Antarctica is larger than or Europe and encompasses 10 percent of the world's land mass. With temperatures of -89 Celsius and sustained winds of over 190 miles per hour, Antactica, the landscape has a vast but forbidding beauty. The Southern Ocean envelopes Antarctica.
These Antarctic marine ecosystem supports some of the richest nutrient flows on the planet and is home to whales, seals and dolphins. Micro forage, also known as krill, breed under the thick ice in the area. Krill, also used for human purposes in Japan, is the primary diet for seals, whales, and penguins.
Because of the extreme weather conditions prevalent in Antartica, all animals must learn to adapt in order to survive. The continent features not only the greatest altitude anywhere, but also has a severely limited amount of rain both on the coast and inland. Plants and animals that have adapted to Antarctica's harsh life include seals, penguins, various forms of algae, and cold resistant tundra vegetation.
Antarctica is vital to our existence because of a very unique natural phenomenon. The greenhouse effect is more prominent at the poles where the particles making up the atmosphere are the most intense. The poles absorb more of the heat energy from the sun than the rest of the earth.
There is approximately 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen in the atmosphere. Additionally, in very small quantities, methane gases and carbon dioxide also exist. The back-radiation from earth is absorbed into the gases and water vapor, warming the air. This is often referred to as the "greenhouse" effect.
Because of a phenomena known as the "slingshot effect", carbon dioxide and methane accumulate more rapidly at the poles than they do in temperate regions. The overall temperature increase in Antarctica is 4 to 5 times greater than that of other areas which provides scientists with opportunities to study the greenhouse effect.
The height of the ice on the continent is over 15,000 feet. This ice has been formed over millions of years as snow is compacted into tight layers. Excavators have discovered a great deal of information on prehistoric eras by drilling and examining core samples and their atomic isotopes and prehistoric air bubbles.
The notorious gap in the ozone layer is a result of injecting many coolants into the surrounding atmospheric area with severe negative consequences. Overtime, this molecule has stripped away layers of the ozone. As a result of the elevated heating occurrence, massive chunks of ice layers have been ripped away.
The ice moves North and melts as it reaches warmer waters. The resulting additional water greatly brings up the altitude of sea level. Not to mention the krill loose their food source and habitat for reproduction.
If all of the ice in Antarctica melts, scientists estimate that the seas will rise at least 180 feet. This means that New York could resemble Venice, with waves touching the twentieth floor of some tall buildings. Nations of lower elevations like Archipelagos in the southern Pacific area and Bangladesh would simply be swallowed completely by the sea.
Antarctica is a breathtaking land of exquisite beauty that touches everyone who visits it. The animals are not disturbed by the presence of people in the area. This womderful beauty, when combined with the apparent tranquility of the numerous sea animals roaming around, is pleasing to see.
To keep Antarctica protected and fully saved in its purest magnificence is a wish and a goal for generations - today and tomorrow alike. Sadly, this continent has been dissolving slowly for decades. While measures to promote the preservation of this world have begun, with many nations helping, more are needed to protect this beauty.
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