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8
The Arctic
Introduction
S
tand at the North Pole and you
stand on a frozen sea over a deep
ocean. There is no land in sight. In fact,
the nearest land is 400 miles (650 km)
away in north Greenland. You are
standing at the center of a large and
almost completely enclosed ocean and
you are exactly 90° North (see the
box for an explanation of this
measurement). Whichever direction
you look is south and within a few
minutes you can walk around the world.
Beneath your feet is ice which is
always moving. If you stand still, you
will gradually be swept along by the
ocean currents
. You may also get very
wet because
sea ice
is unpredictable.
Many explorers have been terrified
by seeing the ice breaking up around
their camp, exposing them to the cold
Arctic Ocean.
Arctic Boundaries
Scientists argue about what is the best
Arctic boundary. Some use the Arctic
Circle. A more useful boundary is the
northern limit of the tree line. Beyond
this line it is too cold for trees to grow.
The tree line is an obvious frontier
and an important one for animals.
Beyond the tree line is the
tundra
where
there is no shelter in winter.
But the tree line means nothing at
sea. Here an important boundary is
made by the sea ice. In winter the ice
spreads far into the Atlantic and Bering
Sea. A line can be drawn on maps
showing the furthest south that ice will
spread in winter.
T
he Arctic has several
boundaries. It includes
a large ocean that is
almost enclosed by
North America, Russia,
and Europe.
H
usky dogs have been used by Inuit for hundreds of
years for traveling in the Arctic. Not only are they
good friends, but they will also pull a heavy sled
for great distances.