Antarctic oasis

An Antarctic oasis is a large, ice-free region in the otherwise completely by glaciers, ice and snow -covered Antarctica.

Geology

A few areas of Antarctica are ice-free due to special natural circumstances. The largest Antarctic oases provide the Antarctic dry valleys dar. These valleys are on the edge of the continent and are shielded by high mountain ranges of the inland glaciers. The soil can therefore absorb enough solar energy to melt and evaporate the snow of winter can. Remnants of snow are carried away by winds and storms. Nevertheless, also prevail in the oases temperatures between -50 ° C in winter and 10 ° C in summer, rarely above freezing. The soil of these areas is stony, extremely dry, usually very salty and lifeless, only some forms of mosses and lichens are found.

Geography

The larger oases are:

• Antarctic Dry Valleys ( McMurdo Dry Valleys ), about 4900 km ², Victoria Land
• Cape Hallett, northern Victoria Land
• Bungerberge, about 950 km ², between Wilke country and Queen Maryland
• Holme Bay, Mac Robertson Land
• Vestfoldberge, about 420 km ², Princess Elizabeth Land
• Larsemann Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land
• Stillwell Hills, about 96 km ², Kemp country
• Schirmacher Oasis, about 34 km ², Princess Astrid Coast, Queen Maud Land

Others

The dry valleys, which are similar in structure to the surface of Mars, have been used by NASA as a training ground for Mars probes.

• Geography ( Antarctica )
• Landscape type