The place is one of the most exstrem desert in the world is located in Victoria Land, west of McMurdo Sound.
Antarctica has a total area of ??14 million km ², where most of the landmass is covered snow thickness can reach 1500 meters and even 2000 meters. Dry Valley itself occupies 0.03% of total area of ??Antarctica, which is 4800 km ².
Dry valleys are also known as the 'oasis' Antarctica. In contrast to the oasis in the desert fertile, this place is an isolated valley by geological formations in the vicinity. As a result, the glacier could not enter because it was blocked by the structure of these rocks, because at low temperatures glaciers will harden and can not pass the basic structure of the rough rock.
But this scene will be slightly different when it is to enter the summer. Glaciers from the region around a snow-covered will soften due to rising air temperatures and into the Dry Valley.
These glaciers finally melt and flow toward lower ground. This leads to the formation of seasonal rivers in this dry valley. With the availability of water, moss and some other forms of vegetation can grow.
Dry Valleys allows geologists to collect rock samples and fossils of ancient life that will provide various information about the condition of Antarctica millions of years ago.
Another uniqueness of this place is the frozen lake at the bottom of the valley. This lake has an ice thickness of up to several meters. Beneath the layers of ice water that had contained very high levels of salt which is inhabited by rare and mysterious organisms. Organism that is the subject of research experts microbiology.
No comments:
Post a Comment