Jäätikköaavikkoa

Jäätikköaavikkoa, which translates from Finnish to "ice desert" or "glacial desert," refers to regions on Earth that are covered by ice sheets or glaciers and receive very little precipitation. These areas, primarily found in Antarctica and Greenland, are characterized by extreme cold, dry conditions, and vast expanses of ice. Despite being covered in ice, they are classified as deserts due to their aridity.

The definition of a desert typically relies on low annual precipitation, usually less than 250 millimeters (10 inches). In the case of ice deserts, the precipitation that does fall often comes in the form of snow or ice crystals, accumulating over long periods to form massive ice sheets. The extremely cold temperatures mean that any moisture in the air freezes, contributing to the ice cover rather than falling as rain.

These environments are among the harshest on the planet, with extremely low temperatures, high winds, and intense sunlight reflecting off the ice. Life in jäätikköaavikkoa is scarce and highly specialized, often limited to microbial life or small organisms adapted to survive in these extreme conditions. Scientific research stations are the primary human presence in these regions, studying the climate, geology, and ice dynamics. The ice sheets in these deserts hold crucial records of Earth's past climate.