I-Antarctica, ilizwekazi elibanda kakhulu emhlabeni
Minyaka le, xa kufika ubusika, kukho abantu abonwabela ubusika, ikhephu, kodwa kukho abanye abasokolayo nabakhalaza ngamaqondo obushushu asezantsi. Isisombululo esinye kukuzithuthuzela ngokucinga ukuba kukho ezinye iindawo apho amaqondo obushushu ebanda ngokungenasiphelo.
Indawo ebandayo ehlala abantu emhlabeni ingase Mpuma-mpuma eSiberia, apho amaqondo obushushu kwizixeko zaseVerkhoyansk nase-Oimekon zehla kwangama-67,8 ºC ngaphantsi kuka-zero ngo-1892 nango-1933 ngokwahlukeneyo. Kude kube kwenziwe izifundo zokugqibela, irekhodi ibingama-89,2 ° C ngezantsi kwe-zero, ebhalwe kwisiseko sesayensi yaseVostok e Antarctica oku ngo-1983.
Kodwa okwangoku, yeyiphi eyona ndawo ibanda kakhulu emhlabeni? Eyona ndawo ibanda kakhulu kumphezulu weplanethi imi kwintaba yeAntarctic kwithafa lasempuma leAntarctic apho amaqondo obushushu anokufikelela kumaxabiso angaphantsi kwama-92ºC ngaphantsi kweqhina kubusuku obucacileyo basebusika.
Iqela lezenzululwazi lafumanisa le ndawo ngokuhlalutya iimephu zobushushu bomhlaba jikelele ezineenkcukacha ezithe zafunyanwa ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, eziphuhliswe ngedatha evela kwiisathelayithi ezikude ezikude ezinje ngeLandsat 8 (ye-NASA kunye ne-USGS).
Abaphandi bahlalutye idatha efunyenwe kwiisathelayithi ezahlukeneyo ngaphezulu kweminyaka engama-32. Bafumanise ukuba kwiimeko ezininzi irekhodi lamaqondo obushushu abanda kakhulu abekwe kuthotho lwamanqaku phakathi kweentaba zeAntarctic, iincopho ezimbini ezibekwe kwindawo eyaziwa ngokuba yi-East Antarctic Plateau. Ingxelo entsha yafikelelwa ngo-Agasti 10, 2010, ifikelela kumaxabiso angama-93,2 ºC ngezantsi ko-zero.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMCSyD4jVoc
Besele kurhaneleka ukuba olu luhlu lweentaba zeAntarctic lunokufikelela kumaqondo obushushu angaphantsi kwele Vostok ngenxa yokuphakama kwayo, kodwa ekugqibeleni, ngenxa yesandi se-Landsat 8, ukuba sikwazi ukufunda le ndawo ngokweenkcukacha kwaye siqwalasele amaxabiso aso.
Indlela yokufumana impendulo yalo mbuzo, bobuphi obona bushushu bubandayo obunokufikelelwa emhlabeni kwaye ngoba? Kwaqala xa abanye abaphandi babefunda ngokufuduswa kweendunduma ezinkulu zekhephu kwithafa elisempuma yeAntarctic. Xa oososayensi bonyusa inkcukacha, babona iintanda kumphezulu wekhephu phakathi kweendunduma, ekunokwenzeka ukuba zenziwe xa amaqondo obushushu ehla kakhulu kangangokuba ikhephu elingaphezulu laselwandle latshona.
Kule ndawo sele kukho amaqondo obushushu aphezulu kakhulu awela ngakumbi xa isibhakabhaka sicacile. Ukuba isibhakabhaka sihlala sicacile kangangeentsuku ezininzi, ubushushu bomhlaba buyehla buyeke, kushiye ubushushu obushiyekileyo. Ngale ndlela, umaleko womoya obanda kakhulu ubunjwe kwikhephu nasemkhenkceni, ujiye ngakumbi kunomoya ongentla, usihla kumathambeka akumathafa asempuma yeAntarctic kwaye ungene kwimingxunya yomkhenkce, ngale ndlela ubushushu buyehla nangakumbi.
Ngokwabaphandi, ukuba umoya uhlala umile ixesha elide, ubushushu obuseleyo buyaqhubeka bukhanya, kwaye ngale ndlela kufikelelwa kwiirekhodi zokubanda emhlabeni. Kuqala kwakucingelwa ukuba la maqondo obushushu aya kufumaneka kwiindawo ezithile, ibonisa iScambos (inkokheli yeprojekthi), kodwa kufunyenwe ukuba, ngokuchaseneyo, ibonwa kwindawo ephezulu kakhulu yeAntarctic.
Iinkcukacha ezithe xaxe: Ummandla weAltai waseSiberia urekhode amaqondo obushushu aphezulu kwiminyaka eyi-170, Esona siqobo sisekude somkhenkce ehlabathini esafunyanwa e-Antarctica, Izazinzulu zaseRussia zixela ukuba bafikelele kwiLake Vostok 2 yeemayile phantsi komkhenkce weAntarctic
Umthombo: NASA