Poles Apart

The Earth has two pole regions, the South Pole (the Antarctica) and the North Pole (the Arctic). The name Antarctica was coined to mean “opposite to the Arctic.” While the South Pole lies on a continental land mass, the North Pole is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean amidst waters that are almost permanently covered with constantly shifting sea ice. This makes it impractical to construct a permanent station at the North Pole (unlike the South Pole).

Besides being on the opposite sides of the Earth, South Pole and North Pole have differences. Antarctica is the coldest area in the world. The North Pole is significantly warmer than the South Pole because it lies at sea level in the middle of an ocean, rather than at altitude in a continental land mass.
Temperatures at the South Pole average around −25 °C. As the six-month "day" wears on and the sun gets lower, temperatures drop as well: they reach −45 °C around sunset (late March) and sunrise (late September). In winter, the temperature remains steady at around −65 °C. The highest temperature ever recorded was −13.6 °C (December 27, 1978), and the lowest was −82.8 °C (June 23, 1982). Temperatures at the North Pole can range from about −43 °C to −26 °C in winter (January), perhaps averaging around −34 °C. Summer temperatures (June, July and August) average around the freezing point (0 °C,).

Partly because of the climatic difference, South Pole and North Pole are also opposites when flora is considered. There are no tundra or tree lines on the South Pole but on the North Pole the tundra is well developed and a visible tree shrub line is identifiable. The South Pole has only penguins, but the North Pole has several terrestrial mammals including foxes, reindeer, lemmings, caribou, fox, wolf and bear. Both poles, however, have similar marine life that includes whales, porpoises and seals.

No human activity exists on the South Pole outside scientific stations. The North Pole, on the other hand, has native people and ethnic groups living on the continents that surround the North Pole.

The sea ice at the North Pole is typically around two or three meters thick, though there is considerable variation and occasionally the movement of floes exposes clear water. Studies have shown that the average ice thickness has decreased in recent years. Many attribute this decrease to global warming, though this conclusion is disputed by some. Reports have also predicted that within a few decades the Arctic Ocean will be entirely free of ice in the summer months. This may have significant commercial implications. So we must try hard to decrease this melting process.