To
the Aleut peoples, Alaska was “Alyeshka”, meaning the great land. Alaska, the
49th state, officially became a state on January 3, 1959.
It was purchased from Russia for $7 million in 1867
and was made a territory of the United
States in 1912.
It is the
largest state in area, almost a fifth as large as all the rest of the United
States. It remained largely unexplored
until the Gold Rush in the 1880s.
Fur trade was the main
economic activity in Alaska for more than 150 years after 1741. In the 1880s and
1890s major gold deposits were discovered. In addition, other minerals,
particularly copper, tin, mercury, and silver, were also mined. During the 1940s
and 1950s large military bases were built. Beginning in the late 1970s, the
economy underwent a fundamental change as the state's enormous oil deposits were
exploited. Almost a third of Alaska is north
of the Arctic Circle. At Point Barrow, Alaska's northernmost point, the sun
never sets between May and August. Tourists come to see Alaska's mountain
scenery, historic coastal towns and the state's vast areas of untamed
wilderness. Mount McKinley in the Alaska Range is North America's highest peak
at 20,320 feet and one of the greatest challenges for mountain climbers.
The
only Eskimo group that considered the Aurora an evil thing, were the Point
Barrow Eskimos. They believed this so deeply, that they used to carry
knives to keep it away.
The Tlingits and Eyak Indians of Southeastern Alaska consider them a sure
sign of impending battle and that someone would be killed when they put on
their cosmic light display.
Scientists do not deny that the Aurora may cause weather changes, due to
the expansion of the upper atmosphere affecting the lower atmosphere where
the weather originates.
The Aurora Borealis encircles the entire Polar Regions. People on earth
only see a small part of their display as the lowest sections of the
Aurora are 40 miles up. Astronauts looking down on the polar region from
space have a better overall view to observe the Aurora as it extends app.
600 miles above the earth.
Aurora was the Goddess of Dawn in Roman Mythology. A 17th Century
scientist named Pierre Gassend, applied the name Aurora to the Northern
Lights.
The origin of the
aurora is 149 million km from Earth at the Sun. Energetic particles from
the Sun are carried out into space along with the ever-present, hot solar
wind. This wind sweeps supersonically toward Earth through interplanetary
space at speeds ranging from 300 to over 1000 km per second, carrying with
it the solar magnetic field. The solar wind distorts Earth's magnetic
field to create the comet-shaped, plasma-filled magnetosphere. The
terrestrial magnetic shield acts as a barrier, protecting Earth from
energetic particles and radiation in the hot solar wind. Particle energy
and momentum are transferred from the solar wind to the magnetosphere
through a process known as "magnetic reconnection". In this process,
interplanetary magnetic field lines (originating from the Sun) are coupled
to Earth's magnetic field. Particles in the solar wind can enter this
newly created magnetic field line. Aurora physicists call this an "open
magnetic field line" (the field line is open into the solar wind). Due to
the dynamic pressure of the solar wind, this newly opened magnetic field
line will be connected over the polar cap, and into the tail of Earth's
magnetosphere. Here, a new magnetic reconnection can occur, creating a
new, closed magnetic field line. The convicting field line will contain
solar wind particles. Some of these particles will be able to reach the
ionosphere before the field line has reached the magnetosphere tail. These
particles will create dayside aurora. Night side aurora are created from
particles accelerated from the magnetosphere tail towards Earth. These
particles will be trapped on the closed field line.
Description Alaska In 1867 the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for just over
$7,000,000 - one of the greatest land deals ever recorded.
The Gold Rush of the late 19th century put the state on the map, then
followed by the Prudhoe Bay oil and gas reservoir discovery in 1968,
Alaska quickly began its incredible economic contribution (in the
billions) to the U.S. economy.
Larger than Texas, California and Montana combined, it's so gigantic and
rugged that the private airplane has (in many areas) replaced the family
car
Alaska, the most northern, western and eastern U.S. State, truly
defines the extremes and the beauty of nature.
Covered by countless thousands of glaciers, lakes and rivers, it's home to
the massive peaks of the Alaska, Brooks and Coast mountain ranges.
Mt. McKinley (at 20,320 ft), is the highest point in Alaska, and in North
America.
Covered on three sides by water, it has more coastline then the other (49)
states combined.
Often perceived as a frozen, isolated land, Alaska is far from that. Its
coastal areas (south and southwest) are temp, with huge forested
national parks and preserves covering much of the area. Fertile river
valleys are commonplace.
The Aleutian Island chain stretches west across the Bering Sea to
the Russian Federation border.
The 2,000 mile long Yukon is the major river. It's major tributaries
include the Porcupine, Tanana and Koyukuk.
Its
interior is the main attraction for the visitors. Bush is comparatively
larger than other regions and is accessible only by charter plane. It is
expensive more the travelers. The moose population is around 150,000, and
black-tailed deer, caribou, mountain goats, dall sheep; bears and wolves
are frequently seen picnicking from the urban periphery to back of beyond.
The flora of Alaska is diverse, changing dramatically from one region to
the next. Among the 33 native tree species is Sitka spruce (the state
tree), western hemlock, alder, white spruce, cottonwood and paper birch.
There
is a heavy rainfall in Southeast and south central Alaska and the summer
temperature are between 60-70°F. The precipitation in the interior is
light but the temperatures fluctuate rapidly. There is cool summer
temperature around 45°F in the western coastal region. The majority of
Alaska experiences the magic of the midnight sun, an excess of daylight,
which apparently sanctions the kind of madness, which finds whole families
undertaking 6mi (10km) hikes after dinner and softball teams convening for
a witching hour hit-up.
National Park
Denali, the "High One," is the
name Athabascan native people gave the massive peak that crowns the
600-mile-long Alaska Range. Denali is also the name of an immense national
park and preserve created from the former Mount McKinley National Park. In
1917 Mount McKinley National Park was established as a game refuge. The
park and the massif including North America’s highest peak were named for
former senator – later President – William McKinley. In 1980, the Alaska
National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) enlarged the boundary by
4 million acres and redesignated it as Denali National Park and Preserve.
It exemplifies interior Alaska’s character as one of the world’s last
great frontiers, its wilderness is largely unspoiled.
More than 650 species of
flowering plants as well as many species of mosses, lichens, fungi, algae,
and others grace the slopes and valleys of Denali. Only plants adapted to
long, cold winters and short growing seasons can survive in this subarctic
wilderness. Permafrost ground underlies many areas of the park, where only
a thin layer of topsoil is available to support life. After the
continental glaciers retreated from most of the park 10,000 to 14,000
years ago, hundreds of years were required to begin building new soils and revegetation. The dynamic glaciated landscape provides large rivers,
countless lakes and ponds, and unique landforms which form the foundation
of the ecosystems that thrive Denali
Denali is well-known for its
diversity of wildlife. There are 39 species of mammals, 167 species of
birds, 10 species of fish, and one species of amphibian known in Denali.
There are no reptiles recorded in Denali. Animal life and activity in
Denali is dictated by the seasons. Winter is the longest season and the
animals that are year-round residents are well-adapted to life in the subarctic. The brief spring season brings the return of 80% of Denali’s
bird life, the waking of hibernating bears, and an increase in activity
levels of wildlife. Summer is a time for raising young and preparing for
migration, hibernation, or survival during the winter. Summer also brings
hordes of insects, including mosquitoes. In late summer king and chum
salmon run in the multitude of streams and rivers. In autumn, migrating
birds fill the skies and bull moose gather their harems of cows for the
mating season.
Denali’s subarctic wilderness is
home to more than 1,500 species of vascular plants, mosses and lichens.
These organisms form the foundation of the park’s ecosystems and define
the habitat characteristics for all of the more famous and recognizable
denizens of Denali National Park such as moose, wolves, eagles, caribou
and grizzly bears. In fact, without the rich and diverse vegetation
communities that blanket the park landscape, this area would be entirely
barren of animal life. Therefore, preserving the precious and fecund
botanical resources of the park is central to preserving and maintaining
the entire intact subarctic ecosystem that is in our care.
Grizzly bears, black bears, hoary
marmots, and arctic ground squirrels avoid the winter by hibernating. To
build up body fat reserves needed for hibernation they eat extensively in
late summer.
Denali's avifauna includes
migratory birds from all over the world and a hardy group of residents.
The abundance of birds in Denali ebbs and flows across the seasons,
increasing significantly as migrants return to Denali in the spring and
decreasing when they depart on their autumn migration. Summer birding in
Denali rewards visitors with the opportunity to view these migratory
species in a spectacular northern environment. Birding in winter is slim
by the numbers, but high in rewards as observations of pine grosbeaks,
mixed flocks of ptarmigan, and perhaps a gyrfalcon or northern goshawk
awaits the hardy winter birder. Of the 167 species of birds recorded in
Denali, 149 occur regularly and 119 are recorded as breeders (nesting in
the park and preserve)
Volcanoes
Alaska contains over
100 volcanoes and volcanic field have been active within the last
one and a half million years. Over 40 of these have been active in
historic time. These make up about 80% of all active volcanoes in the
United States and 8% of all active above-water volcanoes on earth.
The Alaska Sea Life Center is a
non-profit marine science facility dedicated to understanding and
maintaining the integrity of the marine ecosystem of Alaska through
research, rehabilitation and public education. The Center's research
and rehabilitation facilities and naturalistic exhibits immerse
visitors in the dynamic marine ecosystems of Alaska
Alaska. Imagine your
vacation in Alaska for one moment.
Your delight when you spot a grizzly bear with a cub or two in tow. That instant
when the silence of a misty fjord is shattered by a pod of giant humpback
whales, breaching high into the air, then crashing back against the sea. While
your floatplane flies over crystal glaciers, toward the midnight sun, remember:
This is Alaska. This is real. This is the adventure of a lifetime
Peoples of
Alaska.
These cultures are represented by four groups: the Aleut, the
most maritime-adapted of all North Pacific peoples; Eskimos, whose earliest
culture in this region dates from 8,000 years ago; Athapaskans, a
forest-dwelling culture of hunters and trappers; and Northwest Coast Indians,
represented by the Tlingit.
e
grizzli (Ursus arctos horribilis) est une sous-espèce de l'ours brun
circumpolaire. Le grizzli est, après l'ours blanc, le plus gros carnivore
terrestre d'Amérique du Nord du moins si on le considère comme un mammifère
terrestre. Car selon la loi, il est un mammifère marin aux États-Unis et un
mammifère terrestre au Canada ! mais les scientifiques le considèrent comme un
mammifère marin !!!!. Cependant comme lui, il présente sur le dos, entre les
épaules, une bosse formée par les muscles de ses pattes antérieures massives. Il
a pour traits distinctifs une face quelque peu bombée et de très longues griffes
aux pattes avant. Son pelage va du blanc-crème, ou du jaune-ivoire, au noir.
Les grizzlis ont généralement une fourrure de couleur claire ou grisâtre sur la
tête et les épaules, le corps sombre et les membres d'une couleur encore plus
foncée. La forme de leur corps et leur longue fourrure les font paraître plus
massifs qu'ils ne le sont en réalité. Bien que certains spécimens puissent peser
jusqu'à 550 kg, un mâle moyen pèse entre 250 et 350 kg tandis que la femelle
pèse la moitié moins.
Português
USA
e
grizzli (Ursus arctos horribilis) est une sous-espèce de l'ours brun
circumpolaire. Le grizzli est, après l'ours blanc, le plus gros carnivore
terrestre d'Amérique du Nord du moins si on le considère comme un mammifère
terrestre. Car selon la loi, il est un mammifère marin aux États-Unis et un
mammifère terrestre au Canada ! mais les scientifiques le considèrent comme un
mammifère marin !!!!. Cependant comme lui, il présente sur le dos, entre les
épaules, une bosse formée par les muscles de ses pattes antérieures massives. Il
a pour traits distinctifs une face quelque peu bombée et de très longues griffes
aux pattes avant. Son pelage va du blanc-crème, ou du jaune-ivoire, au noir.