Arctic belt - climate zone, which occupies the poles of the planet. It is characterized by extreme low temperatures and special natural phenomena: northern lights, polar nights and days, formation of hummocks and pack ice.
The Arctic belt occupies the largest area in Antarctica, spreading over the entire continent. In the north of the planet, it includes the northern parts of the Eurasian and North American continents, Baffin Island, Greenland, the Taimyr Peninsula, the archipelago New Earth, Spitsbergen and other islands Arctic Ocean. Part of it includes the northernmost waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Climate
These places are characterized by a constant climate. Low temperatures - main feature, distinguishing the Arctic zone. The temperature here in January and July is negative; the air almost never warms up even to zero. The meteorological indicators of this area are determined by cold air masses. The sun's rays falling on the planet at an angle do not warm up the permafrost.
Winters in Antarctica are especially harsh. On Soviet station"Vostok" a record low temperature of -89 °C was recorded here. So far this figure remains a record.
There is very little precipitation at the planet's poles - less than 250 mm per year. The Arctic belt is occupied by Arctic and Ant arctic deserts. They represent a multi-kilometer shell of glaciers.
Day and night
Most earthlings are accustomed to the fact that daylight hours last from half to a third of the day. Night and day for six months is a common phenomenon characteristic of the territories included in the Arctic zone. The temperature in January and July, the amplitude of which is about 50 o C, almost never rises above zero. Its indicators range from -10 to -60 o C, sometimes dropping to -70 and even lower. The tilt of the planet's axis causes this unique phenomenon, characteristic exclusively of the poles. That is why the six-month day and night are called polar.
Ice
The Arctic belt is devoid of flashy luxury. His beauty is stern and restrained, but isn’t this where real greatness lies? Researchers of the Arctic and Antarctic write about these places, not skimping on expressions in superlatives. Vast icy deserts, sparkling masses of icebergs, drifting hummocks and treacherous pack ice - all this evokes both fear and admiration.
Ice forms the topography of Antarctica, the southernmost continent. They cover most of North Pole. The Arctic, chanting Christmas in the most touching terms, is busy powerful glaciers. Most of The waters of the Arctic Ocean consist of ice. Their seasonal melting is typical only for the southern latitudes of the belt, bordering the Eurasian continent. Summer in these latitudes is short, but it still exists. At this time the coastal continental ice begin to thaw, losing up to 10% of the volume. With the onset of winter, everything returns to normal.
Flora and fauna
As monumental is the nature of the Arctic zone, so majestic are its inhabitants. The top food chain is a dangerous predator - the polar bear. He even wanders into human settlements and is often seen, for example, by residents of Spitsbergen and Novaya Zemlya. The true king of the Arctic, he has no natural enemy other than humans. Today this animal is under protection; ecologists monitor the population size.
These areas are home to huge whales, walruses, and narwhals. Coastal zones- a favorite habitat of seals.
There are more modest inhabitants in the polar zone. For example, lemmings are agile rodents that are not afraid of low temperatures. In some areas there are huge herds of deer. The most dangerous predators after the polar bear are considered to be wolves and polar foxes - arctic foxes.
The Arctic belt cannot boast of a huge variety of flora. But even flowers grow here! Polar poppy and saxifrage are found in southern latitudes belts And in some places in the mountainous areas you can even find edelweiss.
The greatest importance belongs to lichens and mosses; they cover areas not occupied by glaciers.
Oxygen-saturated air is another feature that characterizes the Arctic zone. Temperatures in summer and winter in the southern border region are rarely above zero, but the air is wonderful and pure water are the best factors in the development of the inhabitants of the water kingdom. Found in Arctic waters great amount valuable fish.
The climate zone is called certain part the earth's surface with a certain climate, atmospheric circulation and intensity of heating by the Sun.
There are 7 main types of climate zones on Earth. Broadly speaking, they are divided into permanent and transitional. Those are called constants climatic zones, in which one is constantly active air mass. And in transitional ones there are different and changing masses. The permanent ones include: equatorial, tropical, temperate and arctic, and the transitional ones include subequatorial, subtropical and subarctic.
Natural zones of the Arctic and Antarctic belts
Arctic climate zone
The Siberian coast of Russia, located on the coast of the Arctic Ocean, and the adjacent islands belong to the Arctic zone. The exceptions are the territories of Novaya Zemlya Island, Vaigach Island, Kolguev Island and other islands located in the Barents Sea.
Siberian coast all year round is located in an Arctic climate, solar radiation reaches Siberian lands only in summer and in small quantities. And in winter, when Siberia falls into the power of the polar night, solar radiation does not reach the earth at all. Only water heats some air layers. This is why the average January temperature on the mainland is higher than on the coast.
Atlantic influences western territories Siberia, bringing warm air there.
During the polar day it increases solar insolation. In summer most solar energy goes to melt the snow and ice. And yet the temperature rises - in July it is about 0 degrees, and on the coast it is +5 degrees. South part Siberian territories warm up to +10 degrees.
About 200-300 mm of snow falls here per year.
Antarctic climate zone
On southern hemisphere The earth is located Antarctic natural belt. It covers the territories of Antarctica, nearby islands and part of the Pacific, Indian, Atlantic Oceans.
A cold, harsh climate prevails here. Winter temperatures range from -60 to -70 degrees, and in summer - from -30 to -50. The maximum mark on the thermometer is -20 degrees.
The radiation level is quite high, about 30 kcal/cm² per month, but only a small part goes to warming the Earth's surface - 10%. Everything else is reflected into space. That is why these areas have a reduced radiation balance.
The amount of precipitation in the form of snow varies depending on the area. The closer to the center of the continent, the less precipitation. Strong winds blow on the coast, reaching up to 12 m/s. Constant phenomena near the oceans are storms and fogs, when at the same time in the center of the continent it is sunny and clear.
Part of the ocean surface is covered with ice. The scale of these covers depends on the time of year, and at its peak reaches 500-2000 km. in width. Icebergs are quite common here.
On land, arctic deserts covered with ice sheets dominate. Antarctic oases are found only in coastal areas. Some mountain ranges are also free of ice crust, they are called nunataks.
Greenland and Antarctica are subordinate to the Antarctic and Arctic belts.
The Antarctic belt is the southernmost geographical zone of the Earth, which includes Antarctica and its adjacent islands and parts of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans with a border within 48-60° south latitude.
Characterized by a very stern ant arctic climate, with low air temperatures all year round, since the Earth's cold pole is located in the center of Antarctica. In winter the average temperature is between - 60 to –70 °C, characterized by a long polar night. In summer the average temperature ranges from – 30 to – 50 °C, above – 20 °C doesn't rise. The radiation level has large values up to 30 kcal/cm² per month, but only 10% of the heat goes to heating the snow surface, the rest of the energy is reflected into space, so a negative radiation balance can be traced. Precipitation falls in the form of snow, its amount decreases from the coast to the center of the continent, respectively. from 500–700 to 30–50 mm . On the coast there are strong katabatic winds up to 12 m/s, frequent snow storms and fogs, and in central regions mainland for the most part The weather is calm and clear.
The adjacent areas of the oceans are covered with ice. The area of ice cover varies from season to season, reaching a width of 500-2000 km in winter. The bottom surface is divided by vast basins. In summer, a narrow strip of sparse ice forms along the coast, and the surface layers of water are cold. Characteristic feature Antarctic waters are icebergs.
On land, the landscape of the Antarctic desert zone predominates, the main part of the continent is covered with ice sheets, only in the coastal areas are there Antarctic oases - exposed areas of land. Also, areas of mountain ranges and individual rocks - nunataks - are not covered with ice. Above 3000 m there is an area permafrost. In coastal oases there are mainly drainage and salt lakes, as well as lagoons surrounded by ice shelves, no rivers. 
Flora and fauna
Vegetable and animal world Antarctica is peculiar because of its long isolation. This explains the absence of land mammals and freshwater fish. In summer, the rocks of the mainland heat up to a temperature just above 0 °C, and lichens, mosses, fungi, algae, and bacteria grow on them in places. There are small invertebrates: rotifers, tardigrades and some species of wingless insects. Although Antarctic waters are cold, they are rich in fish and small crustaceans (krill). Seals live in the Antarctic zone, seals and whales, seabirds nest on the coast, namely penguins, skuas, and albatrosses. Tundra vegetation grows on the islands and many birds live.
In accordance with international agreements, it is prohibited in Antarctica economic activity, only scientific. Wide circle research and observation is carried out by scientists different countries, especially due to climate change in natural conditions without the influence of the human factor.
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Antarctic and Arctic climate dominates in Greenland and Antarctica, where average monthly temperatures are below 0 °C. Into the dark winter time these regions receive absolutely no solar radiation, although there is twilight and auroras. Even in summer Sun rays fall on earth's surface at a slight angle, which reduces the heating efficiency. Most of the incoming solar radiation is reflected by the ice. In both summer and winter, the higher elevations of the Antarctic Ice Sheet experience low temperatures. The climate of the interior of Antarctica is much colder than the climate of the Arctic, because southern mainland is different large sizes and heights, and Northern Arctic Ocean softens the climate, despite the widespread distribution of pack ice. During short periods of warming in summer, drifting ice sometimes melts. Precipitation on ice sheets fall in the form of snow or small particles of icy fog. Inland areas receive only 50-125 mm of precipitation annually, but the coast can receive more than 500 mm. Sometimes cyclones bring clouds and snow to these areas. Snowfalls are often accompanied strong winds, which carry significant masses of snow, blowing it off the slope. Strong katabatic winds with snowstorms blow from the cold glacial sheet, carrying snow to the coast.
Table 1. Climates of the Earth
Subarctic continental climate is formed in the north of the continents (see. climate map atlas). In winter, arctic air prevails here, which forms in the regions high pressure. Arctic air spreads to the eastern regions of Canada from the Arctic.
Continental subarctic climate in Asia is characterized by the largest globe annual amplitude of air temperature (60-65 °C). The continental climate here reaches its maximum value.
average temperature in January it varies across the territory from -28 to -50 °C, and in the lowlands and basins due to stagnation of air, its temperature is even lower. In Oymyakon (Yakutia) a record for Northern Hemisphere negative air temperature (-71 °C). The air is very dry.
Summer in subarctic belt although short, it is quite warm. The average monthly temperature in July ranges from 12 to 18 °C (daytime maximum - 20-25 °C). During the summer, more than half of the annual precipitation falls, amounting to 200-300 mm on the flat territory, and up to 500 mm per year on the windward slopes of the hills.
Climate of the subarctic zone North America less continental compared to the corresponding climate in Asia. There are less cold winters and colder summers.
