The sea ice that packs the ocean around Antarctica reached record low levels this winter, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC), fueling scientists’ concerns that the impact of the rising climate catastrophe at the southern pole is intensifying.
Researchers warn that the transition might have disastrous effects for creatures like penguins that breed and rear their young on sea ice, as well as hastening global warming by diminishing the amount of sunlight reflected back into space by white ice.
The NSIDC reported that Antarctic Sea ice extent peaked this year on September 10, covering 16.96 million square kilometres (6.55 million square miles), the lowest winter maximum since satellite records began in 1979. This is approximately 1 million square kilometres less ice than the previous winter record established in 1986.
The NSIDC stated in a statement that the figures were preliminary and that a comprehensive analysis would be presented next month.
In the Southern Hemisphere, seasons are reversed, with sea ice often peaking around September near the end of winter and later receding to its lowest point in February or March as summer comes to an end. In February, the summer Antarctic Sea ice extent also reached a new low, exceeding the previous record established in 2022.
Over the last decade, climate change has had a significant impact on the Arctic, with sea ice quickly diminishing as the northern area warms four times faster than the global average.
While climate change is causing glaciers in Antarctica to melt, it is unclear how rising temperatures are affecting sea ice near the southern pole. Scientists are concerned that the recent move towards record-low conditions indicates that climate change is finally manifesting itself in Antarctic sea ice.
