Also known as the South Pole and the North Pole, Antarctica and the Arctic are the earth's polar regions. Antarctica is covered in ice, and surrounded by the Southern Ocean.
If you are unfamiliar with that term, that is because prior to 2000, the Southern Ocean was a traditional mariner's term, considered by most to be the location where the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans met. In 2000, the Southern Ocean was made official by the International Hydrographic Organization. The Southern Ocean includes the Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, Drake Passage, Ross Sea, Weddell Sea, and a portion of the Scotia Sea.
About ninety-eight percent of Antarctica is covered by ice, which formed about twenty-five million years ago. The ice shrinks during the summer, and Antarctica gets smaller.
Antarctica is the only continent that is virtually uninhabited, except for as many as fifty thousand people staffing research facilities. In 1959, a treaty was signed, setting the Antarctic region aside for research purposes, with no country claiming it as its own. The treaty also bans nuclear testing. One of the research facilities in the Antarctic is the McMurdo Station, which resembles a small city.
The continent is not without animal life, however. About eight-five different types of crustaceans are in the Southern Ocean, collectively known as krill. The South Pole is also home to penguins, seals, and whales. The Arctic is not actually a continent but includes the Arctic Ocean and parts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Lapland, Norway, and Russia. Like the South Pole, the Arctic is covered by ice. Despite a lack of trees and a frozen ground, the North Pole is home to birds, fish, marine animals, land animals, and people who have adapted to living under its extreme conditions, although Santa Claus has not actually been sighted.
The Arctic is sometimes known as the Land of the Midnight Sun because it is night there for half the year, and day for the remainder of the year, depending on whether the North Pole is facing away or towards the sun. In the winter, the temperatures in the Arctic may reach as low as 22 degrees Fahrenheit, while in the summer they are seldom higher than the freezing point of 32 degrees, much colder than the Antarctic. The number of months in which the average daily temperatures never rise above freezing increases the farther north you go. The cause of the Arctic cold, even during the months when the sun is up, is due to the sun's failure to rise high in the sky. Rather, its rays strike the ground obliquely, spreading solar energy thinly, but over a larger patch of ground.
Although the Arctic has four seasons, as in temperate latitudes, the Arctic winters are long, the summers short, and the seasons in between are less dramatic. When the Arctic sky is fully dark, which it never is in high summer, the chances are very good for viewing a spectacular display of the aurora borealis, otherwise known as the northern lights.
Nevertheless, the North Pole is home to such animals as the musk ox, polar bears, grizzly bears, sheep, caribou, moose, wolves, arctic foxes, wolverines and weasels, arctic hares, ground squirrels, beaver, walruses, and several species of birds.
Like the Antarctic, the Arctic is not a place where most people would like to live, but scientists have undertaken expeditions to the Arctic for centuries, and in more recent years the region has seen cruise ships, scientific vessels, ice camps, and permanent research facilities.
Unlike the Antarctic, the Arctic has long been populated by humans, including several indigenous people who make up more than half of its current population, chief among them being the Indians, Inuit, and the Métis. Although both are cold areas with a lot of ice, there is a difference between the Arctic and the Antarctic, particularly in their environment, animal life, plant life, and human activity.
The Antarctic is a continent surrounded by the planet's stormiest seas, while the Arctic is a frozen ocean with masses of land within the circle. Much of the reason why there is more human activity in the Arctic is that it was discovered long before the Antarctic. Also, Antarctica is covered by ice throughout the year, while the Arctic supports trees and flowering plants during its summer season. Web sites whose topics are focused on either the Arctic or the Antarctic are appropriate for this category.
Recommended Resources
Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station
The United States scientific research station is located at the South Pole, specifically on the high plateau of Antarctica. Administered by the Division of Polar Programs within the National Science Council, the station is used to study the geophysics of the polar regions of the earth. Featured are photographs, webcams, statistical data, South Pole news, a historical timeline, and a memorial page.
http://www.southpolestation.com/
Darryn Schneider offers a personal perspective on a range of topics relating to Antarctica, including the weather, history, penguins, jobs, tourism, and photography. South Pole diaries from 2000, 2004, 2006 and 2007 are presented, along with projects and information for use in schools, reviews of movies and books on the subject, contacts, and a portfolio of photographs taken by the author.
http://antarctica.kulgun.net/
The online news site offers local news from Antarctica, weather and climate information, and live webcams from Amundsen-Scott Station, facts and trends relating to Antarctica, activities on the continent by China and the United States, as well as news from these countries. arts, film, music, short stories, poetry, and photography. Contributors are recognized, and poll results, opinions, and letters to the editor are published.
http://www.antarcticajournal.com/
The Polar Regions are still largely uninhabited and with mass tourism, as there is in many other parts of the world. The site offers tour packages to the Arctic and Antarctica, which are highlighted here along with special offers, a comparison of the polar regions, information about the ships on which the tours are offered, and trip reports, including a gallery of photographs and ship logs.
http://www.arcticantarcticcollection.com/
Courtesy of the University of Connecticut, the website offers scientific and cultural articles on the Arctic Circle, including a discussion of resource utilization and current struggles over land claims in the Arctic Circle region. Teachers will find a virtual classroom section that includes a syllabus, as well as case studies to help them teach about the Arctic. Other topics include the Arctic’s natural resources, history, culture, and environmental justice issues.
http://arcticcircle.uconn.edu/
Provided by the National Institutes of Health and the US Department of Health and Human Services, the site provides information about the well-being and health of people residing in the Arctic, including a discussion of traditional healing methodologies, with videos showing some of these practices. Other resources are from local, state, national, and international agencies, as well as from professional societies and universities. Its database is accessible from the site.
https://arctichealth.nlm.nih.gov/
Arctic IO is a weather simulation that renders forecast and analysis data provided by the NOAA/NWS/EMC’s Global Forecast System, offering information on wind speed, temperatures, and sea ice concentrations in the Arctic region, which may be presented in an animated or single-frame GIF or in several graphs, as well as a 4D model that delivers hourly guidance. Weather news stories are also featured.
http://www.arctic.io/
Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperative
The purpose of the Arctic LCC is to identify and offer information relating to the conservation of natural and cultural resources in the Arctic region, with a focus on climate change. The organization accomplishes its mission through coordinated actions with management agencies, conservation organizations, and other stakeholders. Its policies, projects, reports, and structure are set forth.
http://arcticlcc.org/
Maintained by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the site provides general information on the Arctic, the NOAA’s Arctic Program, its vision, strategies, and action plan, as well as its focus areas, and Arctic report card, and details about its oceans, weather, research facilities, and fisheries. A private area of the site is reserved for OAR employees.
http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/
Arctic Sea Ice News & Analysis
The National Snow & Ice Data Center presents scientific analysis on Arctic sea ice conditions, with updates during the first week of every month or more often, as conditions warrant. Its data includes temperatures, glaciers, ice sheets, permafrost, sea ice, soil moisture, snow, and other statistics, as well as research reports and ongoing projects, sponsored programs, and contacts.
http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/
The Australian Government’s Department of the Environment and Energy maintains the division, based in Hobart, Tasmania, which is responsible for the advancement of the nation’s strategic, scientific, environmental and economic interests in the Antarctic by protecting, administering and researching the region. Its strategy and action plan, organizational chart, reports and budget information are provided.
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/
Also known as the South Pole, Antarctica is earth’s southernmost continent. The site lists countries within the Antarctic, which may be sorted alphabetically, by population, or by square kilometers. The location and a map of each is presented, along with its population, capital, currency, and other details, such as harbors and ports, geographical data, weather information, and other demographics.
http://countriesantarctica.com/
Deception Island is an active volcano in the South Shetland Islands, off the Antarctic Peninsula, with barren volcanic slopes, steaming beaches, and glaciers layered with volcanic ash. It is one of the only places on earth where a boat can sail directly into the center of an active volcano. Its climate, flora, fauna, and volcanic activity are detailed, with information about current activities, news, and a management package.
http://www.deceptionisland.aq/
Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica
LIMA is a program of the United States Geological Survey, the British Antarctic Survey, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, with funding from the National Science Foundation. Mosaics and Landsat scenes may be downloaded from the site, along with customized areas, posters, maps, and other data. Other resources include an interactive atlas, access to its digital library, and GIS resources.
https://lima.usgs.gov/
The Foundation was established for the purpose of conserving the historical buildings known as Mawson’s Huts at Cape Denison on Commonwealth Bay, which was the base for the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-1914, led by Sir Douglas Mawson, Australia’s greatest polar explorer. A gallery of photographs is set forth, along with several educational videos, a blog, and a calendar of events.
http://www.mawsons-huts.org.au/
Created and maintained by Bill Spindler, and HRSG engineer at Fluor Corporation and former project engineer with Raytheon Polar Services Company, with experience at the US Antarctic Program, the site offers period and contemporary photos of the station, as well as a master plan for its future development and renovations, including updates, panel reports, and a webcam. Contact data is included.
http://www.mcmurdostation.com/
Located on Anvers Island in Antarctica, the Palmer Station is the only United States station located north of the Antarctic Circle and is operated by the US Antarctic Program, part of the National Science Foundation. A profile of the station is set forth along with photographs of the original station, construction of the original and current station, a historical timeline, and a history of the research vessel, Hero.
http://www.palmerstation.com/
The PLC began in the early 1970s with the intention of assembling a library of resources specific to the polar regions of the earth, but not located in a northern region, as a place where librarians whose libraries were oriented to the northern regions to get together to exchange ideas and information. Its history, constitution, and leadership are specified, along with its membership policies, a membership form, calendar of events, and downloadable publications.
https://polarlibraries.org/
Scott Polar Research Institute
Part of the Department of Geography at the University of Cambridge, the Scott Polar Research Institute was established in 1920 and serves as a center of study into the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Its research and study programs are highlighted, many of its findings are reported on the site, and its collections are available online. Exhibitions, museum events, and research seminars are highlighted.
http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/
Norway’s polar explorers and scientists are highlighted here, including Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole, but with a focus on those who are less well known, such as Carsten Borchgrevink, who was the leader of the first expedition party to winter over in Antarctica, at a site known as Cape Adare. His expedition is highlighted here, including Borchgrevink’s huts, which were prefabricated in Norway and were the first structures on the Antarctic mainland.
http://www.norwaysforgottenexplorer.org/
The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust was established in 1993, incorporating the Antarctic Heritage Trust - New Zealand, which has been in existence since 1987. Its mission is to conserve historic buildings and artifacts in Antarctica, to preserve British Antarctic heritage, and support a wide range of public programs, which are highlighted here, along with a history and timeline of the organizations, contacts, and an online shopping area.
http://www.ukaht.org/
United States Antarctic Program
As a program of the National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs, Geosciences Directorate, the USAP represents the United States in Antarctica, advancing US goals and supporting the Antarctic Treaty, which encourages international cooperation, maintains an active presence in the region, and conducts scientific research. A USAP summary and background, policies, and discoveries are outlined.
https://antarcticsun.usap.gov/
United States Arctic Research Commission
Established by the US Congress in 1984, the USARC is an independent agency that advises the president and Congress on domestic and international Arctic research. Its principal duties and organizational structure are set forth, and a directory of Arctic science web sites is featured, along with reports, brochures, maps, presentations, and other publications and updates. Meeting schedules are posted.
https://www.arctic.gov/
Founded in 2008, and located about 120 miles southwest of the northeast maritime coast of the Antarctic Ocean, the U of AA is the only university on the continent of Antarctica. General information about the institution is given, including its admissions policies, academic and athletics programs, research programs, museums, art galleries, library, and other facilities. Academic journals are published by the university.
http://www.antarcticaedu.com/
