Vostok Station

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/vostok-station

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Vostok Station built?1957 by the Soviet Union
2. What is the location?Inland Princess Elizabeth Land, Antarctica, at an elevation of approximately 3,488 meters
3. What is the research focus?Paleoclimatology (ice core drilling), glaciology, magnetometry, atmospheric physics
4. What is Vostok Station and why is it special?Vostok Station is a Russian research outpost in Antarctica. It is famous for its record‑breaking low temperatures and for studying the planet’s past climate with ice cores.
5. How cold does it get at Vostok Station?The coldest temperature ever measured there is –89.2 °C (–128.6 °F). It is the lowest natural temperature recorded on Earth.

Paleoclimatology: The study of past climates, often using proxies like ice cores and tree rings.
Ice Sheet: A vast, permanent layer of ice covering a landmass, such as Antarctica.
Magnetometry: The scientific discipline concerned with the study of magnetic fields, especially Earth's.
Antarctic Treaty System: A set of international agreements governing Antarctica, promoting scientific research and prohibiting military activity.