Antarctic regions
Antarctica and the southern portions of the Pacific,
Atlantic, and Indian oceans.
The waters around Antarctica are sometimes called the
Southern Ocean; however, the term “Antarctic Ocean” is sometimes also used,
inappropriately. Much of the area is characterized by subpolar conditions, and
ice shelves and sea ice extend well beyond the borders of the continent. Water
cooled by the coastal ice masses of the Antarctic continent sinks and flows
northward along the ocean bottom and is replaced at the surface by warmer water
flowing south from the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. The meeting point
of these currents is the Antarctic Convergence, an area rich in phytoplankton
and krill, which are important to various species of fish as well as to
penguins and seabirds.
Antartic Circle
Parallel of latitude approximately 66.5° south of the Equator
that circumscribes the southern frigid zone.
It marks the northern limit of the area within which, for
one day or more each year, the sun does not set or rise. The length of
continuous day or night increases southward from the Antarctic Circle, mounting
to six months at the South Pole.
Source:Britannica encyclopedia
