Polar Research
- [Earth - This photo of Earth, known as "The Blue Marble", was taken on December 7, 1972 by astronauts on the Apollo 17 spacecraft. At that time, the spacecraft was running to 29,000 kilometers from the earth, because the spacecraft was facing away from the sun at the time, it was one of the few pictures that could directly take the entire earth clearly.]
- Overview
Earth's polar regions are the areas around the North and South Poles, and are made up of the Arctic and Antarctic. They are the coldest and most unpopulated regions on Earth.
The polar regions are undergoing rapid and dramatic changes. These changes are having major impacts on the environment and societies around the world.
The polar regions of earth are the Arctic and Antarctic, which are the areas around the North and South Poles. They are the coldest and least populated regions on the planet.
Climate:
- The polar regions are extremely cold, with average temperatures in the Arctic reaching -40° C in the winter and 0° C in the summer.
- The South Pole is even colder, with average temperatures reaching -60° C in the winter and -28.2° C in the summer.
- The polar regions experience extreme variations in daylight.
Ice:
- The Arctic is made up of floating ice on the Arctic Ocean, surrounded by land.
- The Antarctic has an ice cap that's about 6,700 feet thick, located under the continent of Antarctica.
Wildlife:
- The polar regions are home to unique wildlife, including plankton, fish, sea birds, and mammals.
Environmental issues:
- The polar regions are experiencing environmental degradation, including the loss of ice sheets that contribute to global sea level rise.
- Climate change and social change threaten the cultural practices of Indigenous communities that have lived in the Arctic for thousands of years.
International legal regimes:
- International legal regimes are used to manage the polar regions, including areas that are beyond national jurisdiction.
Research topics in polar regions primarily focus on the impacts of climate change on the environment, including studies on sea ice dynamics, glacier retreat, changes in marine ecosystems, wildlife populations, atmospheric conditions, and the geological history of the polar regions, often utilizing disciplines like glaciology, oceanography, atmospheric science, ecology, and geology.
- Earth's Polar Regions are Changing in Alarming Ways
The polar regions are the coldest and least populated areas on Earth, yet their landscapes, climates, fauna, and flora are unique. This uniqueness makes the polar regions special. The Arctic lies within the Arctic Circle, while the Antarctic lies within the Antarctic Convergence Zone.
Although the Arctic and Antarctic are located at opposite ends of the Earth and differ significantly in many ways, their environmental histories have much in common and are often closely linked.
The Arctic and Antarctic regulate the global climate system, their rich oceans support large populations of plankton, fish, seabirds, and mammals, and their ice caps contain most of the Earth's fresh water.
These places have experienced the most severe environmental degradation in recent history. But they are also home to some of the most visionary conservation initiatives.
Many countries have a vested interest in the polar regions and are involved at various levels. In these places, people have tried to conquer nature through exploration and economic development, but in many ways they remain wild and untamed.
Polar regions are undergoing strong, visible and fundamental changes, which raises concerns about anticipated societal uses, such as commercial exploitation (fisheries, shipping, logistics) and tourism development in areas previously inaccessible to the public, and what this means for maintaining conservation of the natural environment. Scientific observations and knowledge play an important role in shaping understanding of environmental responsibilities for these regions.
- The Uncertain Future of the Polar Region
The polar regions are expected to experience significant warming, rising sea levels, and changes to the landscape and wildlife.
Temperature:
- The Arctic and Antarctic are expected to experience rising temperatures and precipitation.
- The Arctic could be ice-free in the summer as early as 2040.
- The Arctic will likely be warmer and wetter, with rainfall dominating the landscape.
Sea level:
- The polar regions are expected to experience rising sea levels.
- The loss of mass from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets is expected to continue.
Ice sheets:
- Glaciers in both polar regions have been losing mass since 2000.
- The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have been losing mass since at least 1990.
Wildlife:
- Animals like black guillemots and harp seals are spending more energy to eat and raise their young.
- Polar cod are being replaced by larger Atlantic cod that aren't as nutritious.
- The tundra is greening, with shrubs and small trees replacing lichens and mosses.
Ocean acidification:
- The Southern Ocean is expected to experience the most severe effects of ocean acidification.
Shipping:
- The Northwest Passage and the Northern Sea Route could become important shipping routes.
- Research Topics in Polar Regions
Global warming has so far affected the polar regions and oceans in different ways.
Climate change is warming the Arctic four times faster than the rest of the world. Greenland’s glaciers are now releasing tens of billions of tons of melt ice into the ocean every year. These changes will affect the planet – through
- Rising sea levels
- Changing weather patterns
- Increased rates of extreme weather events
- Melting permafrost and releasing greenhouse gases and various pathogens
Meanwhile, what was once a vast icy wilderness where only people adapted to such harsh conditions could live for centuries may soon become an area of thriving economic activity.
Melting sea ice and glaciers mean that oil, gas, rare earths and other raw materials become more accessible, while ice-free oceans offer new fishing grounds and shorter shipping routes between Europe and Asia. These new economic factors cannot be ignored.
While the Arctic is undergoing fundamental changes and gradually losing its unique polar features, observable changes in Antarctica are mainly concentrated in two regions: West Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula. However, East Antarctica is also beginning to respond to rising temperatures.
Key research areas in polar regions:
- Glaciology: Studying glacier movement, ice sheet dynamics, ice core analysis to reconstruct past climate conditions, and the effects of melting glaciers on sea level rise.
- Oceanography: Investigating changes in ocean currents, sea ice extent and thickness, marine ecosystems, and the impact of polar ice melt on ocean circulation.
- Atmospheric science: Analyzing polar atmospheric conditions, including ozone depletion, changes in weather patterns, and the role of polar regions in global climate systems.
- Ecology and wildlife biology: Monitoring populations of polar animals like penguins, seals, polar bears, and their adaptations to changing environments, including impacts on food sources.
- Geology and geophysics: Studying the geological structure of polar regions, including the formation of ice sheets and the impact of glacial processes on the landscape.
- Climate change impacts: Assessing the effects of rising global temperatures on the polar regions, including sea level rise, permafrost thaw, and ecosystem disruptions.
- Indigenous communities and human impacts: Studying the social and cultural aspects of indigenous populations living in polar regions and the impacts of climate change on their livelihoods.
Specific research questions within these topics could include:
- How is the Arctic sea ice cover changing over time, and what are the consequences for marine ecosystems?
- What are the impacts of glacial melt on coastal communities?
- How are polar bear populations being affected by declining sea ice?
- What can ice core data tell us about past climate changes?
- How are atmospheric conditions in the polar regions influencing global weather patter
[More to come ...]
