Here is a generic image of the Antarctic Ozone Hole. It expands and retracts with the seasons each year. . At times it has expanded as far north as southern Australia. But human populations this far south in the Southern Hemisphere are pretty low, so that the public health implications are not as great as it might otherwise be.
If you want to see day by day what the Antarctic Ozone Hole is doing, visit this NASA site:
http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/
You cn also see historical images of what it has been.
A scientist from the British Antarctic Survey is predicting that within 20 years the same thing will be occurring over the Arctic. Visit the following site to see several chilling (tee-hee) maps of the future Arctic Ozone Hole with maps of populations. Most of Europe, Canada, and Russia would be affected, with potentially 700 million people.
http://www.theozonehole.com/arcticozone.htm
A day of rest and I made the serious mistake of going on a hike to nearby Hut Point without wearing my Carhartt insulated bibs and fleece bottoms. Levi's only does NOT cut it. The wind was up again and it cut through the cotton in a matter of few minutes. It could have been a very serious situation if it weren't such a short distance, maybe one miles round trip. It must be taken seriously.
The hut was built by Robert Falcon Scott's expedition. It's been preserved as an historic site. Word of mouth here has it that it is preserved exactly as they left it. Nonsense! Everything there has been rearranged over the years. Some of the various cans have been brought in at later dates to match what the expedition was carrying or might have been carrying. The mummified seal carcass on the outside was laid there at a later date by someone who thought it looked authentic. At one point, it was found entirely filled--every nook and cranny--right up to the ceiling with blown snow that was very laboriously shoveled out. [Note: even the tiniest crack left in a window of a vehicle will lead to snow finding its way in. Some of the Deltas can sometimes be found in the morning with several inches of infiltrated snow. Not a great way to start the day!]
So, no, the hut isn't authentic, bu it is definitely cool. While in Lyttleton New Zealand, we fortuitously were standing in line outside the fish and chips shop when we met a Kiwi woman who works with the Antarctic Trust. Their mission is to preserve these historic buildings. She'll be down to the Ice later in the season.
Today it was all locked up, but tours are given on a regular basis. I'll post photos of the inside at some other time. My fingers were so cold, even in my gloves, that photography was not really in the cards.
If you want to see day by day what the Antarctic Ozone Hole is doing, visit this NASA site:
http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/
You cn also see historical images of what it has been.
A scientist from the British Antarctic Survey is predicting that within 20 years the same thing will be occurring over the Arctic. Visit the following site to see several chilling (tee-hee) maps of the future Arctic Ozone Hole with maps of populations. Most of Europe, Canada, and Russia would be affected, with potentially 700 million people.
http://www.theozonehole.com/arcticozone.htm
A day of rest and I made the serious mistake of going on a hike to nearby Hut Point without wearing my Carhartt insulated bibs and fleece bottoms. Levi's only does NOT cut it. The wind was up again and it cut through the cotton in a matter of few minutes. It could have been a very serious situation if it weren't such a short distance, maybe one miles round trip. It must be taken seriously.
The hut was built by Robert Falcon Scott's expedition. It's been preserved as an historic site. Word of mouth here has it that it is preserved exactly as they left it. Nonsense! Everything there has been rearranged over the years. Some of the various cans have been brought in at later dates to match what the expedition was carrying or might have been carrying. The mummified seal carcass on the outside was laid there at a later date by someone who thought it looked authentic. At one point, it was found entirely filled--every nook and cranny--right up to the ceiling with blown snow that was very laboriously shoveled out. [Note: even the tiniest crack left in a window of a vehicle will lead to snow finding its way in. Some of the Deltas can sometimes be found in the morning with several inches of infiltrated snow. Not a great way to start the day!]
So, no, the hut isn't authentic, bu it is definitely cool. While in Lyttleton New Zealand, we fortuitously were standing in line outside the fish and chips shop when we met a Kiwi woman who works with the Antarctic Trust. Their mission is to preserve these historic buildings. She'll be down to the Ice later in the season.
Today it was all locked up, but tours are given on a regular basis. I'll post photos of the inside at some other time. My fingers were so cold, even in my gloves, that photography was not really in the cards.
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