ABSTRACT
Geologically, the Arctic and Antarctic are very different. The Arctic is centred on a large oceanic basin surrounded by the North American and Eurasian continents. Tectonic plate movements and the shaping and formation of the geological building blocks in Arctic North America are recorded as tremendous changes in climate during millennia, ranging from sub-equatorial climates during the Paleozoic to Arctic conditions in the Cretaceous. Antarctica is dominated by a continental land mass entirely encircled by oceans. The isolation of Antarctica meant it was the last continent to be discovered and it remains one of the least explored places on our planet. The geology of the Antarctic also plays an important role in determining the existence and long-term stability of the continental ice sheets. The Antarctic continent can be geologically divided into three distinct parts: East Antarctica, West Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula. These different regions have distinct tectonic histories which are reflected in the observed topographic and geological provinces.
