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Antarctica: An Overview

Antarctica: An Overview. Samantha Hansen, University of Alabama PolarTREC Orientation Meeting February 2012. Antarctica Fun Facts. 5 th largest land mass; 1.5 times the size of the U.S. Coldest, windiest, driest, highest, quietest, most remote, and least understood continent on Earth

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Antarctica: An Overview

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  1. Antarctica: An Overview Samantha Hansen, University of Alabama PolarTREC Orientation Meeting February 2012

  2. Antarctica Fun Facts • 5th largest land mass; 1.5 times the size of the U.S. • Coldest, windiest, driest, highest, quietest, most remote, and least understood continent on Earth • World’s largest desert • Record cold: -129°F • 99.6% covered by ice, making direct observations very difficult

  3. Who owns Antarctica? Technically, no one,but territory claims have been made.

  4. Antarctic Treaty • Signed by 12 nations in 1959; 42 nations included now. Antarctica is to be used for peaceful purposes only; no military activities of any kind are permitted. Scientific program plans, personnel, observations, and results shall be freely exchanged. All land and ice shelves south of latitude 60°S are covered.

  5. U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) • Supports Antarctic Treaty by fostering cooperative research; about 3,000 Americans involved each year Research Goals: • To understand the region and its ecosystem • To understand its effects on and responses to global processes, such as climate • To use the region as a platform to study the upper atmosphere and space Disciplines: astronomy, atmospheric science, biology, earth science, environmental science, geology, glaciology, marine biology, oceanography, geophysics

  6. Why Antarctica? = ? • The research being done in Antarctica cannot be done anywhere else! • Arguably the most undisturbed region on the planet • Unique environment make it the ideal location for many studies • A few examples…

  7. Astrophysical Observatory South Pole telescope with Milky Way behind; Hrubes (2010) • Measuring radiation arriving to Earth from space; cold/dry air and clear skies are crucial • Infrared and millimeter wavelength telescope • Study how planets, stars, and galaxies are born Aurora australis over South Pole station; Cullis (2009)

  8. Pine Island Glacier (PIG) Landsat Image (2001) • What is driving ice loss and causing glacier to flow rapidly into the sea? • Impact on sea-level rise • Properties of bedrock beneath ice (impact on how they move) Bindschadler (2011)

  9. Seal and Penguin Science • Investigating the diet, behavior, breeding, etc. of Antarctic critters • Impacts on their ecosystem Pictures near McMurdo; Hansen (2009)

  10. Drilling into Lake Ellsworth • British, Russian, and American scientists trying to sample lake that has been isolated for at least 125,000 years • Buried beneath 2 miles of ice • Thought to be extreme habitat for microbial life; important record of ice sheet and climate history in lake sediments Images from the Subglacial Lake Ellsworth Consortium

  11. Antarctica’s Gamburtsev Province (AGAP) • Investigating the GamburtsevMtns. • How did they form? • Role in E. Antarctic ice sheet formation? • GAMSEIS and GAMBIT (seismic and aerogeophysics) Deretsky (2009) GAMSEIS field pictures; Hansen (2010)

  12. Collaboration with K-12 Educators • As a researcher, it is fun and exciting to share your work with the education community • Readily lends itself to K-12 education and outreach • inspire the next generation of polar scientists Australian Antarctic Division

  13. Antarctic Education and the “Bigger Picture” • Getting students interested in math, science, and technology requires showing them things that are new, different, and exciting. • Basically EVERYTHING in Antarctica can be described this way! • Get them thinking about what they might do in the future

  14. Thanks for your attention. Any comments/questions?

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