Oceanography and sea ice in the Southern Ocean
The Arctic and the Antarctic are situated diametrically opposite each other on the planet, and their polar locations lead to them sharing some obvious similarities in climate and other characteristics. In some respects, however, their differences are more profound, and possibly the most significant...
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| Format: | Book Part |
| Language: | unknown |
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John Wiley & Sons
2017
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| Online Access: | https://oro.open.ac.uk/48468/ https://oro.open.ac.uk/48468/1/ch8_Meredith_Brandon.pdf http://ca.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118778383.html https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118778371.ch8 |
| Summary: | The Arctic and the Antarctic are situated diametrically opposite each other on the planet, and their polar locations lead to them sharing some obvious similarities in climate and other characteristics. In some respects, however, their differences are more profound, and possibly the most significant of these is that the Arctic is fundamentally an ocean surrounded by land, whereas the Antarctic is a major continental landmass encircled by a vast and isolating ocean (Figure 8.1). This ocean – the Southern Ocean – has a profound influence on regional and global climate, on the glaciation of the Antarctic continent, and on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. |
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