South Pole

South Pole, southern end of the earth's axis, lat. 90° S. It is distinguished from the south magnetic pole. The South Pole was reached by Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer, in 1911. See Antarctica.

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South Pole

Southern extremity of the Earth's axis, located at latitude 90° S. It is the southern point from which all meridians of longitude start. The area around it is a lofty plateau in west-central Antarctica, with ice as much as 8,850 ft (2,700 m) thick. It has six months of complete daylight and six months of total darkness each year. It was first reached by the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen in 1911, one month before the expedition led by British explorer Robert Falcon Scott; U.S. explorer Richard E. Byrd flew to the pole in 1929. The geographic pole does not coincide with the magnetic South Pole, which in the early 21st century was located on the Adélie Coast about 64°30′ S, 137°50′ E; it moves about 8 mi (13 km) to the northwest each year. The geomagnetic South Pole also moves; during the early 1990s it was located about 79°13′ S, 108°44′ E, in 2000 it was 65°39′ S, 140° 01′ E, and by 2005 it was back to about 79°45′ S, 108°13′ E.

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South Pole

1. the southernmost point on the earth's axis, at the latitude of 90°S

2. Astronomy the point of intersection, in the constellation Octans, of the earth's extended axis and the southern half of the celestial sphere

3. the south-seeking pole of a freely suspended magnet

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south pole [′sau̇th ′pōl]

(electromagnetism)

The pole of a magnet at which magnetic lines of force are assumed to enter. Also known as negative pole.

(geophysics)

south geomagnetic pole

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South Pole [′sau̇th ′pōl]

(geography)

south geographical pole

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South Pole 

the point at which the imaginary axis of the earth’s rotation intersects its surface in the southern hemisphere. All other points on the earth’s surface are north of the south pole. The south pole is situated on the continent of Antarctica, close to the Pacific coast at an elevation of 2,800 m. The ice in the vicinity of the south pole reaches a thickness of 2,810 m. The average annual air temperature for the period 1957–61 was –48.6°C, with a maximum of −14.7°C and a minimum of –78.9°C. The polar day lasts about 179 days, from September 23 to March 20–21 (not considering refraction). (See alsoPOLES, GEOGRAPHIC.)