Why Is the South Pole Warming Faster Than the Rest of the World?, Details Explained in Study

Researchers have determined that the South Pole has warmed three times faster than the rest of the Earth over the last 30 years. Using a computer model and almost 60 years of weather station data, scientists have developed the cause of this accelerated warming.

According to the study's authors from New Zealand, Britain, and the United States, human-made greenhouse gas emissions could be the culprit for the natural warming trend. They believe that gas emissions could be covering up the heating effect of carbon pollution all over the South Pole.

The South Pole has previously managed to stay cool even as the whole continent heated up. It was also known that Antarctica's temperature fluctuated widely according to the region and season.

However, the researchers found that ocean temperatures became warmer in the western Pacific. Furthermore, it caused lowered atmospheric pressure over the Weddell Sea located in the southern Atlantic.

Because of this, the flow of warm air flowing directly over the South Pole increased. Scientists measured the temperature to be about 1.83 degrees Celsius or about 3.3 degrees Fahrenheit since 1989.

The South Pole is Not so Cool Anymore

According to Kyle Clem, the lead author from Victoria University of Wellington, while scientists have known for a while, temperatures were warming across the Antarctic Peninsula and across West Antarctica during the 20th century, the South Pole somehow remained cool.

He added how the South Pole was initially suspected to be immune to or isolated from the warming. However, with their recent findings, he says this might not be the case anymore.

The team found that the South Pole was now warming at a rate of approximately 0.6 degrees Celsius or 1.1 degrees Fahrenheit in ten years. This is in comparison to the rest of the planet that is warming at around 0.2 degrees Celsius of 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit a decade. The full findings of the study were published in the journal Natural Climate Change on June 29, 2020.

What is Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation?

According to the research team, their latest study was attributed to the change in the phenomenon called Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO).

According to New Zealand's Environmental Reporting Series, the IPO is a long-term oscillation of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. It can last anywhere from 20 to 30 years.

Furthermore, its positive and negative phases affect the strength and frequency of El Niño and La Niña. A positive state occurs when the tropical Pacific becomes hotter, and the northern Pacific is colder than usual. On the other hand, a negative state happens when the temperature deviation is reversed.

The researchers believe that the IPO turned to a negative cycle during the start of the century. This occurrence then drove greater convection and more pressure extremes at immense latitudes. Due to the shift, a steady flow or warmer air drove over to the South Pole.

According to Clem, the 3.3 degrees Fahrenheit warming level exceeded 99.99 percent of all modeled 30-year warming trends. Finally, he believes that although warming was just within the natural variability of temperature and climate models, it was likely that human activity had something to do with it.