Antarctica. Contemporary research of Anthractida

The discovery and exploration of Antarctica is one of the greatest events in history. The discovery of the sixth continent and the further study of its features gave humanity a lot of opportunities to expand its knowledge of the world around it. The most ambitious was carried out in Antarctica in the middle of the last century, but even today the icy continent is not deprived of attention.

Arrangements

Modern ones are carried out by the forces of several countries at once. Document on special interaction different states on the territory of the ice continent was formed in 1959. Then twelve countries signed the Antarctic Treaty, according to which it is prohibited to conduct hostilities within the sixth continent, to bury poisonous and other waste, and also to freeze any territorial claims for a while. To date, 33 more countries have joined this treaty. As a result, the exploration of Antarctica in the 21st century is often international. In addition, since 1991, the ice continent has been declared a world nature reserve.

Position of Russia

Our country has no official territorial claims. Russian researchers work in the sectors of Antarctica. The scale scientific activities however, have not yet reached the level that they had at the time Soviet Union... However, the situation is getting better every year. Permanent expeditions of Russian polar explorers are busy studying a variety of issues related to the geological, geographical, climatic and other features of the continent.

Areas of interest

Modern research in Antarctica is carried out in several main areas:

• Antarctica;
• applied research and development;
• collection of data on the South Polar Region;
• environmental protection;
• material and technical support for research, contributing, in particular, to increasing the capabilities of Russian stations and the comfort of staying at them.

Microworld

Antarctica - the geography of its landscape, the population of living organisms, the peculiarities of the climate - seems to be fully studied. However, each of the named areas has its own gaps. For example, the attention of scientists is more and more attracted by the microcosm inherent in the continent. Various bacteria and fungi that exist here differ from their relatives from other continents in their skills of adapting to the extremely harsh conditions of Antarctica. If we do not take into account the coastal zones, the temperature here does not rise above -20 ºС, the air is dry, and strong winds constantly blow.

Many modern studies of Antarctica are associated with identifying the characteristics of microorganisms. Their adaptive abilities are planned to be used for medical purposes. Scientists are of the opinion that some microbial communities need to be brought to the icy continent. There they will acquire the properties and characteristics necessary for survival, and then, on their basis, it will be possible to create more effective medicines.

Lake Vostok

Scientists expect to find one of the most interesting communities of microorganisms in an under-ice reservoir. Lake Vostok, named after the nearby Russian station, is located at a depth of approximately 4,000 meters. Its uniqueness lies in the absence of contact with the earth's atmosphere for several million years. The ecosystem of the lake is “conserved” and may contain many amazing microorganisms. The prospective “inhabitants” of the lake must be able to withstand high pressure, very low temperatures, oxygen concentration 50 times higher than its level in drinking water, and feed on inorganic carbon. Until now, such organisms are unknown to science.

To explore the lake in the 70s of the last century, it was decided to start drilling. However, the surface of the East was reached quite recently, in 2012. In the samples obtained then and a little later, 3507 unique DNA sequences were found. Most of them, about 94%, belong to bacteria, in second place are fungi - four percent. Also in the samples were found two sequences belonging to archaeians.

Research on the lake continues today, as it is necessary to obtain water samples from its bottom, as well as confirm or deny previous results. Attitude towards them in the scientific world ambiguous. Some of the researchers predict the discovery of even such large organisms as fish. Their opponents say that, probably, part of the DNA was brought in with the drill, while the other is the remains of long-extinct creatures.

Lots of

The East is not the only subglacial lake on the continent. Today, there are 145 known reservoirs, presumably of similar formations. In addition, modern research in Antarctica is concentrated to one degree or another around the continent's open lakes. Some of them are filled with others - mineralized. The "inhabitants" of such lakes are all the same microorganisms; scientists have not been able to detect the presence of fish or arthropods. Some of the lakes located in the so-called oases and on the subantarctic islands are freed from ice every year. Others are always hidden. Still others can be released only once every few years.

Overhead

The land in Antarctica, or rather the surface of the continent and its internal structure, is not the only thing that interests researchers. Atmospheric and climatic processes are often at the center of research. In 1985, over Antarctica was discovered " the ozone hole". Since then, it has been constantly under the scrutiny of scientists. The data collected by the researchers at the Russian stations suggest that the hole will soon be "overgrown". In this regard, some researchers are of the opinion that the phenomenon itself is not anthropogenic in nature, as previously assumed, but natural.

The distant, mysterious, icy, southern - Antarctica since the appearance in Antiquity of the first assumptions about its existence has received a lot of epithets. And she fully corresponds to all of them. Modern stage development of the sixth continent differs from previous better preparation technicians and specialists. The comfort of staying at the stations is increasing, the methods of selecting polar explorers are being improved (according to studies, the psychological climate is much more important than weather conditions). Expeditions are constantly improving. In a word, all conditions are created for further study of the secrets and mysteries of the icy continent.

Back forward

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Goals:

• Improve the ability to identify geographical position mainland.
• Form an idea of ​​the history of the discovery and exploration of the mainland.
• To reveal the role of the human factor in the study of Antarctica, the importance of modern research for mankind.

Lesson type: a lesson in learning new material.

Methods and forms of training: explanatory and illustrative; partial search; story; conversation.

Equipment: physical map of Antarctica, multimedia apparatus.

During the classes

I. Organizational moment.

II. Explanation of the new material

Today we are starting to study the most mysterious continent on our planet - the continent of Antarctica.

The topic of our lesson: Geographical location of Antarctica. History of discovery and research.

Antarctica is the southernmost continent, as it lies almost entirely beyond the Antarctic Circle. All the shores of Antarctica are northern. In the center of the continent is the South Pole, so all the shores of Antarctica are facing north. There is only one extreme point - Cape Sifre 63 0 13 | south latitude Almost the entire length of the coastline is represented by glacial cliffs. In Antarctica, on Adelie Land, there is the South Magnetic Pole

On the physical map of Antarctica, determine:

• distance to other continents - to which continent is Antarctica closest? ( South America)
• by what strait is Antarctica separated from it? (Drake)
• large peninsula located in Antarctica (Antarctic Peninsula)
• mainland ocean (Southern)
• seas washing the mainland (Ross, Weddell, Bellingshausen, Amundsen, Lazarev, Cosmonauts, Commonwealth)

Now let's turn to the history of the discovery and exploration of the continent. It is no coincidence that our presentation is called “Unknown South Land”. This was the name given to the Earths, which included modern Antarctica (slide number 1).

Even in ancient times, people believed that in the southern polar region lies a large, unexplored land. There were legends about her. They talked about all kinds of things, but more often they talked about gold and diamonds, with which she is so rich. It so happened that at first it was named, then put on the map and only then was it opened (slide No. 2).

As the teacher tells, the children fill out the table (slide number 3).

The name of the mainland was invented by the ancient Greek scientist Aristotle. The North of the Earth, lying under the constellation Bear, was called by the ancient Greeks “Arctic” - “Bear's area”. Aristotle argued that the Earth is in the shape of a ball. The space on the other half of the ball needed names. Then Aristotle proposed to call the southernmost region of the planet “Antarctica” - “Anti-Medvedica” (slide number 4).

Several centuries later, another ancient Greek scientist, Ptolemy, declared: “There should be a continent in the South Pole region. It was placed by the gods to balance the surplus of land in the Northern Hemisphere. ”And although no one has yet seen this continent, Ptolemy mapped it (slide 5).

Following Ptolemy, medieval geographers continued to paint the unknown southern continent (uniting ANTARCTIDA AND AUSTRALIA) It was called so - Terra Australis Incognita - Unknown Southern Land. Mariners have made repeated attempts to find Antarctica, but long time none of them succeeded (slide 6).

After a hundred years of searching, Dutch sailors discovered an unknown southern coast.

This was Australia. “This land is undoubtedly too large for an island. And for the continent, which balances the huge masses of land in the northern hemisphere, it seems too small. ”This is approximately what navigators and scientists thought in the middle of the 17th century. The search for the southern land continued (slide 7).

The Englishman James Cook entered the Antarctic waters further than others. During his trip around the world in 1773, going beyond the Arctic Circle, he met sea ice and giant icebergs in this area. However, this expedition was not crowned with success, and after his return James Cook was forced to write: "... I can safely say that no man will ever dare to penetrate further south than I was able to. Lands that may be in the south will never be investigated. " D. Cook's authority was so great that for a long time no one dared to continue the search for the continent (slide № 8).

Fifty years have passed and the ships of brave sailors again appeared in the harsh waters of the southern Arctic seas. They were Russian sailors. They took on the most difficult task: to find out, finally, whether there is a mysterious land in the extreme south or not? (slide number 9).

In 1819, after a long and thorough preparation from Kronstadt, a southern polar expedition, consisting of two sloops "Vostok" - commander F.F. Bellingshausen and Mirny. The crew of the ships consisted of experienced and seasoned sailors. On January 27, 1820, they crossed the Antarctic Circle and the next day came close to the ice barrier of the Antarctic continent. This ice was part of the Antarctic ice sheet. And January 28, 1820 went down in history as the date of the discovery of the Antarctic continent. Two more times (February 2 and 17) "Vostok" and "Mirny" came close to the shores of Antarctica.

A year later, on January 28, 1821, in cloudless, sunny weather, the crews of the ships observed a mountainous coast extending to the south beyond the range of visibility.

Now there is no longer any doubt: Antarctica is not just a giant ice massif, not a “continent of ice”, as Bellingshausen called it in his report, but a real “terrestrial” continent (slide 10).

Swimming Russian ships lasted 751 days, and its length was almost 100 thousand km (the same amount will turn out if you circumnavigate the Earth along the equator two and a quarter times). 29 new islands were mapped. This is how the chronicle of the study and development of Antarctica began (slide 11).

After the discovery of the mainland, expeditions from many countries approached the shores of Antarctica. But they were afraid to land on the mainland. The first to enter the mainland in 1895 were the captain of the Norwegian ship Antarctic Christensen and the teacher of natural sciences Karlsten Borchgrövink. A number of Antarctic studies have been carried out and the possibility of human survival in extreme conditions has been proven. It was the first expedition in the world to overwinter in Antarctica (slide 12).

After the discovery of Antarctica, the second most important event in the history of polar exploration was the conquest of the South Pole (slide 13).

In 1911, the Norwegian Roald Amundsen and the Englishman Robert Scott moved to the Pole from different points of the mainland. The basis of Amundsen's plan was the use of intermediate warehouses built at each degree of latitude (fuel, 1200 kg of provisions, in particular, seal meat, were delivered to 84 degrees S latitude in March 1911), as well as the use of sled dogs as a draft force. and food for other dogs and for humans. Hardy huskies covered with thick wool dragged the sled so quickly that the polar explorers could barely keep up with them. At the start, Amundsen took 52 dogs, but 36 of them were killed before the ascent to the Polar Plateau, the meat was buried in the glacier or fed to the remaining dogs. Only 11 dogs returned to the base. This sparked violent protests from animal welfare societies around the world. Nevertheless, a well-thought-out expedition, and most importantly a correctly chosen means of transportation - sled dogs, allowed the "Iron Roal" with four comrades to reach the South Pole. Amundsen hoisted the Norwegian flag there and returned home triumphant (slide 14).

Scott's route was 100 km. longer than Amundsen, but lighter. Scott didn't trust dogs, perhaps because he didn't know how to handle them. One of his bets was on snowmobiles and the pulling power of pony horses. But the harsh polar climate turned out to be fatal for them. The snowmobiles quickly went out of order, and already halfway to the pole, the horses died. They turned out to be unsuitable for movement in the harsh conditions of Antarctica. They fell into the loose snow, fought fiercely, sinking deeper and deeper until their strength left them. Not to mention the huge supply of hay that had to be carried on the sleigh. Thus, R. Scott and his companions were left without means of movement and they themselves had to drag a sled weighing almost 300 kg (slide 15).

And now, finally, they are at the goal. But what is it? At the pole - the Norwegian flag! It is hard to imagine what the British felt at this moment, all the efforts and sacrifices of which were in vain. In the tent, in the name of Scott, the Norwegians left a welcome note, with short report about the campaign, with a request to transfer it to the Norwegian king. This letter ensured that even if something happened to Amundsen's people, the world would still know about his achievement. It was offensive to the losers of the British race. Scott and his comrades hoist the British flag next to the Norwegian flag and turn back depressed (slide 16).

The bitterness of defeat knocked down the already exhausted Englishmen. The travelers fell from hunger and exhaustion and died one after another. "God Almighty, what a terrible place! .." - Scott wrote in his diary with a weakening hand. The last one to die was R. Scott, 11 miles away from the food warehouse (slide 17).

Thus, Amundsen emerged victorious from the competition with Scott. But the joy of victory was overshadowed by the death of Scott's expedition. Subsequently, Amundsen wrote: “I would sacrifice fame, absolutely everything, in order to bring him back to life. My triumph is clouded by the thought of his tragedy, She haunts me! " (slide number 18).

In memory of him and other members of the expedition, in January 1913, not far from the place of Scott's first wintering, a cross was erected, on which, along with the names of the dead, significant words were inscribed, which reflect the entire history of the discovery of Antarctica. “Fight and seek, find and not give up” The conquest of the South Pole constituted one of the tragic pages in the history of Polar exploration, showing the capabilities of man and the greatness of the human spirit (slide 19).

In 1956, exactly at the South Pole, the American Antarctic station was opened, which was named Amundsen-Scott, in honor of the discoverers (slide 20).

Near the station is the so-called ceremonial South Pole - a special area reserved for photography. It is a mirrored metal sphere, standing on a stand, surrounded on all sides by the flags of the countries of the Antarctic Treaty. The geographic South Pole is marked by a small sign on a pole hammered into the ice, which is moved annually to compensate for the movement of the ice sheet. During the festive event, which takes place on January 1, a new South Pole sign made by polar explorers last year is installed, and the old one is placed on the station. The flag of the United States is placed next to it (slide 21).

Modern Antarctic Research

Antarctica research continues in our time. Of particular note is 1957 and 1958, when the International Geophysical Year took place. Research in Antarctica was carried out by 12 countries: Argentina, Australia, England, Belgium, Norway, New Zealand, USSR, USA, France, Chile, South Africa and Japan. Observational bases were established, a number of expeditions were carried out into the depths of Antarctica, and internal studies of Antarctica began. The South Pole of Cold was discovered - Vostok station -89.2 (slide No. 22).

Every year people come to the Russian Antarctic stations to study the snow cover, the organic world, climate, etc. The largest Russian station is Molodezhnaya station (slide 23).

Station Vostok is the only inland Antarctic research station currently used by Russia. On February 5, 2012, at the Vostok station, Russian scientists, after more than 30 years of drilling, entered the subglacial Lake Vostok in Antarctica. Lake Vostok is unique. It may have been isolated from the earth's surface for several million years. Scientists believe that living organisms can live in the waters of the lake, because it contains all the factors necessary for life. The discovery of Lake Vostok is one of the largest geographical discoveries of the second half of the 20th century (slide number 24) .

In 1968, the northernmost Soviet scientific station in Antarctica, Bellingshausen, was founded. Russian polar explorers often call Bellingshausen station a “resort”, because, compared to other Arctic stations, it is indecently warm here. all year round! In the warmest month February (Antarctic summer) - (+1) С, in the coldest month (August) - (-7) С. (slide number 25) .

The largest Antarctic station is the American polar station McMurdo. McMurdo is located next to the Ross Ice Shelf. It has 3 airfields (of which 2 are seasonal), a helicopter landing site and more than 100 buildings. There are greenhouses at the station, supplying personnel with fresh food (slide No. 26) .

At present time the mainland is under the jurisdiction of the Antarctic Agreement, which requires careful treatment of land and resources, as well as their use only for peaceful purposes. The treaty was concluded on December 1, 1959 in Washington, and as of January 2010 the number of parties to the treaty included 46 states (slide number 27).

III. Summarizing.

Working with the table.

• Antarctica was first discovered? (1820 g)
• Which traveler was the first to reach the shores of Antarctica? (F.F. Bellingshausen, M.P. Lazarev)
• What year was the South Pole discovered? (1911 g)
• The first to reach the South Pole? (R. Amundsen)

(slide number 28)

Reflection

1. What remained unclear in the lesson (doubts, questions).

2. Most of all I liked ...

IV. Homework: paragraph 48.

James Cook was the first to suggest the existence in the cold south of the continent. However, very difficult ice conditions did not allow him to reach the continent's shores. This was done on 16 (28 January) 1820 by a Russian expedition led by Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev.

After that, the study of the coast of the continent and its interior began. Numerous studies were carried out by English expeditions led by Ernest Shackleton (about which he wrote the book "The Most Terrible Campaign").

In 1911-1912, between the expeditions of the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and the Englishman Robert Scott, a real race to conquer the South Pole unfolded. Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole, a month after him Robert Scott's party arrived at the cherished point and died on the way back.

In the middle of the 20th century, the study of Antarctica began on an industrial basis. On the continent different countries numerous permanent bases are being created, conducting meteorological, glaciological and geological research all year round.

In total, there are about 45 year-round scientific stations in Antarctica. At present, Russia in Antarctica has five operating stations and one field base: Mirny, Vostok, Novolazarevskaya, Progress, Bellingshausen, Druzhnaya-4 (base).

Three stations are in a mothballed state: Molodezhnaya, Russkaya, Leningradskaya.

The rest no longer exist: Pionerskaya, Komsomolskaya, Sovetskaya, Vostok-1, Lazarev, Pole of Inaccessibility.

From 1957 to 1959, the International Geophysical Year passed, 65 countries agreed to send their expeditions to Antarctica, build scientific stations and conduct a variety of studies. More than 60 research stations have been built in Antarctica. Scientists from many countries of the world work there. In 1959, an international treaty on Antarctica was signed, according to which it is prohibited to build industrial and military facilities there. The entire continent is provided to scientists for research, which is why Antarctica is called the continent of scientists.

The first Soviet expedition to Antarctica was led by the Hero of the Soviet Union M.M. Somov. In early January 1956, the flagship of the expedition diesel-electric ship "Ob" under the command of Captain I.A. Mana approached the Helen Glacier in thick fog and passed through a narrow passage between icebergs to the east of the glacier mouth into the Depot Bay of the Davis Sea.

The search began for a place to build a scientific station. Appropriate place was found in the area of ​​Haswell Island.

In mid-February 1956, the grand opening of the first Soviet observatory on the coast of Antarctica took place. The observatory was named "Mirny" - in honor of one of the ships of the First Russian Antarctic Expedition Belinshausen - Lazarev. From the first days of the existence of the Soviet base began Scientific research in all planned directions. The coast where the expedition settled was named the Coast of Truth.

Scientists have proven that Antarctica was previously a green city. And under the ice are mountains, valleys, plains, former river beds, bowls of former lakes. Millions of years ago, there was no eternal winter on this earth. Here forests rustled warmly and greenly, tall grasses swayed under the warm winds, animals gathered for watering on the banks of rivers and lakes, and birds fluttered in the sky.

Scientists suggest that Antarctica was once part of a giant continent called Gondwana.

A few months later, the expedition undertook a sledge-caterpillar trek into the depths " white spot"East Antarctica and organized an inland station" Pionerskaya "370 km from the coast, at an altitude of 2700 m above sea level. On this slope of the ice dome, even in the best weather, a fig wind blows, sweeping the snow.

The second Soviet Antarctic expedition led by A.F. Treshnikova pushed further inland. The researchers came to the South Geomagnetic Pole and at a distance of 1400 km from the coast, at an altitude of 3500 m above sea level, they built a permanent scientific station "Vostok". Everything necessary for the life and work of polar explorers is delivered from their homeland by several ships, in addition, the winterers have tractors, tractors, airplanes, and helicopters.

Thanks to the light aircraft AN-2 and the MI-4 helicopter, which helped quickly get to any points on the coast, geologists studied a short time dozens of rocky mountains - nunataks protruding from the ice sheet, surveyed the Mirny rocks and the Bunger Hills oasis and its environs. Biologists flew over many coastal islands by plane, producing descriptions of the flora and fauna of these areas.

The vegetation here is lichens, mosses and blue-green algae. There are no land mammals, winged insects and freshwater fish in Antarctica.

More than 100 thousand penguins nest near Mirny, many petrels, skuas, seals and leopard seals live in the waters.

The third Soviet Antarctic expedition worked during the International Geophysical Year. By this time, two more stations were built - "Komsomolskaya" and in the area of ​​relative inaccessibility - "Sovetskaya". At the stations, round-the-clock atmospheric observations were organized. The Cold Pole of our planet was discovered. It is located in the area of ​​the Vostok station. Here, the average monthly temperature of August - 71 C was recorded and the minimum temperature was recorded - 88.3 C. At such temperatures, the metal becomes brittle, the diesel fuel turns into a pasty mass, kerosene does not flash, even if a burning torch is lowered into it.

During the work of the Fourth Soviet Antarctic Expedition, a new station "Lazarev" was still operating on the coast of Queen Maud Land, but later it was rewritten 80 km inland and named "Novolazarevskaya". The members of this expedition made a sledge-caterpillar traverse from the Vostok station to the South Geographic Pole.

In October 1958, Soviet pilots on an IL-12 aircraft made a transcontinental flight from Mirny, across the South Pole, to the American base McMurdo, located off Ross Island. It was the first Soviet aircraft to fly over the South Pole.

At the end of 1959, during the Fourth Soviet Antarctic Expedition, the researchers made an outstanding trip on all-terrain vehicles. This trip took place in the most difficult sector of Antarctica along the Mirny-Komsomolskaya-Vostok-South Pole route. On December 26, 1959, a Soviet all-terrain vehicle train arrived at the Amundsen-Scott station, where the Soviet polar explorers were warmly greeted by the Americans. The participants of the hike made the traditional trip around the world around the earth's axis, which took only a few minutes. During this trip, our scientists measured the thickness of the ice sheet using the seismoacoustic method. It turned out that under the Vostok station the thickness of the glacier is 3700, and the South Pole - 2810 m, from the Pionerskaya station to the South Pole there is a vast subglacial plain lying at sea level. It was named the Schmidt Plain, after the famous Soviet polar explorer Otto Yulievich Schmidt. The research results of scientists from different countries of the world were combined into one common system... On their basis, maps of the subglacial relief and thickness of the Antarctic ice sheet were compiled.

International cooperation makes it possible to unite the work of scientists, contributes to a better study of the nature of Antarctica. For example, Soviet scientists often visit and work at the American Amundsen-Scott station, and American scientists spend the winter and work at the Vostok Soviet station located at the South Geomagnetic Pole.

Now reaching the South Pole is a relatively simple matter. American researchers are always here, dozens of planes fly here every year, correspondents, congressmen and even tourists arrive.

Soviet expeditions go to Antarctica every year. New stations have been built - Molodezhnaya, Bellingshausen in West Antarctica, Leningradskaya in Victoria Land, not far from the Ross Sea.

Collected the richest scientific materials... For example, seismic observations made it possible to register earthquakes on the Antarctic continent, albeit very weak.

Life Research - Smoking, alcohol. Food. Rest, sleep. Sports and walks. Research progress. Synthetic coolant indicator. Definition of healthy lifestyle. Results. Give up bad habits difficult enough in modern world... Young people adhere to a healthy lifestyle whenever possible. Healthy lifestyle indicator: results. Study of the lifestyle of students of the Preparatory Department ...

"Research methods in biology" - Botany zoology mycology microbiology anthropology. Communication with other sciences. Lesson Effectiveness: Biology - theoretical basis special disciplines for: Frontier disciplines: Signs of science: Your variant of a scientific experiment: Actualization of knowledge. The need arose for the classification and systematization of natural objects.

"The Nature of Antarctica" - The uniqueness of the nature of Antarctica. 1. Geography: Interesting materials for lessons and extracurricular activities in grades 6-8 / Comp. The richness of the organic world of the ocean. Seal. Low pressure. Screaming is useless, as the roar of the hurricane drowns out everything. Southern parts of the oceans. Work plan: Checking. Antarctic mountains.

"Flora and fauna of Antarctica" - Krill. Vegetable and animal world Antarctica. Manifesto for the Conservation of Antarctica. Anemones. Penguins. Lichens and mosses. Adele. Imprints of ancient ferns. Amazing phenomena in Antarctica "Rusty waterfall" "Red snow". Sea Elephant. Rotifer. Plankton. Seals. Killer whale. Underwater world... Antarctica continent.

"Lesson Antarctica" - Many countries took part in the research of Antarctica, incl. And our country. Lesson in learning new material. Modern research of Antarctica. Stages of the lesson. Discovery of Antarctica. Antarctica. Tourism and Antarctica. Make up in chronological order the history of the discovery and exploration of Antarctica. Which oceans wash Antarctica.

The article tells about the current pace of exploration of the territories of Antarctica. Gives an understanding of the importance of the research being carried out.

Modern Antarctic Research

In the first half of the 20th century, the exploration of Antarctica was of an episodic nature. However, since the second half of the 50s, the situation has changed.

Polar scientists are engaged in research activities in areas such as:

• meteorology;
• physics;
• biology;
• hydrology;
• glaciology.

To prevent plagiarism and copying of research, the international community has formed the International Committee for the Coordination of Antarctic Research.

Thanks to active research, in the XXI century, information about the climatic features of the continent became available to people. The specificity of its geology is known, the features of the sea are being studied.

The field of science that deals with the study of ice sheets is called glaciology.

Rice. 1. The work of a glaciologist.

Now on the mainland, research is being actively carried out in the field of studying ice. Experts acquire knowledge about the peculiarities of the movement of Antarctic ice, their speed, thickness, physical and chemical properties.

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Rice. 2. Study of the waters of the mainland.

These scientific studies allowed to recreate the picture of the ice age. Based on the research, calculations are made that will make it possible to use continental ice as a source of fresh water.

Antarctica is of considerable interest to geologists as well. Scientists managed to prove the fact that the ice of Antarctica arose earlier than the ice sheets of the Northern Hemisphere.

The studied land areas not covered with ice are called oases. Most of them are located along the coast of the continent. The total area of ​​these territories is over 40 thousand square meters. km, or less than 1% of the area of ​​all Antarctica.

Contemporary events in Antarctica

The events that are now taking place on the territory of Antarctica can rightly be called relevant - they are of particular interest to the entire planet. The endless lands of the mainland hide under the ice strata of interest to mankind Natural resources... Recent studies have confirmed that in terms of its geological composition, the continent is similar to South Africa... There is an assumption that impressive deposits are hidden in the bowels of the Antarctic land. precious metals and uranium.

Rice. 3. Geological research.

Fossil exploration in Antarctica is very active today. Over the past decades, scientists have made a colossal breakthrough in researching the ice continent.

Many new territories were explored, a specific geological, biological, oceanological structure of the continent was discovered.

This kind of research activities continues at this moment, especially since all are interested in the continent. more scientists from all over the world.