The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 It lies on the continent of Antarctica, on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole. 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 It is the site of the United States Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, which was established in 1956 and has been permanently staffed since that year. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Description and history The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is the southernmost continually inhabited place on the planet The Geographic South Pole should not be confused with the South Magnetic Pole. The Earth 's South Magnetic Pole is the wandering point on the Earth's surface where the geomagnetic field lines are directed vertically upwards

Geography

The Geographic South Pole

The Ceremonial South Pole.

For most purposes, the Geographic South Pole is defined as the southern point of the two points where the earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface (the other being the Geographic North Pole). A rotation is a movement of an object in a circular motion A two- Dimensional object rotates around a center (or point) of rotation 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 However, the earth's axis of rotation is actually subject to very small 'wobbles', so this definition is not adequate for very precise work; see Geographic North Pole for further information. 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 coordinates of the South Pole are usually given simply as 90°S, since its longitude is geometrically undefined and irrelevant. When a longitude is desired, it may be given as 0°W. The Geographic South Pole is located on the continent of Antarctica (although this has not been the case for all of Earth's history because of continental drift). The history of Earth covers approximately 46 billion years (4567000000 years from Earth ’s formation out of the Solar nebula to the present Continental drift is the movement of the Earth 's Continents relative to each other It sits atop a featureless, windswept, icy plateau at an altitude of 2,835 meters (9,306 ft), about 800 miles (1,300 km) from the nearest sea at McMurdo Sound. The ice-clogged waters of Antarctica's McMurdo Sound extend about 55 km (35 mi long and wide The ice is estimated to be about 2,700 meters (9,000 ft) thick at the Pole, so the land surface under the ice sheet is actually near sea level. ^[1]

The polar ice sheet is moving at a rate of roughly 10 meters per year in a direction between 37° and 40° west of grid north,^[2] down towards the Weddell Sea. The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean. Its land boundaries are defined by the bay formed from the coasts of Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula Thus the exact position of the Pole, relative to the ice surface and the buildings constructed on it, gradually shifts over time.

The Geographic South Pole is marked by a small sign and a stake in the ice pack, which are repositioned each year on New Year’s Day to compensate for the movement of the ice. New Year's Day is the first day of the Year. On the modern Gregorian calendar, it is celebrated on January 1, as it was also in ancient Rome (though The sign records the respective dates that Roald Amundsen and Robert F. Scott reached the Pole followed by a short quotation from each man and gives the elevation as 9,301 ft (2,835 m). Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen (ˈɾuːɑl ˈɑmʉnsən ( July 16, 1872 – c ^[3]

Ceremonial South Pole

The Ceremonial South Pole is an area set aside for photo opportunities at the South Pole Station. Description and history The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is the southernmost continually inhabited place on the planet It is located a short distance from the Geographic South Pole, and consists of a metallic sphere on a plinth, surrounded by the flags of the Antarctic Treaty signatory states. A plinth is the base of a cabinet in Cabinet making. In Architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a Column, Pedestal The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements collectively called the Antarctic Treaty System or ATS, regulate International relations with respect to A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population.

The ceremonial marker is moved every two to three years to keep the walking distance to the Geographical South Pole minimal.

Exploration

Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Description and history The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is the southernmost continually inhabited place on the planet The ceremonial pole and flags can be seen in the background, slightly to the left of center, below the tracks behind the buildings. The actual geographic pole is a few more metres to the left. The buildings are raised on stilts to prevent snow buildup.

See also: History of Antarctica, List of Antarctic expeditions and Polar exploration. The history of Antarctica emerges from early Western theories of a vast continent known as Terra Australis, believed to exist in the far south of the globe This List of Antarctic expeditions is a Chronological list of Expeditions involving Antarctica. Polar exploration is the physical exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic regions of the Earth.

The first humans to reach the Geographic South Pole were Norwegian Roald Amundsen and his party on December 14, 1911. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Roald Amundsen 's South Pole expedition (1910–1912 was a Norwegian expedition to Antarctica aiming to be the first to reach the South Pole. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Amundsen named his camp Polheim and the entire plateau surrounding the Pole Haakon VII's Vidde in honour of King Haakon VII of Norway. Polheim, "Home of the Pole" was Roald Amundsen 's name for his camp (the first ever at the South Pole. A number of Antarctic features were named after Norwegian royal family members Haakon VII (Prince Carl of Denmark born Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel) (3 August 1872 in Charlottenlund 21 September 1957 in Oslo) Amundsen's competitor Robert Falcon Scott, with four other men from the Terra Nova Expedition, reached the Pole a month later. The Terra Nova Expedition (1910&ndash1913 officially the British Antarctic Expedition 1910 was led by Robert Falcon Scott who had previously commanded the Discovery On the return trip, Scott and his four companions all died of starvation and extreme cold. In 1914 British explorer Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition set out with the goal of crossing Antarctica via the South Pole, but his ship, the Endurance, was frozen in pack-ice and sank 11 months later. Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE, (15 February 1874 – 5 January 1922 was an Anglo-Irish explorer who was one of the principal figures of the period The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914–17 also known as the Endurance Expedition, was the last major expedition of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration Design and construction Designed by Ole Aanderud Larsen, the Endurance was built at the Framnæs shipyard in Sandefjord, Norway and Sea ice is formed from Ocean water that freezes Because the Oceans consist of Saltwater, this occurs at about -1

US Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, with the assistance of his first pilot Bernt Balchen, became the first person to fly over the South Pole on November 29, 1929. Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, USN ( October 25, 1888 &ndash March 11, 1957) was a pioneering American polar WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Events 1777 - San Jose California, is founded as el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. However, it was not until 31 October 1956 that men once again set foot at the Pole, when a party led by Admiral George J. Dufek of the US Navy landed there in an R4D Skytrain (Douglas DC-3) aircraft. Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. George John Dufek ( 10 February 1903, Rockford Illinois - 10 February 1977, Bethesda Maryland) was an American naval WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The US Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station was established by air over 1956–1957 for the International Geophysical Year and has been continuously staffed since then by research and support personnel. Description and history The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is the southernmost continually inhabited place on the planet The International Geophysical Year or IGY was an international scientific effort that lasted from July 1, 1957, to December 31, 1958 ^[4]

After Amundsen and Scott, the next people to reach the South Pole overland (albeit with some air support) were Edmund Hillary (January 4, 1958) and Vivian Fuchs (January 19, 1958) and their respective parties, during the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE (20 July 1919 &ndash 11 January 2008 was a New Zealand mountaineer and explorer Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sir Vivian Ernest Fuchs FRS ( February 11, 1908 &ndash November 11, 1999) was an English explorer whose expeditionary Events 1419 - Hundred Years' War: Rouen surrenders to Henry V of England completing his reconquest of Normandy. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 1955&ndash58 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition ( CTAE) was a Commonwealth -sponsored expedition that successfully completed the first overland crossing of There have been many subsequent expeditions to arrive at the South Pole by surface transportation, including those by Havola, Crary and Fiennes. Albert Paddock Crary (1911 - 1987 was a pioneer polar geophysicist and glaciologist and the first person to set foot on both the North (on May 3 Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes 3rd Baronet OBE (born 7 March 1944) usually known as Ranulph (Ran Fiennes, is a British

On December 30, 1989, Arved Fuchs and Reinhold Messner were the first to reach the South Pole without animal or motorised help, using only skis and the help of wind. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Arved Fuchs (born 1953 is a German explorer On December 30 1989, he and the famous mountain climber Reinhold Messner were the first to Reinhold Messner (born September 17 1944) is a Mountaineer and Explorer from the Province of Bolzano-Bozen in Italy

The fastest unsupported walking journey to the Geographic South Pole from the ocean is 39 days from Hercules Inlet and was set in 2007 by Hannah McKeand.

Territorial claims

Antarctic territorial claims and Antarctica – Politics. This is an alphabetical list of Antarctic territories and territorial claims.

Climate

See also Climate of Antarctica. The Climate of Antarctica is the coldest on earth the lowest Temperature ever recorded on earth being −89

During the southern winter, the South Pole receives no sunlight at all. In the summer, the sun (though continuously above the horizon) is always low in the sky. Much of the sunlight that does reach the surface is reflected by the white snow. This lack of warmth from the sun, combined with the high altitude (about 2,800 m), means that the South Pole has one of the coldest climates on Earth (though it is not quite the coldest; that record goes to the region in the vicinity of the Vostok Station, also in Antarctica, which lies at a higher elevation^[5]). Vostok Station (Станция Восток is a Russian (formerly Soviet) Research station located near the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility Temperatures at the South Pole are much lower than at the North Pole, primarily because the South Pole is located at altitude in the middle of a continental land mass, while the North Pole is at sea level in the middle of an ocean (which acts as a reservoir of heat).

In midsummer, as the sun reaches its maximum elevation of about 23. 5 degrees, temperatures at the South Pole average around −25 °C (−12 °F). As the six-month 'day' wears on and the sun gets lower, temperatures drop as well, with temperatures around sunset (late March) and sunrise (late September) being about −45 °C (−49 °F). In winter, the temperature remains steady at around −65 °C (−85 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is −13. Description and history The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is the southernmost continually inhabited place on the planet 6 °C (7. 5 °F: December 27, 1978), and the lowest is −82. 8 °C (−117. 0 °F: June 23, 1982)^[6] (however, this is not the lowest recorded anywhere on earth, that being −89. 2 °C (−128. 6 °F) at Vostok Station) on July 21, 1983. Vostok Station (Станция Восток is a Russian (formerly Soviet) Research station located near the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility

The South Pole has a desert climate, almost never receiving any precipitation. Air humidity is near zero. However, high winds can cause the blowing of snowfall, and the accumulation of snow amounts to about 20 cm per year. ^[7] The dome seen in the pictures is partially buried due to snow storms, and the entrance to the dome has to be regularly bulldozed to uncover it. More recent buildings are raised on stilts so that the snow does not build up against the side of them.

Average monthly temperatures and precipitation (Celsius, millimetres) at the South Pole, Antarctica

Average monthly temperatures and precipitation (Fahrenheit, inches) at the South Pole, Antarctica

Source: weatherbase.com

Time

In most places on Earth, local time is more-or-less synchronised to the position of the sun in the sky. This line of reasoning fails at the South Pole, which has 'days' lasting for a whole year. Another way of looking at it is to note that all time zones converge at the pole. There is no a priori reason for placing the South Pole in any particular time zone, but as a matter of practical convenience the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station keeps New Zealand time. Description and history The Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is the southernmost continually inhabited place on the planet This is because the US flies its resupply missions ("Operation Deep Freeze") out of Christchurch, New Zealand. Operation Deep Freeze (OpDFrz or ODF is the codename for a series of United States missions to Antarctica, beginning with "Operation Deep Freeze Christchurch (Ōtautahi The largest City in the South Island, it is also the second largest city and third largest urban area of New Zealand

Flora and fauna

Due to its exceptionally harsh climate, there are no native resident plants or animals at the South Pole. Remarkably, though, off-course skuas are occasionally seen there. Skuas are Seabirds in the family Stercorariidae. The three smaller skuas are called jaegers in North America ^[8]

In 2000 it was reported that microbes had been detected living in the South Pole ice, though scientists think it unlikely that they evolved in Antarctica. ^[9]

See also

• Antarctica
• List of Antarctic expeditions
• North Pole

References

External links

• NOAA South Pole Webcam
• 360° Panoramas of the South Pole
• Virtual tour of the South Pole
• Images of this location are available at the Degree Confluence Project
• South Pole Photo Gallery
• Current weather conditions at the South Pole (Amundsen-Scott Station)
• Poles by the Australian Antarctic Division
• iceman's South Pole page
• Big Dead Place
• UK team makes polar trek history - BBC News article on first expedition to Pole of Inaccessibility without mechanical assistance
• Aerial photography of Amundsen-Scott station and South Pole