Antarctic oasis

In Antarctica there are, in addition to mountain tops and nunataks, other natural snow- and ice-free areas often referred to as "Antarctic oasis" or "dry valleys".[1][2] These areas are surrounded by the Antarctic ice sheet or in coastal areas situated between the ice sheet and the Antarctic ice shelves.

Antarctic oases and dry valleys develop in areas with particular regional weather patterns and geography. These areas have very low humidity and precipitation. Although these areas are very cold, sufficient solar energy is absorbed by the ground to melt what little snow does fall, or else it is scoured or sublimated by katabatic winds leaving the underlying rock exposed.

Despite usually extreme aridity, some plants, in the form of bryophytes and lichens, can survive in Antarctic oases.

The larger oases are:

• McMurdo Dry Valleys, about 4,900 km² (1,900 sq mi), Victoria Land
• Cape Hallett, northern Victoria Land
• Bunger Hills, about 950 km² (370 sq mi), between Wilkes Land and Queen Mary Land
• Holme Bay, Mac. Robertson Land
• Vestfold Hills, about 420 km² (160 sq mi), Princess Elizabeth Land
• Larsemann Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land
• Stillwell Hills, about 96 km² (37 sq mi), Kemp Land
• Schirmacher Oasis, about 34 km² (13 sq mi), Princess Astrid Coast, Queen Maud Land

• Riffenburgh, Beau Encyclopedia of the Antarctic, vol II (Routledge, New York, 2007, ISBN 0-415-97024-5)

• About Antarctic oases and Dry valleys, British Antarctic Survey