THE MELTING OF THE ICE FLOE

SUMMARY :_ Identity card_ Cause of the melting_ Consequences _ Antarctica _ Arctic

IDENTITY CARD

Name of the ice floe : Antarctica and Arctic

Description : The ice field is a flat mass of ice. It's largely formed from sea water that freezes.The Arctic is in the North of the Earth and the Antarctica is in South of the Earth.

Area : about 20 000 000 km² (Arctic : about 5 500 000 km² and Antarctica : 14 000 000 km²)

CAUSES OF THE MELTING

There are a lot of causes ::

- Global warming

- Human pollution

The melting of the permafrost increases global warming

CONSEQUENCES

There are a lot of consequences like :

_ The floods_ The extinction of a lot of animal species_ The ice floe will disappear

AntarcticaArea (overall) : 14 000 000 km² with 280 000 km² of ice free and 13 720 000 Area (overall) : 14 000 000 km² with 280 000 km² of ice free and 13 720 000 km².km².There is no permanent population but there are some scientists who live There is no permanent population but there are some scientists who live there.there.Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, and has Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, and has the highest average elevation of all the continents.the highest average elevation of all the continents.Effects of global warmingEffects of global warming Some of Antarctica has been warming up, particularly strong warming has Some of Antarctica has been warming up, particularly strong warming has been noted on the Antarctic Peninsula. In 2009, a study noted that for the first been noted on the Antarctic Peninsula. In 2009, a study noted that for the first time the average surface temperature increased by 0,5°C. He noted too that time the average surface temperature increased by 0,5°C. He noted too that west Antarctica has warmed by more than 0.1 °C per decade in the last 50 west Antarctica has warmed by more than 0.1 °C per decade in the last 50 years. This is partly offset by the rising of temperatures in East Antarctica. years. This is partly offset by the rising of temperatures in East Antarctica. this warming is caused by human carbon dioxide emissions. It contribute to this warming is caused by human carbon dioxide emissions. It contribute to increasing sea level.increasing sea level.

ARCTIC

The Arctic's climate is characterized by cold winters and cool summers. Rains mostly come in the form of snow. The Arctic's annual rainfall is low.Average winter temperatures can be as low as −40 °C (−40 °F), and the coldest recorded temperature is approximately −68 °C (−90 °F)The animal are : the Arctic hare, lemming, muskox, and caribou Arctic fox and wolf, polar bear .

The arctic evolution

We can see that the arctic regressed a lot from 1979 to 2003 .If nothing is done a lot of animals are doomed to suffer a lot ...