Antarctica is experiencing a remarkable sea ice loss even amid the Southern Hemisphere winter. Glaciologist Anna Hogg from the University of Leeds noted Antarctica's vulnerability despite assumptions of its resilience due to its colossal ice sheet. Researchers said that the absence of sea ice in Antarctica is now comparable to Greenland's land mass of about 2.2 million square kilometers.
Statistically, it should be a rare event that is expected to occur only every 7.5 million years. However, the world is undergoing a shift brought about by the worsening climate change. A recent research led by Martin Siegert, a geophysicist from the University of Exeter, indicates high certainty of ongoing extreme events in Antarctica.
Atarctica's Extremes Now a Guaranteed Event
Siegert and colleagues examine alterations in the Antarctic atmosphere, ice, weather, and wildlife responses, noting worrisome indications of irreversibility. Notably, human-induced atmospheric changes have surpassed the 1.5°C Paris limit, with only a portion of its impacts realized.
Last year, Antarctica faced a record-breaking heatwave alongside the disappearing sea ice, with temperatures soaring to 38.5°C (69.3°F) above the norm.
Siegert wrote in the paper, titled "Antarctic Extreme Events" published in Frontiers in Environmental Science, that ongoing emissions of greenhouse gases will probably result in enlargements and more frequent occurrences of events.
Antarctica's vital role in maintaining Earth's cooling stems from its reflective ice surface. The substantial ice loss prevents sunlight from being reflected, intensifying heating. Consequently, this ensures the escalation of extreme weather and sea-level rise.
Siegert explains in a news release that ice shelves are significant for providing stabilizing support that controls the flow from the ice sheet on land. He further notes that the loss of ice from the land contributes to the increase in sea levels.
Antarctica's impact extends to worldwide ocean and atmospheric currents, with uncertain consequences. The intricate climate feedback loops remain incompletely understood, emphasized by Hogg. Satellite tools like Copernicus Sentinel-1, ESA's CryoSat, and upcoming missions are crucial for monitoring this remote realm.
The researchers' analysis leads to the conclusion that ongoing substantial greenhouse gas emissions will very probably cause a sea-level rise of over 1 meter within this century and significantly more beyond.
Climate Change Consequences Happening Faster Than Previously Estimated
Researchers' investigation of Antarctica's susceptibility to various exceptional events is aimed to comprehend their origins and projected alterations. For instance, the unprecedented heatwave of 38.5°C above the average took place in East Antarctica in 2022, while the current period witnesses the lowest winter sea ice formation ever recorded.
Such extremes can also impact biodiversity, as illustrated by reduced krill populations associated with elevated temperatures leading to breeding failures among krill-dependent predators, evident from deceased fur seal pups on beaches.
Researchers noted that these previous extreme events happened at only 1.1 °C of heating and pointed out that at this rate the world is on track for much worse events.
Siegert emphasized that the world's best hope of preserving Antarctica and the whole planet is reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. Understandably, scientists are frustrated because their warnings are continued to be ignored.
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