In Antarctica lies the most mysterious place on earth. It is the place which is so dry that scientists believe that it has not rained for nearly 2 million years. This region is called McMurdo Dry Valleys and it is against all the imaginations we make about icy landscapes. Mostly when we think about Antarctica we imagine snow and blizzards but McMurdo Dry Valleys are much different. This area is completely dry and is considered driest place on earth. This valley is surrounded by ice but still this place is dry.
REASON FOR
THIS DRYNESS:
The cause of this
dryness is katabatic winds. These winds blow at a speed of 300km/h or more. These
winds blow from high Antarctic plateau. When these winds move they evaporate moisture
that’s why rain and snow does not settle in this valley
REASON FOR
NO RAIN:
This valley has not experienced any rain for 2 million years.
This is due to:
·
Extreme cold
·
Low humidity
·
Winds that move and leave no moisture
·
Temperature here is below -50 degree centigrade where
liquid water cannot exist
·
When ice is present it sublimes directly to gas
without changing into liquid.
VALLEY LIKE
MARS:
This dry valley is like the landscape of mars. The soil is
barren and rocky. This place is almost
lifeless. Because of these similarities with mars scientist study this area to
understand how life evolve on planets. NASA
and other research organizations have used this valley to test equipment
and study conditions related to mars.
LIFE EXISTS
HERE:
Life exists here but the simplest form of life such as microorganisms ( e.g bacteria).They survive in the small areas under the rocks where moisture exists. These small organisms are adapted to live in these cold and dry conditions. They are tough organisms on earth.
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