scholarly journals The cruise of the Antarctic to the South Polar regions /

Author(s):  
H. J. Bull
Author(s):  
G. E. Fogg

Beginning with its dispatch of Halley on his geomagnetic cruise of 1699 to 1700, the Royal Society has played a sporadic, ad hoc, but nevertheless considerable role in the scientific investigation of the South Polar regions. In three ventures—Ross's geomagnetic survey of 1839 to 1843, the first Scott expedition of 1901 to 1904 and the British contribution to the International Geophysical Year of 1957 to 1958—it made major contributions to the planning and support of Antarctic scientific programmes. Throughout, it has given backing to polar expeditions but has been consistent in putting science before geographical discovery. It has numbered some 20 Antarctic scientists among its Fellows.


1960 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 348-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Hayton

The Antarctic is no longer the virtual unknown of story and legend. Though it will undoubtedly remain a frontier—as much of Alaska has remained a frontier—one consequence of the International Geophysical Year is that policy and operational affairs of the South Polar Regions have gradually become almost “orthodox,” that is, handled on a daily basis by government officials and institutions in the near-normal manner of dealing with any matter in modern bureaucracy and research.


Polar Record ◽  
1934 ◽  
Vol 1 (8) ◽  
pp. 130-142
Author(s):  
Hugh Robert Mill

The sector of the Antarctic regions between the meridians of 30° and 90° W. is still largely unknown, and offers a particularly attractive field for exploration. It was the scene of the earliest discovery of land south of the Antarctic Circle, of the earliest and also of. the latest economic exploitation of the South Polar regions and it is the only part of the Antarctic where very large areas have been seen from the air but never visited on the surface either by sea or land. It is appropriate that a concise summary of the exploration of this region should be put together, in view of the expedition now being organised by John R. Rymill with the active support of the Royal Geographical Society, the British Government, the Discovery Committee and the Polar Institute.


Nature ◽  
1872 ◽  
Vol 7 (165) ◽  
pp. 138-140
Keyword(s):  

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard I. Cullather ◽  
Michael G. Bosilovich

Abstract Components of the atmospheric energy budget from the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) are evaluated in polar regions for the period 1979–2005 and compared with previous estimates, in situ observations, and contemporary reanalyses. Closure of the budget is reflected by the analysis increments term, which indicates an energy surplus of 11 W m−2 over the North Polar cap (70°–90°N) and 22 W m−2 over the South Polar cap (70°–90°S). Total atmospheric energy convergence from MERRA compares favorably with previous studies for northern high latitudes but exceeds the available previous estimate for the South Polar cap by 46%. Discrepancies with the Southern Hemisphere energy transport are largest in autumn and may be related to differences in topography with earlier reanalyses. For the Arctic, differences between MERRA and other sources in top of atmosphere (TOA) and surface radiative fluxes are largest in May. These differences are concurrent with the largest discrepancies between MERRA parameterized and observed surface albedo. For May, in situ observations of the upwelling shortwave flux in the Arctic are 80 W m−2 larger than MERRA, while the MERRA downwelling longwave flux is underestimated by 12 W m−2 throughout the year. Over grounded ice sheets, the annual mean net surface energy flux in MERRA is erroneously nonzero. Contemporary reanalyses from the Climate Forecast Center (CFSR) and the Interim Re-Analyses of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ERA-I) are found to have better surface parameterizations; however, these reanalyses also disagree with observed surface and TOA energy fluxes. Discrepancies among available reanalyses underscore the challenge of reproducing credible estimates of the atmospheric energy budget in polar regions.


A tracking radar and an optical range-finder, placed on a ship, were used to register the flight of eleven species of seabirds, in waters off the Antarctic Peninsula and in the Atlantic Ocean. Albatrosses under calm conditions used swell soaring, turning and twisting extensively within a width of 300-500 m laterally from the overall direction of movement. Their resulting travel speed was on average 10 m s -1 . In windy conditions the albatrosses as well as giant petrels travelled faster, with resulting speeds up to 22.5 m s -1 , by a combination of wave soaring and dynamic soaring. Shearwaters and the antarctic fulmar proceeded by flap-gliding, along tracks that were only slightly zigzag within 50-60 m from the resulting course of movement. The little shearwater flew faster, with an airspeed about 14 m s -1 , than larger-sized shearwaters and fulmars, using continuous flapping flight to a higher degree than its larger relatives. South polar skuas and Wilson’s storm-petrels were tracked on foraging flights, and flocks of imperial shags on commuting flights between feeding and breeding-roosting areas. The south polar skua was able to accelerate to airspeeds exceeding 20 m s -1 in pursuit flights after shags. Wilson’s storm-petrels showed significantly slower airspeeds in foraging flights as compared to non-foraging flights. Average airspeeds of most species fell between the minimum power and maximum range speeds estimated from aerodynamical theory. Species using gliding or flap-gliding flight showed a mean airspeed close to the gliding speed for best glide ratio. Optimal speeds in foraging flights, as expected for the south polar skuas and Wilson’s storm-petrels, are unlikely to coincide with the minimum power and maximum range speeds. Albatrosses reached the fastest resulting travel speeds when moving at angles 120°-150° from the wind (partly following winds), with strong wind forces. They predominantly travelled with the wind from their left side which, in the southern hemisphere, would lead them away from low pressure centres and towards high pressure areas.


Chemosphere ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 1293-1300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Werner Reifenhäuser ◽  
Klaus G. Heumann
Keyword(s):  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document