VOCABULARY asteroid: a large body of rock, smaller than a planet, that is orbiting the sun CFC: chlorofluorocarbon; an industrial chemical that can cause ozone depletion, slowly being phased out ecosystem: the community of living and non-living things that interact to form a stable natural system exobiology: the study of life forms similar to those that could exist on other planets meteor: a rock from space that is entering the earth's atmosphere and glowing from the resulting friction meteorite: a rock from space that has survived the entry and has actually landed on the earth sledge: a large sled used to carry supplies on expeditions on snow and ice sun-cup: cylinder of clear ice caused by a rock, warmed by the sun melting into the ice below it, over a period of years whiteout: a condition in which overcast sky meets the horizon, eliminating all sense of position and perspective KEY ANTARCTICA DATES 1820 Continent first sighted, by sailing ship crews. 1902 First attempt to reach the South Pole, by Scott, Wilson, and Shackleton; turned back at 82 degrees south. Dec 14, 1911 Roald Amundsen, from Norway, is the first explorer to reach the South Pole. Jan 15, 1912 Robert Falcon Scott, from England, and his expedition reach the South Pole, but perish on the return trip. Nov 28, 1929 Richard Byrd, from U.S., flies over the South Pole; flight takes 19 hours. 1935 Lincoln Ellsworth crosses Antarctica by plane; Caroline Mikkelson, the wife of a Norwegian whaling captain, is the first woman to set foot on Antarctica. 1946-7 U.S. Operation "High Jump" uses 13 ships and many airplanes and helicopters to collect data about Antarctic geography and meteorology; first extensive mapping is accomplished. 1957-58 International Geophysical Year - world wide scientific cooperative effort concentrates on Antarctica; Mt. Vinson first sighted. 1959 Antarctic Treaty signed by first 12 nations. 1966 Mt. Vinson, tallest mountain in Antarctica, first climbed, only three years before a person walked on the moon! 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty negotiated, banning mining for 50 years. QUESTIONS for thought, review, and further study 1. Why are so many meteorites found in Antarctica? Why are they important to study? (Meteorites land on Antarctica at the same rate as elsewhere on earth, but the ice sheet acts as a trap that collects and preserves them. They are the oldest rocks available to scientists, and can be studied for clues to the formation and evolution of planets and moons.) 2. Who was the first person to make it to the South Pole? What expedition arrived second? What happened to them and why? (Roald Amundsen arrived first, in December 1911. His expedition was experienced in snowy terrains, and used dogs to help haul supplies. Robert Falcon Scott's expedition arrived second, only a month later. Because of poor planning and inexperience, coupled with bad weather, they did not survive the return trip.) 3. What country runs the scientific station at the South Pole? (U.S.) 4. Why is it important to have good fire-fighting skills at the South Pole? (Fire is one of the biggest hazards in Antarctica, because it can destroy shelter and power sources.) 5. How does Antarctica help us to study outer space? (Antarctica is sometimes called the "Poor Man's Space Shuttle" because it provides an excellent environment on earth for many types of space science studies. A number of prototype telescopes at the South Pole take advantage of the clear atmosphere and 24-hour winter darkness. Planetary exploration robots are tested in Antarctica because of the similarity of its terrain to Mars. Microbes can be studied for their similarity to possible extraterrestrial life. Meteorites can be studied for clues to the formation and evolution of the solar system. Winter personnel at the South Pole and other stations can be studied to better understand the effects of isolation on space travelers.) QUESTIONS for thought, review, and further study -continued- 6. What impact could global warming have on Antarctica and how might this affect the rest of the world? (Scientists are concerned that global warming, caused by the build-up of greenhouse gasses, might eventually cause some melting of the polar ice cap. This would raise the level of the world's oceans. A rise of only three feet would displace 100 million people from their homes near sea level. Scientists study the "health" of the ice sheet, the atmosphere for gas levels, and the Southern Ocean for its role as a "sink" for excess carbon dioxide.) 7. What role does ozone play in the atmosphere? What is the ozone hole? (Ozone protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. The ozone hole is located over Antarctica but is present for only a few months each year, during the Antarctic spring. It forms there because of the unique stratospheric clouds that form over Antarctica each spring, providing surfaces upon which CFCs can react to destroy ozone molecules.) 8. What were some of the difficulties faced by early explorers? In what ways can modern technologies help present-day explorers and scientists? (Difficulties included lack of communications with Base Camp, challenge of staying warm, heaviness of food, dangers of crossing terrain. Helpful modern technologies include airplanes, GPS [global positioning satellite] receivers, better communications radios, better weather forecasting techniques, better understanding of nutrition needs, warm lightweight fibers for clothing.) PROJECTS for groups and individuals 1. Timeline: On a long roll of paper or on the board, show a timeline of key events in Antarctic history. Add other key events to provide perspective (e.g., sinking of Titanic on 4/14/1912, WWI, WWII, first satellite into space in 1957, first person on the moon in 1969, first space shuttle flight, teacher's birthday). The idea is to demonstrate how recently Antarctica has been explored, even compared to space. 2. Diary: Write a fictional diary about a winter's stay at the South Pole. 3. Explorer Report: Write a paper on a selected Antarctic explorer - Scott, Amundsen, Byrd, Shackleton, or others. Describe in detail their challenges and accomplishments. 4. Meteorites: Do research in the library or on the Internet on meteorites. What are the basic types of meteorites? What does a meteorite look like? What kinds of things can we learn from them? Investigate whether a local museum or school has a meteorite collection that can be visited. 5. Ozone Hole: If you have classroom Internet access, show the class actual year-to-year data showing the ozone hole, such as the NASA site listed on the web resources page. 6. Scientific Experiments: Brainstorm on scientific experiments that could be designed to take advantage of Antarctica's unique conditions. (e.g., drilling for ice cores and analyzing the trapped air bubbles to see how the earth's atmosphere has changed over time; test techniques for improving morale under conditions of isolation and total darkness; etc.) WEB RESOURCES www.sonrisa.com additional background information and worksheets for Heart of Antarctica video set www.earthsky.com/EITC/antarctica.html excellent content from the author of Science on Ice (Michael Woods, Millbrook Press, 1995) www.onlineclass.com/BI/blueice.html seven-week interactive learning project, with sessions scheduled for Fall '98 and Spring '99 www.glacier.rice.edu Antarctic earth science, ecology, meteorology, and environmental science www.icair.iac.org.nz/ Gateway to Antarctica site maintained by the International Centre for Antarctic Information and Research in New Zealand www.mountainzone.com/climbing/Antarctica on-line story of the Mt. Vinson ascent www.ri.cmu.edu activities of the Robotics Institute, who designed Nomad, featured in Part II. jwocky.gsfc.nasa.gov actual ozone hole data from NASA www.nsf.gov/home/polar/start.htm NSF polar research www.cwru.edu/affil/ansmet/index.html interesting and entertaining view of meteorite- hunting in Antarctica Heart of Antarctica Volume 2... The End of the Earth & Beyond Study Guide Appropriate for Grades 5-9 Produced by: Marcy Garriott (c)1998 La Sonrisa Productions, Inc. OVERVIEW Volume 2: Introduces scientific activities in Antarctica. Takes the student on a meteorite hunt and a trip to the South Pole, and re-traces the steps of the early polar explorers. The Hunt: Why are so many meteorites found in Antarctica? Why are they important to study? The Science: Why do thousands of scientists come to Antarctica each summer season to study? What are the links between Antarctica and the study of outer space? The Pole: How and when did the first adventurers get to the South Pole? How does this differ from a trip today, and what do you find once you get there? We join a trip to the South Pole to find out!