São Paulo, 26 – Sea ice levels around Antarctica reached the lowest levels ever recorded this winter, raising concerns about the intensification of climate change in the region and on the planet. The information was released by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), an information institution in the United States that supports polar research.
The changes could have consequences for the reproduction of animals, such as penguins, which raise their young on sea ice, in addition to accelerating global warming by reducing the amount of light reflected into space. Antarctic sea ice melts during the summer and forms again in winter, a season that has just ended in the Southern Hemisphere.
On September 10, sea ice in Antarctica reached a maximum annual extent of 16.96 million square kilometers, establishing the lowest maximum in the satellite record, which began in 1979. According to the NSIDC, this is approximately 1 million square kilometers less than the previous record, set in 1986. This size is equivalent to almost twice the area of France.
This is the first time that the extent of sea ice has not exceeded 17 million square kilometers, falling more than 1 million square kilometers below the previous record. “There is some concern that this could be the beginning of a long-term declining trend in Antarctic sea ice, as the oceans are warming globally and mixing of warm water in the polar layer of the Southern Ocean could continue,” it says. the NSIDC.
Balance
The Southern Ocean and its sea ice are important components of Earth’s energy balance, reflecting sunlight back into space and supporting a rich ecosystem at the ice’s edge. Furthermore, if the dramatically lower extent of sea ice continues through the summer of 2024 and beyond, much more of the Antarctic coast will be exposed to ocean waves and marine weather, according to monitoring.
“This could lead to two opposing impacts: erosion of more perennial coastal ice and ice shelves, destabilizing the ice sheet, or increased accumulation near the coast, partly offsetting the threat of sea level rise,” says the national center.
In February, at the height of the southern summer, Antarctic sea ice reached its lowest point, with a minimum extent of 1.79 million square kilometers, a melting record, according to the NSIDC. Subsequently, sea ice formed again at an unusually slow rate, despite the arrival of winter.
Arctic
The phenomenon is global. A scientific study in June found that Arctic sea ice could disappear completely by the 2030s. (WITH INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES)
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