In this breathtaking space photo, we see the often-overlooked 7th continent of Antarctica.
On February 25, 2019, Turkey became the 36th country to open a temporary base in Antarctica. Other countries with bases on the "7th Continent" include some "usual suspects" such as the United States, Russia, China and the United Kingdom, and some unexpected other countries such as Pakistan, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Belarus.
But why are these countries trying to do research in
Antarctica under such difficult and difficult conditions? What can the seventh
continent teach scientists? How can we justify these difficult expeditions that
require transporting camping gear and expensive research equipment that can
operate even in extreme weather conditions using icebreaker ships?
What is
Antarctica?
Antarctica is the coldest, emptiest, windiest and
driest place on Earth. The continent is built on 14.000.000 square kilometers.
In other words, it is 18 times the size of Turkey. 97.6% of this is covered
with ice. Where it is thickest, the ice sheet is 4776 meters thick! Its average
is 2160 meters. These ices are 90% of all ice on Earth and contain 70% of all
freshwater on the planet. Only 3% of all water on Earth is fresh water.
There are many penguins, whales, seals and similar
marine mammals and birds in this region. There are no known terrestrial
animals. Including humans, with the exception of research teams, which we'll
talk about shortly.
Let's correct common mistakes about Antarctica: No,
Eskimos and polar bears live on glaciers in the Arctic Circle, not Antarctica,
which is located at the South Pole! To keep it in mind, polar bears are larger,
so they live "on the top" (at the North Pole). Penguins are smaller,
so they live at the South Pole (This isn't a scientific association, it just
might make it easier for you to remember).
The average temperature at the South Pole is 48.9
degrees Celsius below zero. But this is just an "average" number. For
example, Antarctica saw its lowest temperature ever recorded, falling to -93.2
degrees Celsius in August 2013! The previous record was -89.2 degrees Celsius!
The coldest temperature recorded officially within the
borders of Turkey to date, was observed on January 9, 1990 in the Çaldıran
district of Van with -46.4 degrees Celsius. The lowest temperature on record in
Ankara was -21.5 degrees Celsius on February 22, 1985. The lowest temperature
recorded in Istanbul was -6.8 degrees Celsius, recorded on January 28, 1969.
The lowest temperature recorded in İzmir was -6.4 degrees Celsius on January
18, 1964. Next to -93.2 degrees, all of this remains like a warm spring day.
All regions below 60 degrees south latitude experience
1 long night and 1 long day throughout the year. After the sun sets in March,
it rises in October and does not set until the next March. If you were asked to
go north in Antarctica, right above the South Pole, which way would you walk? To
any side! Because no matter which way you walked, you would be heading north!
The South Pole is a point in eastern Antarctica at an
altitude of 2835 meters above sea level and about 1300 kilometers from the
nearest piece of water. This is such a high and isolated spot that you're
likely to suffer from altitude sickness, which can happen to climbers while
standing right on the South Pole. Glaciers in the South Pole are sliding about
10 centimeters per year. That's why every year, accompanied by a ceremony, the
symbol that marks the South Pole is shifted around 10 centimeters.
History of
Antarctic Research
While it is possible to trace the idea of a voyage to
the South Pole back to Aristotle, the history of the first sailors who managed
to see or even set foot on the continent with their own eyes only goes back to
the 19th century.
Many sailors wondered what was beyond Earth's 60th
parallel south, and research into Antarctica has always been viewed as a
prestige, according to G. E. Fogg's book History of Antarctic Science. A
challenge that pushes the limits of naval fleets, and even a show of
strength... In addition, Antarctic waters have offered fishermen of the last
two centuries the opportunity to catch more whales and seals. This caused ships
to sail further south of the Antarctic Circle each time into the cold waters.
There is no consensus among historians as to who was
the first to see Antarctica; however, it is likely that they were Americans,
British or Russians in the early 1820s. The first officially documented landing
on the continent was made by Norwegian captain Leonard Kristensen and the crew
of the aptly named whaling ship Antarctica. After that, expeditions to the
newly discovered continent gained further momentum as Australia, Belgium, England,
France, Germany, Japan, Norway, Scotland and Sweden sent fleets to Antarctica. This
Antarctic Race finally led to the first successful survey expeditions to the
South Pole by Roald Amundsen of Norway and Robert F. Scott of England.
After some discoveries on the continent and various
claims on the region, in the 1957-1958 International Geophysical Year, twelve
countries that already had research teams on the continent signed the Antarctic
Treaty in Washington on December 1, 1959. The parties agreed to use Antarctica
only for peaceful purposes, to cooperate in scientific research and to make all
observations and results public and free of charge. Additionally, COMNAP, or
the National Council of Antarctic Program Managers, an international
association founded in 1988, is responsible for developing and implementing
guidelines for managing scientific research conducted in Antarctica, as well as
connecting nations that have an Antarctic program. Today, the council consists
of 30 program members and 6 observer countries.
Interest in
Antarctica is Increasing!
Over the past few decades, there has been a surge in
interest in Antarctica, both scientifically and among the public. Alexandra R.
Isern, head of the National Science Foundation's Polar Program Office's Division
of Antarctic Sciences, says that the reason for the increased interest in
Antarctica may be that 2007-2008 was declared the International Polar Year:
People are increasingly realizing that polar systems
are connected to global systems that are important to people all over the
Earth. The Antarctic ice sheets, for example, play a critical role in
determining the current and future rate of global sea level rise.
The data also support it. Over the last 50 years, the
number of Antarctic stations, bases and airport camps has increased 7.2 times
to 109 in 2018 (corresponding to an increase of 11.6% per year). According to
COMNAP, 98 of these stations are open today, 43 are open year-round, and others
are seasonal, meaning only when the weather permits.
Why is
Antarctic Research Important?
But why? Why should we explore a continent so distant,
so hostile, and completely uninhabited? The main reason for this is that almost
all global climate systems are affected by Antarctica. Ignoring this force of
nature prevents researchers from understanding climate and weather patterns. Isern
says:
There is growing evidence that the Antarctic continent
is a critical component of the global Earth system. This continent offers an
extremely fruitful field of research for our understanding of how the Earth
works. Also, conditions in Antarctica are extremely advantageous for testing
devices that could eventually be used on satellites, planets or celestial
bodies.
Antarctica also serves as a geological accountant of
our planet. By digging deep into the ice sheets, geologists and climate
scientists can learn about Earth's climatic history. In this way, they can
develop better models and predictions.
However, studies on the continent are not just basic
research. Antarctica also plays an important role in the global political
arena. Isern says contributing to Antarctic science is a way of participating
in the political world stage.
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