The Antarctic Convergence (also known as the Antarctic Polar Frontal Zone) is a line encircling Antarctica where the cold, northward-flowing Antarctic waters sink beneath the relatively warmer waters of the sub-Antarctic. The line is actually a zone approximately 20 to 30 miles wide, varying somewhat in latitude in different longitudes, extending across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans between the 48th and 61st parallels of south latitude. The precise location at any given place and time is made evident by the sudden change in surface temperature, which averages 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (2.8° C to 5.5° C). Although this zone is a mobile one, it usually does not stray more than a half a degree of latitude from its mean position. The sub-antarctic is a region in the Southern Hemisphere immediately north of Antarctica and covering much of Argentina and the many islands of the Great Southern Ocean. ... The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of the earths its surface. ... For other meanings of Pacific, see Pacific (disambiguation). ...

This line, like the tree line of the north, is a natural boundary rather than one derived from reasoning. It not only separates two hydrological regions, but also separates areas of distinctive marine life associations and of different climates. The South Shetland Islands, South Orkney Islands, South Sandwich Islands, South Georgia, Bouvetoya, Heard Island and McDonald Islands all lie south of the Antarctic Convergence. The Iles Kerguelen lie approximately on the Convergence; the Falkland Islands, Prince Edward Islands, Iles Crozet and Macquarie Island lie north of the Convergence. The South Shetland Islands or Iles Shetland du Sud or Islas Shetland del Sur or New South Britain or New South Shetland or Shetland Islands or South Shetlands or Sydshetland or Süd-Shetland Inseln are a chain of islands in the Southern Ocean lying about 120 kilometres northward of... The South Orkney Islands (Spanish: Islas Orcadas) are a group of sub-antarctic islands situated at latitudes 60°50 to 60°83 S, and longitudes 44°25 to 46°25 W in the Southern Ocean. ... South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, also claimed by Argentina. ... South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, also claimed by Argentina. ... Bouvetoya is the most isolated island on earth. ... Heard Island, from NASA World Wind Heard Island and the McDonald Islands are uninhabited, barren islands located in the Southern Ocean at 53°6S, 72°31E, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica. ... Heard Island, from NASA World Wind Heard Island and the McDonald Islands are uninhabited, barren islands located in the Southern Ocean at 53°6S, 72°31E, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica. ... The Kerguelen Archipelago is in the southern Indian Ocean at 49°20 S, 70°20 E. The main island Kerguelen, originally called Desolation Island, is 6,675 km2 and it is surrounded by another 300 smaller outcrops, forming an archipelago of 7,215 km². The climate is cold, very windy... Orthographic projection centered on the Prince Edward Islands The Prince Edward Islands are two small islands in the sub-antarctic Indian Ocean that are politically part of South Africa. ... Orthographic projection over Macquarie Island Macquarie Island lies in the Southern Ocean, about half-way between Australia and Antarctica. ...

External links

• Map of Antarctic Convergence

This article is based on a United States Geological Survey gazetteer.