Open AccessLearning more about Antarctic geoscience
Author(s) -
Johnstone Glenn
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/2003eo060003
Subject(s) - massif , peninsula , geology , earth science , physical geography , antarctic ice sheet , cryosphere , oceanography , geography , sea ice , paleontology , archaeology
Windy, cold, remote, hostile, barren, extreme. These are just some of the words that come to mind when describing Antarctica. Antarctica is the highest, coldest, and windiest continent on Earth. Less than 3% of Antarctica is free of ice, and the continent contains some of the most spectacular mountain ranges in the world. The most extensive are in the Antarctic Peninsula, 1700 km in length, and the Transantarctic Mountains, which are more than 3000 km long. The highest mountain, Vinson Massif in the Ellsworth Mountains, peaks at 4897 m.