A polar ice cap or polar ice sheet is a high-latitude region of a planet or moon that is covered in ice. This term is somewhat of a difference since an ice cap is less than 50,000 km² and is always over land: a larger area of ice is called an ice sheet. Polar ice caps do not have size, composition or geologic requirements of being over land, but they must be centered in the polar region.
CLIMATE: Polar ice caps form because high-latitude regions receive less energy in the form of solar radiation from the sun than equatorial regions. This results in lower surface temperatures. Seasonal variations of the ice caps will take place due to varied solar energy absorption as the planet or moon revolves around the sun. Additionally, in geologic time scale, the ice caps may grow or shrink due to climate variation. See ice age, polar climate. Both of the Earth's ice caps are currently shrinking, possibly as a result of global warming.
ANIMALS: Some of the animals found in the polar ice biome include polar bears, seals, penguins, the arctic fox, and musk oxen.
- A polar ice cap or polar ice sheet is a high-latitude region of a planet or moon that is covered in ice. This term is somewhat of a difference since an ice cap is less than 50,000 km² and is always over land: a larger area of ice is called an ice sheet. Polar ice caps do not have size, composition or geologic requirements of being over land, but they must be centered in the polar region.
=CLIMATE: Polar ice caps form because high-latitude regions receive less energy in the form of solar radiation from the sun than equatorial regions. This results in lower surface temperatures. Seasonal variations of the ice caps will take place due to varied solar energy absorption as the planet or moon revolves around the sun. Additionally, in geologic time scale, the ice caps may grow or shrink due to climate variation. See ice age, polar climate. Both of the Earth's ice caps are currently shrinking, possibly as a result of global warming.
ANIMALS: Some of the animals found in the polar ice biome include polar bears, seals, penguins, the arctic fox, and musk oxen.