Antarctica is the land of eternal ice and penguins. So, at least, it is imagined by a large part of the world's population. But if life there is virtually impossible (such as the inhabitants of the warmer regions of the planet are used to) due to low temperatures, then why study Antarctica? What is so interested in this huge layer of ice at the south pole?
The history of the discovery and study of Antarctica
On January 28, 1820, the sixth mainland was first seen. He was reached by a Russian expedition, consisting of two vessels, headed by Faddey Faddeevich Bellingshausen and Mikhail Petrovich Lazarev. Before that, only attempts were made to find it, along with which many islands were discovered. This date can be called the first step in the period when a comprehensive study of Antarctica began.
The next outstanding event on the continent of eternal cold was the achievement of its center, and in fact - the points of the South Pole (they roughly coincide). One group, led by Norwegian Raul Amundsen, and the second, headed by Robert Scott (England), in December 1911 and in January 1912, respectively, went through this difficult path and collected a lot of valuable information about the interior of the mainland. This greatest event was overshadowed by tragedy: Scott's expedition died in harsh conditions just a few kilometers from the base, where they could warm up and renew their food supplies.
Later, in November 1912, a rescue expedition discovered a tent with the dead bodies of the group members.
Continental exploration: goals
Why they study Antarctica, it becomes clear if we examine in more detail the features of this continent. First of all, it is a supply of fresh water. On average, it is a layer of ice with a thickness of 2000 meters and an area of 14 million square meters, which is about 90% of the fresh water supply of the entire planet.
Ice Details
It is interesting that even in harsh winter conditions there is a place for lakes and rivers. The position of the mainland is such that even at subzero temperatures, solar radiation can melt ice. There are "swamps" formed in the summer from water and snow. They are covered with ice crust and make it difficult for researchers to travel to such an extent that they cannot get out without help. In the summer, streams and lakes also open, and with the onset of the winter period they are invisible on the surface, as they are covered with a thick layer of ice and snow, outlined by powerful winds. So, the two largest lakes of Antarctica are at a depth of 3000 meters. Now imagine how they could be detected? The work of scientists is indescribably huge.
Speaking of winds. Their average annual speed is 12 km / h, but under certain conditions it happens that the speed reaches 50-60 km / h, and sometimes all 90.
Why study Antarctica? Yes, because it is a completely different world. He is cold and handsome, severe and deadly, he is full of dangers and mystery. This is the first.
Resources and location features
And now about the benefits. In the study of the mainland, many mineral deposits were discovered here. When humanity expends all that other continents are rich in, the turn of Antarctica will come. So far, this does not happen in connection with the current Madrid Protocol (1991), which prohibits the production activities and mining of any minerals, since the mainland is important for the entire planet, primarily as part of the climate education system.
This is another reason why they study Antarctica, monitor the level of melting ice and more than once raise the question of the impact of global warming on the main "refrigerator" of planet Earth. Surely anyone heard about this problem.
And the last reason why they study Antarctica can be called one common word - science. This is the study of the impact of the Sun at different periods of the Earth’s existence, tracking of seismological activity, testing of technologies for studying the Moon and Mars.