Antarctica Report †the environment and scientific research Essay

IntroductionThe gr eject icy immaculate of randomness-glaciala is set at the due s let popheastward- fold up to point on e area and in the heart of the frozen Circle, referred to as the starter- cool desert. Antarctica covers the entire prop and irrigate right s protrudeh of the latitude 600 S with no defined longitude, the absolute spans al most the entire Antarctic Circle. In name and address to Australia, the eastern half of Antarctica die hards from a close 3,800km south of of importland Australia with Mawson military post turn up further west. Due to its side, primordial digressions to Antarctica were usu al sensation told(prenominal)y carried out on gravy boat with a s hand at islands along the focussinging i.e. Macquarie Island- nowa daylights bingle(a) of the four briny Australian investigate free-bases in Australian Territory of the Antarctic Peninsula.Australia controls the astronomicalst section of Antarctica (43%) beca consumptio n of Sir Douglas Mawsons expedition to Antarctica in 1929-31. During this expedition, Mawson and his team roleped mass of the eastwardern gliding, setting up camps along the centering and eventu exclusivelyy former(a) Australian expeditions set up identifys using these maps. Later when the Antarctic agreement was established, this link with Antarctica and the fact that Australia was the first nation to map the eastern slide vogue was considered, importing in Australias contain to this atomic offspring 18a creation granted, leaving them with absolute majority of Antarctica.The governing body of Antarctica is crotchety and rattling different from the rest of the ground. It is governed by galore(postnominal) nations that baffle all claimed sightcels of the chaste for scientific re marimagazinerch who all atomic number 18 channelise and bound by The Antarctic Treaty. The Antarctic Treaty was designed and created by twelve captain countries (there atomic num ber 18 now 38 countries) in 1961 to entrust an agreement for the future(a) c atomic number 18 and put on of Antarctica and to retain attain territorial and previous(predicate)(a)(a)wise disputes. The Treaty encourages international co-operation in scientific interrogation and in recognition of Antarctica creation the last re importanting wilderness on Earth, the capital of Spain Protocol was established to help the conservation of the purlieu and peace on Antarctica. Elements of The Antarctic Treaty imply Antarctica shall be utilize for peaceful purposes besides (Art.1), freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue (Art.2), Scientific observations and conclusions from Antarctica shall be ex stird and make freely avail adequate (Art. III). hypocrisy at the south-most point on Earth, Antarctica is truly a unique continent, historied for a precise(prenominal) caustic clime and an environs that has ca utilise both, valets and animals, to align to the radical conditions. Despite stripped-d take infrastructure, Antarctica houses various forms of ex tensive scientific interrogation packed at its legion(predicate) bases.ClimateMawsons temper is typical of a lot of the strand of East Antarctica where the internal-combustion engine caps atomic number 18 award at sea level. The mode of Mawson transport lav be exposit and categorized into four master(prenominal) aras rainwater system, temperatures, wrap invigorates and prudence and bastardly quotidian amounts. one(a) of the briny features of Mawsons modality ar the completely refrigerant passing(a) upper limits and minimums present there with most of the family. The call up upper limit temperature turn tails from its hottest at or so 2.60C in January to the last daily maximum-15.60C in the bloom of youth of overwintertime (July, August, family line). The yearbook bastardly for the daily maximum is -8.40C, nearwhat the genuinely (prenominal) as the mean in howevert against and October.The mean daily minimums atomic number 18 non vey different to the daily maximums, a contrast comp ard to most parts of the origination where the daily minimum and maximum allow a greater difference. The mean daily minimum is at its lastest in the month of January at -2.60C, dropping slash considerably in March by whatever 110C to -13.30C, marginally catch resurrecter than the one-year minimum average of -14.3. Similar to the mean daily maximums, the mean minimums ar at their lowest in winter, leaving a gap/difference of roughly 60C surrounded by the devil (maximum and minimum). Although the mean temperatures more or less Mawson atomic number 18 mostly in the negatives, they are still a lot fond(p)er and pleasant than those motherd in majority of Antarcticas inland as the piazza lies earnest the coast and at a lower altitude of about 1,200m compared to the inland where altitudes rise up to some 3,00m to a higher place sea level.A nonher characteristic of Mawsons climate is the incredible winds experienced at Mawson and their high speeds. Winds near Mawson blow predominantly from the east and south, heading in a northwest direction. The mean yearbook wind speed is near 40 km/h at 3pm, with some extreme speeds go historical 120km/h during the year in peak winter (3pm). The maximum gust speeds exceed 140 k nons a great deal with the highest put down wind gust ever in the area reaching an amazing 248.4km/h former(a) on in the morning. Wind speed are mainly sozz functioner during the winters, rising up to an average of 44km/h in August at 3pm compared to an average of 27-28km/h in December/January.Most precipitation falls as cytosine in Antarctica with no signifi rumpt rainfall recorded near Mawson Station. As a final result of Antarctica receiving half-sizing than 50mm of rainfall per year, the Antarctic contribution is classified ad as a desert-the frostyest and driest desert in the human being. nose placedy occurs regularly throughout the year-mainly during late summertime when the snow is still able to fall without freezing. Although this snowfall is not very significant, it still has an contact on the climate about Mawson Station.The lowest temperatures at Mawson vary greatly as the anneals permute. During the seasons of decline and spring, the lowest ever recorded temperatures for each month (during these two seasons) admit been very similar. The lowest temperatures of March, April and May all range deep down the late twenties to early thirties, almost monovular to those of September, October and early November. Where as, the lowest ever temperatures in winter and summer are in great contrast, as the lowest during summer goes down to a less extreme -17.30C in February compared to freezing -360C in August.The fountain for Antarcticas very cold climate and its ghost channelize of size is the concept of the Earths compound. The Earth is constant quantityly rotating around an axis that runs through the north and South terminal at an tap of incidence (leaving the Earth forever at a tilt of 23.50), completing one rotation all(prenominal) 24 hours. The Earths rotation is the reason that day and shadow are experienced, as when a part of the globe is facing towards the lie, it would be day, and when it luxates around to be absent from the solarise, it be mystifys night. While the Earth is rotating on its axis (completing a rotation every 24 hours), it is in constant revolution around the Sun (completing a revolution every 365 days).As the Earth is always slant the a equal(p) way, the stage at which the Earth is at during its revolution determines the concentration and strength of the rays hitting the crabby area. For example, if it is December 21 in the Confederate cerebral hemisphere the angle of incidence will earn this part of the Earth closer to the Sun/tilted towards it cause the Suns r ay to be saturated at a diminutiveer area and and so being souseder and creating to a greater extent fondness. This is because during summer the Sun is today above the Earth due to the tilt. As the equator is in no hemisphere, the angle of the rays is the equal throughout the year, creating the analogous season for 365 days. Where as, the poles, which are turn up at top of the northern hemisphere and bottom of the southern hemisphere, get down two completely different seasons. During summer they rotate around the axis but are always facing towards the Sun, thus having sunlight for almost 24 hours per day.However, during winter, the poles- in this case the south pole- is tilted out from the Sun and when rotating on the tilted axis, it remains out(predicate) from Sun for most of the time, thus having no sunlight. This process/revolution continues for the whole year, in which the South celestial pole has experienced both summer and winter. Because of this reason and that i t is dictated around the South Pole, Antarctica experiences these extreme amounts of daylight and lamentableness. As a result of these extreme seasons, a great amount of sea tripe is formed during winter, as the temperature hold outs extremely cold, quickly melting as summer approaches and the temperature rises above freezing point. If Antarctica were laid near the equator, this forcefulness would not occur as firstly, the temperatures would not be as low because the suns rays are stronger there because of the angle of incidence, but as easy as the salmagundi in seasons would not be as extreme with the hours of daylight barely varying throughout the year.Mawson StationLocation Mawson is a particularly favourable localisation principle for a identify, with excellent access to the hinterland/ blustering inland areas and surrounding coastal irrigate. It is in any case locate near a harbour sheltered from the main body of the ocean and with a large randomness and mouth not too narrow, during the scratch-free decimal point usually experienced in February, a charge may anchor within 100 beats of the situation. Barges slabbering the charge would homecoming yet a few proceeding to operate from the displace to station as it is located decent on the strand. There is too a magnetized quiet area for look and tests requiring very little magnetic interference.The StationThe base at Mawson has a very simplistic layout. It consists of many edif frosts in a spread out area (as shown in the image on the right) each for different purposes with the light related constructs located closer to the shore. eachone red-hots in the main accommodation building (the vehement vomit located the furthest from the shore), in innovativefangled air-conditioned single-room bedrooms. The carmine Shed excessively houses the surgery, lounge, kitchen, and dining room. The ablaze(p) Shed at Mawson base has indoor climbing, a floor t come alivere, photogra phic dark room, a library and some(prenominal) common sit areas for passing time during the winters. As it is a multi-recreation and animate building, n all scientists nor another(prenominal) officiateers conduct their research there but expeditioners use it for day-to-day be perpetraten out.The atomic number 19 store is another one of the buildings that run the skyline at Mawson. It is located in preceding of (closer to the harbour) the Red Shed and is where all the dry nutrient and most frozen nourishment are stored. The garb store, stadium store and equipment spares are besides located here. Inside is shake up climbing wall and dissipate position for games uniform volleyball. Similar to the Red Shed, the green store is used for day-to-day work quite an than scientific research.The operation building (the yellow building near the green store) houses the Station Leaders off rubbish, communications, the post off codswallop and the Bureau of Meteorology. It is the home for the work of the telecommunication technicians, station leaders and many electricians.The main(prenominal) source House (the blue building near the shore) is where all the electricity for the station is generated and is where many more than of the electricians, technicians and mechanics work. beetle off heat from the generators is piped around the station and used to heat the buildings.The trades florahop (known as Red Dwarf), located near the main power building, houses all the offices and work area for the trades such as the diesel motor mechanics, plumbers and electricians.The fall upon trouble building is responsible for touch all sewerage and non- poisonous liquid waste. It is located a bit away from the main part of the station with very few workers.The cosmic ray spotter (located near the airstrip and shore) contains telescopes that detect and barroom cosmic rays coming from right(prenominal)(a) our solar system. It has a digging going down in the careen to a vault to a second set of telescopes and also some seismic detection equipment. It is home for scientists running(a) in the field of seismology, cosmic ray physics, weather forecasting and atmospheric physics.The Anaresat noggin (next to the Red Shed) is the home to technicians in the field of telecommunications and scientists in the field of Cosmic shot physics.The public intuition building (where the biologists and geophysicists work) is located can the green store.The Aeronomy (home to atmospheric space physics and climate change studies) is where majority of the atmospheric physicists work and the clean building is located at the far corner, away from the shore.The works workshop is where the carpenters do majority of their work. The building is located near the middle of the station, stand out with its luridly coloured doors.The Magnetic Variometer army army hut- a excess building that houses sensors that measure and record the changes in the Earths magn etic field- and the magnetic absolutes hut are located next to each other behind the waste disposal hut, write on top of a magnetically quiet area.At Mawson Station, there is also a emergency vehicle shelter where all the chivy fighting equipment is stored, a high frequency radio-transmitter hut, one aircraft hanger, one-third helipads (used infrequently), numerous inflatable good-for-nothing boat sheds, the wharf (where committal is loaded and unloaded), a Sun recorder building and two fuel farms all spread out around the station. Most of these buildings are located in a cluster together with few in a different location due to bar and needs i.e. magnetically quiet areas.The scientific programs undertaken in and around Mawson accept* Middle and upper cash dispenser physics.* Cosmic ray physics and meteorology.* Geomagnetism and seismology.* Biology and healthful studies.* Automated upper atmospheric sciences.* Climate change studies.Although one of the harshest environss o n the planet, Antarctica is also one of the most vulnerable and is rapidly being effected as a result of human behavior. There have been many effects on the environment and wildlife in Antarctica caused by manhood- mainly tourists that come and go- and their activities. human beings locomotion to and from Antarctica (tourists and scientists) are the cause of many impacts on the environment as their trips involve the ships, accommodation, vehicles and other amenities which all can have an impact on the environment.One of the major impacts humans are having on Antarcticas wildlife, is that the usual feeding and huddling thousand for penguins and other animals are being disturbed and in some cases, destroyed, winning away the home ground and vegetation needed for them to lead. This is a result of many tourists and scientists using areas- that are outstanding to wildlife- for their own needs and desires (i.e. camps, research facilities), leaving the wildlife to interpret new h omes and adapt to conditions sometimes not suited for their needs (i.e. not close enough to the water, not large enough or not the right climate). The mode of rapture taken by most visitors, boats, is harming the oceanic life and destroying parts of their environment. Various shapes and sizes of boats are attenuatedting through the gray ocean and arriving in harbours where the marine life and depth is quite shallow.In some occasions, fuel tanks are being scraped, creating a minor leak in them that, over a design of time anchored at the harbour, discharges tonnes of fuel and other cyanogenetic chemicals, scarring the marine life. As a result of this and to prevent further release of toxic chemicals, The Australian government and the ADD have banned large ships or boats with old systems and engines from entering Antarctic amnionic fluid, decrease the possibility of harm to marine life. As for the fuss of destruction to wildlife habitats, the ADD has highly- makeed laws that prohibit the use of wildlife-important areas for human use. As a result of this, scientists and visitors are banned from using areas with high importance to animal activity (i.e. generateing grounds and huddling areas) and sort of forcing them to work in already human-developed areas similar stations.Another impact that humans are having on Antarcticas environment is the increase amount of environmental pollution being released in forms of excess waste being outspread into the oceans and environment in the form of litter. Due to an increase number of people in Antarctica every year, tonnes of wasted waste are being produced and dumped everywhere, releasing toxic chemicals which can become concentrated in the bodies of topical anesthetic wildlife, such as seals, penguins and whales, harming them in the long term. The secrete of excess waste polluting the environment is also a result of original waste counselling strategies not being adequate or designed for a situation homo geneous this where the amount of humans present in Antarctica is much more than forecasted.Until relatively recently, waste disposal management in Antarctica was similar to elsewhere in the world with open tips, land fills and the keen or discharging of most sewage into the sea, as well as the practice of sea-icing dumping rubbish onto the sea ice during winter to float away and excrete during the summer, with the areas around stations being contaminated from anele and chemical spills.Now, aft(prenominal) new laws protecting the environment of Antarctica, waste is being split into many categories, each with a different strategy to stop the release of it into the environment. Hazardous materials such as polystyrene beads and hot materials are prohibited from entry into Antarctica most other wastes are to be incinerated in a two-stage high incinerator with the resultant ash returned to Australia, metals, plastics, paper, cardboard and glass are separated and returned to Austral ia for recycling and the installation biological sewage treatment plants are all strategies that the Government of Australia are using to prevent pollution- as a result of excess waste- into the Antarctic environment.Adaptations to the Antarctic EnvironmentHuman AdaptationComparisons Between Mawsons Expedition and forthwithMawsonTodayTransport* woody sleds pulled by dogs- not very stable and streamlined.* Large wooden boats and ships with traverse and masks.* Feet- walking around and pulling sleds with back.* Wooden, mechanic carts for transporting things around bases.* Used the ship cockcrow Australis when it was fist make in 1950s.* Small planes that can land on large strips of ice.* Helicopters for shorter distances or rescues.* Small cruise ships with gliding, and so ontera* Off road vehicles for driving around the station.* indispenspower vehicle shelter for vehicles used in emergencies.* The inflatable rubber boats for summer months when ice has short-winded out.Equip ment* Wooden shovels, a compass and mostly non-automated equipment.* Signals to communicate and fire for heat-no phones or electrical heat.* Basic survival equipment- a limited amount taken on expeditions- food, necessaries, etc.* Basic tents prone to being destroyed in strong winds-not completely water tight.* Some metallic, some wooden tools to dig, cut and carry items in.* Telecommunication and navigation ways manage phones, GPSs and full-proof maps.* Waterproof tents with declaration to withstand strong winds.* Metal tools to dig, cut, gather water and cook meals. Good quality equipment.* Normal da to day equipment like boxes to hold fast fresh samples in.Clothing* several(prenominal) layers of basic warm clothing-no proper separation-weighed more than modern clothing.* Gloves, fabric headgear (beanie like0 covering most of font with no proper insulation for the nose.* Insulated clothing with minimum weight.* Brightly coloured clothing to stand out and be easily spotted.* C lothing that can get wet and dries quicker than most.* Gloves, beanies, and nose protection with maximum insulation.Humans have adapted to the Antarctic climate with the use of new engine room, more user-friendly equipment like automatic vehicles rather than human pulled sleds and clothing that not only protects expeditioners from the cold with better results than clothing used in Mawsons expedition, but at the same time is also well-fixed to wear, allowing activities to be stainless with ease.Todays transport in Antarctica- off-vehicles, portable rubber boats and olive-sized aircrafts- are all much more efficient than those used in Mawsons expedition- human or dog pulled sleds and wooden carts. They require less human strength and energy that can or else be used in conserving body heat, are a lot less time consuming allowing more work to be completed or a greater distance covered in an expedition and most of all, the new forms of transport are much more reliable with a less t ake disasters of breaking down or failing in the middle of an expedition.Another adaption humans have do to help battle the Antarctic climate is their ameliorate clothing that has better insulation, conserving more heat. This clothing has made humans feel as if they are whimsy the same temperature as in other cold places around the world with very little bare(a) weight on themselves. They have also been able to carry tools around on expeditions that can dig, cut and build with greater ease than those of Mawsons expedition. This adaption has allowed humans to not be prevented and stopped by congenital barriers on Antarctica and instead overcome them, using stronger tools like those used around the world.Animal Adaptation Every environment is subject to changes that vary from season to season and from year to year. Even in Antarctica where it is always cold the variations can be quite marked. For example, the number and forcefulness of storms and blizzards can vary from year t o year as can the time at which the sea-ice forms in autumn or breaks out in summer. These environmental changes are likely to have an influence on the animals that live there. Nature has provided the emperor moth butterfly moth penguin with a need to adapt to the extreme conditions of Antarctica. Standing 1.2m tall, over time the largest penguin has developed many physiological and behavioural adaptations that abdicate it as a truly amazing bird, which not only easily survive the Antarctic winters, but also are also capable of doing almost anything during the time. emperor butterfly Penguins have excellent insulation against the cold in the form of several layers of scale-like feathers that take very strong winds (over 60 knots) to get them ruffled. They have a very small bill and flippers, which economize heat and are not as heart-to-heart to the temperatures due to their size. Their skeletal chambers also tame much of the heat that is commonly lost during exhalation. The y also possess strong claws in their feet for gripping the ice and slippery uprises, allowing them to spank instead of sliding around on their bellies all the time.Another special fleshly adaptation of the emperor penguin is the ability to re regular recurrence its own body heat. The emperors arteries and veins lie close together so that blood is pre-cooled on the way to the birds feet, wings and bill and warm on the way back to the heart. Emperor penguins have large militia of energy-giving body fat to use during low-level activities during winter.The emperor penguin also possesses many behavioral advantages to survive in the climate of Antarctica. They are very social creatures, and one of their survival mechanisms is an urge to huddle together together to time lag warm. To keep warm, the young-begetting(prenominal)s close ranks to look at their warmth. Even though Emperors are large birds and when carrying their brooding fat, they are about as large around the chest as a human, they still huddle on very cold days, with as many as ten packed into every whole metre, cutting heat loss by as much as 50%. This huddling instinct office that they do not defend any territorial dominion (the emperor penguin is the only species of penguin that is not territorial) and instead radiate heat and keep warm together.Another behavioral technique used by the emperor penguin to survive the conditions in Antarctica is their ability to mate and reproduce during winter rather than in summer and take guard of their fruitcakes. Like most penguins, emperor parents closely share parental duties. What is unique about emperors however, is the co-operation between potents plot carrying out their parenting duties. at a time the egg has been laid during winter, the male emperor puts the egg under his brood drift to keep it warm at about 380C so that the egg can eventually hatch instead of dying inside.During this period of a few months, the male does not eat anything and instead closes together with the others to stopover warm himself and to keep the egg warm eon the mother goes off to find food. When she comes back later on winter is almost done, the chick, which would have hatched around the time, is fed and looked after until December at which stage, they are almost the same size as their parents. Because of this cycle formed by the emperor penguins and the ability to breed during winter, the young are hatched and brought up during the early summer instead of peak winter, giving them a higher chance of survival.ConclusionFrom the harsh and extreme climate to the uptight and wildlife-populated shores, the continent of Antarctica is unique in almost every way. Larger than two continents combined, covering the South Pole and the driest of the deserts every seen, along with the majestic ice sculptures found nowhere else on the planet, Antarctica draws hundreds of tourists every year to experience these wonders from the welcoming surroundings of world renowned stations established by expedition leaders like Sir Douglas Mawson. No doubt, both humans and animals have had to adapt to the frantically changing climate, but now that they have, they too are enjoying the beauty of Antarctica.ReferencesA Livingston Technologies Production. (2012, February ). convention Your Logo. Retrieved April 6, 2013, from Cool Text http//cooltext.com/Logo-Design-Bad-AcidAustralian Government. (2002, June 04). Aurora Australis. Retrieved April 15, 2013, from Australian Antarctic Division http//www.antarctica.gov.au/living-and-working/travel-and-logistics/ships/ sunup-australisAustralian Government. (2002, June 5). Mawson. Retrieved April 9, 2013, from Australian Antarctic Division http//www.antarctica.gov.au/living-and-working/stations/mawsonFord, A. B. (2013, February). Antarctica. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from Encyclopaedia Britannica http//school.eb.com.au/eb/article-24711?query=Mawson%20Station&ct=Gaidos, S. (2009, February 2). Antarcti ca warms, which threatens penguins. ( attainment News For Kids) Retrieved April 10, 2013, from Earth http//www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2009/02/antarctica-warms-which-threatens-penguins-2/Harrowfield, D. (1997). Living and Working in Antarctica. (University of Canterbury Christchurch, New Zealand) Retrieved April 9, 2013, from Gateway Antarctica http//www.anta.canterbury.ac.nz/resources/living.htmlJudge, A. (2010). Antarctica Discovery (Vol. 1). Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Pearson Australia.Maugans Corporation . (2012, July). Antarctica. Retrieved April 7, 2013, from Destop link http//nature.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/117302/Oxford University Press. (2010). Mawson Station. Retrieved April 6, 2013, from Oxford Atlas http//203.166.81.53/secondary/NewOxfordAtlas/VFW/MAWSON/activity.htmlRoyal geographic Society. (2011). Making Claims. Retrieved April 11, 2013, from Discovering Antarctica http//www.discoveringantarctica.org.uk/9_claims.phpWard, P. (2001). Antarctica Climate and Weathe r. Retrieved April 12, 2013, from Cool Antarctica http//www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/antarctica%20environment/climate_graph/climate_weather.htmWienecke, B. (2011, March). Emperor Penguin. Retrieved April 12, 2013, from Sisters indoctrinate District http//ssdstudent.net/SMS/2010_11/spro/penguins.htmAppendixOxford AtlasVirtual Fieldwork1. Mawson station- an Australian scientific research base named after Sir Douglas Mawson- is located on the eastern side of Antarctica currently claimed by Australia at 670S 620E and south of the Antarctic Circle. Mawson is situated along an isolated outcrop of rock on the coast in Mac.Robertson Land and the south eastern shore of horseshoe Harbour. Although usually considered closer to Hobart than any other Australian city, Mawson Station is actually situated about 5,475km from Hobart, further than the 5223km southwest of Perth. Relative to Australias main cities, Mawson Station lies far to the west of them, falling between South A fricas Cape Town and Perth in the southerly sea.Australia owns and maintains common chord permanent scientific research bases all located within Australias main Antarctic region and one on Macquarie Island in the sub-Antarctic. The terzetto stations are evenly distributed along the coast of Antarctica with Mawson being the most westerly of the three continental stations and the first one construct and established. Davis is the most southerly of the stations and is situated sou-sou-west of Perth, on the Ingrid Christensen Coast of Princess Elizabeth Land and between the other two. Casey is located in the Windmill Islands, fair outside the Antarctic Circle and the only one of three located outside the Antarctic Circle.2. Mawsons climate is typical of much of the coast of East Antarctica where the ice caps are present at sea level. The main features of Mawsons climate are the extremely cold temperatures present there through most of the year. The mean maximum temperature ranges from about 2.50C in January to -15.50C in the peak of winter (July, August, September). Although temperatures around Mawson are mostly in the negatives, they are still a lot hummer and pleasant than those experienced in majority of Antarcticas inland as the station lies near the coast and at a lower altitude.Winds around Mawson are predominantly from the east and south with the mean annual speed being almost 40 km/h while extreme speeds go olden 120km/h in peak winter and maximum gust speeds exceed 140 knots frequently. As it lies south of the Antarctic Circle, the Sun does not rise at Mawson for approximately six weeks from the first week in June and does not set for the same period from early December. During those six weeks in June and July, the day consists of a few hours of twilight.3. The Aurora Australis is Australias Antarctic flagship and was named after the aurora emitted around Antarctica. Designed as a multi-purpose research and resupply ship, the Aurora was built for the Australia Antarctic Program by P&O Polar and launched in September 1989. The ship is 94.9 metres long and 3911 tonnes in weight. It has a cruising speed of 13 knots, and accommodates 116 passengers plus crew. It is capable of breaking ice up to 1.23 metres duncical. The Aurora regularly sails across the Southern ocean where storms can generate 10 metre high seas and winds of 120150 km/h.The Aurora Australis, designed specifically for trips to and from Antarctica, has many features for this instance. Six of these features are* Installed in the ship are ways for send communications (not present on mainland Antarctica), allowing people on the ship to phone anywhere in the world at any time or stay in touch by email.* The ships kitchen can go through 4500 eggs, 1000 kg of potatoes and 280 litres of ice cream. The ship can produce up to 45,000 litres of fresh water per day for use on board for both drinking and other uses. As the trip to Antarctica and back can easily take up to six w eeks, a large kitchen and food supply are extremely necessary.* The ships colour, bright orange, is painted all around it so that it can stand out in the ocean and making it easier to spot for rescue teams.* Three pearlys can be housed in the hangar and operate from the use helicopter deck at the rear of the ship. They can go to and from the ship ahead to Antarctica or heap back to Australia in an emergency via the ship to refuel.* The ship is well equipped for marine science research with a commercial sized trawl deck, and a commercial hydro acoustic system for the assessment of Southern Ocean organisms such as krill. It also has a general-purpose lab for processing net samples, a hydrographic lab, fish freezer, meteorological lab, five multi-purpose laboratories, a photographic dark room and a scientific workroom.* The Aurora Australis is painted a very bright orange, thus allowing it to be easily seen and spotted in ice-spread waters.4. Mawson base was first established on 13 February 1954, when an expedition led by Dr Phillip Law get on the shore of Horseshoe Harbour (located on the coast of Mac Robertson Land), naming the new station in honour of Australias greatest polar explorer, Sir Douglas Mawson. Law had chosen this place to establish the station after viewing photographs of Mac Robertson Land from the expeditions of 1929-1931 led by Sir Douglas Mawson and 1946-47 by an aircraft from an American expedition. He chose the location because of its key locality near the coast, the large natural harbour (Horseshoe Harbour), a major hotspot for wildlife to conduct scientific research on and the permanently opened rock present there for building, requiring very little to be shipped over.During the first year, living quarters, a works hut, the engine shed, two store huts and a carpenters shop were built and by 1966, the number of buildings had increase to fifty including the construction of the first aircraft hanger in Antarctica.Mawsons location lies o n the coast with Horseshoe Harbour spread around it. At the southern end of the station, (Horseshoe Harbour), ice sheets cover the waters surface near the shore, leading out into the Southern Ocean. The Mawson region is one of the richest areas for seabirds in the Australian Antarctic Territory, and supports living colonies of emperor and Adelie penguins, petrels and seals.The base at Mawson has very comfortable living conditions. It consists of many buildings in an area (as shown in the image on the right) each for different purposes. Everyone lives in the main accommodation building (the Red Shed), in modern air-conditioned single-room bedrooms. The Red Shed also houses the surgery, lounge, kitchen, and dining room. The Red Shed at Mawson base has indoor climbing, a home theatre, photographic dark room, a library and several common sitting areas for passing time during the winters. The green store is one of the buildings that dominate the skyline at Mawson. It is also where all th e dry food and most frozen food are stored. The clothing store, field store and equipment spares are also located here. Inside is another rock climbing wall and open space for games like volleyball.The operation building houses the Station Leaders office, communications, the post office and the Bureau of Meteorology. The Main Power House is where all the electricity for the station is generated. run out heat from the generators is piped around the station and used to heat the buildings. The trades workshop (known as Red Dwarf) houses all the offices and work area for the trades such as the Diesel mechanics, plumbers and electricians.At Mawson Station, there is also a waste management building, emergency vehicle shelter where all the fire fighting equipment is stored, a high frequency radio-transmitter hut, one aircraft hanger, three helipads (used infrequently), a cosmic ray picket, The Anaresat dome (a large satellite dish), numerous inflatable rubber boats, the general science b uilding (where the biologists and geophysicists work), the Aeronomy (home to atmospheric space physics), the carpenters workshop, Magnetic Variometer hut- a special building that houses sensors that measure and record the changes in the earths magnetic field, magnetic absolutes hut, the wharf (where cargo is loaded and unloaded), the Sun recorder building and two fuel farms.Facilities At Mawson StationTransportScientificOther comforts* The emergency vehicle shelter with fire-fighting equipment and other vehicles.* The three helipads and one aircraft hanger and airstrip (currently out of use).* The post office and the high frequency radio transmitter hut for communication.* The inflatable rubber boats for summer months when ice has blown out.* The wharf (the cargo dock).* The cosmic ray observatory and the Bureau Of Meteorology.* The Anaresat dome with the large satellite dish.* The photographic dark room and the library inside the Red Shed.* The general science building where major ity of the science is conducted.* The Aeronomy- atmospheric space physics.* The Magnetic Variometer Hut.* The magnetic absolutes hut.* A Sun recorder building.* The Red sheds living quarters, surgery, lounge, kitchen, dining, theatre and recreation rooms.* The facilities in the commonality Store frozen food storage, clothes store, equipment spares, field store and rock climbing wall.* The waste management building, offices and the main powerhouse.* The gym building (formerly a general room).5. The four main priority programs undertaken by Australian research scientists in Antarctica are* Climate processes and change.* terrene and Near-shore Ecosystems environmental Change and Conservation.* Southern Ocean Ecosystems Environmental Change and Conservation.* Frontier ScienceClimate processes and change Climate Processes and Change investigates the role of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in the global climate system. Its main focus and importance is to address uncertainties identifi ed in The quarter Assessment (2007) report, which highlights the lack of climate data around the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. It also investigates the role of the region in slowing climate change and the future behavior of the ice.Terrestrial and Near-shore Ecosystems This program investigates the effects of environmental change on Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic terrestrial and coastal ecosystems. This program provides the scientific basis to guide and develop enhanced environmental protection for these ecosystems.Southern Ocean Ecosystems the Southern Ocean is facing many threats to its marine life and ecosystems as a result of somatic and biological changes that are being caused because of fishing, climate change and acidification. Scientific research under this theme is luck scientists understand the impact of global change on Southern Ocean ecosystems, the effective conservation of Antarctic and Southern Ocean wildlife and the sustainable, ecosystem-based management of Souther n Ocean fisheries.Frontier Science The focus of Frontier Science is to encourage and support research that falls outside the priorities of the other research departments along with focusing in the environmental science in the other categories. It is essentially about knowledge about sciences beside climate change and the causes and effects of them.6. If you were travelling to a penguin colony 90 kilometres away from Mawson Station, you would most likely travel by a small plane or helicopter capable of landing without requiring a constructed airstrip or helipad. These to options would be far better than by land as conditions along the way could potentially control your journey-leaving you stranded without support or rescue, it would take a lot longer and a lot more supplies and clothing would be required. Adequate clothing would be required to battle the cold temperatures especially during winter. You would carry and wear a thermal, a suit that constrains heat, slurred gloves, he adwear that covers majority of your face as well, long insulated pants, thick jackets and other items of clothing usually warn also in Northern Russia and Canada.7. The area of Antarctica is almost ternary the size in September than in March as a result of sea ice freezing during the winter (September) and melting during the summer (March). all over a 12-month period, the sea ice begins to melt and the size of Antarctica begins to decrease towards the end of September. It continues to do so until March, when it is almost half the size. Once again, when winter begins around the line of descent of April, the sea ice begins to gradually freeze increasing the area of Antarctica every month until September in the beginning the cycle begins again. Scientists use a variety of technology to research these changes. They use drones and satellites to examine the area and measure the increase of size. The satellites map out the area and give an aerial view for scientists to examine and inter pret. They examine the oceans, aviation and climate patterns to describe and prove how the change occurs.An ice ticker is a core sample that is typically removed from an ice sheets, most commonly from the polar ice caps or high mountain glaciers. As the ice forms from the incremental build up of annual layers of snow, lower layers are older than upper, and an ice core contains ice formed over a range of years. The properties of the ice and the recrystallized inclusions within the ice can then(prenominal) be used to reconstruct a climatical record based around the age range of the core, normally through analyzing their elements. This enables the reconstruction of local temperature records and the fib of atmospheric composition as they contain information about the last(prenominal) climate.8. Over time the emperor has developed many physical and behavioral adaptations that leave it as a truly amazing bird, which not only can survive the Antarctic winters, but also are capable of doing almost anything during the time. irrelevant other animals that have inhabited Antarctica, emperor penguins travel by time on both land and water throughout the year, being able to do what they like without the fear of fearful predators and possibly not endure through the winter.Emperor Penguins have excellent insulation against the cold in the form of several layers of scale-like feathers that take very strong winds (over 60 knots) to get them ruffled. They have a very small bill and flippers, which conserve heat and are not as exposed to the temperatures due to their size. Their nasal chambers also recover much of the heat that is normally lost during exhalation. They also possess strong claws in their feet for gripping the ice and slippery surfaces, allowing them to waddle instead of sliding around on their bellies all the time.Another special physical adaptation of the emperor penguin is the ability to recycle its own body heat. The emperors arteries and veins lie close together so that blood is pre-cooled on the way to the birds feet, wings and bill and warmed on the way back to the heart. Emperor penguins have large reserves of energy-giving body fat to use during low-level activities during winter.The emperor penguin also possesses many behavioral advantages to survive in the climate of Antarctica. They are very social creatures, and one of their survival mechanisms is an urge to huddle together to keep warm. To keep warm, the males close ranks to share their warmth. Even though Emperors are large birds and when carrying their incubation fat, they are about as large around the chest as a human, they still huddle on very cold days, with as many as ten packed into every square metre, cutting heat loss by as much as 50%. This huddling instinct means that they do not defend any territory (the emperor penguin is the only species of penguin that is not territorial) and instead radiate heat and keep warm together.Another behavioral technique used by t he emperor penguin to survive the conditions in Antarctica is their ability to mate and reproduce during winter rather than in summer and take care of their eggs. Like most penguins, emperor parents closely share parental duties. What is unique about emperors however, is the co-operation between males while carrying out their parenting duties. Once the egg has been laid during winter, the male emperor puts the egg under his brood flap to keep it warm at about 380C so that the egg can eventually hatch instead of dying inside.During this period of a few months, the male does not eat anything and instead closes together with the others to stay warm himself and to keep the egg warm while the mother goes off to find food. When she comes back after winter is almost done, the chick, which would have hatched around the time, is fed and looked after until December at which stage, they are almost the same size as their parents. Because of this cycle formed by the emperor penguins and the abil ity to breed during winter, the young are hatched and brought up during the early summer instead of peak winter, giving them a higher chance of survival.Scientists are continuously researching and discovering new behavioral and physical facts about the emperor penguin. They juggle the penguins for a while to examine them, using state of the art technology undertaken by biologists both on Antarctica and back in Australia. Some of the research includes learning about the emperors breeding habits, physical body, behavior habits and they are adapting to the changing climate.9. Tourist travel to Antarctica for a wide range of reasons including an opportunity to experience and view the unique environment with incredible icebergs, auroras, ice arches and wildlife only seen and present there. Tourists usually make the boat trip to Antarctica during the summer between October and February as the climate is at its best, the pack ice is at its lowest, the Sun is high in the sky for most of th e day and wildlife is most active at the time, wondering out into the open. A typical journey taken by a tourist to Antarctica usually begins in either Ushuaia (Argentina), Hobart (Australia), Cape Town (South Africa) or Christchurch (New Zealand) with most choosing the first two. A large boat or small ship is taken from one of these locations, before a long few weeks spent on the waters in more than adequate living conditions.During the journey, tourists can take part in many activities normally present on basic ocean cruises. These include activities like swimming, movies, dining, whale watching, witnessing sights found nowhere else on Earth and other activities to pass time. Once arriving at a station in Antarctica, tourists spend their time on the continent in and around the station, parturiency numerous activities ranging from casual indoor activities like rock climbing, viewing scientific programs and spending time in the library to outdoor activities like watching the pengui ns, pickings a sea kayak to get a close up on sea birds and whales, trekking past and up majestic mountains, scuba diving, walking on the ice and exploring historic huts left behind by various expeditions.There are many impacts on the environment and wildlife in Antarctica caused mainly by the tourists that come and go. The tourism industry to Antarctica involves much more than honourable the tourists as it involves the ships, accommodation, vehicles and other amenities required for the tourists. Because of this, the wildlife is having a major impact with usual feeding and huddling grounds for penguins being disturbed ad in some cases destroyed along with other places for other species like the rocks being used for construction, taking away the habitat of the seals. Tourists also have an impact on the environment like they do all around the world with specific places being developed especially for them.separate of Mawson Station has been developed and built recently just for touris ts, destroying parts of the natural environment as many of the materials like rocks come from Antarctica instead of being shipped over. The transport in which tourists arrive, boats, also have effect the waters as oil spills- regular due to the ice- bemire the waters harming the whales and other marine life. As a result of this, large ships have been prohibited from the waters around Antarctica as they not only back up the water, but also disturb and crack the ice. Waste management is another problem occurring at Mawson Station with tonnes of waste accumulating on the continent, creating a major vexation for workers to clean up before its the toxic chemicals start having an impact on the environment.