Antarctica, larger than Europe or, makes up one-tenth of earth’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.Antarctica, home of the South Pole, is completely encircled by the Southern Ocean.

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.The chief food of the seals, whales and penguins is krill, and it is also utilized by humans in Japan.antarctica travel information

Despite being covered in ice, Antarctica is driest and windiest continent on earth, and of course it is the coldest, too. The animals that live there have specially adapted 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. The creatures that can survive here include mostly seals and penguins, while plant-life consists of tundra and algae.

However, Antarctica has a very special and unique natural feature that makes it important to each and every one of us.The greenhouse effect is more prevalent at the poles, as the heavier molecules in the atmosphere are clustered there.This traps the sun’s rays within the atmosphere resulting in the surface temperature rising steadily.

Atmospheric make-up is comprised of about 79 percent nitrogen, with only 21 percent oxygen.small amounts of methane, and ever increasing amounts of carbon dioxide.These substances, combined with water, serve to generate a tremendous amount of heat.This is commonly acknowledged as the greenhouse effect.antarctic travel

The poles acquire carbon dioxide and methane at a faster pace than more temperate areas, due to the “slingshot effect” at the equator.Antarctica is a vital area to study the Greenhouse Effect because of its increase in temperature at 4 to 5 times the rate of increase in the temperate regions.

The height of the ice on the continent is over 15,000 feet. Snow accumulated over millions of years and compacted to form an ice cap.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 well-known ozone layer breach is said to be the result of harmful CFC’s … an atmospheric imbalance caused by these toxic pollutants.These chemicals actively damage the ozone.As the temperature rises in the Antarctic, immense shelves of ice “calve” into the sea creating new ice bergs.

These ice shelves fall off from the continent and drift northward, melting along the way.This melting increases the volume of water, thus increasing sea levels.It also eliminates the protected spawning grounds of the krill.

If all the continent’s ice shelves were to disappear into the ocean, it is calculated that sea levels would increase by more than 180 feet.That means the sky scrapers of New York City would be fully submerged in the ocean from the 20th floor down.Whole countries close enough to sea level may vanish, places like the archipelagos of the South Pacific and Bangladesh.

Many of those who have seen Antarctica would surely say it is a land of elegant and exhilarating physical splendor.The animals are not disturbed by the presence of people in the area.It is an inspiring sight to view the mixture of animal innocence and nature’s beauty.

To keep Antarctica protected and fully saved in its purest magnificence is a wish and a goal for generations – today and tomorrow alike.Sadly, we see that the continent’s deterioration has been put into motion many, many years ago.Many nations have joined together and made advancements toward increasing sustainability and preserving the natural environment.