The South Pole is the southernmost point on the Earth. It is the precise signal of the southern intersection of the Earth's axis and the Earth'south surface.

From the South Pole, all directions are due north. Its latitude is 90 degrees south, and all lines of longitude come across at that place (as well as at the North Pole, on the opposite terminate of the World).

The Due south Pole is located on Antarctica, one of the Earth's seven continents. Although country at the South Pole is simply well-nigh a hundred meters higher up sea level, the ice sheet above information technology is roughly ii,700 meters (ix,000 feet) thick. This peak makes the South Pole much colder than the North Pole, which sits in the middle of the Arctic Body of water. In fact, the warmest temperature ever recorded at the South Pole was a freezing -12.3 degrees Celsius (9.9 degrees Fahrenheit).

The South Pole is close to the coldest place on Earth. The coldest temperature recorded at the South Pole, -82.eight degrees Celsius (-117.0 degrees Fahrenheit), is still warmer than the coldest temperature ever recorded, -89.2 degrees Celsius (-128.6 degrees Fahrenheit). That temperature was recorded at the Russian Vostok Research Station, nearly 1,300 kilometers (808 miles) away.

Because the Earth rotates on a tilted axis as it revolves effectually the dominicus, sunlight is experienced in extremes at the poles. In fact, the South Pole experiences just one sunrise (at the September equinox) and one sunset (at the March equinox) every twelvemonth. From the South Pole, the sun is always above the horizon in the summer and below the horizon in the winter. This means the region experiences up to 24 hours of sunlight in the summer and 24 hours of darkness in the winter.

Due to plate tectonics, the verbal location of the South Pole is constantly moving. Plate tectonics is the process of large slabs of Earth'due south chaff moving slowly effectually the planet, bumping into and pulling apart from i another.

Over billions of years, Earth's continents accept shifted together and rifted apart. Millions of years ago, country that today is the due east coast of S America was at the South Pole. Today, the ice canvas above the South Pole drifts about x meters (33 feet) every year.

Amundsen–Scott Southward Pole Station

Compared to the North Pole, the South Pole is relatively easy to travel to and study. The Due north Pole is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, while the South Pole is on a stable piece of land.

The Usa has had scientists working at Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station since 1956. Between 50 and 200 scientists and support staff live at the this research station at whatsoever given time. The station itself does not sit on the ground or ice sheet. It is able to suit its elevation, to prevent it from existence cached in snowfall, which accumulates at a charge per unit of about 20 centimeters (eight inches) every year, and does not melt.

In the wintertime, the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station is completely self-sufficient. The dark sky, freezing temperatures, and gale-force winds prevent nearly supplies from being flown or trekked in. All food, medical supplies, and other material must be secured before the long Antarctic wintertime. The station'due south energy is provided by 3 enormous generators that run on jet fuel.

In winter, stores of food are supplemented past the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station's greenhouse. Vegetables in the greenhouse are grown with hydroponics, in a nutrient solution instead of soil.

Some of the primeval discoveries made at S Pole research stations helped support the theory of continental migrate, the thought that continents rift apart and shift together. Rock samples nerveless near the South Pole and throughout Antarctica friction match samples dated to the same fourth dimension flow collected at tropical latitudes. Geologists conclude that the samples formed at the same time and the same identify, and were torn autonomously over millions of years, as the Earth split into unlike continents.

Today, the Amundsen–Scott S Pole Station is host to a wide variety of research. The relatively undisturbed ice sail maintains a pristine record of snowfalls, air quality, and weather patterns. Ice cores provide data for glaciologists, climatologists, and meteorologists, too equally scientists tracking patterns in climate change.

The South Pole has low temperatures and humidity and high elevation, making it an outstanding place to study astronomy and astrophysics. The Southward Pole Telescope studies low-frequency radiation, such equally microwaves and radio waves. The South Pole Telescope is one of the instruments designed measure out the cosmic microwave background (CMB)–faint, diffuse radiation left over from the Big Bang.

Astrophysicists besides search for tiny particles called neutrinos at the South Pole. Neutrinos interact very, very weakly with all other matter. Neutrino detectors therefore must be very large to detect a measurable number of the particles. The Amundsen–Scott Southward Pole Station'due south IceCube Neutrino Detector has more than than 80 "strings" of sensors reaching as deep as 2,450 meters (viii,038 feet) beneath the ice. It is the largest neutrino detector in the globe.

Ecosystems at the South Pole

Although the Antarctic declension is teeming with marine life, few biologists acquit research at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station. The habitat is far too harsh for most organisms to survive.

In fact, the S Pole sits in the middle of the largest, coldest, driest, and windiest desert on Earth. More than temperate parts of this desert (chosen either East Antarctica or Maudlandia) support native flora such as moss and lichen, and organisms such as mites and midges. The South Pole itself has no native plant or animal life at all. Sometimes, however, seabirds such as skuas tin be spotted if they are blown off-course.

Exploration

The early 20th century'southward "Race to the Pole" stands equally a symbol of the harrowing nature of polar exploration.

European and American explorers had attempted to reach the Southward Pole since British Capt. Robert Falcon Scott's trek of 1904. Scott, along with young man Antarctic explorers Ernest Shackleton and Edward Wilson, came within 660 kilometers (410 miles) of the pole, merely turned back due to conditions and inadequate supplies.

Shackleton and Scott were determined to attain the pole. Scott worked with scientists, intent on using the best techniques to assemble information and collect samples.

Shackleton likewise conducted scientific surveys, although his expeditions were more narrowly focused on reaching the South Pole. He came within 160 kilometers (100 miles) of the pole in 1907, merely again had to turn back due to weather.

Scott gathered public back up and public funding for his 1910 Terra Nova expedition. He secured provisions and scientific equipment. In addition to the sailors and scientists on his team, the Terra Nova expedition as well included tourists—guests who helped finance the voyage in commutation for taking office in it.

On the way to Antarctica, the Terra Nova trek stopped in Commonwealth of australia to take on final supplies. Hither, Scott received a surprising telegram from Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen: "Beg exit to inform you lot Fram [Amundsen's transport] proceeding Antarctic."

Amundsen was manifestly racing for the pole, alee of Scott, but had kept all preparation secret. His initial ambition, to be the showtime to reach the Due north Pole, had been thwarted by American explorers Frederick Cook and Robert Peary, both of whom claimed to achieve the North Pole first. (Both claims are now disputed, and Amundsen'due south flying over the Northward Pole is more often than not recognized equally the beginning verified journey at that place.)

The Terra Nova and Fram expeditions arrived in Antarctica about the aforementioned time, in the middle of the Antarctic summer (January). They fix upwardly base camps nearly 640 kilometers (400 miles) apart. As they proceeded s, both expeditions established resupply depots with supplies for their return journey. While Scott's team stuck to a road forged by Shackleton years earlier, Amundsen took a new route.

Scott proceeded with scientific and expeditionary equipment hauled by dogs, ponies, and motor sledges. The motorized equipment soon bankrupt down, and the ponies could non conform to the harsh Antarctic climate. Even the sled dogs became weary. All the ponies died, and virtually members of the expedition turned back. Only four men from the Terra Nova expedition (including Scott'south friend Wilson) proceeded with Scott to the pole.

Amundsen traveled by domestic dog sled, with a team of explorers, skiers, and mushers. The foresight and navigation paid off: Amundsen reached the pole in December 1911. He called the camp Polheim, and the entire Fram expedition successfully returned to their resupply depots, ship, and Norway.

More than a month later, Scott reached the South Pole, just to exist met past Amundsen's military camp—he had left a tent, equipment, and supplies for Scott, as well equally a note for the Male monarch of Norway to be delivered if the Fram expedition failed to go far dorsum.

Disheartened, Scott's team slowly headed back north. They faced colder temperatures and harsher weather condition than Amundsen's team. They had fewer supplies. Suffering from hunger, hypothermia, and frostbite, all members of Scott's South Pole trek died fewer than 18 kilometers (xi miles) from a resupply depot.

American explorer Richard E. Byrd became the first person to wing over the South Pole, in 1926, and the Amundsen–Scott Due south Pole Station was established thirty years later.

However, the next overland trek to the Due south Pole was not made until 1958, more than xl years after Amundsen and Scott's deadly race. The 1958 trek was led by legendary New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, who had become the first person to scale Mount Everest in 1953.

Transportation to the South Pole

Almost all scientists and back up personnel, as well as supplies, are flown in to the South Pole. Hardy military shipping unremarkably wing from McMurdo Station, an American facility on the Antarctic coast and the near populated expanse on the continent. The extreme and unpredictable weather condition around the pole can often delay flights.

In 2009, the U.S. completed structure of the S Pole Traverse. Also called the McMurdo-South Pole Highway, this stretch of unpaved route runs more than 1,600 kilometers (995 miles) over the Antarctic ice sheet, from McMurdo Station to the Amundsen–Scott Southward Pole Station. It takes about xl days for supplies to reach the pole from McMurdo, but the route is far more than reliable and inexpensive than air flights. The highway can also supply much heavier equipment (such as that needed by the Southward Pole'south astrophysics laboratories) than aircraft.

Resources and Territorial Claims

The entire continent of Antarctica has no official political boundaries, although many nations and territories claim state there. The Due south Pole is claimed by vii nations: Argentine republic, Australia, Chile, French republic, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

South Pole

The tent at the right is a replica of the tent used by Roald Amundsen, the commencement person to reach the Southward Pole.

No Time at the Poles
Fourth dimension is calculated using longitude. For example, when the lord's day seems directly overhead, the local time is about noon. However, all lines of longitude encounter at the poles, and the sun is only overhead twice a year (at the equinoxes.) For this reason, scientists and explorers at the poles tape time-related information using whatsoever time zone they want.

Cold and Lonely Highway
The Southward Pole Traverse is non paved. The highway was created by filling in deep crevasses in the Antarctic ice canvas. The only vehicles on the highway are specialized tractors equipped with specialized towing sleds.

Tradition of Horror
The few "wintertime-overs" at Amundsen-Scott Due south Pole Station take an annual tradition. Afterward the concluding supply plane has left the facility (not to return for 6 months), they watch two movies: The Thing (virtually a parasitic conflicting existence terrorizing an Antarctic research facility) and The Shining (well-nigh a caretaker isolated at a remote hotel in the winter).

accrue

Verb

to gather or collect.

Noun

World'southward 5th-largest continental landmass.

astrophysics

Substantive

study of the composition of thing and the activity of radiation in space.

Noun

an invisible line around which an object spins.

Big Bang

Noun

(12-twenty billion years agone) theoretical outcome where a small, dense, hot trunk of matter exploded, creating the expanding universe.

Substantive

gradual changes in all the interconnected weather elements on our planet.

Noun

one of the vii main land masses on Earth.

Substantive

the motion of continents resulting from the motion of tectonic plates.

cosmic microwave background (CMB)

Substantive

radiation spread almost uniformly throughout the universe, faint energy still left over from the Big Bang.

Substantive

rocky outermost layer of World or other planet.

data

Plural Noun

(singular: datum) data collected during a scientific study.

Noun

expanse of state that receives no more than than 25 centimeters (x inches) of precipitation a twelvemonth.

diffuse

Verb

to spread out or besprinkle.

domestic dog sled

Noun

sled pulled by dogs. As well called a domestic dog sledge.

Noun

height above or below ocean level.

Substantive

menses in which daylight and darkness are nearly equal. There are 2 equinoxes a year.

Ernest Shackleton

Substantive

(1874-1922) British explorer of the Antarctic.

expedition

Noun

journey with a specific purpose, such every bit exploration.

frostbite

Noun

injury or destruction of skin and tissue due to exposure to extremely common cold temperatures.

gale

Noun

strong wind or air electric current.

generator

Noun

car that converts 1 blazon of energy to another, such every bit mechanical free energy to electricity.

geologist

Noun

person who studies the concrete formations of the Earth.

Noun

environment where an organism lives throughout the twelvemonth or for shorter periods of time.

harrowing

Adjective

extremely disturbing or scary.

Noun

line where the World and the sky seem to run into.

Noun

corporeality of water vapor in the air.

hydroponics

Noun

tillage of plants by growing them in nutrient solutions instead of soil.

hypothermia

Noun

potentially deadly condition in which an organism'southward body temperature drops.

ice core

Noun

sample of ice taken to demonstrate changes in climate over many years.

Noun

thick layer of glacial water ice that covers a large expanse of land.

Noun

distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees.

Noun

altitude east or west of the prime summit, measured in degrees.

meteorologist

Noun

person who studies patterns and changes in Earth'due south temper.

musher

Noun

commuter of a team of sled dogs.

Noun

art and science of determining an object's position, course, and distance traveled.

neutrino

Noun

subatomic particle that carries no electric charge and interacts weakly with all other thing.

Substantive

fixed signal that, along with the South Pole, forms the axis on which the Earth spins.

Noun

movement and interaction of the Earth's plates.

pristine

Adjective

pure or unpolluted.

provision

Noun

materials necessary to consummate a task, such as food or tools.

radiations

Substantive

free energy, emitted equally waves or particles, radiating outward from a source.

radio wave

Substantive

electromagnetic wave with a wavelength between 1 millimeter and 30,000 meters, or a frequency between 10 kilohertz and 300,000 megahertz.

inquiry station

Noun

structure or structures built for scientific study of the surrounding region, possibly including residential and lab facilities.

Roald Amundsen

Substantive

(1872-1928) Norwegian explorer of the Chill and Antarctic.

Robert Falcon Scott

Noun

(1868-1912) British explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic.

Robert Peary

Noun

(1856-1920) American explorer of the polar regions.

Substantive

base of operations level for measuring elevations. Sea level is determined by measurements taken over a 19-year cycle.

self-sufficient

Adjective

able to support all of i's basic needs without aid.

skua

Noun

bird related to the seagull.

Noun

fixed point that, along with the North Pole, forms the centrality on which the Earth spins.

telegram

Noun

message sent by an electronic method of communication called a telegraph.

Noun

degree of hotness or coldness measured by a thermometer with a numerical scale.

thwart

Verb

to oppose, block, or filibuster.

tourist

Substantive

person who travels for pleasure.

tropical

Describing word

existing in the tropics, the latitudes between the Tropic of Cancer in the due north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the south.

Noun

state of the atmosphere, including temperature, atmospheric pressure, air current, humidity, precipitation, and cloudiness.

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    Editor

    Jeannie Evers, Emdash Editing

    Producer

    Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Club

    Last Updated

    Aug. 14, 2012

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