Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
chemistry is simpler. Also black carbon (soot) levels are much higher in the
Arctic compared with the south, being much closer to the sources; soot deposited on
snow surfaces enhances the melting rate of snow and ice.
Even the Earth
field is very different in both polar regions. The magnetic
pole in the north is close to the geographic pole and moving closer to it, by about
40 km per annum; in the south it is 24
displaced from the geographic pole and only
moving about 10 km per annum away from the pole. These two very different
con
'
is magnetic
gurations of the magnetic
field have proved incredibly valuable in determining
the way in which the Sun
s atmosphere and causes
the aurora, and how these disturbances lead to space weather.
These major differences between the poles offer scientists both challenges and
opportunities. For example, computer models developed in one hemisphere can be
rigorously tested in the other hemisphere where the geophysical conditions are very
different.
'
s particle energy enters the Earth
'
The future
The Antarctic has provided many critical insights into how the planet has
operated in the past. For example, the ice core studies from many parts of the
Antarctic covering nearly 1million years have allowed the relationships between
carbon dioxide and temperature variations to be established unambiguously.
Despite the best efforts of the many nations involved in Antarctic research,
there is still a dearth of data and information. There is a pressing need for
biodiversity mapping both on land and in the sea. There are large tracts that are not
just under-sampled but unsampled. Sampling is vital to determine baselines now as
some regions are already experiencing signi
cant change. However, to ensure
maximum value of any mapping programme, internationally agreed protocols
are essential and organisations such as the Scienti
c Committee for Antarctic
Research should play a leading role in developing these.
Making data that have already been collected available is equally important to
allow studies of spatial and temporal patterns of physical, biological, glaciological
and geological phenomena. Whilst there have been some notable successes, such as
the Census for Antarctic Marine Life, much more needs to be done; a move away
from providing catalogues alone and facilities to
find and download data
automatically is essential.
Environmental research in the twentieth century focused on understanding
and quantifying individual processes, and often involved studying them in a small
number of locations but now the focus is on looking at the entire Earth as a system, a
complex series of interactions of many processes occurring on all timescales and all
spatial scales.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search