Antarctica

Global Science from a Frozen Continent

David W. H. Walton

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781107330733
• Topic: Sciences physiques
• Subtopic: Géologie et sciences de la Terre

Antarctica is the coldest and driest continent on Earth – a place for adventure and a key area for global science. Research conducted there has received increasing international attention due to concerns over destruction of the ozone layer and the problem of global warming and melting ice shelves. This dramatically illustrated new book brings together an international group of leading Antarctic scientists to explain why the Antarctic is so central to understanding the history and potential fate of our planet. It introduces the beauty of the world's greatest wilderness, its remarkable attributes and the global importance of the international science done there. Spanning topics from marine biology to space science this book is an accessible overview for anyone interested in the Antarctic and its science and governance. It provides a valuable summary for those involved in polar management and is an inspiration for the next generation of Antarctic researchers.

Table of contents

• Contents
• Contributors
• Introduction
• 1 Discovering the unknown continent
• 2 A keystone in a changing world
• 3 Ice with everything
• 4 Climate of extremes
• 5 Stormy and icy seas
• 6 Life in a cold environment
• 7 Space science research from Antarctica
• 8 Living and working in the cold
• 9 Scientists together in the cold
• 10 Managing the frozen commons
• 11 Antarctica: a global change perspective
• Appendix A Visiting Antarctica
• Appendix B Further reading
• Acknowledgements
• Index