100 Unbelievable Facts About the North and South Poles

Author: Masao Tameshige, Makoto Kanda, Kiyomi Togami, Ken Tarutaro Watanabe
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: When people think of the Arctic or Antarctic, they first imagine phenomena like the aurora, ice, penguins, and cold. However, in reality, it is far more than that. Besides the unique phenomena found in the Arctic and Antarctic, there are also special phenomena that reveal the role of the poles in the Earth's vast system. The polar regions, far removed from human activity, are less affected by pollution caused by human activities, making them highly sensitive detectors of the Earth's environment. Most natural phenomena in the polar regions are incredible to us. When people think of the Arctic or Antarctic, they first imagine phenomena like the aurora, ice, penguins, and cold. However, in reality, it is far more than that. Besides the unique phenomena found in the Arctic and Antarctic, there are also special phenomena that reveal the role of the poles in the Earth's vast system. The polar regions, far removed from human activity, are less affected by pollution caused by human activities, making them highly sensitive detectors of the Earth's environment. Most natural phenomena in the polar regions are incredible to us. All the authors of this book are researchers working at the forefront of polar research, engaged in polar studies year-round. They will introduce you to the 100 incredible phenomena of the Arctic and Antarctic through vivid images and easy-to-understand text, undoubtedly broadening your horizons.
I. An Overview of the Poles and the Poles as Seen from Earth
I. An Overview of the Poles and the Poles as Seen from Earth
1. What are the poles? – Definition of the poles
In the 5th to 6th centuries BC, Greek philosophers placed great importance on symmetry. Pythagoras, in the early 6th century BC, was the first to propose the idea that "the Earth is round." Aristarchus was one of the proponents of this idea. After the concept of "the Earth is round" was accepted, various theories about it gradually emerged. For example, around 450 BC, Parmenides proposed the idea of dividing the round Earth into five climate zones. He hypothesized that the Earth should be divided from the north into a cold zone in the north, a warm zone south of it, then a tropical zone, another warm zone, and a cold zone at the southernmost tip. Later, Aristarchus defined the warm zone he proposed as the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle. Around 150 BC, the Egyptian geographer Ptolemy, based on the ideas of Greek philosophers, proposed the idea that there were corresponding lands in the south relative to the northern lands and called this land the "Unknown Southern Land." Today, we refer to the Arctic and Antarctic as the polar regions. Another term with almost the same meaning is "polar regions." So, where exactly are the Arctic and Antarctic located on Earth? The Arctic refers to the North Pole or the North Magnetic Pole, and sometimes further refers to the Arctic Circle at 66.5 degrees north latitude. Some definitions also consider the Arctic as the tundra zone north of the year-round frozen ground, or north of the forest limit, or regions where the average temperature in the warmest month is below 10°C. Similarly, the meaning of the Antarctic could refer to the South Pole, the South Magnetic Pole, or the Antarctic Circle. In the Northern Hemisphere, the region from the equator to about 80 degrees north latitude is mostly land, whereas most of the Southern Hemisphere is occupied by oceans, making it impossible to apply the Antarctic definition to tundra zones, forest limits, or warmest months. However, some definitions consider the Antarctic as the area south of the Antarctic Convergence. The Antarctic Convergence refers to the boundary where warm air masses from mid-latitudes meet cold air masses from the Antarctic. When we take an observation ship to the Antarctic, one day we may suddenly feel cold. That is when the ship is crossing the Antarctic Convergence. Since the Antarctic Convergence is a boundary between air masses, this boundary constantly shifts over time. It cannot serve as a definition for the Antarctic. We use high-latitude regions above 66.5 degrees latitude as the common definition for the Arctic and Antarctic, or the polar regions. Through this geographical definition, we clarify the location of the polar regions on Earth. However, generally speaking, Greenland's southern tip, which is considered part of the Arctic, or the front of the Antarctic Peninsula, which is part of the Antarctic, are both located below 66.5 degrees latitude. Therefore, strictly speaking, they do not belong to the polar regions. Regions slightly lower than 66.5 degrees latitude are referred to as "polar regions." Thus, in terms of meaning, the term "polar regions" encompasses a slightly broader area than "polar regions."