Forum " A geographer in Antártica"

Skidoo

Respostas da geógrafa Anna Barford ao Fórum "Uma geógrafa na Antárctida", que iniciei na disciplina "e-geografia" da plataforma Moodle da minha escola:

1 - As an extreme environment and very unfavorable to the species, what living things (plants or animals) can be observed there?

There are emperor penguins, adelie penguins, weddell seals, leopard seals, orka whales, skuas (seagulls). There are also some mosses and extremophile microbes that live here. On the volcano there are only mosses and microbes, it is too high for the other animals I think.

2 - When the team has to go, what kind of transportation you use?

We use helicopters to get here and leave the volcano. Helicopters also bring our supplies. From the main base, McMurdo we fly on a aeroplane, the plane lands on a glacier because that glacier is good flat place to land. Whilst we are living on the volcano we use skidoos to get about, and we walk. Skidoos are snow machines, a bit like motorbikes on skis. I have attached a photo of this.

3 - Which were the volcano gases that were detected by the team?

Volcanic fumes include: water vapour, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride (in order of most to least by mass).

I hope these are helpful answers. I will try to answer other questions you send to me, but cannot guarantee an immediate reply (I don't want to disappoint anyone).

Thanks for your interest
Anna :)