The frozen planet

This free course is a general introduction to the frozen planet, including the temperature in the polar regions; the energy from the Sun and the seasons; reading and understanding graphs and maps; and how the Arctic and Antarctic regions are defined.

• Introduction
• Learning outcomes
• 1 Views of the frozen planet
• 1 Views of the frozen planet
• 2 The temperature in the polar regions
• 2 The temperature in the polar regions
• 3 A flat map of a spherical world
• 3 A flat map of a spherical world
• 4 The energy balance
• 4 The energy balance
• 4.1 What is energy?
• 4.2 The importance of albedo and heat capacity
• 5 Energy from the Sun
• 5 Energy from the Sun
• 5.1 The seasons
• 6 Defining the Arctic and Antarctic
• 6 Defining the Arctic and Antarctic
• 6.1 Habitats and temperatures: defining the Arctic
• 6.2 A line in the ocean: defining the Antarctic
• 7 Summary
• 7 Summary
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgements