Lec4: Intro to Geography

Question 1

Distinguish between the Antarctic and Arctic.

Answer 1

Antarctic = Continent surrounded by Southern Ocean
Arctic = Ocean surrounded by continents

Question 2

Describe the equator relative to the Earth’s axis of rotation.

Answer 2

Intersection is perpendicular to the Earth’s axis of rotation.

Question 3

What significant city does the Prime Meridian intersect?

Answer 3

Greenwich, London

Question 4

Which hemispheres do the Prime Meridian and Equator separate respectively?

Answer 4

1. E/W

2. N/S

Question 5

What is the Antarctic circle?

Answer 5

A line of latitude at 66 degrees South.

Question 6

Is the Antarctic circle stationary?

Answer 6

No, it’s shifting.

Question 7

Which point in Antarctica is there a day of complete sunlight and a day of complete darkness?

Answer 7

On the Antarctic Circle.

Question 8

What causes the day of complete darkness and light each in Antartica, and in which solstice does each occur?

Answer 8

The earth has an ECLIPTIC ORBIT: Earth is tilted relative to its plane of orbit around the sun

1. Winter Solstice = max tilt away = darkness
2. Summer Solstice = max tilt towards = light

Question 9

What is another name for the Antarctic Convergence?

Answer 9

Polar Front.

Question 10

What two ocean waters meet at the Antarctic Convergence, and what happens to the water southward flowing water temperature here?

Answer 10

Northward flowing cold Antarctic Surface water meets southward flowing warm Subantarctic Surface water, resulting in a 2-3 degrees celsius fall in temperature.

Question 11

What causes the formation of Antarctic intermediate water?

Answer 11

The saltier and denser AASW sinks below lighter SASW, and mix.

Question 12

What are the two circum-polar currents around the Antarctic continent, and for each, give:

1. Alternate names
2. Wind that drives it
3. Direction of flow

Answer 12

1. Antarctic Coastal/Counter current (East Wind Drift) - Strong easterlies drive it Westwards
2. Antarctic Circumpolar Current (West Wind Drift) - strong westerlies drive it east (CLOCKWISE)

Question 13

What does the Coriolis force do to the flow of the West Wind Drift?

Answer 13

Causes it to deflect northwards and spill into the northward-flowing AASW.

Question 14

Name the three Antarctic Zones, and state the location and lifeforms.

Answer 14

1. Subantarctic Zone: Islands near Antarctic Convergence - Large invertebrates and all major plants (except Gymnosperms)
2. Maritime Zone: West Coast of Antarctic Peninsula - Limit for Tracheophytes (vascular plants), but small vertebrates (mites and springtails) found
3. Continental zone: Entire continent and ice shelves, except WC of AP - No land-based vertebrates, only mosses, lichen, mites, sprintails near the COAST

Question 15

How long is the Transantarctic Mountain and what boundary does it mark?

Answer 15

3500km, separating East from West Antarctica

Question 16

West Antartica:

1. Surface area?
2. Mostly above or below sea level?
3. Structure beneath ice?

Answer 16

1. 2.5 mil km2
2. Below
3. Archipelago

Question 17

East Antarctica:

1. Surface area?
2. Mostly above or below sea level?
3. Structure beneath ice?

Answer 17

1. 10.5 mil km2
2. Above
3. Single, thick block

Question 18

What are the two largest embayments, and the five other ones?

Answer 18

1. Ross and Weddell Sea

2. Amundsen and Bellinghausen seas, and Pritz Bay

Question 19

What is the largest ice shelf, and the four main others?

Answer 19

1. Ross

2. Ronne, Filchner, Amery, Larsen

Question 20

How many nations have Antarctic bases?

Answer 20

About 30.

Question 21

What is the highest peak?

Answer 21

Mt. Vinson

Question 22

Where is the highest recorded wind speed?

Answer 22

Dumont D’urville Base

Question 23

Where is the coldest recorded temperature?

Answer 23

Vostok Station

Question 24

What happens to the size of the continent in winter due to sea ice, and what is the area of sea ice?

Answer 24

Doubles, due to additional 19 mil km2 of sea ice.

Question 25

What are the six Antarctic Poles?

Answer 25

1. South Geographic Pole
2. South Pole of Rotation
3. South Magnetic Pole
4. South Geomagnetic Pole
5. Pole of Inaccessibility
6. Ceremonial South Pole

Question 26

What is the difference between South Geographic Pole and South Pole of Rotation?

Answer 26

SGP = Geographical axis of rotation intersects Earth's surface
SPOR = Actual axis of rotation intersects Earth's surface, but has a wobbly course so the estimate is used

Question 27

What is the South Magnetic Pole and where is it currently located?

Answer 27

Where the Earth’s magnetic field is vertical.

On the move, and currently outside the Antarctic circle.

Question 28

What is the Pole of Inaccessibility?

Answer 28

Furthest mean distance away from the ocean on the continent.

Question 29

What marks the Ceremonial South Pole, and what surrounds this marking?

Answer 29

A barbers pole with a metallic sphere on a plinth, surrounded by national flags of signatories of Antarctic Treaty.

Question 30

The South Geographical Pole is marked by a stake. How much must it be moved each year and why?

Answer 30

Moved 10m each year to accomodate downhill-sliding ice sheet.

Question 31

What is the South Geomagnetic Pole and where is it located currently?

Answer 31

Where a tilted dipole axis intersects the Earth’s surface. On the move, and currently near Vostok Station.