No continent of our planet are not so attracted researchers as Antarctica.None so ably could not keep their many mysteries to this day.This is a unique continent, he did not like the others.Of course, the main difference from the other - an extremely harsh climatic conditions, have turned in Antarctica is the coldest continent.This also contributed to the fact that the continent - the highest in the world, it rises above the surface of the ocean at 4,000 meters.And also the fact that it is almost entirely located the Southern Arctic Circle.Antarctica is the South Pole of our planet, and yet - cold pole.
history research
The existence of a large land the Southern Arctic Circle people assumed in ancient times.On some maps of the Middle Ages can be seen not only complete the outline of the continent, but also marked the details strikingly similar to the real.Attempts to find the coldest continent have been made a lot, but it was possible to make the first Russian sailors Lazarev and Bellingshausen.This happened in 1820.The first people to visit the South Pole were Norwegians, led by Roald Amundsen in 1911.But really the mainland began to study in the second half of the 20th century.Then it became known that Antarctica - the coldest continent.
Current research
the continent does not belong to any state, there is no resident population.But the continent is of interest to many countries, and they built for its scientific research station.Is no exception, and Russia.Special treaties since 1959, Antarctica, in fact, turned into a huge natural science lab, where scientists working together from different countries.
Relief
researchers were able to establish that the foundation of the sixth continent is the Antarctic platform.She's on top of a huge ice cap covered with a thickness in some places reaches up to 4 km.And below it, as well as in other parts of the world, are the mountains and plains, it is not much different from the rest.There are also active volcanoes, the highest of them - Mount Erebus.Minerals in the depths of Antarctica are many, but they are still poorly understood.
Why Antarctica - the coldest continent?
climate is extremely harsh.-89,2 ° C - such a low temperature there was once fixed.It is the coldest place on our planet, which is called cold pole, located near the polar station "Vostok".The surface of the continent covered with snow and ice reflect nearly all the incoming solar energy.Over the mainland is always an area of high atmospheric pressure
, the air moves from the center to the periphery.This causes strong winds and very low temperatures.All the land here takes an ice desert.
Cruises to Antarctica
an unforgettable journey into the realm of eternal cold now possible for everyone who wishes.There are many travel agencies that organize such trips.Tours usually last from 10 to 40 days, the cost depending on the selected mode of transport up to 60 thousand dollars.
Despite the severity of the local conditions on the mainland there are a lot of unusual and interesting places for tourists.An example is the dry valleys of Victoria, Master and Taylor - it really is the driest place on Earth, there is no no precipitation for the past two million years.There is no snow or ice.South Georgia Island will amaze its unusual appearance, however, as well as the rest of Antarctica.Photo made in this part of the world will be a long time to remind about the cold, but such a beautiful continent of its severity.
