Exploration is defined as traveling on earth or air with an aim of discovering resources and gathering information (McMillan, 2006). I will explore the Arctic region at the North Pole, I have chosen this region because most people do not wish to travel to this region due to its harsh weather conditions and poor accessibility. I do believe it will be more adventurers and enjoyable to travel there. The region is extremely cold hence the animals that inhibit there are much different from any other regions on the earth and there is no vegetation. The region, therefore, is a unique place of study and exploration.
Very few explorers are interested or courageous to travel to the North Pole and most of those who visit the region go there for snow sporting activities. For the travel to be successful I am expected to learn how to use the traveling equipment used in regions with a lot of snow so that I would be able to travel through the Arctic region.
The events of my voyage will be taking photos of the places I will place and sampling of water temperatures in different places. I do expect the temperatures to be extremely cold, all the places to be covered with ice, have few animals and fish and a place which does not have vegetation.
After the visit my expectations were met, although I was expecting the temperatures to be -20 OC however the place was very cold actually it was ranging from – 26 OC to – 43 OC after visiting the region I read some documentation about the North Pole and realized that the average temperature of the region is -34 OC.
For my travel I carried walking equipment, much warm clothing’s to keep myself warm over the period I will be visiting the region. I also carried a thermometer for measuring the temperatures of the atmosphere and water. I also carried small containers for the collection of samples and small items which I could get there and would wish to carry.
I will collect samples of water which I will then measure their salinity and density. Such information will be essential so that I would understand how it relates to the sea animals and plants which are in the region. I would as well explore the animals which inhabit the area especially the plants underneath the ice cover. With such information, I will be able to understand how the ecology of the region is able to sustain its self in the region.
Another area of interest is to understand how water masses circulate in the Arctic Ocean and how it relates to changing temperatures of water and the region, and the formation of glaciers. However, I might not be able to gather such information from the visit alone therefore after the visit I do intend to get materials with such information for further reading. Having visited the region I will be able to understand it much better and easily relate it to what I would have learned. In the study, I will also source information on the geological development of the Arctic Oceans for the last 90 years and relate to how it is today and visualize how the region would be in the future if the tread is to continue.
I will also be interested to know about the distribution and occurrence of copepod Oithona Similis, this is a small crab that inhibits this region and forms an important creature in the food web. I found that the crabs feed on small animals and algae in the water. The fish and other creatures in the water feed on the crabs; it was much amazing to discover that algae would withstand such low temperatures.
Other date details which I will be interested in are also based on biological interests in the distribution o the available animals in the region. I will obtain data on the distribution of bears, seals, whales, birds and any other animals in the region which has a large population. The animals and birds in these regions are much distinct from any other part of the world due to their adoptive features to withstand low temperatures. It is evident that the adaptive features that the animals have are thick fur and fatty skin which insulate their bodies to keep them warm.
I did intend to spend approximately 37 days being pulled on two sleds by husky dogs which prove to be successful with earlier explorers such as the British explorer Tom Avery who explored the region in 1995 and Robert Peary who explored in 1909. I do intend to use the route which USS Nautilus used as shown by the map below. The reason why I have decided to use the route is that unlike several other explorers in the region very few passed over the actual point on the North Pole is they did, therefore, I will have an opportunity to pass through the North Pole from one end to the other. The route to follow is the one with a red line. The region has wonderful sceneries which are at threat of extinction if nothing is done to prevent global warming.
References
McMillan, H. (2006). Classroom Assessment: Principles and Practice For Effective Standards-Based Instruction. Old Tappan, NJ: Pearson Allyn.