2. Antarctica-An Introduction Where did Antarctica come from? 100 million years ago-attached to South America and Australia 50 million years ago-separated from Australia What evidence exists that leads scientists to propose this theory?

3. Evidence to support this theory… Antarctic fossils of dinosaurs and trees are the same as those found in South America and Australia. The geology of the Transantarctic Mountains and the Andes are the same.

4. It is now time for…. The Geography Awards

5. World Geography Awards

6. What world awards would Antarctica receive?

7. Award #1 : Most Independent Continent No one owns Antarctica ! How do we keep the peace in this region if no one owns it? The Antarctic Treaty of 1961

8. What are the Four Promises of the Treaty Signers? 1. People will stay on Antarctica only to conduct scientific research 2. No military bases on Antarctica 3.No nuclear testing or waste dumping 4. No one owns the land or water surrounding Antarctica 5. Addition – 1991- No mineral mining for fifty years What won’t you hear on Antarctica?

9. Award # 2 – Most Icy Continent 98% of the continent is ice covered How thick is this ice…imagine this …if the Antarctic ice cap melted, it would raise the ocean’s water by 180 feet…the height of six telephone poles (one on top of each other)

10. Award # 3 – Most Changeable Ice Award During the winter the ice cap is 10 million square miles During the summer the ice cap is 5.4 million square miles What influences this change? The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is a clockwise swirl of water. It moves 200 ft per minute around Antarctica, warming and cooling the icecap. This swirl of water is 135X greater than all the river waters in the world!

11. Award # 4 – Fresh Water Champion 70% of the world’s FRESH water is found in Antarctica’s icecap

12. Award # 5-Highest and Most Arid Award Antarctica is the world’s highest and most arid continent

13. Award # 6 – World’s Most Impressive Ice Shelf The Ross Ice Shelf is the size of France and twice the size of Delaware!

14. Award # 7 - World’s Largest Iceberg When a piece of the Antarctic glacier breaks from an ice shelf it forms an iceberg. This process is called “calving” There are approximately 300,000 icebergs in Southern Ocean. The largest iceberg was spotted…it is the size of Delaware and Rhode Island. It is called Iceberg B-15

15. Amazing Videos Clips of Glaciers and Icebergs Glacier calving - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGsQdF2fE L0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGsQdF2fE L0 Watch Out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flIkDb-UDls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OooXSHfz WR8 Amazing Icebergs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OooXSHfz WR8

16. Do Icebergs Change? Icebergs continue to change in shape as they float in the Southern Ocean. B 15 broke apart. It became B15 A. It was the size of Connecticut in the year 2000…in 2013 it has decreased in size…it is only 1/3 its original size. http://youtu.be/lBfzFt_kgNU

17. What is known about the world’s largest Iceberg? B15 A is The size of Jamaica The largest floating object in the world Contains enough fresh water to supply the Nile River for the next 80 years Blocks wind and water currents Keeps penguin parents from feeding their chicks Moves about one mile per day

18. Icebergs come in many shapes and sizes Growler (the size of a small car) Bergy bit (the size of a house) Small, Medium, Large, Very Large

19. Award # 8 - World’s Windiest Continent Katabatic Winds form in Eastern Antarctica’s high plateau Wind speeds may reach 200mph

20. Award # 9 – Busiest Seafood Restaurant

21. The Antarctic Convergence has created this wealth of seafood…what causes the convergence? The fish filled warm water meets the cold bottom waters near Antarctica. The fish begin to swim closer to the water’s surface where their predators are waiting

22. Example of Endangered Fish Patagonian Toothfish How valuable is this fish?