9 surprising facts about Antarctica that you hardly knew
Miscellaneous / / December 09, 2021
Antarctica, discovered by Russian sailors 200 years ago, has not yet been fully explored. The lowest temperatures on earth, icebergs the size of cities, ancient bacteria frozen in ice - we tell you what else this continent hides in itself.
1. There is a meteorite crater in Antarctica ...
It is located under an ice sheet in the Wilkes Land area. In 1958-1960, during geological research in this place, scientists discovered gravity anomalies, and then it was determined that the approximate area of occurrence of these anomalies has the shape of a circle with a diameter of about 240 kilometers. Later, the researchers concluded that such a gravitational mismatch is similar to what happens near large meteorite craters, and additional studies have shown that the diameter of the crater reachesThe largest crater on Earth / Moscow Planetarium 480 kilometers.
It is believed that about 250 million years ago, a meteorite with a diameter of about 50 kilometers fell in this area. According to one hypothesis, the dust raised during the fall and explosion led to centuries of cooling and the death of most of the flora and fauna of that time.
2.... and an active volcano
Surprisingly, in the coldest region in the world is one of the most active volcanoes on our planet - Erebus. Its height reaches 3,794 meters. For the first time I reached the top of the volcanoShackleton's search for the South Pole / Royal Museums Greenwich expedition led by explorer Ernest Shackleton in 1908. Then the scientists examined all three craters, the largest of which was 805 meters in diameter and 274 meters deep. Lava, fire and smoke erupt from several holes of the volcano, and at the bottom there is a lake of lava that has not yet frozen - this is a rare phenomenon.
But Erebus volcano is not the only one on the continent. Not so long ago, scientists discovered a ridge hidden under the ice, in which there areScientists discover 91 volcanoes below Antarctic ice sheet / The Guardian 91 volcano.
3. Mother-of-pearl clouds can be seen here
Sometimes the sky in Antarctica is covered with incredibly beautiful clouds that can sparkle with different colors - that's why they are called mother-of-pearl. This effect is created by iridescence.Iris or iridescence / World Meteorological Organization Is an optical phenomenon in which the cloud appears to be colored in shades of green and pink.
One of the prerequisites for the appearance of such clouds is an abnormally low temperature of about -78 ° C, so they usually appear in the coldest parts of the planet.
4. Not all of Antarctica is covered in ice
What picture is presented at the mention of this continent? Perhaps an endless ice desert, where there is only snow and ice. This is mostly true, but there are also the dry McMurdo valleys. This is a vast snowless territory, where the sun always shines, and rain and snow have not fallen for many millions of years.
The temperature here rarely rises to 0 ºС - in summer it averages -14 ºС. And precipitation does not fall due to harsh winds of up to 320 km / h - they cause moisture to evaporate, so there is no snow or ice in the McMurdo valleys.
5. There are only two types of flowering plants in Antarctica
The mainland cannot boast of rich flora. So, from flowering there areDeschampsia antarctica, one of only 2 flowering plants found in Antarctic Peninsula / GRID ‑ Arendal only colobantus whale and Antarctic meadows. These are herbaceous evergreens, the height of which reaches 5 centimeters and up to 20 centimeters, respectively. There are also mosses, lichens, microscopic fungi and algae.
To survive, the plants in Antarctica had to adapt to the harsh conditions of the continent. In order to obtain the necessary moisture necessary for respiration and photosynthesis, they absorb it immediately, and do not store it, since the water quickly evaporates due to strong winds.
6. There is a lake under the ice.
There are 140 lakes under the glaciers of Antarctica, but the most famous of them is Lake Vostok, which got its name from the Russian Antarctic station. This is the world's largest subglacial lake: its sizeVostok: Lake Under Antarctic Ice / Livescience - 230 by 50 kilometers. It is located under an ice sheet about four kilometers thick and was inaccessible until recently.
The uniqueness of the lake is that it has been isolated from the environment for several million years. This means that the evolution of microorganisms in its waters took place independently of the processes on earth. Scientists believe that there is certainly life in the lake, since there areRussian scientists reached the subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica / RBK all the factors necessary for this: the fresh water of the East contains oxygen and has a relatively high temperature - up to 10 ° C in depth.
7. Ice in Antarctica is colorful
It can have different shades of green, blue and even red - the color depends on freezing conditions and the presence or absence of impurities. So, near the volcano, the ice will be black due to ash. Ice floes formed near rivers are colored yellow or brown due to clay impurities.
Where plankton and bacteria are abundant, the ice can be yellow, red, or pink. And, for example, young ice that froze in calm conditions is often blue or blue.
8. There is a "bloody" waterfall in Antarctica
It was discovered by the scientist Thomas Griffith Taylor in 1911. The researcher suggested that algae, which could have survived in the glacier, give the characteristic red color to the water. But there was no confirmation or refutation of this hypothesis until recently.
The mystery of the waterfall was solved in 2017 thanks to researchJessica A. Badgeley, Erin C. Pettit, Christina G. Carr, Slawek Tulaczyk, Jill A. Mikucki, W. Berry Lions and MIDGE Science Team. An englacial hydrologic system of brine within a cold glacier: Blood Falls, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica / Cambridge University Press University of Alaska Fairbanks. It turned out that the water, erupting in a "bloody" stream, comes to the surface from a subglacial lake, which for a long time was in complete isolation, without light and oxygen. A chemical reaction gives it a dark red color: sulfates dissolved in water are converted into sulfites and oxidized by ferric ions contained in the bottom soil.
It is surprising that in the conditions of complete darkness and lack of oxygen in the lake, microorganisms survived. This makes it possible to assume that life in the same form could have survived on other planets.
9. Antarctica does not belong to any state
So it saysAntarctic Treaty / Antarctic Treaty Secretariat Antarctic Treaty, which entered into force in 1961. The document implies freedom of scientific research and supports international cooperation. But the independence of the cold lands is also convenient because you can get there without a visa. All you need is a passport and some documents on permission to visit. However, Antarctica cannot be called attractive for tourists: the region is truly harsh, and brave people interested in studying it are capable of staying there.
So, at the Russian polar station "Vostok" from December to the beginning of February there are 30–35 scientists, and for the rest of the year 12–13 polar explorers live here. The station was founded on December 16, 1957, since then its inhabitants have been monitoring climate change, studying ice strata, measure fluctuations of magnetic, electric fields in the atmosphere and carry out other research.
For 64 years, the buildings of "Vostok" are pretty worn out and gone under the ice and snow. Therefore, in 2019, the Russian government signed an order to create new wintering complex, and preparatory work started in 2020.
The renovated Vostok will consist of five large modules with a total area of 2,500 square meters: living area, laboratories, power plant and garage. The architects emphasize that the design focused on the comfortable living of people in such a harsh climate. For example, a very complex scheme of water purification and water production will appear here. The new station is designed to operate for 25 years: researchers will have enough time for new discoveries.