Antarctica's
Dry Valleys

 

Why the Dry Valleys 
of Antarctica are special

They are one of the driest places on earth. Rainfall has been extremely rare during the past two million years. 

Dry Valleys

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NASA

When NASA noticed a similarity between the ultra dry landscapes of Mars and the Dry Valleys, it decided to conduct research in these desolate Antarctica valleys in preparation for its Viking missions to Mars.

Iceless ground

This 4,000 square kilometer (1600 square mile) area is one of the few Antarctica places not covered with ice. The two main reasons:

Dry atmosphere
One reason is the atmosphere is so dry that it rarely snows. When it does, the snowfall is sparse and evaporates quickly.
Mountains
The second and most important reason is that mountains block the path of glaciers that would otherwise pass over the Dry Valleys. What glacial ice reaches the valleys is skimpy and evaporates within several weeks. If it were not for the mountain barrier, the Dry Valleys would be buried under the ice cap, as is most of Antarctica.

Location

The Dry Valleys are near the Ross Ice Shelf, and even closer to the US operated McMurdo Station. The latter is known for its ecological and environmental research.

Three major valleys

They are separated by iceless mountain ridges. Their names are Taylor, Victoria and Wright.

Rock-strewn ground

The valley floors are scattered with small and large rocks. Some of the rocks have been shaped over time into grotesque forms by the valley's strong winds.

Life

The land is not entirely lifeless. Some small scale life (including fungi) have evolved into life forms that live inside the porous rocks.

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