ANTARCTIC OCEAN, the ocean situ ated about, or within, the Antarctic Cir cle. The great Southern Ocean is that part of the ocean which surrounds the world in one continuous band between thy latitude of 40° S. and the Antarctic Circle. This band is only partially inter rupted by the southern prolongation of South America. The northern portions of this band are often called the South Atlantic, South Indian, and South Pa cific, while the southern portions are usually called the Antarctic Ocean. The average depth of the continuous ocean surrounding the South Polar Land is about 2 miles; it gradually shoals to ward Antarctic Land, which in some places is met with a short distance with in the Antarctic Circle. The "Challen ger" found 1,800 fathoms near the An tarctic Circle S. of Kerguelen, but Ross records a much greater depth in the same latitude S. of the Sandwich group. Only three navigators, Cook, Weddell, and Ross, have crossed the 70th parallel S. Of several other expeditions that have crossed the Antarctic Circle the most not able was the "Challenger," in 1874, the only steam vessel that had visited these seas. The majority of Antarctic voyagers have discovered land S. of the 60th par allel, Cook in 71° S. and 107° W. Bellings hausen discovered Peter Island and Alex ander Land; D'Urville discovered Adelie Land. Wilkes found land extending from the 100th to the 160th meridian of E. longitude between the parallels of 65° and 67° S. Ross discovered Victoria Land, and in February, 1841, sailed along its coasts within sight of the high mountain ranges, 7,000 to 10,000 feet above the sea, as far as 78° S. The mountain range
here terminated in an active volcano, Mount Erebus, 12,000 feet in height. His progress was stopped by an icy barrier 150 to 200 feet in height, along which he sailed to the E. for 300 miles. Till 1895, Ross and D'Urville alone suc ceeded in setting foot on land within the Antarctic Circle. Vegetation was found on it in 1895; land animals have not been seen. Whales, grampuses, seals, penguins, petrels, albatrosses, and other oceanic birds abound. Diatoms are very abundant in the surface-waters, and their dead frustules form a pure white deposit called diatom ooze, about the latitude of 60°, outside the blue muds which surround the continent. The mean temperature both of the air and sea, S. of 63° S., is even in summer below the freezing point of sea water. Between 60° and 63° S., a sensible rise takes place, temperature as high as 38° F. being recorded both of sea and air in March. The barometric pres sure within the Antarctic regions appears to be low, considerably under 29.000 inches. The winds blow cyclonically in toward the Pole from the Southern Ocean, carrying with them much moisture. The fall of rain and snow is estimated as about equal to a rainfall of 30 inches annually. For the latest results of Ant arctic discovery See ARCTIC AND ANT. ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS.