|
1. Where is the Arctic?
By one definition, the Arctic is all of the Earth north of
the Arctic Circle, which is located at 66° 32' N Latitude.
However, there are other definitions to suit specific scientific
or political interests. For instance, the U.S. Congress
has decreed that all of the Bering Sea, which extends southward
to about 53 degrees North Latitude, is part of the Arctic
for internal U.S. planning and budgeting purposes. Others
make use of the such markers as the southernmost extent
of winter sea ice for oceanic boundaries of the Arctic,
or the treeline for terrestrial boundaries.
2. Who lives in
the Arctic?
The harsh Arctic environment is inhabited by a sparse but
varied human population, with several different groups of
indigenous people and a growing majority of European immigrants.
The 4 million indigenous people account for about 30% of the
total population of the region although it ranges from 80
per cent in Greenland to 15 per cent in Arctic Norway to as
little as 3 or 4 per cent in Arctic Russia. In Alaska, these
peoples are known as Iñupiat
and Yup'ik
Inuit, Alutiq
(Aleuts) and Athapaskans;
in Canada and Greenland, they are Inuit;
in Scandinavia native people are called Saami;
while in Russia, Chukchi,
Nenets,
are but two of 16 recognized minority peoples. Recent discoveries
of oil, minerals, and diamonds in Arctic areas, and a growing
interest in Arctic tourism are bringing an increasing number
of non-indigenous people to the Arctic to live or visit.
3. Is there more than
one North Pole?
Although the Geographic North
Pole is the one most commonly referred to -- and the one typically
sought by Arctic adventurers -- there are actually three
additional poles defined in the Arctic (and, correspondingly,
in the Antarctic as well): the Magnetic North Pole, the Geomagnetic
North Pole,and the North Pole of inaccessibility. The Pole
of Inaccessibility and the Geographic Pole are relatively
fixed, while the Geomagnetic Pole wanders slightly, depending
mainly on solar influences, and the Magnetic Pole migrates
several miles annually.
4. What is the Aurora
Borealis?
The Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights are mesmerizing,
dynamic displays of light that appear in the nighttime Arctic
skies. They appear in many forms -- pillars, streaks, wisps,
haloes, and curtains of vibrating color. Auroras are caused
by collisions between electrically charged particles from
the sun and gases in Earth's upper atmosphere.
5. Who first explored
the Arctic?
The first Arctic explorers were the Inuit themselves.
Though most of their journeys remain undocumented, the Inuit
have been traveling and exploring the icy waters and frigid
continents of the Arctic region for thousands of years in
search of food, supplies and settlement areas. It was not
until the 1800's that Europeans began to search in earnest
for a "Northwest Passage" to the Orient.
6. How cold does it
get there?
The Arctic climate is quite variable. It includes both
polar maritime (influenced by the ocean) and continental (influenced
by large land masses) climate subtypes. Minimum temperatures
of - 94° F are reached in Greenland and northern Siberia;
maximum temperatures of about 23° F to 36° F are common
on the Greenland ice sheet. Interior land areas can reach
maximum temperatures of 70° F to 100° F during the
summer.
7. What kinds of wildlife
live in the Arctic?
The number and variety of animals living near the poles changes
dramatically with the seasons. Only a few hardy animals, such
as the musk ox, polar bears, Arctic hares, wolves, and the
Arctic fox manage to stay in polar regions all year round.
However, during the brief, light-filled months of summer,
thousands of migratory birds and mammals seek out the rich
feeding grounds, plentiful breeding sites, and relatively
safe refuge of the high Arctic. Summer species include: loons,
eagles, snowgeese, caribou, moose, lynx, and wolverines. Arctic
sea ice and the surrounding coastal waters are also home to
a variety of marine mammals (seals, walruses, sea otters,
and whales); fish species (Arctic cod and char, salmon,
halibut, and herring); and sea birds such as guillemots,
albatrosses, terns, auks, and eiders. The sea ice is also
used as an important transportation route by caribou and muskox
and hunting grounds for polar bears and Arctic foxes.
8. What is Tundra?
What is Permafrost?
The term tundra is derived from a Finnish word meaning "barren
land" (a reference to their treeless north). Tundra commonly
refers to the global area north of treeline. It is characterized
by lakes, bogs, and streams. Vegetation consists of mosses,
lichens, grasses, and dwarf shrubs.
Permafrost is a permanently frozen layer which underlies much
of the exposed land surface of the Arctic region. It occurs
in more than 50% of Russia and Canada and 82% of Alaska. Permafrost
layers can be up to about 5000 ft thick. The top layer of
permafrost is often called the 'active layer' as thawing occurs
during the summer, creating an abundance of lakes, marshes,
and bogs. Permafrost can also be found in isolated alpine
regions throughout the world.
9. How can I travel
in the Arctic?
The Arctic is becoming an increasingly popular tourist
destination. Whether you are an experienced outdoor camper
or an armchair enthusiast, Arctic travel offers something
for everyone. From full-blown expeditions to the North
Pole to brief excursions along a mainland coast, Arctic
travel can take many forms depending on your budget, curiosity
and adventurous spirit. You can visit the Arctic on your own
or as part of a tour. Organized tours by plane, hot air balloon,
dogsled, foot, skis, snowmobile, icebreaker, ferry, or kayak
can all be arranged.
10. What environmental
issues are there?
Humans are having an increasingly noticeable impact on the fragile
environments of the Arctic. In places the damage caused may
take many centuries to repair. Building development, pollution
from local and distant sources, commercial
forestry, nuclear testing, overfishing,
oil
and gas exploration, mining,
overgrazing, and tourism
all have serious consequences for native flora and fauna, as
well as for many communities of indigenous people. In addition,
there is much concern about the cumulative effects of climate
change and ozone
depletion on Arctic ecosystems.
11. What do scientists
study in the Arctic?
The Arctic is a key region for scientific research.
Current studies are focused on biological
adaptations, climate
change, permafrost
processes, atmospheric
phenomena, glaciology,
sea
ice dynamics, marine
ecosystems, and more. By improving our understanding of
natural processes in the relatively undisturbed Arctic environment,
scientists hope to contribute to knowledge about the Earth
as a whole.
12. What is the ANWR?
ANWR stands for Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. A
vast, pristine wilderness on Alaska's coastal plain, ANWR
is home to hundreds of species of birds, plants and mammals.
From the broad delta systems and rich coastal waters to the
interior tundra of the high arctic, the refuge contains important
breeding grounds for many key species, including the endangered
Porcupine caribou. Some 125 bird species migrate to the coastal
plain from four continents. Currently, there are proposals
to open up ANWR to oil exploration and development.
|