Antarctica and the North Pole

Due to the high altitude, thin air and the reflection of solar radiation on the ice and snow surface, the Antarctic continent has become the coldest region in the world, with an average temperature of 20 degrees lower than that of the North Pole. The average annual temperature in the Antarctic continent is MINUS 25 degrees. The average annual temperature in Antarctic coastal areas is about-17~20 degrees; The average annual temperature in inland areas is MINUS 40~50 degrees; The extremely high plain in the southeast is the coldest, with the annual average temperature as low as MINUS 57 degrees. Up to now, the lowest temperature observed on the earth is -89.6 degrees Celsius, which was recorded by the New Zealand Antarctic Observatory "Wanda" in July 1983. At this low temperature, ordinary steel will become as fragile as glass. If you throw a glass of water into the air, it will become ice crystals.

Winter in the Arctic Ocean lasts for six months from June 1 1 to April of the following year. May, June, September and 65438+ October belong to spring and autumn. In summer, it only lasts for seven or eight months. The average temperature in June+10/October in 5438 was between-20 and-40℃. The average temperature in the warmest August is only MINUS 8 degrees. The lowest temperature measured at the drifting station near the pole of the Arctic Ocean is -59℃. Due to the influence of ocean currents and Arctic anticyclones, the coldest place in the Arctic is not in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. The lowest temperature was recorded at -70℃ in Jansk, Vilho, Siberia, and at -62℃ in Alaska.

There are no permanent residents in Antarctica, but there are permanent residents in the Arctic, such as Eskimos.

The Antarctic region is extremely rich in mineral resources. According to the identified distribution of resources, the reserves of coal, iron and oil rank first in the world, and other mineral resources are still being explored. It is expected that more and richer mineral resources will be found in the Antarctic region, which will provide scientific basis for human beings to use these resources.

Permian coal seams in Antarctic continent are mainly distributed under the Antarctic ice sheet, with a reserve of about 500 billion tons.

Iron ore is one of the richest mineral resources in Antarctica. On the Antarctic continent, it is mainly distributed in the southeast pole. According to scientists' investigation, in the stratum in the south of Prince Charles Mountain, there was a banded magnetite-rich rock with a thickness of 400 meters, a length of120km ~180km and a width of 5km ~10km, with an average grade of 32% ~ 58%, which is an iron-rich deposit with industrial mining value. Interestingly, if you go north along the longitude range of Prince Charles Mountain in Antarctica (60 degrees north latitude to 70 degrees north latitude), it is almost in the Arctic region with the same longitude and almost symmetry, and it is also a world-class large iron ore area.

Antarctic oil reserves are about 50 billion to 654.38+00 billion barrels, and natural gas reserves are about 300 billion to 500 billion cubic meters. The Ross Sea, Weddell Sea, Bellingsgar Sea and Antarctic continental shelf in Antarctica are the main producing areas of oil fields and natural gas.

In the Antarctic region, there are still many resources to be identified, and the results of resource exploration in various countries have not been fully disclosed. Therefore, scientists in China still need to make further efforts.