Climate change leading to record decrease in Antarctic sea ice: Study

A study released on Monday indicated that last year’s record-low levels of Antarctic sea ice were largely caused by climate change, signaling a sharp departure from the expansion observed in earlier decades.

Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) discovered that the ocean surface that surrounds the continent covered in ice experienced a once-in-2,000-year low as a result of human-caused global warming.

The greatest area of the Antarctic sea covered by ice decreased by two million square kilometers, or four times the size of France, in comparison to an ordinary winter during the previous few decades, according to the BAS.

“This is why we were so interested in studying what climate models can tell us about how often large, rapid losses like this are likely to happen,” the study’s lead author Rachel Diamond told AFP.

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Scientists discovered that the probability of such massive and quick melting occurrences was tripled by climate change after analyzing 18 different climate models.

Scientists claim that there are numerous factors that can affect sea ice melt, including winds, air temperature, and ocean water, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact source of the phenomenon.

But since ice production affects everything from ocean currents to sea level rise globally, figuring out how climate change plays a part is crucial.

Sea levels are not significantly affected by sea ice, which is formed by freezing salt water that is already in the ocean.

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However, the same quantity of solar radiation that was reflected back into space is absorbed by water as highly reflecting snow and ice give way to dark blue ocean, quickening the rate of global warming.

The Antarctic melt trend is a relatively recent phenomena compared to the Arctic, where sea ice has been decreasing since satellite records were first made in the 1970s.

According to the BAS, Antarctic sea ice rose “slightly and steadily” between 1978 and 2015.

However, 2017 saw a significant drop, which was followed by several years of low ice levels.

The BAS researchers also performed forecasts in the study that was published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters to determine whether the ice will reappear.

“It doesn’t completely recover to original levels even after 20 years,” Diamond told AFP. That means “the average Antarctic sea ice may still stay relatively low for decades to come”, he added.

“The impacts… would be profound, including on local and global weather and on unique Southern Ocean ecosystems – including whales and penguins,” co-author Louise Sime said.

Previous studies by the BAS have shown that the abnormal melt has led to the deaths of thousands of emperor penguin chicks.

Reared on the ice sheets, they perished when they were plunged into the ocean before they had developed their waterproof feathers.