Lec1: Finding Land

Question 1

How many continents are larger than Antartica?

Answer 1

5

Question 2

How large is Antartica in metres squared?

Answer 2

14 million

Question 3

How long is 1 polar day?

Answer 3

6 months

Question 4

What percentage of the world’s freshwater is contained in Antartica?

Answer 4

70%

Question 5

List the 5 challenges faced by early explorers.

Answer 5

1. Fast winds, sea swells, icebergs
2. Simple navigation instruments
3. Poor nutrition and food storage
4. Ships –> limited size, strength, maneuverability
5. Difficulty finding longitude

Question 6

What were the motivations for early, later, and 18th century explorers respectively?

Answer 6

Early = New trade routes + territories
Later = Sealers + Whalers
18th century = Locate Southern Magnetic Pole (so longitude can be determined)

Question 7

Give the significant dates and corresponding famous explorer.

Answer 7

400BC = Aristotle 
1577 = Sir Francis Drake 
1652 = Abel Tasman
1773 = James Cook
1820 = Thaddeus Von Bellingshausen (and Nathaniel Palmer)
1820 = William Bransfield + William Smith
1821 = John Davis 
1823 = James Weddell 
1831 = John Briscoe 
1838 = Jules Sebastien Dumont D'urville 
1839 = John Ballery 
1840 = USA Exploring Expedition + Charles Wilkes 
1840 = James Clark Ross

Question 8

Aristotles Achievement?

Answer 8

Predicted Terra Australis Incognita taking up most of Southern Hemisphere

Question 9

Sir Francis Drake achievement?

Answer 9

Discovered Drake Passage between South America and Antartic Peninsuala

Question 10

Abel Tasman achievement?

Answer 10

Split Australia from Terra Australis Incognita

Question 11

James Cook achievements?

Answer 11

1. First circumnavigation
2. Crossed antartic circle
3. No Terra Australis Incognita (came across no land or islands)

Question 12

Thaddeus Von Bellinghausen achievements?

Answer 12

1. First continental sighting
2. Second circumnavigation
3. Sealing ships at Deception Islands/South Shetland Islands

Question 13

William Bransfield and Smith achievement?

Answer 13

Sight and chart peninsuala

Question 14

John Davis achievement?

Answer 14

First continental landing

Question 15

James Waddell achievement?

Answer 15

Furthest South (Weddell Sea)

Question 16

John Biscoe achievements?

Answer 16

1. Charts coast (Enderby land)

2. Third circumnavigation

Question 17

John Ballerys achievement?

Answer 17

Lands below antartic circle

Question 18

Jules Sebastien Dumont D’urville achievements?

Answer 18

1. Maps Adelie coast

2. Continental landing

Question 19

USA Exploring Expedition (Charles Wilkes) achievement

Answer 19

Charts 1500 miles of Australian East Coast (Wilkes Land)

Question 20

James Clark Ross achievement?

Answer 20

1. Furthest South (Ross Ice Shelf + Ross Sea)

2. Approximated location of Magnetic South Pole