Political Map of Antarctic Region

The Antarctic Treaty

14 articles (statements to guide treaty members)
6 priciples (specific details of the treaty)

Agreements:
Antarctica may only be used for peaceful purposes
Scientific Information must be freely exchanged
Free access to all nations
Military explosions and disposal of nuclear waste is prohibited
No territorial claims while treaty is in place

Sir Hubert Wilkins (1988 - 1958)

born Mt Bryan East on 31/10/1888
7th child of two South Australian sheep farmers
had a passion for photography and cinemaography
involved in criminal gang until employed to shoot footage of Turko-Bulgarian war
learned to fly at 17
19 proffesions including aviation and photography
flyed over Antarctica with help of Americans
“Brother to an Eagle” died after crashing plane in thick fog
attempts to cruise underneath North Pole in submarine were unsuccessful
ashes spread across North Pole by submarine

Captain R. F. Scott (1868 - 1912)

born June 6
married Kathlean Bruce in 1908 and they had 1 son
began expedition same year as party of 5
lost race to Pole to Amunsden
died during blizzard, in tent, from starvation and exposure
only 18km away from supply depot
none of the party returned from expedition

Fabian von Bellingshausen (1778 - 1852)

Russians claim he saw Antarctica Peninsular before Palmer and Bransfield
Russian navy captain and later governor of Kronstodt
later reached Admiral rank
boats were named Vostok and Mirny
goal was to carry on work of James Cook (died 1779) while sailing as far as possible South

Scientific research

earthquakes, volcanology
measuring changes in Earth’s magnetic field
geology
mapping
measuring ozone levels over Antarctica
measuring trace gases over Antarctica
finding out how fish feed in the dark
using radio tracking and satillites to find out how far penguins travel from rookeries to feed

Antarctica

coldest continent
14 million square km
1.5 times the size of the USA
70% of world’s water within it
desert region
driest continent
ice at South Pole 3km in thickness, above land
1200 km shortest route from coast to South Pole
Summer average -40 degrees C
Winter low -80 degrees C
Summer population 2000-3000 people
Winter population 500 people
wild life lives on coast

South Pole

Geographic South Pole resurveyed each year
Pole marked copper pipe, engraved brass head-piece
Pole moves 8m each year because of moving ice mass
Ceremonial South Pole - red / white pole, shining dome
CSP has flags of all countries to get to South Pole
CSP 100m from real South Pole, which moves quickly over time
American Amundsen-Scott base at South Pole manned year round
it is 200m from Pole - 120 men in summer and 20 in winter
only accessible by specially-adapted C120 Hercules planes during summer daylight months