I'm old but I have a new friend

[psr]

Hi everyone!!

I have a new friend with me today who wants to say hi from Sydney Australia. His name is J.A. and he is 13 years old (turning). He has a question for you Paul:

"Why is Antarctica so cold?"

psr

[Paul Ward]

Oooooh thanks psr - that's not so much a question as a request for a new page on the subject!

In brief...

The poles receive less energy in the form of sunlight than does the equator, all points inbetween are somewhere in between according to their latitude, so even on a perfectly stable and "all things equal" planet, the poles would be the coldest places.

Antarctica is colder again as it is:

• A landmass surrounded by ocean, most of the continent is unaffected by the effect of the surrounding seas that make the climate of coastal regions milder than inland regions
• The highest continent, temperature drops with altitude, so a "high" Antarctica is colder than it would be if it was low and flat instead of high and mountainous.
• The source of it's own weather systems that have very little to do with the rest of the planet for much of the year. In the Arctic for instance, the weather systems spill in or out of the Northern Hemisphere so making them less extreme. In Antarctica, the weather systems go round and round getting more and more extreme and not being diluted.

Hope this satisfies your friend for the time being!

[psr]

Thanks Paul,

JA is a student in my class for one more day. He was really excited about the fact that you would reply and he could ask "live" questions considering your location. He will be thrilled when we read this tomorrow in class. You are doing a brilliant job and it's nice to know that this website is one of the few that is not blocked through the education department's "net nanny". Keep up the great work and have a great Christmas.

psr

[psr]

Well Paul,

My friend and I tried to get through all of that. I think I helped him understand the bulk of it. You know what I do and so you can appreciate that my friend was very "Special". Oh well, next year is a new year and we'll see what it will bring!

psr

Yeh! I know what you are talking about. I am old also.....Aint it grand?

[psr]

Maybe....I've just 39 and I'm still undecided........I'll let you know when I turn 40!

I was 18 when you were born......now I really feel old. The years go by faster the older you get.
Hang in there.
Bill W.

[psr]

Bill that's not old....my husband was 23 when I was born and he can still run rings around me! I guess they built them better in those days........

Oh!!!!!!, that's a good one... You made my evening. Today was a good day as Anchorage goes...71 deg. I saw my first bear this season...a black sow maybe 350 to 400 lbs.

Have a great evening.
Bill W.

P.S. thanks again...

[psr]

Wow! A bear? So different from my world......by the way, where exactly is Anchorage? I'll work out the 71 deg on my own.....