After decades of gradual increases, Antarctic sea ice is now decreasing faster than that in the Arctic, according to new research based on 40 years' worth of satellite data
After decades of gradual increases, Antarctic sea ice is now decreasing faster than that in the Arctic, according to new research based on 40 years' worth of satellite data. Sea ice has a crucial impact on the Earth's climate, says Claire Parkinson, a senior scientist at NASA and the author of the new study. Its bright surface reflects 50% to 70% of sunlight back into space. But when sea ice melts, it turns into dark ocean surface, which absorbs 90% of the sunlight.
Boaty McBoatface makes significant climate change discovery on first missionParkinson said it is too early to determine what exactly caused the trend to reverse.Scientist were never able to determine why Antarctic sea ice increased prior to 2014. Dr Kaitlin Naughten, sea ice modeller at British Antarctic Survey, said Antarctica is largely protected from atmospheric warming by the westerly winds which surround the continent.
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