Whats Holding Antarctic Sea Ice Back From Melting?
Ozone depletion has caused more intense low pressure systems (shown in blue) to develop over the Amundsen and Ross Seas, while higher pressure systems (red) have developed on the periphery of the Southern Ocean. Ozone loss has likely strengthened the cyclonic wind flow across the Ross Ice Shelf and made winds cooler and stormier. Such changes can increase sea ice extent by pushing ice offshore and maintaining coastal polynyas (inset), areas of open water that tend to produce and export sea ice rapidly.
Related Questions
- Do scientists study Antarctic sea ice? Why don’t I hear much about Antarctic sea ice—including the recent record high—from scientists or the media?
- Why is Antarctic ice melting faster over the Peninsula and in West Antarctica than in East Antarctica?
- Could the West Antarctic ice sheet continue to add to sea level rise?
