West Antarctica

Coordinates: 79°S 100°W / 79°S 100°W / -79; -100
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79°S 100°W / 79°S 100°W / -79; -100

Almost blank map of West Antarctica
Labeled map of Antarctica, with West Antarctica on the left.

West Antarctica, or Lesser Antarctica, one of the two major regions of

Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf). It may be considered a giant peninsula, stretching from the South Pole
towards the tip of South America.

West Antarctica is largely covered by the

Marielandia Antarctic tundra and have the warmest climate in Antarctica. The rocks are clad in mosses and lichens
that can cope with the intense cold of winter and the short growing-season.

Location and description

Geographical map of Antarctica

Lying on the

Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf on the Weddell Sea, and the Ross Ice Shelf on the Ross Sea
.

West Antarctica was named in the early 20th century.[3] That usage became standard following the International Geophysical Year (1957–1958) and explorations which disclosed that the Transantarctic Mountains provide a useful regional border between West Antarctica and East Antarctica. The Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names approved the name in 1962.

West Antarctica is mostly covered by a massive ice sheet referred to as the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. In recent decades, this ice sheet has shown signs of decreasing mass.[4]

The geologic history of West Antarctica was summarized in a 2020 publication.[5]

Marielandia Antarctic tundra

The parts of West Antarctica not covered with ice (Antarctic oasis), which are the coasts of the Antarctic Peninsula, constitute a biodiversity region known as Marielandia Antarctic tundra (after Marie Byrd Land).[6] This area has the warmest climate in Antarctica and the moss and lichen-covered rocks are free of snow during the summer months, although the weather is still intensely cold and the growing season very short.

See also

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from "West Antarctica". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.

  1. ^ "Impacts of climate change". Discovering Antarctica. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  2. ^ "WMO verifies one temperature record for Antarctic continent and rejects another". public.wmo.int. 2021-06-30. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  3. Nordenskiöld
    , 1905)
  4. ^ "Antarctic ice sheet is an 'awakened giant'". New Scientist. 2 February 2005. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  5. ISSN 2662-138X
    .
  6. ^ World Wildlife Fund, ed. (2001). "Marielandia Antarctic tundra". WildWorld Ecoregion Profile. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 2010-03-08. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
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