. Along the coast, the height of the mainland reaches about 2000 m above sea level, and in the central part it can reach more than 4000 m above sea level. Therefore, it turns out to be a kind of dome.

Most of the continent is covered with permanent glacial cover and only 0.3% of its territory rises above the ice, which is approximately 40,000 m2. These areas include islands, coastal areas and mountain peaks. On the territory of the continent there are the Transantarctic Mountains, which almost completely cross the entire continent and, thus, divide it into two different parts, which are called the eastern and western parts.

In the east of Antarctica there is a plateau that is covered with glaciers and the level of glaciers here reaches the highest heights - more than 4000 meters above sea level. The western part of the mainland consists mostly of mountainous islands. In Antarctica, the highest point above sea level is the Vinson Massif (4892 m), and the lowest point below sea level is the Bentley Deep (2555 m below sea level), which is covered with ice.

Vinson Massif

Thanks to the research, scientists were able to find out that Antarctica is 1/3 submerged under water, where mountain ranges and massifs can be distinguished.

While studying the subglacial cover of the continent, scientists were able to discover a huge crater with a diameter of 482 km. It is believed that the asteroid that left this crater was 48 km in diameter and that it fell to Earth about 250 million years ago, that is, it became the culprit of the permafrost and the cause of the death of most of the flora and fauna of that period. Today it is the largest crater on planet Earth.

Climate of Antarctica

The continent of Antarctica is characterized by a harsh cold climate. It was here that the lowest temperature in history was recorded - 89.2 degrees below zero in 1983. Weather conditions in the center of the continent and on its outskirts are very different. If in the center of the continent of Antarctica there can be no wind and the Sun shines brightly in the blue sky, then the coast of the continent can be covered with storms. The wind here can rise to 90 m/s, sweeping away everything in its path. Waves can reach 20 meters in height.

The weather on the continent also changes as the seasons change. The winter months here are June, July and August. During these months, temperatures can drop from -60 to -75 degrees Celsius below zero in the central part and from -8 to -35 degrees Celsius below zero on the mainland coast. The summer months here are December, January and February. During these months, the continent becomes slightly warmer, with temperatures rising from -30 to -50 degrees below zero in the central part and from -5 to 0 degrees Celsius on the coast. Based on the temperatures, it almost never rains here - it only snows.

Another characteristic feature of weather conditions in Antarctica are strong and continuous winds, which can reach up to 90 meters per second. This is due to the dome-shaped structure of the continent. From April to November, winds blow in Antarctica almost all day long without stopping. From November to March, winds can blow at night, and during the day, due to the warming of the upper layer, the winds can subside.

Flora and fauna of Antarctica

Given the peculiarly harsh cold climate of the continent, the diversity of animals and plants leaves much to be desired.

Plants in Antarctica include ferns, algae (in oases), mushrooms, lichens, and flowering plants. Among the animals on the coast of the continent you can find seals and penguins. More animals can be found in the coastal area. Underground animals include arachnids and insects. Seals, fur seals, birds, and penguins also live. There are no completely land animals on the territory of Antarctica. The main decoration of the coasts of Antarctica are penguins.

There are no formed states in Antarctica, and it belongs to no one. But 16 countries have built their bases here and are studying this continent.

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Antarctica is called a deserted place. Due to natural conditions and climatic features, the mainland is not suitable for permanent human habitation. Only occasionally do scientists from all over the world visit Antarctica and live there for a short time for research purposes. While on the mainland, researchers are obliged to take good care of the earth's resources, not to harm resources, and to use the continent's gifts for good. Why is Antarctica the coldest continent on earth? Is there really no warming there? What is permafrost related to?

As you know from a school geography course, planet Earth has two of the coldest places: the Arctic and Antarctica. The first refers to the North Pole, the latter to the South Pole. Logically, it should be colder in the Arctic. But in reality the situation is different. Let's look into this issue.

The sun's rays warm the earth, falling perpendicularly. Solar radiation reaches the poles, but in small quantities. The fact is that the sun's rays do not hit the surface at right angles, but pass through them casually. As a result, the earth does not warm up. That is why the Arctic and Antarctica are continents with harsh climatic conditions. But why is it colder at the South Pole than at the North Pole? After all, the South is always warmer.

The average winter temperature in the Arctic is – 34*C; in the summer the temperature reaches higher numbers. In Antarctica, the average air temperature in winter ranges from -49*C. Despite the fact that in the summer the South Pole receives 7% more heat than the North Pole, the climate in Antarctica is harsher than in the Arctic. The lowest air temperature was almost -87*C and was recorded near the South Geomagnetic Pole at Vostok station.

Features of the continents

What are the Arctic and Antarctica? Let's consider each of them separately. Antarctica is a continent with an area twice as large as Australia. Its territory reaches 14 million square kilometers and is covered with ice. The icy mirror surface reflects 95% of sunlight and only 5% is absorbed by the surface.

The Arctic is an icy ocean. The climate of the Arctic is softened due to the transfer of heat from the Arctic and Atlantic oceans to the Arctic ice. This happens due to the message. The North Pole - the Arctic - receives heat from large rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean, which cannot be said about Antarctica.

Well, the most important reason for the cold climate of the South Pole is that Antarctica is the highest continent of the six existing continents. The ice thickness in Antarctica is 1800 meters. The snow cover of the mainland practically does not melt. Fresh water reserves in Antarctica account for ¾ of the entire globe. About 90% of the ice reserves are located here. You can imagine what will happen if the glaciers start to melt. There is no low atmospheric pressure in Antarctica. This fact leads to the fact that