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Antarctica is the highest, driest, coldest, windiest & brightest of the 7 continents.
The average elevation is 8,200ft (2500m). Mount Vinson is the highest point at 16,050ft (4892m).
Polar plateaus generate intense katabatic winds up to 185 mph (300 km per hour) near coast.
The average elevation is 8,200ft (2500m). Mount Vinson is the highest point at 16,050ft (4892m).
Polar plateaus generate intense katabatic winds up to 185 mph (300 km per hour) near coast.
Antarctica has >400 giant freshwater lakes, but they're all hundreds of meters under glaciers (subglacial), and some below sea level
Some of this water has been isolated for 15-25 million years.
Are you paying attention, sci-fi/horror writers?
Some of this water has been isolated for 15-25 million years.
Are you paying attention, sci-fi/horror writers?
Ice cores taken from the area just above the subglacial lakes of Antarctica show microbes and eukaryotic of incredible diversity: Of 3,507 gene sequences, identification was only possible for 1,623. 94% were from bacteria, 6% from eukaryotes.
There are lots of dormant volcanoes in Antarctica, and two active ones. The Deception Island volcano has entirely subglacial eruptions & a steaming caldera.
Mount Erebus is one of the only volcanoes with a constant lava-filled crater.
Mount Erebus is one of the only volcanoes with a constant lava-filled crater.
The Antarctic is also prime meteorite hunting: the ice makes fallen meteors easy to spot & tends to heave them into common areas.
A research group called the Antarctic Search for Meteorites, or ANSMET, coordinate annual expeditions.
What a weird & wonderful planet we live on.
A research group called the Antarctic Search for Meteorites, or ANSMET, coordinate annual expeditions.
What a weird & wonderful planet we live on.
Crap, now I really want to go to Antarctica.
