Downward Trend
This record-low extent so far in 2023 is a continuation of a downward trend in Antarctic sea ice that started following a record high in 2014. Prior to 2014, ice surrounding the continent was increasing a little over the long term (about 1 percent per years).
Scientific Perspectives and Research
” Both the boost in Antarctic sea ice prior to 2014 and its quick decrease considering that are of terrific interest to researchers, without an agreement point-of-view on the motorists,” stated Claire Parkinson, an environment scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center. Parkinson is an expert in utilizing satellite observations to map sea ice degree, and in 1983 she belonged to the group that published the very first atlas of Antarctic sea ice from satellite data.
Parkinsons recent research found that the rate of sea ice decrease around Antarctica in between 2014 and 2017 far surpassed the declines seen in Arctic sea ice in the last few years, and was a much greater decrease than anything observed in the entire 40-year satellite record.
Speculations and Future Studies
Some scientists are speculating whether the unexpected reversal in Antarctic sea ice shows a shift toward typically lower ice degree. While Meier asserted it was too early to identify whether this holds true, recent research studies suggest changing ocean conditions could be a factor. Ocean heat may be playing a stronger function in limiting fall and winter season ice growth and boosting spring and summertime melting.
NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using information from the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
Antarctic sea ice follows a seasonal trend, and each year, some 15 million square kilometers of ice grows and melts. The yellow line reveals the typical sea ice extent for July from 1981 to 2010.
Areas of Low Ice Extent
The map indicates that ice degree was low nearly everywhere around the continent. Particular areas of low ice extent included the northeastern Weddell Sea, northern Ross Sea, and eastern Bellingshausen Sea. Surprisingly, the Amundsen Sea was the only area with above-average degree.
” What were seeing this year is uncharted territory in the satellite record,” stated Walt Meier, a sea ice scientist at NSIDC. According to NSIDC, the average sea ice degree in July 2023 was 1.5 million square kilometers (579,000 square miles) lower than the previous record-low July degree seen in 2022. The chart listed below programs the everyday sea ice degree through August 7, 2023 (red) compared to the 2022 record low (orange) and the average degree from 1981 to 2010 (blue).
Degree of Antarctic sea ice on August 7, 2023, based on satellite data.
The level of winter sea ice surrounding Antarctica is in uncharted territory in the satellite record.
Antarctica is experiencing the depths of winter, yet the continent is surrounded by considerably less sea ice than scientists expected for this time of year. Throughout July 2023, sea ice balanced 13.5 million square kilometers (5.2 million square miles), marking the lowest extent observed for this time of year since the continuous satellite record started in late 1978.
Sea Ice Observations
The map above shows the level of Antarctic sea ice on August 7, 2023, based on satellite data preserved by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), one of NASAs Distributed Active Archive Centers.
Antarctic sea ice follows a seasonal trend, and each year, some 15 million square kilometers of ice grows and melts. Specific areas of low ice level included the northeastern Weddell Sea, northern Ross Sea, and eastern Bellingshausen Sea. According to NSIDC, the typical sea ice extent in July 2023 was 1.5 million square kilometers (579,000 square miles) lower than the previous record-low July level seen in 2022. The chart listed below programs the everyday sea ice degree through August 7, 2023 (red) compared to the 2022 record low (orange) and the typical extent from 1981 to 2010 (blue).
Some researchers are hypothesizing whether the sudden turnaround in Antarctic sea ice shows a shift toward generally lower ice degree.