An American’s exploration of Antarctica called attention to its remote and unknown nature. Antarctica is reportedly nearly five million square miles in area.  Curiously enough, this land is almost completely covered by the world’s largest ice mass. It is amazing as to how deep the ice covering is on this cold area with some estimating the ice at a depth of over 2,000 feet thick, although some think this is a conservative estimate. With the exception of certain mountain peaks of the highest elevation and a few sections of volcanic rock at the coast, the ice covers the entire continent. You can get the best antarctic tours information by visiting this website.

Just like a glacier, the ice passes in valleys between the high mountains as it heads to the sea. If you are seeking the South Pole, you’ll need to visit the central plateau.  This impressive land feature stretches some eight to ten thousand feet above sea level.

Antarctica has been mapped into four distinct areas; these are named for geographical areas to the north. The African,, Pacific and American quadrants are what they’ve been called. The coastlines of both the African and the Pacific quadrants haven’t truly been explored. Even the American quadrant has been investigated little.  But the quadrant is relatively well-known.  It contains the Ross Sea sector.

The Ross Sea poses as the eastern border and then the quadrant goes westward to Queen Mary Land.  You also find South Victoria Land, Oates Land, King George V Land, Adelle Land and Wilkes Land in this quadrant. You’ll find a huge sheet of shelf ice, which is about 160 thousand miles square, called the Ross Barrier, on the western rim of the Ross Sea. This site teaches you about trips to antarctica.

On this barrier, the explorer based his camp.  It was close to the Bay of Whales, which is a harbor created by ice cliffs in the shelf face. Mount Erebus and Mount Terror are the two volcanoes that can be found at the end of the barrier. Spanning over Ross Sea to King Edward VII land, the barrier is over 400 miles in length. It is also about 400 miles wide.

The barrier is shelf ice, as can only be found in Antarctica. Glaciers, sliding down from the mountains, traveled into the ocean in the Ross Sea area to make the barrier. Traveling up for lengths of up to 100 miles, and through channels of between five and fifteen miles in width, ice still comes to the Ross Sea. The question of whether the Barrier floats or sits upon the bottom is still a matter of debate.

King Edward VII land has very impressive rock outcroppings and it can be found in the Pacific quadrant, near the Ross Sea. The Scott Nunataks and the Alexandra Mountains greeted the explorer on his first long flight from the Bay of Whales. This flight also allowed him to map out fourteen new mountain tops and an island.  He saw land no one else had ever spotted. His later flights gave geographers vastly important data that could allow them to map the Pacific quadrant’s coastline, as well as other valuable information about Antarctica.

Several explorers have been interested in the sectors of Coats Land, Graham Land and Charcot Land, all part of the American quadrant in the Weddell Sea area. One explorer flew over Graham Land and found it to be a separate island, not actually connected to the mainland. Geographers discuss if the continent should be divided. Adding further evidence to the question is the fact that the Ross Sea in the Quadrant is sitting almost directly across from the Weddell Sea in the American Quadrant.

The research possibilities of Antarctica are basically limitless. They still need to map the coastal regions for the entire continent and the polar plateaus and several mountain ranges.

Geologists would like to further study the ice-covered land.  They also want to find out more about how the glaciers affect the land.

Antarctica is bigger than or Europe and comprises roughly 10% of the Earth’s land mass. As daunting as it is expansive, Antarctica endures frigid temps of negative 89 degrees Celsius, and can incur winds of up to 192 mph! The Southern Ocean envelopes Antarctica. You will find that further information on antarctica travel is on that site.

These Antarctic marine ecosystem supports some of the richest nutrient flows on the planet and is home to whales, seals and dolphins. Beneath the huge ice service are huge amounts of micro forage. This food is the primary fare for consumption by sea creatures such as seals and whales.

Any creatures living in Antarctica must become accustomed to the dry, windy and cold weather conditions that grow to extremes on that continent. Antarctica has the highest average elevation of all the continents, and it has an average precipitation of just 200mm a year on the coastline and much less further inland. The creatures that can survive here include mostly seals and penguins, while plant-life consists of tundra and algae.

Antarctica is actually a very important continent for the rest of the world, despite its vast distance. The heavier of the molecules in the atmosphere are found at a higher concentration at the poles, with a more pronounced greenhouse effect. Likewise, the absorption of the sun’s radiant energy is more concentrated at the poles, warming the earth’s surface. Read this site if you want antarctic travel information.

There is approximately 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen in the atmosphere. There are also minute amounts of carvbon dioxide and methane. These water vapors and gases absorb the radiation from the sun’s rays and warm the area below. This is essentially how the greenhouse effect works.

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 increase in temperature caused by the greenhouse effect is four or five times that of warmer places; therefore, Antarctica is very significant for scientific research, specifically on the greenhouse effect.

The ice covering Antarctica is nearly three miles thick. It is the formulation of centuries upon centuries of accumulated and compressed snowfall. Much has been learned by scientists through careful study and observation of atmospheric samples taken from the continent of Antarctica.

The release of refrigerants and CFC’s into the air is causing the well-known hole in the atmosphere’s ozone layer. These refrigerants combine poorly with ozone. As such, it has created a warming effect in the area, destroying ice shelves.

These shelves, once separated, will gradually head in a northerly direction and melt away. This melting increases the volume of the oceans and causes the sea level to rise. Not to mention the krill loose their food source and habitat for reproduction.

It is estimated that the seas would rise over 180 feet if all the Antarctic ice melted. That means the sky scrapers of New York City would be fully submerged in the ocean from the 20th floor down. Countries that are more low lying, like Bangladesh and the archipelagos of the South Pacific, would disappear entirely.

Many who have traveled to Antarctica are of one accord in that the region is a vast area full of captivating and stunning splendor. The animals are not disturbed by the presence of people in the area. Viewing the grandeur of the scenery in conjunction with the trusting innocence of Antarctica’s creatures, is an exhilarating experience.

It is up to the future generations to preserve the pristine splendor or Antarctica. In reality, this gradual deterioration has been going on for many years. There is hope, though, in the relief efforts of many countries standing alongside one another to achieve and maintain a solidly supported foundation and lasting future for Antarctica.

One of fun things for tourists taking a joyride on a jumbo jet over the South Magnetic Pole is  watching a compass needle wobbling and wavering irregularly. A far distance below the cozy flight, the sea of ice is carved into waves by strong, unforgiving winds rocketing to the coast. From the airplane windows, passengers can clearly see the snow being blown by the brisk winds.  It billows like steam over the glacier below. Go to this site for further information on travel to antarctica.

It was back in 1909 that a hardy team of explorers spent 134 days on an laborious journey of some 2030 kilometers across the treacherous ice to become the first ever to reach the South Magnetic Pole. Passengers on this flight reached the Magnetic South Pole four hours after having left,.  They were able to enjoy a round trip flight that spent many hours over Antarctica.

Compass needles jump and the compasses themselves spin when they pass over the South Magnetic Pole because it is at this spot that many lines of magnetic force converge in the Southern Hemisphere. However, this jet doesn’t need a compass to stay on course, it uses a much more sophisticated satellite guidance system and gyroscope to accommodate for the magnetic fluctuations. The geographic South Pole – which is different than the magnetic South Pole – is where most explorers in the 1900s raced to discover is approximately 2500 kilometers away. This airline offers passengers a chance to copy that famous American pilot who is accredited with the first flights over both the North and South Poles in the 1920’s.  He always said he was a man who accomplished his destiny while sitting down.

On the outside of the jetliner, the Antarctic winds blow fiercely around the craft. While inside the passengers enjoy the icy view while sipping wine in their vacation garb of T-shirts and shorts. By the time the jumbo jet was roughly three hours south of the first icebergs could be seen and a party atmosphere took over on the plane. Sightseers of all ages now traipse about the plane, trying to find the best place to see the icebergs. As a person looking for antarctica vacations you should visit that site.

As they come closer they can see a jigsaw puzzle made up of jagged geometrical shaped icebergs as they near the coast of Antarctic, as if someone randomly dropped white mirror shards on to a blue-black background that is the sea. Ensuring that everyone has the chance to get a good photo or video, passengers share the windows and become awestruck at the sight of glaciers meeting the ocean. White ice caps that appear to be painted with blue accents, as well as the massive Trans Antarctic Mountains, create another picturesque sight that leaves the passengers speechless.

Today’s Antarctic tourism is a revival of regular over-flights to Antarctica that were made by two major airlines from 1977 to 1979, until they were ended following a fatal crash. In addition to the glaciers, icebergs, mountains and spectacular coasts, passengers can see an abandoned French research facility.  There is an airstrip that passes through an old penguin rookery.  The facility was destroyed by a tidal wave. This base isn?t very far from the Magnetic South Pole, which was first found by geologists.