Message about the discovery of the south pole. Who was the first to reach the South Pole? Pole of relative inaccessibility

Every inhabitant of the Earth knows that the South Pole is located in Antarctica. Antarctica itself is a huge piece of land surrounded on all sides by water. That is, it is a continent. It should not be confused with the mainland - a huge piece of land surrounded by water and connected by a small piece of land to another continent. The area of Antarctica is 13.7 million square meters. km. For example, the area of Europe is 10.2 million square meters. km, and Australia - 7.6 million square meters. km.

South Pole

Antarctica contains 90% of all fresh water on the planet. It is fabulously rich in minerals, but is fenced off from the whole world by a huge ice crust and bitter frosts. In winter, temperatures on the continent drop to minus 60° Celsius. Summer is also not very warm. In the most fertile months of December and January, the average temperature is minus 30°.

Strong winds blow over the icy desert all year round. Animal world lives only in coastal areas and on the Antarctic Peninsula. On this small stretch of land stretched to the north, winter temperatures are sometimes minus 10° Celsius, and in summer they rise to 12° Celsius.

It is in Antarctica, among permafrost and severe cold, that the South Pole of the Earth is located. This is the southernmost point of the planet, and it is located at 90° south. w. It has no longitude, since all meridians converge in this place to one point.

The South Pole has chosen the so-called Arctic Plateau. That is, he did not settle down somewhere in the lowlands, but was comfortably located at an altitude of 2800 meters above sea level. Hence, there is a deficiency of oxygen and low humidity, the average value of which is 18%. In this area, the force of gravity is approximately 15% greater than in other areas of the planet. Atmospheric pressure is 150 mm below normal. rt. pillar There are also increased solar radiation and magnetic anomalies.

Speaking of magnetic anomalies. In addition to the South Pole, which is a purely geographical quantity, there is also the South Magnetic Pole. In 2007, its coordinates were 64° 30′ S. w. and 137° 42′ E. d. This is the sea of D'Urville. Behind it begin the waters of the Indian Ocean. On the coast of the sea, which is called Adélie Land, there is the French Antarctic station Dumont d'Urville. It has been located in this place since 1956.

For the sake of reference, it should be noted that in 1909 the coordinates of the South Magnetic Pole were completely different and equal to 72° 25′ S. w. and 155° 16′ E. d. The pole was located on the mainland, but over the past 100 years it has shifted into the depths of the sea and continues to “creep” to the north. No one knows how this anomalous magnetic phenomenon will end.

Antarctica itself was officially discovered in January 1820. A Russian expedition accomplished this significant event. It was headed by Thaddeus Faddeevich Bellingshausen (1778-1852) and Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev (1788-1851). The first person to winter on the icy continent was the Norwegian polar explorer Karsten Egeberg Borchgrevink (1864-1934). Given historical event took place in 1895.

Finding herself on the coast of the icy continent, restless human nature decided to find out what was in the depths of the mysterious land. The excitement around the South Pole began in 1909, when the conquest of the North Pole was publicly announced, first by Frederick Cook and then by Robert Peary. Other venerable explorers and travelers decided to glorify their names in the cold south. The first place among them was occupied by the Norwegian polar traveler and explorer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928).

Roald Amundsen

At first, the Norwegian planned to conquer the North Pole and even began preparing an expedition. But the nimble, shameless Americans overtook him, and the journey into the pack ice of the Arctic Ocean lost all meaning.

Amundsen needed sponsors. He found such in the army. The military provided the traveler with food, tents, and other necessary equipment. The generals needed to test the effectiveness of soldiers' rations under extreme conditions, so they met their compatriot halfway.

The Argentine tycoon Don Pedro Christophersen also provided great financial support. He was Norwegian by origin and readily supported his fellow countryman.

The journey to the shores of Antarctica was carried out on the legendary ship Fram. From 1893 to 1912, Norwegian expeditions were regularly carried out on it in northern and southern latitudes. The ship was 39 meters long, 11 meters wide, displaced 1,100 tons, and had a speed of 5.5 knots.

On the momentous day of January 13, 1911, the ship dropped anchor in Whale Bay off the coast of Ross in Antarctica. From that moment, in fact, the polar expedition began, which made Roald Amundsen famous throughout the world.

The Norwegian set off to the South Pole on October 19, 1911. He was accompanied by four people. The whole world also knows the names of these people. These are Oskar Wisting, Helmer Hansen, Sverre Hassel and Olaf Bjoland. All Norwegians. The expedition included four dog sleds. Already on December 14, 1911, a small group of courageous people, having overcome 1,500 km through the icy desert, reached the desired point. It is this date that is considered the official time of the discovery and conquest of the South Pole.

At the southernmost point of the planet, the travelers hoisted the Norwegian flag and headed back. The expedition returned to the original route point after 99 days. Thus, 3000 km were covered in just over three months. It must also be taken into account that the path lay through an icy desert, and, moreover, not level, but with constant ascents, descents, snow drifts and icy winds.

The second to challenge the severe frosts and permafrost was the English polar explorer Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912). He set off to his intended goal a month later than Amundsen. The English expedition also consisted of five people. It was in this number that the British reached the South Pole on January 17, 1912.

Robert Falcon Scott

The expedition began on October 24, 1911. It consisted of 12 people. All of them were divided into 3 detachments. The first detachment set off on the specified date. He had to take away several tons of provisions and, thus, provide for the other members of the expedition.

Scott himself marched with his men on November 1, 1911. He made a serious mistake by taking Manchurian ponies instead of sled dogs. These animals were not adapted to the harsh southern cold and became not a help, but a burden on the difficult journey.

The third detachment, riding sled dogs, caught up with Scott within a week, and on November 15, all three detachments were reunited. Already on December 4, the expedition reached the foothills of the Arctic Plateau. It became obvious that the small horses could not withstand the climb, and they had to be shot.

After this, the people had to drag the heavy sleigh with provisions themselves. And the ascent ended in early January. The snowstorm was a big hindrance. She delayed the detachment for more than a week.

English Expedition (Scott standing in the middle)

Scott took only four people with him to the South Pole. These were Wilson, a doctor, zoologist and artist, Oates, a pony specialist, and Bowers and Evans, career Navy officers. The remaining members of the expedition headed back on December 5.

As already mentioned, on January 17 the British reached their target. Imagine their disappointment when they saw the Norwegian flag, as well as a tent. In it they found a friendly letter from Amundsen. All efforts and labors were in vain. Representatives of the English crown were ahead of them.

The return journey was complicated by a strong snowstorm. She interfered with walking, took away all the strength from people. After just a couple of days of travel, Evans suffered severe frostbite. Wilson followed him out. He fell and damaged ligaments in his leg.

The first tragedy occurred on February 17, 1912 - Evans died. This made a grave impression on the small detachment. The body was buried in the glacier and the journey continued. Oates was the next to die, on March 16th. The remaining members of the expedition lasted only the next two weeks. last record Scott's diary, which he kept throughout the journey, is dated March 29, 1912.

The expedition leader was the last to die, as the bodies of Wilson and Bowers lay in the tent, neatly tied in sleeping bags. The search group found the tent itself only on November 12, 1912. The ship's doctor Edward Atkinson examined the dead.

They did not take the bodies with them. They were buried in the tent, having first removed the tripwires. They piled a bunch of snow on top and put the skis crosswise.

Upon arrival at the ship, rescuers made a large cross from mahogany. They carved the inscription on it - “Fight and seek, find and do not give up” and installed it on the top of a high hill called Observer. Thus ended one of the attempts to conquer the harsh and inhospitable southern land.

Richard Byrd conquered Antarctica in 1929. This American pilot flew over the South Pole in an airplane. Next up were Briton Vivian Fuchs and New Zealander Edmund Hillary. In 1958, they carried out a sleigh-caterpillar crossing across the icy desert. These courageous people walked from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea and back. Thus, they crossed the South Pole twice and left 3,500 km behind them.

American Antarctic station at the South Pole

Today, the American Antarctic station is located at the South Pole. It is a structure on stilts. This prevents snow from accumulating near the building. It has a telescope 10 meters high, equipment that predicts magnetic storms, as well as a powerful drilling rig.

A total of 200 people live at the station. Communication with the outside world is maintained through NASA satellites. Scientists working in this coldest corner of the world are specialists in geophysics, meteorology, physics, astrophysics and astronomy. Living conditions are very difficult. An untrained person is susceptible to illness and fainting. Blood thickening, headaches, and muscle cramps may occur. Neglecting basic safety can easily result in lung burns and frostbite.

So the South Pole is not a place for idle recreation. Only the very courageous and strong people. The lowest temperature recorded in this place was minus 74°. There is no trace of anything like this at the North Pole. From here you can imagine the fortitude of those people who a hundred years ago went to this icy desert to conquer it. And they did it, otherwise we would still know nothing about the southernmost point of our planet.

Yuri Syromyatnikov

A mythically inaccessible place on the planet, where man set foot just a hundred years ago, the South Pole is a point of attraction for keen extreme tourists and the most expensive tourist destination on Earth. No more than a hundred travelers have the opportunity to stand on its ice cap a year - those who are not afraid of difficult climatic conditions and an altitude of 2800 meters above sea level, as well as a more than respectable cost of the tour - from 45 thousand USD. Travel here takes place only a couple of months a year - at the height of the Antarctic summer, which falls in December - January. Taking a self-portrait reflection in a mirror ball indicating the South Pole, making sure that the compass still continues to point south, and walking from the lower “navel” of the Earth to the American Amundsen-Scott station - this is just an incomplete list of entertainment available to tourists on South Pole.

A little geography

The South Pole is the point through which the Earth's imaginary axis of rotation passes, diametrically opposite to the North Pole. It is located almost in the center of the continent of Antarctica, closer to its Pacific coast. The closest geographical region of Antarctica is the famous and exceptionally picturesque Ross Ice Shelf, referred to by the first explorers of the continent as an insurmountable border to its internal territories.

Just as the North Pole has coordinates of 90° north latitude, the South Pole, exactly the opposite, can only boast of latitude, since the meridians here converge at one point, and there is no longitude. So its exact coordinates are 90° south latitude. For the same reason, from here in all directions there is only north, which is confirmed by the curious sign at the South Pole with four Ns in all directions.

The thickness of the ice in the area of the South Pole is more than 2800 meters, under which the continent of Antarctica itself is located.

And stories

The honor of conquering the South Pole belongs to the Norwegian Roald Amundsen. A significant event occurred on December 14, 1911, when the researcher, in the company of five companions, managed to reach the extreme southern point of the Earth and record his exact position with instruments (of which the expedition had only a sextant). The Englishman Robert Scott, who tried to repeat Amundsen’s feat, although he reached the South Pole 33 days later, was unable to return to “civilization”: all members of the expedition died on the way back. The next people at the pole appeared only 44 years later - in 1956, when an American plane landed here and the Amundsen-Scott polar base was founded. Today, this is where most of the tourists who intend to conquer the South Pole arrive, which, by the way, is located just 100 meters from the station.

Tourist expeditions to the South Pole are carried out in December - January, when the thermometer shows about -22...-26 °C.

South Pole Climate

The South Pole is an extremely cold place on the planet that is poorly suited for life. Unlike the coast of Antarctica, where the annual temperature fluctuates between 0...-35 °C, it is much colder at the pole. Tourist expeditions are held here in December - January, when the thermometer shows about -22...-26 °C.

However, travelers are accommodated in a tent camp at Union Glacier or Novolazarevskaya stations, where the climate is more favorable: about -5...-10 °C outside and up to +15 °C in a tent, which is perfectly warmed by the never-setting sun.

The polar day at the South Pole lasts from September 23 to March 21, and from mid-May to the end of July there is complete and impenetrable polar night, only occasionally illuminated by the northern (or rather southern) lights. And even at peak polar day the sun does not rise above 23° above the horizon - approximately the same as in Moscow in February.

The South Pole point is marked by a mirror ball about 30 cm in diameter mounted on a red and white striped pole, and the flags of the countries that explored Antarctica around it.

How to visit the South Pole

Unlike the North Pole, the options for conquest of which are a carriage or a small cart: you want, on board a cruise ship, you want, by helicopter, you want, on skis or dogs, you can arrive at the South Pole exclusively by air.

Currently, the followers of Amundsen and Scott are delivered to the southern “navel” by two companies: the first works with the American camp Union Glacier, where flights land from Punta Arenas, the second with the Russian base Novolazarevskaya, which receives flights from Cape Town. You won’t be able to make a profit on price: given that tourists are not poor, the companies work in concert on the principle “we don’t have Rockefellers every day.”

From Union Glacier and Novolazarevskaya, travelers are transported to the Pole on American DC-3 or BT-67 aircraft - seemingly ordinary “maize planes” with external propellers, but ideally suited for the difficult Antarctic conditions. They land at the airfield of the American Amundsen-Scott base, literally within walking distance of the South Pole. The ceremony of “conquering” the extreme southern point of the Earth, an obligatory photo shoot, “calling mom” from the South Pole via satellite phone and a tour of the base - and you can safely stick a button on the lowest point of the world map.

What to see at the South Pole

The South Pole is a place for the sake of the place, not for the sake of attractions. There is at the same time little and a lot of things on which to linger your gaze. On the one hand, monotonous snowy landscapes, interspersed with low mountains, stretching beyond the horizon. No animals, no birds, not to mention buttercup flowers. Even the South Pole point itself is nothing outstanding: a mirror ball about 30 cm in diameter, mounted on a red and white striped pole, and the flags of the countries that explored Antarctica around. On the other hand, there is a lot of unusual and interesting things around the South Pole. At least the amazing life of the Antarctic Amundsen-Scott station: melting snow, snowmobiles on tracks and wheels, a runway on a perfectly flat ice surface... finally, rather comical rules for using the toilet, adjusted for the harsh conditions of Antarctica. And the trip itself to Chile or South Africa (where you can stay for a couple of days before or after the expedition) can give a lot of unforgettable impressions.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the fever of discovering new lands began to subside. The lands of South America, Australia, the New Zealand Islands and Africa have been fully explored. And only a few dared to turn their gaze to the harsh lands of the poles. Everyone knows the names of those who were the first to reach the South Pole. But not everyone knows that the “Napoleon of the polar countries,” the conqueror of the southern point of the Earth, Raoul Amundsen, was ready to give his triumph for the lives of those who did not reach there.

By sea to the south

The first person to reach the southern continent on a fragile wooden ship was J. Cook. In 1772, his ship reached 72 degrees south latitude, but further his path was blocked by insurmountable ice.

Officially, the discovery of the mainland is attributed to F. Bellingshausen and M. Lazarev. On two boats in 1820, they approached the shores of Antarctica.

Twenty years later, the ships of J. C. Ross sailed around the mainland along the coastline.

Conquest of land

The competition for the title of "First Man to Reach the South Pole" is full of tragic events. In 1895, the Australian G. Buhl camped on land. But he made no attempt to go deeper into the mainland.

An attempt to become the first to reach the South Pole was made in 1909 by E. Shackleton. The Englishman did not reach 179 kilometers, his food ran out and his strength was exhausted. Before him, in 1902, the attempt of his compatriot Robert Scott failed, three researchers miraculously returned to the starting point.

Competition for championship

October 1911, two famous explorers entered the struggle to conquer the Pole: the Norwegian Roald Amundsen and the British Robert Falcon Scott. Interestingly, Amundsen was going to the North Pole. But he could no longer become a pioneer: the American flag had stood there since 1908. The ambitious Roald invites partners Oscar Wisting, Helmer Hansen, Sverre Haasel and Olaf Bjaland to become the first among the conquerors of the other pole. It is these names that will go down in Antarctic history as those who were the first to reach the South Pole.

The story of those who made it but ended up second

After an unsuccessful attempt in 1902, Robert Scott had high hopes for the campaign. He prepared carefully and for a long time, purchased a motor sled and developed a route. From the very beginning he was haunted by disappointments. Motorized sleds turned out to be useless in overcoming hummocks. The ponies that were the expedition's means of transportation soon became exhausted and were euthanized. Robert decided to send part of the group back, and five people continued their journey to their cherished goal.

Overcoming incredible difficulties, carrying all their luggage, on January 17, 1912, they reached the mathematical pole. But we ended up second: the Norwegians had already been here. Moral shock affected their return journey. The youngest participant, Edgar Evans, was the first to die; he hit his head when falling into a crack. Then Lawrence Oates left into the night, considering himself a burden to his comrades (his feet were frostbitten).

The remaining researchers did not come to the camp. Only eight months later they were found 18 kilometers from their final destination. Their fate is known from the diary of Robert, who died last. The blizzard that caught them, running out of supplies and the bitter cold caused their death.

Robert Falcon Scott, Henry Bowers, Lawrence Oates and Edgar Evans, as well as physician Edward Wilson - diaries and geological exhibits weighing about 15 kilograms, and their heroic feat recorded these names in the history of Antarctica.

The story of those who reached the first south pole

The ambitious Amudsen thought through every detail of his journey. He relied on dogs as draft power. At the same time, no matter how cruel, he calculated the weight of the dogs as food and wrote out a schedule for using this source of protein. The costumes were specially made from blankets - durable, light and warm. The expedition of five people reached its goal on December 14, 1911 and 99 days later returned to its starting point in full force, becoming the courageous five who were the first to reach the South Pole.

Bitter victory

Amundsen himself, having learned about the fate of his rival Robert Scott, wrote: “I would sacrifice fame, absolutely everything, to bring him back to life. My triumph is overshadowed by the thought of his tragedy. She's stalking me! This triumph went down in history along with tragedy. But the Pole remembers both purposeful polar explorers, their names are forever united in the name of the Amundsen-Scott scientific station, located at the site of the defeat of one and the victory of the other.

Hundreds of daredevils conquered the South Pole after the pioneers.

Ecology

The polar regions of the Earth are the harshest places on our planet.

For centuries, people have tried at the cost of life and health to reach and explore the Northern and Southern Arctic Circle.

So what have we learned about the two opposite poles of the Earth?

1. Where is the North and South Pole: 4 types of poles

There are actually 4 types of North Pole from a scientific point of view:

North magnetic pole- a point on the earth's surface to which magnetic compasses are directed

North geographic pole– located directly above the geographic axis of the Earth

North geomagnetic pole– connected to the Earth’s magnetic axis

North Pole of Inaccessibility– the northernmost point in the Arctic Ocean and the farthest from land on all sides

There were also 4 types of South Pole:

South magnetic pole- a point on the earth's surface at which the earth's magnetic field is directed upward

South geographic pole- a point located above the geographic axis of rotation of the Earth

South geomagnetic pole- connected to the Earth's magnetic axis in the southern hemisphere

South Pole of Inaccessibility- the point in Antarctica that is farthest from the coast of the Southern Ocean.

In addition there is ceremonial south pole– area designated for photography at Amundsen-Scott Station. It is located a few meters from the geographic south pole, but since the ice sheet is constantly moving, the mark shifts every year by 10 meters.

2. Geographic North and South Pole: ocean versus continent

The North Pole is essentially a frozen ocean surrounded by continents. In contrast, the South Pole is a continent surrounded by oceans.

In addition to the Arctic Ocean, the Arctic region (North Pole) includes parts of Canada, Greenland, Russia, the USA, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.

The southernmost point of the earth, Antarctica is the fifth and largest continent, with an area of 14 million square kilometers. km, 98 percent of which is covered by glaciers. It is surrounded by the southern part Pacific Ocean, South Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean.

Geographic coordinates of the North Pole: 90 degrees north latitude.

Geographic coordinates of the South Pole: 90 degrees south latitude.

All lines of longitude converge at both poles.

3. The South Pole is colder than the North Pole

The South Pole is much colder than the North Pole. The temperature in Antarctica (South Pole) is so low that in some places on this continent the snow never melts.

The average annual temperature in this area is -58 degrees Celsius in winter, and the most heat was recorded here in 2011 and amounted to -12.3 degrees Celsius.

In contrast, the average annual temperature in the Arctic region (North Pole) is – 43 degrees Celsius in winter and about 0 degrees in summer.

There are several reasons why the South Pole is colder than the North Pole. Since Antarctica is a huge landmass, it receives little heat from the ocean. In contrast, the ice in the Arctic region is relatively thin and there is an entire ocean underneath, which moderates the temperature. In addition, Antarctica is located at an altitude of 2.3 km and the air here is colder than in the Arctic Ocean, which is at sea level.

4. There is no time at the poles

Time is determined by longitude. So, for example, when the Sun is directly above us, local time shows noon. However, at the poles all lines of longitude intersect, and the Sun rises and sets only once a year on the equinoxes.

For this reason, scientists and explorers at the poles use time from any time zone whichever they like best. Typically, they refer to Greenwich Mean Time or the time zone of the country they are coming from.

Scientists at Amundsen-Scott Station in Antarctica can take a quick run around the world by walking 24 time zones in a few minutes.

5. Animals of the North and South Pole

Many people have the misconception that polar bears and penguins share the same habitat.

In fact, penguins live only in the southern hemisphere - in Antarctica where they have no natural enemies. If polar bears and penguins lived in the same area, the polar bears would not have to worry about their food source.

Marine animals at the South Pole include whales, porpoises and seals.

Polar bears, in turn, are the largest predators in the northern hemisphere. They live in the northern part of the Arctic Ocean and feed on seals, walruses and sometimes even beached whales.

In addition, the North Pole is home to animals such as reindeer, lemmings, foxes, wolves, as well as marine animals: beluga whales, killer whales, sea otters, seals, walruses and more than 400 known species of fish.

6. No Man's Land

Despite the fact that many flags can be seen at the South Pole in Antarctica different countries, This the only place on earth that belongs to no one, and where there is no indigenous population.

The Antarctic Treaty is in force here, according to which the territory and its resources must be used exclusively for peaceful and scientific purposes. Scientists, explorers and geologists are the only people who set foot on Antarctica from time to time.

Against, More than 4 million people live in the Arctic Circle in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia and Russia.

7. Polar night and polar day

The Earth's poles are unique places where the longest day, which lasts 178 days, and the longest night, which lasts 187 days.

At the poles there is only one sunrise and one sunset per year. At the North Pole, the Sun begins to rise in March on the vernal equinox and descends in September on the day autumn equinox. At the South Pole, on the contrary, sunrise is during the autumn equinox, and sunset is on the day of the spring equinox.

In summer, the Sun is always above the horizon here, and the South Pole receives sunlight around the clock. In winter, the Sun is below the horizon, when there is 24-hour darkness.

8. Conquerors of the North and South Pole

Many travelers tried to reach the Earth's poles, losing their lives on the way to these extreme points of our planet.

Who was the first to reach the North Pole?

There have been several expeditions to the North Pole since the 18th century. There is disagreement over who was the first to reach the North Pole. In 1908, American explorer Frederick Cook became the first to claim to have reached the North Pole. But his compatriot Robert Peary refuted this statement, and on April 6, 1909, he officially began to be considered the first conqueror of the North Pole.

First flight over the North Pole: Norwegian traveler Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile on May 12, 1926 on the airship "Norway"

First submarine at the North Pole: nuclear submarine "Nautilus" 3 August 1956

First trip to the North Pole alone: Japanese Naomi Uemura, April 29, 1978, sledding 725 km in 57 days

First ski expedition: expedition of Dmitry Shparo, May 31, 1979. Participants covered 1,500 km in 77 days.

First to swim across the North Pole: Lewis Gordon Pugh walked 1 km in -2 degrees Celsius water in July 2007.

Who was the first to reach the South Pole?

A Norwegian explorer became the first to conquer the South Pole Roald Amundsen and British explorer Robert Scott, after whom the first station at the South Pole, the Amundsen-Scott station, was named. Both teams took different routes and reached the South Pole within a few weeks of each other, first by Amundsen on December 14, 1911, and then by R. Scott on January 17, 1912.

First flight over the South Pole: American Richard Byrd, in 1928

First to cross Antarctica without the use of animals or mechanical transport: Arvid Fuchs and Reinold Meissner, December 30, 1989

9. North and South magnetic poles of the Earth

The Earth's magnetic poles are associated with magnetic field Earth. They are in the north and south, but do not coincide with geographic poles, since the magnetic field of our planet is changing. Unlike geographic poles, magnetic poles shift.

The North Magnetic Pole is not located exactly in the Arctic region, but shifts east at a speed of 10-40 km per year, since the magnetic field is influenced by underground molten metals and charged particles from the Sun. The south magnetic pole is still in Antarctica, but it is also moving west at a speed of 10-15 km per year.

Some scientists believe that one day the magnetic poles may change, and this could lead to the destruction of the Earth. However, the change of magnetic poles has already occurred, hundreds of times over the past 3 billion years, and this did not lead to any dire consequences.

10. Melting ice at the poles

Arctic ice in the North Pole region typically melts in the summer and freezes again in the winter. However, for last years, the ice cap began to melt at a very rapid pace.

Many researchers believe that already by the end of the century, and maybe in a few decades, the Arctic zone will remain ice-free.

On the other hand, the Antarctic region at the South Pole contains 90 percent of the world's ice. The ice thickness in Antarctica averages 2.1 km. If all the ice in Antarctica melted, sea levels around the world would rise by 61 meters.

Fortunately, this will not happen in the near future.

Some fun facts about the North and South Pole:

1. There is an annual tradition at Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole. After the last food plane leaves, researchers watch two horror films: film "The Thing" (about alien creature, which kills the inhabitants of a polar station in Antarctica) and the film "The Shining" (about a writer who is in an empty remote hotel in winter)

2. Arctic tern bird makes a record flight from the Arctic to Antarctica every year, flying more than 70,000 km.

3. Kaffeklubben Island - a small island in the north of Greenland is considered a piece of land that is located closest to the North Pole 707 km from it.

The point of intersection of the Earth's imaginary axis of rotation with its surface in the Southern Hemisphere. Located at an altitude of 2800 m in the Polar Plateau of Antarctica. The South Pole was first reached by the Norwegian expedition of R. Amundsen in 1911. EdwART. Explanatory Naval ... Marine Dictionary

SOUTH POLE, the point of intersection of the Earth's imaginary axis of rotation with its surface in the Southern Hemisphere. It is located within the Polar Plateau of Antarctica at an altitude of 2800 m. For the first time, a Norwegian expedition led by R. reached the South Pole... ... Modern encyclopedia

The point of intersection of the Earth's imaginary axis of rotation with its surface in the Southern Hemisphere. It is located within the Polar Plateau of Antarctica at an altitude of 2800 m. The South Pole was first reached by a Norwegian expedition led by R. Amundsen in 1911... Big encyclopedic Dictionary

South Pole- The point of intersection of the Earth's rotation axis with earth's surface in the Southern Hemisphere... Dictionary of Geography

South Pole- pietų polius statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: engl. antarctic pole; south pole vok. Südpol, m rus. south pole, m pranc. pôle Sud, m … Fizikos terminų žodynas

South Pole- South Pole … Russian spelling dictionary

The point at which the Earth's imaginary axis of rotation intersects its surface in the Southern Hemisphere. Any other point on the Earth's surface is always in the northern direction in relation to the South. Located on the mainland of Antarctica, closer to... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

The point at which the Earth's imaginary axis of rotation intersects its surface in the South. hemispheres. It is located on the Antarctic continent, on the Polar Plateau, at an altitude of 2800 m. The thickness of the ice in the southern region exceeds 2800 m, i.e. bedrock lies... ... Geographical encyclopedia

The point of intersection of the imaginary axis of rotation of the Earth with its surface in the South. hemispheres. Located within the Polar Plateau of Antarctica at altitude. 2800 m. For the first time U.P. reached nor. exp. under hand R. Amundsen in 1911 ... Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary

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South Pole. Amundsen v. Scott, Ousland Björn. The race to the South Pole was akin to a dramatic thriller, in which the forces of nature decided to compete with strong men, testing their strength, technical means and dogs. In the new...