An American's trip to the continent recently illustrated to the world just how closed off and alien Antarctica really is. The largest ice accumulation by far in the world today covers the Antarctica continent which includes a huge land mass of over 5 million square miles, which is watched over by some of the leading countries of the world.
Scientists argue about just how thick the ice sheet is. Some have posited a figure of 2000 feet; others say this is too thin. 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.
Moving as a glacier to the sea, the ice travels in valleys between the high mountains. The South Pole is located on the huge central plateau. It juts above the ocean from eight to ten thousand feet.
Map makers have cut Antarctica into four separate areas named for northern seas or lands. They are called the African, Australian, Pacific and American quadrants.
The coasts of both the African and Pacific quadrants are substantially unexplored. Just a tiny portion of the American sector's coastal area has been investigated, though the Australian sector, and its Ross Sea region, has been the subject of relatively thorough exploration.
The Australian quadrant contains South Victoria Land, Oates Land, King George V Land, Adelle Land and Wilkes Land. It is bordered on the East by the Ross Sea and the West by Queen Mary Land. There is a broad sheet of ice which covers over one hundred and sixty thousand square miles with mountains rising out of the Ross Barrier and the western rim of the Ross Sea.
The explorers have established their research facilities from various countries near a natural harbor close to ice cliffs at the edge of the shelf near the Bay of Whales on the barrier. Two volcanoes fill Ross Island, which can be found at the most western edge of the barrier.
They are Mount Erebus and Mount Terror. Crossing the Ross Sea to King Edward VII land, the barrier is over 400 miles long. It is 400 miles wide.
Shelf ice can only be found in Antarctica, and the barrier is the largest available example. Glaciers, sliding down from the mountains, traveled into the ocean in the Ross Sea area to make the barrier.
Ice still travels through glacier channels, with can be between five and fifteen miles wide, to reach the Ross Sea. Some ice travels for over one hundred miles.
Scientist argue about the resting spot of the Barrier. They question if it is floating or on the sea floor.
Ross Sea is the Pacific region's westernmost boundary, and unmistakable outgrowths of rocky terrain are found in King Edward VII land. The Scott Nunataks and the Alexandra Mountains greeted the explorer on his first long flight from the Bay of Whales.
He discovered an island, placed fourteen peaks on the map of the territory and spotted the as yet unseen backcountry. The information gathered by his flights has proved invaluable, and may even let geographers finally create a clear map of the Pacific quadrant coastline.
A number of adventurers have become interested in the American quadrant's Weddell sea area indentation which includes Coats Land, Graham Land and Charcot Land. Explorers discovered Graham Land to be an island, rather than part of the continent, during air investigation.
Continental division is the major geographical issue facing Antarctica today. The American quadrant's Weddell Sea is nearly directly opposite Australian quadrant's Ross Sea.
Science has innumerable opportunities for research on the continent. Coastal regions have yet to be completely mapped, as well as the polar plateau and mountain ranges.
Geologists seeks insight into the composition of the lands covered in ice and wishes to gather substantive samples from glacial moraines and rocky outgrowths in order to clarify the continent's glaciological history.
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