37-556: The Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897–1899 was the first expedition to winter in the Antarctic region. Led by Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery aboard the RV Belgica , it was the first Belgian Antarctic expedition and is considered the first expedition of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration . Among its members were Frederick Cook and Roald Amundsen , explorers who would later attempt
74-683: A Belgian geophysicist and member of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, who died on board Belgica in the Antarctic. Danco Island was the location of the British research Station O . It was active from 26 February, 1956 to 22 February, 1959 with the intention of searching in the survey and geology. The main hut was named Arendal and was demolished and removed by British Antarctic Survey in April 2004. This Danco Coast location article
111-758: Is a polar region around Earth 's South Pole , opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole . The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica , the Kerguelen Plateau , and other island territories located on the Antarctic Plate or south of the Antarctic Convergence . The Antarctic region includes the ice shelves , waters, and all the island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of
148-644: Is an island off Antarctica , 2 kilometres (1 nmi) long lying in the southern part of Errera Channel , off the west coast of Graham Land . It was charted by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition under Adrien de Gerlache , 1897–1899. Danco Island was surveyed by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey from Norsel in 1955, and named by the UK Antarctic Place-names Committee for Emile Danco (1869–1898),
185-533: Is commonly accepted to have occurred in 1820 by the Russian expedition of Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev on Vostok and Mirny . The Australian James Kerguelen Robinson (1859–1914) was the first human born in the Antarctic, on board the sealing ship Offley in the Gulf of Morbihan (Royal Sound then), Kerguelen Island on 11 March 1859. The first human born and raised on an Antarctic island
222-533: Is credited to the Spaniard Gabriel de Castilla , who reported seeing distant southern snow-capped mountains in 1603. The first Antarctic land discovered was the island of South Georgia , visited by the English merchant Anthony de la Roché in 1675. Although such myths and speculation about a Terra Australis ("Southern Land") date back to antiquity, the first confirmed sighting of the continent of Antarctica
259-428: Is low on the islands: studies have theorized that the harsh climate was a major contributor towards species richness, but multiple correlations have been found with area, temperature, remoteness of islands, and food chain stability. For example, herbivorous insects are poor in number due to low plant richness, and likewise, indigenous bird numbers are related to insects, which are a major food source. The Antarctic hosts
296-487: Is managed through an international commission headquartered in Hobart , Australia, by an efficient system of annual fishing quotas, licenses, and international inspectors on the fishing vessels, as well as satellite surveillance. The islands situated between 60°S latitude parallel to the south and the Antarctic Convergence to the north and their respective 200-nautical-mile (370 km) exclusive economic zones fall under
333-721: Is no permanent country in Antarctica . As defined by the Antarctic Treaty System , the Antarctic region is everything south of the 60°S latitude . The Treaty area covers Antarctica and the archipelagos of the Balleny Islands , Peter I Island , Scott Island , the South Orkney Islands , and the South Shetland Islands . However, this area does not include the Antarctic Convergence , a transition zone where
370-702: Is set to expire in 35 years. ) To protect the area, all Antarctic ships over 500 tonnes are subject to mandatory regulations under the Polar Code , adopted by the International Maritime Organization (in force since 1 January 2017). Climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions from human activities occurs everywhere on Earth, and while Antarctica is less vulnerable to it than any other continent, climate change in Antarctica has been observed. Since 1959, there has been an average temperature increase of >0.05 °C/decade since 1957 across
407-487: The Antarctic Convergence , a zone approximately 32 to 48 km (20 to 30 mi) wide and varying in latitude seasonally. The region covers some 20 percent of the Southern Hemisphere , of which 5.5 percent (14 million km ) is the surface area of the Antarctica continent itself. All of the land and ice shelves south of 60°S latitude are administered under the Antarctic Treaty System . Biogeographically ,
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#1732858860460444-440: The Antarctic realm is one of eight biogeographic realms on Earth's land surface. Climate change in Antarctica is particularly important because the melting of the Antarctic ice sheet has a high potential to add to the global sea level rise . Further, this melting also disrupts the flow of Southern Ocean overturning circulation , which would have significant effects on the local climate and marine ecosystem functioning.There
481-453: The Belgian government voted in favor of two large subsidies, making it a state-supported undertaking. With a multinational crew that included Roald Amundsen from Norway, Emil Racoviță from Romania , and Henryk Arctowski from Poland , Belgica set sail from Antwerp on 16 August 1897. En route to the Antarctic, the expedition visited Madeira , Rio de Janeiro , and Montevideo . Belgica
518-534: The Convergence and thus outside the Antarctic region. A variety of animals live in Antarctica for at least some of the year, including: Most of the Antarctica continent is permanently covered by ice and snow, leaving less than 1 percent of the land exposed. There are only two species of flowering plant, Antarctic hair grass and Antarctic pearlwort , but a range of mosses , liverworts , lichens and macrofungi . Biodiversity among terrestrial flora and fauna
555-551: The West Antarctic, the ocean has warmed by 1 °C (1.8 °F) since 1955. The fresh, 1100-1500 billion tons (GT) per year of meltwater from the ice dilutes the saline Antarctic bottom water , weakening the lower cell of the Southern Ocean overturning circulation (SOOC). According to some research, a full collapse of the SOOC may occur a between 1.7 °C (3.1 °F) and 3 °C (5.4 °F) of global warming, although
592-511: The cold waters of the Southern Ocean collide with the warmer waters of the north, forming a natural border to the region. Because the Convergence changes seasonally, the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources approximates the Convergence line by joining specified points along parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude . The implementation of the convention
629-692: The conference were presented at the Antarctic Treaty states' meeting in Uruguay in May 2010. Because Antarctica surrounds the South Pole , it is theoretically located in all time zones . For practical purposes, time zones are usually based on territorial claims or the time zone of a station's owner country or supply base. 90°00′S 00°00′W / 90.000°S -0.000°E / -90.000; -0.000 Danco Island Danco Island or Isla Dedo
666-496: The continent, although it had been uneven. West Antarctica warmed by over 0.1 °C/decade from the 1950s to the 2000s, and the exposed Antarctic Peninsula has warmed by 3 °C (5.4 °F) since the mid-20th century. The colder, stabler East Antarctica had been experiencing cooling until the 2000s. Around Antarctica, the Southern Ocean has absorbed more oceanic heat than any other ocean, and has seen strong warming at depths below 2,000 m (6,600 ft). Around
703-493: The duration of the Antarctic winter. The Belgica expedition was poorly equipped and did not have enough winter clothing for every man on board. There was a shortage of food, and what there was lacked in variety. Penguins and seals were hunted and their meat stored before the onset of winter left the region devoid of wildlife. Warm clothing was improvised from the materials available. On 21 March 1898, Cook wrote: "We are imprisoned in an endless sea of ice ... We have told all
740-626: The expedition crossed the Antarctic Circle on 15 February. Failing to find a way into the Weddell Sea on 28 February, Gerlache's expedition became trapped in the ice of the Bellingshausen Sea , near Peter I Island . It is likely that Gerlache intentionally sailed deep into the pack ice in order to freeze his vessel into the ice for the winter. Despite the crew's efforts to free Belgica , they quickly realised that they would be trapped for
777-736: The full effects are expected to occur over multiple centuries; these include less precipitation in the Southern Hemisphere but more in the Northern Hemisphere , an eventual decline of fisheries in the Southern Ocean and a potential collapse of certain marine ecosystems . While many Antarctic species remain undiscovered, there are documented increases in Antarctic flora , and large fauna such as penguins are already having difficulty retaining suitable habitat. On ice-free land, permafrost thaws release greenhouse gases and formerly frozen pollution. The first recorded sighting of Antarctica
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#1732858860460814-847: The homecoming celebrations. On the day they first set foot on Belgian soil again, La Brabançonne sounded and the national flag was seen waving from many houses. The Belgian state honored Gerlache and his men by making them members of the Royal Order of Leopold , and the municipal government of Antwerp honored the men with medals and by writing their names in the Golden Book of the city. The expedition team included many notable individuals: Personnel resigned or let go: Antarctic The Antarctic ( / æ n ˈ t ɑːr t ɪ k / or / æ n ˈ t ɑːr k t ɪ k / , American English also / æ n t ˈ ɑːr t ɪ k / or / æ n t ˈ ɑːr k t ɪ k / ; commonly / æ ˈ n ɑːr t ɪ k / )
851-475: The ice seemed real. Open water was visible about one-half mile (800 m) away and Cook suggested that trenches be cut to the open water to allow Belgica to escape the ice. The weakened crew used the explosive tonite and various tools to create the channel. Finally, on 15 February, they managed to start slowly down the channel they had cleared during the weeks before. It took them nearly a month to cover seven miles (11 km) and, on 14 March, they cleared
888-453: The ice. The expedition returned to Antwerp on 5 November 1899. Though the circumstances had been severe, the expedition had nevertheless managed to collect scientific data, including a full year of meteorological observations. In Antwerp, the return of the expedition was heartily welcomed. A special committee had been planning the festivities for months. Typical for polar expeditions in this age, feelings of national and regional pride surrounded
925-402: The meat and slowly the men recovered their health. It is now known that raw meat and organs contain a small amount of Vitamin C. Several months of hardship followed. Even as spring and summer arrived, attempts to free the ship and its crew from the grip of the ice failed. By January 1899, Belgica was still trapped in ice about seven feet (2 m) thick and the possibility of another winter in
962-472: The men. Gerlache and Captain Georges Lecointe became so ill they wrote their wills . Two of the crew started to show signs of mental illness and morale in general was extremely poor. Lieutenant Danco fell ill from a heart condition and died on 5 June. Danco Island was named in his honor. Several men reportedly lost their sanity at this point, including one Belgian sailor who left the ship "announcing he
999-584: The most popular destinations being the Antarctic Peninsula area (especially the South Shetland Islands ) and South Georgia Island . In December 2009, the growth of tourism , with consequences for both the ecology and the safety of the travellers in its great and remote wilderness, was noted at a conference in New Zealand by experts from signatories to the Antarctic Treaty . The definitive results of
1036-818: The national jurisdiction of the countries that possess them: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (United Kingdom), Bouvet Island (Norway), and Heard and McDonald Islands (Australia). Kerguelen Islands (France; also an EU Overseas territory) are situated in the Antarctic Convergence area, while the Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego , Falkland Islands , Isla de los Estados , Hornos Island with Cape Horn , Diego Ramírez Islands , Campbell Island , Macquarie Island , Amsterdam and Saint Paul Islands, Crozet Islands , Prince Edward Islands , Gough Island , and Tristan da Cunha group remain north of
1073-593: The respective conquests of the North and South Poles. In 1896, after a period of intensive lobbying, Adrien Victor Joseph de Gerlache de Gomery purchased the Norwegian-built whaling ship Patria , which, following an extensive refit , he renamed Belgica . Gerlache had worked together with the Geographical Society of Brussels to organize a national subscription, but was able to outfit his expedition only after
1110-515: The same time". During January 1898, Belgica reached the coast of Graham Land . On 22 January, Carl Wiencke was washed overboard during a storm and drowned. Wiencke Island was named in his honor. Sailing in between the Graham Land coast and a long string of islands to the west, Gerlache named the passage "Belgica Strait"; it was later renamed Gerlache Strait in his honor. After charting and naming several islands from some twenty separate landings,
1147-462: The southernmost. In late 1977, Silvia Morella de Palma, who was then seven months pregnant, was airlifted to Esperanza Base , in order to complete her pregnancy in the base. The airlift was a part of the Argentine solutions to the sovereignty dispute over territory in Antarctica. Emilio was automatically granted Argentine citizenship by the government since his parents were both Argentine citizens, and he
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1184-407: The tales, real and imaginative, to which we are equal. Time weighs heavily upon us as the darkness slowly advances." Several weeks later, on 17 May, the perpetual darkness of polar night set in, and lasted until 23 July. Gerlache disliked the penguin and seal meat that had been stored and initially tried to ban its consumption, but eventually encouraged it. Signs of scurvy began to show in some of
1221-719: The world's largest protected area comprising 1.07 million km , the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Marine Protection Area created in 2012. The latter exceeds the surface area of another vast protected territory, the Greenland National Park 's 972,000 km (375,000 sq mi). (While the Ross Sea Marine Protection Area established in 2016 is still larger at 1.55 million km , its protection
1258-636: Was Solveig Gunbjørg Jacobsen born on 8 October 1913 in Grytviken , South Georgia. Emilio Marcos Palma (born 7 January 1978) is an Argentine man who was the first documented person born on the continent of Antarctica at the Esperanza Base . His father, Captain Jorge Palma, was head of the Argentine Army detachment at the base. While ten people have been born in Antarctica since, Palma's birthplace remains
1295-449: Was born in the claimed Argentine Antarctica . Palma can be considered to be the first native Antarctican. The Antarctic region had no indigenous population when first discovered, and its present inhabitants comprise a few thousand transient scientific and other personnel working on tours of duty at the several dozen research stations maintained by various countries. However, the region is visited by more than 40,000 tourists annually,
1332-521: Was going back to Belgium." Cook and Amundsen took command as Gerlache and Lecointe were unable to fulfill their roles due to scurvy. The true cause of scurvy as a deficiency of Vitamin C was not discovered until the 1920s, but Cook was convinced that raw meat was a possible cure for scurvy due to his experiences with Robert Peary in the Arctic. He retrieved the frozen penguin and seal meat and insisted that each man eat some each day. Even Gerlache began to eat
1369-601: Was received particularly enthusiastically in Rio, where a large Belgian community lived. Frederick Cook , an American, joined the expedition there. The Brazilians were also very interested in the Belgian scientific undertaking. The Historical and Geographical Society of Rio held a special meeting where the scientists and officers of the expedition were offered membership. A few weeks later, in Montevideo, Amundsen wrote in his diary that he had never seen so many beautiful women "in one place at
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