| jumanku | Date: Sunday, 11/09/2011, 2:10 PM | Message # 1 |
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While the Earth's polar regions are similar in many ways, the North and South Poles also display stark differences. Here is a brief comparision of the two poles.
Natural Features
Antarctic
The Antarctic is a continent surrounded by ocean.
Icebergs are calved from glaciers and shelf ice year round, and may measure in excess of 25 cubic miles.
The sea ice accumulates annually and more than doubles the size of the continent.
Over 97% of the Antarctic landmass is covered by the unbroken South Polar ice sheet.
Elevation at the South Pole is 9300 feet above sea level, although the bedrock is only 100 feet above sea level the annual mean temperature at the South Pole is -58°F.
Arctic
The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by continents.
Icebergs are calved from glaciers and are seasonal. The icebergs are measured in cubic yards.
Sea ice accumulates over several years.
Land ice is found in limited areas, the largest being the Greenland ice sheet.
The elevation at the North Pole is 3 feet of sea ice. The bedrock is located 1400 feet below sea level.
The annual mean temperature at the North Pole is 0°F.
Plants and Animals
Antarctic
No tundra or tree lines. The subantarctic zone is marked by the Antarctic Convergence.
No terrestrial mammals.
Marine mammals include whales, porpoises and seals.
Arctic
The Tundra is well developed and marked by a tree shrubline.
Terrestrial mammals include musk ox, reindeer, caribou, fox, hare, wolf, lemming, bears, and more.
Marine mammals include whales, porpoises, seals, and amphibious mammals.
Human Activities
Antarctic
No record of primitive humans and no native groups.
The population south of 60°S is sparse and occurs at scattered scientific stations.
There is no exploitation of terrestrial resources.
First crossing of the Antarctic Circle was by James Cook on January 17, 1773.
Arctic
There are native people with a long cultural record and ethnic groups on continents all around the Arctic.
Human population north of 60°N is in excess of 2 million with modern settlements.
There is widespread exploitation of natural resources and technological development.
The first crossing of the Arctic Circle is prehistoric.
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