Antarctica: Earth's Own Ice World PDF Download

Author: Michael Carroll
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319746243
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 197

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Book Description
In 2016, scientist Rosaly Lopes and artist Michael Carroll teamed up as fellows of the National Science Foundation to travel to Mount Erebus, the world’s southernmost active volcano in Antarctica. The logistics of getting there and complex operations of Antarctica's McMurdo Station echo the kinds of strategies that future explorers will undertake as they set up settlements on Mars and beyond. This exciting popular-level book explores the arduous environment of Antarctica and how it is similar to other icy worlds in the Solar System. The bulk of this story delves into Antarctica’s infrastructure, exploration, and remote camps, culminating on the summit of Erebus. There, the authors explored the caves and ice towers on the volcano’s flanks, taking photographs and generating original art depicting scenes in Antarctica and terrestrial analogs on other planets and moons. Readers will see an intimate side of Mount Erebus and Antarctica while surveying the region’s history, exploration, geology, and volcanology, which includes research funded by the National Science Foundation’s United States Antarctic Programs. Richly illustrated with photographs and stunning paintings showcasing the beauty of the harsh continent, the book captures the spirit and splendor of the authors’ journey to Erebus.

Author:
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0128160977
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 3542

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Book Description
Encyclopedia of the World’s Biomes is a unique, five volume reference that provides a global synthesis of biomes, including the latest science. All of the book's chapters follow a common thematic order that spans biodiversity importance, principal anthropogenic stressors and trends, changing climatic conditions, and conservation strategies for maintaining biomes in an increasingly human-dominated world. This work is a one-stop shop that gives users access to up-to-date, informative articles that go deeper in content than any currently available publication. Offers students and researchers a one-stop shop for information currently only available in scattered or non-technical sources Authored and edited by top scientists in the field Concisely written to guide the reader though the topic Includes meaningful illustrations and suggests further reading for those needing more specific information

Author: Kalman Dubov
Publisher: Kalman Dubov
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 208

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Book Description
The continent of Antarctica, shrouded in mist, ice and frightful weather, was a land of mystery for millennia. Ancient and medieval cartographers and scientists pondered its reality, considering the South Pole at the extreme of Earth, the counterpart of the North Pole. But it was only in the 17th and 18th centuries that brave captains, piloting tiny ships (by today's standards) began plying these waters. The myth of Terra Australis was soon debunked as the misty veil of ice and cold yielded its secrets. Soon, many explorers set themselves the task of mastering this secret and unknown land. The story of such exploration is a fascinating tale: of those who braved the ice and cold; those who living to tell the tale of their exploits; and those who did not. Today, waters, seas, mountains and valleys are known by these hardy men and their feats of bravery. The tale of exploration is also coupled with greed, spurred by the advance of territorial claims over land and sea. In this regard, the British were foremost in this quest. They were only halted by the adoption of the Antarctic Treaty System, an international agreement that preserves and protects Antarctica from every mercantile endeavor -- at least until until 2048. There are no human settlements on Antarctica, save for research stations as scientist-explorers further our collective understanding of the continent, its flora and fauna, its many water animals that come here and to understand the story hidden beneath hundreds of feet of solid ice. Of greatest importance is the effect this continent has on the rest of the globe, with its teeming billions and ecological effect the world has on this distant land. This review discusses the explorers who first mapped the land and its waters, who navigated these channels and so, leading to the wider discovery of the continent itself. The expansion of British interests in Antarctica was also spurred by the claim over the Falklands Islands, resulting in the 1982 conflict between Britain and Argentina. The Argentine invasion was repelled by British forces, though Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the islands. For a time, Britain declared sovereignty from the Falklands to the South Pole, with overlapping claims from other countries. None of these sovereignty claims however, are recognized under the Antarctic Treaty. Of special interest is the science applied to the continent, which requires specialized training and expertise. I review some of the science, appreciating the dedication and determination of the men and women to understand this icy continent. Speaking of women, I was surprised to learn that women were forbidden from participating in exploration and scientific efforts based on nothing more than machismo - men who decided this was no place for women. The first women who pioneered and came to Antarctica faced a host of male-dominated and demeaning attitudes until these attitudes changed. I also explore a Jewish conundrum - how to visit Antarctica, either during its long summer or its dark winter and remain true to Jewish tradition. That tradition mandates following laws that are time-sensitive by the rhythm of day and night, which do not apply in this remote region. Ancient precedent is used to apply a modicum of reality to this remote region. I then discuss my two visits to the continent, once about Holland America's Prinsendam, and the second aboard the Amsterdam. While both journeys were memorable, the second voyage was overshadowed by Covid-19. In fact, the latter journey ended in late March, just two months later, when all passengers were required to disembark in Perth Australia and had to immediately return home. Unless one is a research scientist, travel to Antarctica is commonly by cruise ship. Even then, the Antarctic mainland is not seen. Instead, the ship will visit various points in the Antarctic Peninsula, a location that is closer to Ushuaia, Argentina or Punta Arenas, Chile. These locations are Fin del Mundo - the end of the earth, the last human habitation before reaching the Antarctic land mass. My visits were to the Peninsula, with each trip lasting just four and one half days. Combined, these nine days remain memorable for the uniqueness as for their stark color extremes. White and dark predominates here with few other colors marring the landscape. If ever I had a 'bucket list', these nine days filled the void of the only landmass on earth where extremes of ice and snow, of dark-colored penguins, whales and seals contrasted with the icebergs and high granite peaks atop snow-encrusted mountains. I remain grateful for this incredible opportunity to visit this remote land, cocooned aboard a large and warm vessel, with fellow passengers seeking the see this remote and distant land. I hope this review does justice to the beauty and cold silence of this remote land.

Author: Michael Carroll
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319981552
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 209

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Book Description
What happens with something becomes someone? In the aftermath of an asteroid impact, Earth’s power grid is damaged nearly beyond recovery. The survival of our world may well depend on energy sources collected from an abandoned undersea settlement beneath the icy surface of Enceladus. Earth-raised Colonel Carter Rhodes, in charge of Earth’s recovery efforts, calls upon Gwen Baré, a Venusian engineer, to regain control of the deserted moon outpost and collect fuel for Earth’s collapsing power grids. However, what Gwen discovers churning in Enceladus's subsurface waters brings her and Colonel Rhodes' straightforward plans to a crashing halt. Soon, Gwen finds herself in the middle of an interplanetary standoff. Win, and give the last humans on Earth a chance to survive. Lose, and risk the permanent dismantling of human society across the Solar System. Forced to take sides in this war for power, resources, and species survival, Gwen must make choices that not only affect her own life, but also force her to question what "life" itself might really mean. Will the promise of Enceladus energy be enough to salvage what is left of Earth‘s society? Are these humans worthy of salvation?.

Author: Michael Carroll
Publisher: Smithsonian Institution
ISBN: 1588346919
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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Book Description
Come along for the captivating hunt for planets like our own Envisioning Exoplanets traces the journey of astronomers and researchers on their quest to explore the universe for a planet like Earth. Exoplanets--worlds beyond our solar system--were once dismissed as science fiction. But now, with more than 4,000 confirmed exoplanets, countless possibilities exist for what remains to be uncovered in the universe. This book follows the exhilarating progression of exoplanet research from its earliest stages operating on the fringes of scientific research to the newest developments of renowned agencies around the world searching for planets capable of hosting life. Featuring provocative questions about the universe and more than 200 remarkable illustrations from Michael Caroll, Ron Miller, and other key members of the International Association of Astronomical Artists, Envisioning Exoplanets is an intergalactic visual voyage.

Author: Leilani Raashida Henry
Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books ™
ISBN: 172841167X
Category : Young Adult Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 130

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Book Description
“On this land of ice, where we are thousands of miles of ice and mountains, it’s really beautiful.” Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, driest, and most remote part of the world. No one owns it. Only peaceful and scientific endeavors are permitted. It is a true wilderness. Delve into the incredible geography, biodiversity, and exploratory history of the world's coldest continent through the diary entries of George W. Gibbs, Jr., the first Black person to set foot on Antarctica. Author Leilani Raashida Henry, Gibbs's daughter, shares the importance of protecting and understanding the Antarctic landscape and ecosystem as climate change advances. The Antarctic Treaty, which protects the continent from environmentally destructive practices such as mining and drilling, will be up for renewal in 2041, and The Call of Antarctica prepares readers with the knowledge of why it is necessary to reinstate that treaty and help protect this unique wilderness.

Author: Jon Gertner
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 0812996631
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 448

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Book Description
A riveting, urgent account of the explorers and scientists racing to understand the rapidly melting ice sheet in Greenland, a dramatic harbinger of climate change “Jon Gertner takes readers to spots few journalists or even explorers have visited. The result is a gripping and important book.”—Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Sixth Extinction NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • The Christian Science Monitor • Library Journal Greenland: a remote, mysterious island five times the size of California but with a population of just 56,000. The ice sheet that covers it is 700 miles wide and 1,500 miles long, and is composed of nearly three quadrillion tons of ice. For the last 150 years, explorers and scientists have sought to understand Greenland—at first hoping that it would serve as a gateway to the North Pole, and later coming to realize that it contained essential information about our climate. Locked within this vast and frozen white desert are some of the most profound secrets about our planet and its future. Greenland’s ice doesn’t just tell us where we’ve been. More urgently, it tells us where we’re headed. In The Ice at the End of the World, Jon Gertner explains how Greenland has evolved from one of earth’s last frontiers to its largest scientific laboratory. The history of Greenland’s ice begins with the explorers who arrived here at the turn of the twentieth century—first on foot, then on skis, then on crude, motorized sleds—and embarked on grueling expeditions that took as long as a year and often ended in frostbitten tragedy. Their original goal was simple: to conquer Greenland’s seemingly infinite interior. Yet their efforts eventually gave way to scientists who built lonely encampments out on the ice and began drilling—one mile, two miles down. Their aim was to pull up ice cores that could reveal the deepest mysteries of earth’s past, going back hundreds of thousands of years. Today, scientists from all over the world are deploying every technological tool available to uncover the secrets of this frozen island before it’s too late. As Greenland’s ice melts and runs off into the sea, it not only threatens to affect hundreds of millions of people who live in coastal areas. It will also have drastic effects on ocean currents, weather systems, economies, and migration patterns. Gertner chronicles the unfathomable hardships, amazing discoveries, and scientific achievements of the Arctic’s explorers and researchers with a transporting, deeply intelligent style—and a keen sense of what this work means for the rest of us. The melting ice sheet in Greenland is, in a way, an analog for time. It contains the past. It reflects the present. It can also tell us how much time we might have left.

Author: Gabrielle Walker
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 0547536976
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 463

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Book Description
The acclaimed science writer presents a wide-ranging exploration of Antarctica’s history, nature, and global significance in this “rollicking good read” (Kirkus). From the early expeditions of Ernest Shackleton to David Attenborough’s documentary series Frozen Planet, the continent of Antarctica has captured the world’s imagination. After the Antarctic Treaty of 1961, decades of scientific research revealed the true extent of its many mysteries. Now former Nature magazine staff writer Gabrielle Walker tells the full story of Antarctica—from its fascinating history to its uncertain future and the international teams of researchers who brave its forbidding climate. Drawing on her broad travels across the continent, Walker weaves all the significant threads of life on the vast ice sheet into a multifaceted narrative, illuminating what it really feels like to be there and why it draws so many different kinds of people. She chronicles cutting-edge science experiments, visits to the South Pole, and unsettling portents about our future in an age of global warming. “We are all anxious Antarctic watchers now, and Walker's book is the essential primer.”—The Guardian, UK

Author: Patricia Fanthorpe
Publisher: Dundurn
ISBN: 1459725123
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 230

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Book Description
People disappear without a trace. Captain Briggs, his crew, and his family vanished from the Canadian built Mary Celeste. Ben Bathurst walked around the horses harnessed to his coach - and was never seen again. People appear without explanation Kaspar Hauser arrived in Nuremberg as inexplicably as if he'd materialised from some unknown dimension. Researchers of the paranormal have investigated cases where thought-forms seem to have acquired quasi-physical properties. Madame Blavatsky claimed to have done it. There were times when Nikola Tesla, the brilliant electrical experimenter, seems to have lived in an alternative reality where mental images of his machines became solid to him. Tesla expert, Oliver Nichelson, put forward a theory connecting Tesla's awesomely strange apparatus at Wardenclyffe, Long Island, with the Tunguska explosion of 1908. Were similar strange forces responsible for moving the Barbados coffins around in their sealed vault? Where do poltergeists, like the one that haunted Esther Cox in Amherst, Nova Scotia, get their inexplicable energy? When scores of reliable witnesses continue to report their sightings of UFOs, ghosts, crop circles, lake monsters, enormous cat-like beasts, Yeti, and Sasquatch, how can their observations be explained? We live in an immeasurably strange universe, miraculously suspended in space and time: a universe that has room for the mysteries of the ancient British King Arthur, Merlin, and the Holy Grail; the Oak Island Money Pit in Canada; the undeciphered Glozel Alphabet, and the Priest's Treasure at Rennes-le-Chateau in France; Mermaids and Sea Monsters; the Kingdom of Prester John; the Riddle of the Pictish Stones at Meigle in Scotland; the Vampire of Croglin Grange; Zombies and Wer-beasts; the Devil's Footprints in Devonshire; the Green Children of Woolpit; Lost Cities and Sunken Islands; Pyramids and Stone Circles; Telepathy, Telekinesis, Teleportation, and Prophecy. The list is endless. The investigations fascinating. The World's Greatest Unsolved Mysteries invites the reader to accompany Lionel and Patricia Fanthorpe on their many intriguing investigations in Canada and worldwide and their years of research into the unexplained.

Author: Gillen D’Arcy Wood
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691201684
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 312

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Book Description
A gripping history of the polar continent, from the great discoveries of the nineteenth century to modern scientific breakthroughs Antarctica, the ice kingdom hosting the South Pole, looms large in the human imagination. The secrets of this vast frozen desert have long tempted explorers, but its brutal climate and glacial shores notoriously resist human intrusion. Land of Wondrous Cold tells a gripping story of the pioneering nineteenth-century voyages, when British, French, and American commanders raced to penetrate Antarctica’s glacial rim for unknown lands beyond. These intrepid Victorian explorers—James Ross, Dumont D’Urville, and Charles Wilkes—laid the foundation for our current understanding of Terra Australis Incognita. Today, the white continent poses new challenges, as scientists race to uncover Earth’s climate history, which is recorded in the south polar ice and ocean floor, and to monitor the increasing instability of the Antarctic ice cap, which threatens to inundate coastal cities worldwide. Interweaving the breakthrough research of the modern Ocean Drilling Program with the dramatic discovery tales of its Victorian forerunners, Gillen D’Arcy Wood describes Antarctica’s role in a planetary drama of plate tectonics, climate change, and species evolution stretching back more than thirty million years. An original, multifaceted portrait of the polar continent emerges, illuminating our profound connection to Antarctica in its past, present, and future incarnations. A deep-time history of monumental scale, Land of Wondrous Cold brings the remotest of worlds within close reach—an Antarctica vital to both planetary history and human fortunes.