1. Antarctica: An Overview Samantha Hansen, University of Alabama PolarTREC Orientation Meeting February 2012

2. Antarctica Fun Facts - 5 th largest land mass; 1.5 times the size of the U.S. - Coldest, windiest, driest, highest, quietest, most remote, and least understood continent on Earth - World’s largest desert - Record cold: -129°F - 99.6% covered by ice, making direct observations very difficult

3. Who owns Antarctica? Technically, no one, but territory claims have been made.

4. Antarctic Treaty Signed by 12 nations in 1959; 42 nations included now. Antarctica is to be used for peaceful purposes only; no military activities of any kind are permitted. Scientific program plans, personnel, observations, and results shall be freely exchanged. All land and ice shelves south of latitude 60°S are covered.

5. U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) Supports Antarctic Treaty by fostering cooperative research; about 3,000 Americans involved each year Research Goals: To understand the region and its ecosystem To understand its effects on and responses to global processes, such as climate To use the region as a platform to study the upper atmosphere and space Disciplines: astronomy, atmospheric science, biology, earth science, environmental science, geology, glaciology, marine biology, oceanography, geophysics

6. Why Antarctica? The research being done in Antarctica cannot be done anywhere else! – Arguably the most undisturbed region on the planet – Unique environment make it the ideal location for many studies A few examples… = ?

7. Astrophysical Observatory Measuring radiation arriving to Earth from space; cold/dry air and clear skies are crucial Infrared and millimeter wavelength telescope Study how planets, stars, and galaxies are born South Pole telescope with Milky Way behind; Hrubes (2010) Aurora australis over South Pole station; Cullis (2009)

8. Pine Island Glacier (PIG) What is driving ice loss and causing glacier to flow rapidly into the sea? Impact on sea-level rise Properties of bedrock beneath ice (impact on how they move) Landsat Image (2001) Bindschadler (2011)

9. Seal and Penguin Science Investigating the diet, behavior, breeding, etc. of Antarctic critters Impacts on their ecosystem Pictures near McMurdo; Hansen (2009)

10. Drilling into Lake Ellsworth British, Russian, and American scientists trying to sample lake that has been isolated for at least 125,000 years Buried beneath 2 miles of ice Thought to be extreme habitat for microbial life; important record of ice sheet and climate history in lake sediments Images from the Subglacial Lake Ellsworth Consortium

11. Antarctica’s Gamburtsev Province (AGAP) Investigating the Gamburtsev Mtns. – How did they form? – Role in E. Antarctic ice sheet formation? GAMSEIS and GAMBIT (seismic and aerogeophysics) Deretsky (2009) GAMSEIS field pictures; Hansen (2010)

12. Collaboration with K-12 Educators As a researcher, it is fun and exciting to share your work with the education community Readily lends itself to K-12 education and outreach – inspire the next generation of polar scientists Australian Antarctic Division

13. Antarctic Education and the “Bigger Picture” Getting students interested in math, science, and technology requires showing them things that are new, different, and exciting. Basically EVERYTHING in Antarctica can be described this way! Get them thinking about what they might do in the future

14. Thanks for your attention. Any comments/questions?