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Location of the polar regions
Location of the polar regions
Northern Hemisphere permafrost (permanently frozen ground) in purple.
Northern Hemisphere permafrost (permanently frozen ground) in purple.

Earth's polar regions are the areas of the globe surrounding the poles also known as frigid zones. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 A geographical pole, or geographic pole, is either of two fixed points on the surface of a spinning body or Planet, at 90 degrees from the Equator, based Each of the five main latitude regions of the earth's surface is said to be a geographical zone, divided by the major Circles of latitude. The North Pole and South Pole being the centers, these regions are dominated by the polar ice caps, resting respectively on the Arctic Ocean and the continent of Antarctica. The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is subject to the caveats explained below defined as the point in the northern The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth. A polar ice cap is a high- Latitude region of a Planet or moon that is covered in Ice. The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major Polar sea ice is currently diminishing, possibly as a result of anthropogenic global warming. Sea ice is formed from Ocean water that freezes Because the Oceans consist of Saltwater, this occurs at about -1 Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the

Contents

Definitions

The Arctic has numerous definitions, including the region north of the Arctic Circle (66-33N), or the region north of 60 degrees north latitude, or the region from the North Pole south to the timberline. The Arctic is the Region around the Earth 's North Pole, opposite the Antarctic region around the South Pole. The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi ( Φ) gives the location of a place on Earth (or other planetary body north or south of the The tree line or timberline is the edge of the habitat at which Trees are capable of growing

The Antarctic is usually defined as south of 60 degrees south latitude, or the continent of Antarctica. Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi ( Φ) gives the location of a place on Earth (or other planetary body north or south of the The 1959 Antarctic Treaty uses the former definition. The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements collectively called the Antarctic Treaty System or ATS, regulate International relations with respect to

Climate

Main article: Polar climate

Polar regions receive less intensive solar radiation because the sun's energy arrives at an oblique angle, spreading over a larger area, and also travels a longer distance through the Earth's atmosphere in which it may be absorbed, scattered or reflected, which is the same thing that causes winters to be colder than the rest of the year in temperate areas. Regions with a polar climate are characterized by a lack of warm summers (specifically no month having an average temperature of 10 °C or higher

The axial tilt of the Earth has a major effect on climate of the polar regions. In Astronomy, axial tilt is the Inclination angle of a planet's rotational axis in relation to its orbital plane. The amount of heat energy received at any location on the globe is a direct effect of sun angle of climate, as the angle at which Sunlight strikes the earth Since the polar regions are the farthest from the equator, they receive the least amount of sunlight and are therefore frigid. The equator (sometimes referred to colloquially as "the Line") is the intersection of the Earth 's surface with the plane perpendicular to the The large amount of ice and snow also reflects a large part of what little sunlight the Polar regions receive, contributing to the cold. Polar regions are characterized by the polar climate, extremely cold temperatures, heavy glaciation wherever there is sufficient precipitation to form permanent ice, and extreme variations in daylight hours, with twenty-four hours of daylight in summer (the midnight sun), and darkness at mid-winter. Regions with a polar climate are characterized by a lack of warm summers (specifically no month having an average temperature of 10 °C or higher "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period. In Meteorology, precipitation (also known as one class of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric The midnight sun is a phenomenon occurring in Latitudes north and nearby to the south of the Arctic Circle and south and nearby to the north of the Winter is one of the four Seasons of Temperate zones Calculated astronomically, it begins on the Solstice and ends on the Equinox

Circumpolar Arctic Region

See also: North Pole

There are many settlements in Earth's north polar region. The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is subject to the caveats explained below defined as the point in the northern Countries with claims to Arctic regions are: the United States (Alaska), Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, and Russia. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" Grønland is a self-governing Danish Province located between the Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Arctic circumpolar populations often share more in common which each other than with other populations within their national boundaries. As such, the northern polar region is diverse in human settlements and cultures.

Antarctica and the Southern Ocean

See also: Antarctica

The southern polar region has no permanent human habitation. McMurdo Station is the largest research station in Antarctica, run by the United States. McMurdo Station is an American Antarctic research center located on the southern tip of Ross Island on the shore of McMurdo Sound, 2200 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Other notable stations include Palmer Station and Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station (United States), Esperanza Base and Marambio Base (Argentina), Scott Base (New Zealand), and Vostok Station (Russia). Palmer Station, on Anvers Island, is Antarctica's only US station north of the Antarctic Circle. Description and history The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is the southernmost continually inhabited place on the planet The Argentine Base Esperanza ( Spanish "Hope Base" is located at, Hope Bay, Trinity Peninsula, Antarctic Peninsula Base Antártica Marambio is the main Argentine base in Antarctica, and it is located in Seymour-Marambio Island, at, some 100 km (88 mi from For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Scott Base may also refer to Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Vostok Station (Станция Восток is a Russian (formerly Soviet) Research station located near the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility

While there are no indigenous human cultures, there is a complex ecosystem, especially along Antarctica's coastal zones. Coastal upwelling provides abundant nutrients which feeds krill, a type of marine crustacea, which in turn feeds a complex of living creatures from penguins to blue whales. Upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense cooler and usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface replacing the warmer Krill are a type of Shrimp -like marine Invertebrate animal These small Crustaceans are important organisms of the Zooplankton, particularly

Extraterrestrial polar regions

Other planets and natural satellites in the solar system have interesting quirks about their polar regions. A planet, as defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU is a celestial body Orbiting a Star or stellar remnant that is A natural satellite or moon is a Celestial body that Orbits a Planet or smaller body which is called the primary. The Solar System consists of the Sun and those celestial objects bound to it by Gravity. Earth's Moon is thought to contain substantial deposits of ice in deep craters in its polar regions, which never see direct sunlight. Ice is a Solid phase, usually crystalline, of a Non-metalic substance that is liquid or gas at Room temperature, such as Ammonia Sunlight, in the broad sense is the total spectrum of the Electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. Mars, like Earth, has polar ice caps. The climate of Mars has been an issue of scientific curiosity for centuries due not least to the fact that Mars is the only terrestrial planet whose surface can be directly On Uranus, meanwhile, the extreme tilt of the planet's axis leads to the poles alternately pointing almost directly at the Sun. The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System.

See also

Antarctic

Arctic

Polar

External links

Gallery

North polar region

Antarctic mountain

North polar region polar bears

South polar region penguin

Polar scenes

Polar ice stream

South pole at image bottom

Purple aurora
Antarctica is one of eight terrestrial Ecosystems The ecosystem includes Antarctica and several island groups in the southern Atlantic and Indian Oceans This List of Antarctic expeditions is a Chronological list of Expeditions involving Antarctica. Volcanoes There are four Volcanoes on the mainland of Antarctica that areconsidered to be active on the basis of observed fumarolic activity or"recent" tephra This is a List of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands. Sub-Antarctic islands are Islands in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica north of the Antarctic The Arctic is the Region around the Earth 's North Pole, opposite the Antarctic region around the South Pole. The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major The Canadian Arctic Archipelago, also known as just the Arctic Archipelago, is an Archipelago north of the Canadian mainland in the Arctic A geographical pole, or geographic pole, is either of two fixed points on the surface of a spinning body or Planet, at 90 degrees from the Equator, based The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is subject to the caveats explained below defined as the point in the northern The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth. Each of the five main latitude regions of the earth's surface is said to be a geographical zone, divided by the major Circles of latitude. Polar drift is a geological phenomenon caused by variations in the flow of molten Iron in Earth's outer core, resulting in changes in the orientation of Earth Polar exploration is the physical exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic regions of the Earth. A polar low is a small-scale short-lived atmospheric low pressure system (depression that is found over the ocean areas poleward of the main Polar front in The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory
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