Level 66
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Landforms and Major Physical Regions

The Polar Regions and the Cryosphere

An exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic as physical systems, and of the ice sheets, glaciers, and permafrost that together define the cryosphere.

60-Second Review

Express review

A condensed, point-by-point summary of the module, for reviewing right before a test or exam.

  1. The Arctic Ocean and Sea Ice Dynamics. The Arctic Ocean's shrinking sea ice reveals a shallow basin reshaped by currents and geopolitics.
  2. Antarctica's Ice Sheets and Bedrock. Antarctica's ice holds most of Earth's fresh water, split between a stable and an unstable ice sheet.
  3. Glaciers, Ice Shelves, and Calving. Ice shelves and outlet glaciers calve icebergs, some catastrophically, reshaping polar coastlines.
  4. Permafrost and Periglacial Landscapes. Permafrost shapes Arctic landscapes and infrastructure while thawing threatens a vast carbon store.
  5. Polar Climate and the Polar Vortex. Polar climates run colder and more variable than anywhere else, driven by vortices and the ozone hole.
  6. Polar Ecosystems and Adapted Species. Polar ecosystems host uniquely adapted species, from krill to penguins, bears, and record migrants.
  7. Ice Cores and the Climate Record. Ice cores preserve an 800,000-year atmospheric record confirming today's CO2 has no ancient precedent.
  8. Human Presence in Polar Environments. Humans inhabit the Arctic permanently but occupy Antarctica only through science, treaty, and tourism.

This module continues after "Islands, Coastlines, and Coastal Landforms" in the syllabus. If you haven't reviewed it yet, it may help set the context.

Key points

Visual module map

1The Arctic Ocean and Sea Ice Dynamics
2Glaciers, Ice Shelves, and Calving
3Polar Climate and the Polar Vortex
4Polar Ecosystems and Adapted Species
5Human Presence in Polar Environments

Alternative visual view: a simplified sequence of some of the module's key points, in their order within the syllabus.

Your module mastery

0% (overall measurement)
Approximate breakdown by skill
Understanding of historiographical debate0%

A rough estimate based on the key points reviewed, not an exact measurement of actual mastery.

Final test

You need to review all key points to unlock the final test.

Optional mini-games

Extra practice, with no penalty, to reinforce the module's content.

Review Flashcards

Review each key point with cards that flip to reveal the summary.

Memory

Match each concept with its definition in as few attempts as possible.

Time Attack

Answer true or false statements before time runs out.

Chronological Order

Put the module's key points back in their original order.

Further reading

Bibliography and cited sources used to create this module.

  • IPCC (2019). Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • EPICA Community Members (2004). "Eight glacial cycles from an Antarctic ice core." Nature, 429, 623–628.
  • Fretwell, P., et al. (2013). "Bedmap2: improved ice bed, surface and thickness datasets for Antarctica." The Cryosphere, 7, 375–393.
  • Serreze, M.C. and Barry, R.G. (2014). The Arctic Climate System (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Turner, J. and Marshall, G.J. (2011). Climate Change in the Polar Regions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Farman, J.C., Gardiner, B.G., and Shanklin, J.D. (1985). "Large losses of total ozone in Antarctica reveal seasonal ClOx/NOx interaction." Nature, 315, 207–210.