As NASA reveals stunning images, Antarctica had record low sea-ice coverage in 2017

NASA has released stunning photos of the Antarctic ice caps after its most recent expeditions last year.

Snow and ice on the Creswick Peaks. The light blue
areas on the cliff face indicate melting.

However, Antarctica had a record-low sea ice coverage of 6.61 million square kilometres in 2017, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its latest report.

In November last year, NASA conducted two missions as part of its Operation IceBridge, which is in its ninth year of flights to map the snow and ice of Antarctica.

On November 4, the IceBridge team flew its "Endurance West" mission, which specifically targets sea ice. 

Then, on November 12, a high-priority mission was conducted over the Larsen C Ice Shelf, as it had been significantly reshaped a few months earlier after it shed an iceberg that measured 5060 square kilometres.

During each flight, nearly 8000 photographs were taken, which revealed several large fractures in the ice.

Read the story by Charles Goodsir in today’s Melbourne Age - “As NASA reveals stunning images, Antarctica had record low sea-ice coverage in 2017.”

Return of 'ocean chimney' the size of Tasmania puzzles Antarctic scientists

A rare hole the size of Tasmania has opened up in the sea ice off Antarctica, enthralling scientists keen to understand its cause and the possible role of climate change in its formation.

Water vapour rises off the Antarctic ice sheet as a
 rare hole opens in the Antarctic winter sea ice. 

Known as the Weddell Sea or Maud Rise Polynya, the ice-free zone appeared in September and has grown to as large as 80,000 square kilometres, according to the University of Toronto.

Polynyas, defined as a stretch of open water surrounded by ice, are frequently found in the Arctic and Antarctica, usually near the coast. They rarely reach the extent now seen in middle of the pack ice.

"Something has changed" to bring the polynya back, Kent Moore, a professor of physics at the University of Toronto, said. "But we not quite sure what that trigger was," he said.

Read Peter Hannam’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Return of 'ocean chimney' the size of Tasmania puzzles Antarctic scientists.”

Antarctic sea ice levels hit record low, but experts are not sure why

Sea ice levels in Antarctica dropped to a record low this year, but experts say there is not a clear link to climate change.

 Sea ice levels in the Antarctic have experienced huge variability in the last few years. 

More than 60 meteorologists and scientists from around the world are holding a week-long meeting in Hobart, Tasmania, to better understand sea ice changes on the frozen continent.

Dr Jan Lieser from the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre said sea ice levels had experienced a “massive increase” in variability over the past few years.

Read The Guardian story - “Antarctic sea ice levels hit record low, but experts are not sure why.”

'Extraordinarily hot' Arctic temperatures alarm scientists

Jennifer Francis of Rutgers University.

The Arctic is experiencing extraordinarily hot sea surface and air temperatures, which are stopping ice forming and could lead to record lows of sea ice at the North Pole next year, according to scientists.

Danish and US researchers monitoring satellites and Arctic weather stations are surprised and alarmed by air temperatures peaking at what they say is an unheard-of 20C higher than normal for the time of year. In addition, sea temperatures averaging nearly 4C higher than usual in October and November.

“It’s been about 20C warmer than normal over most of the Arctic Ocean, along with cold anomalies of about the same magnitude over north-central Asia. This is unprecedented for November,” said research professor Jennifer Francis of Rutgers University.

Temperatures have been only a few degrees above freezing when -25C should be expected, according to Francis. “These temperatures are literally off the charts for where they should be at this time of year. It is pretty shocking. The Arctic has been breaking records all year. It is exciting but also scary,” she said.

Read John Vidal’s story in The Guardian - “'Extraordinarily hot' Arctic temperatures alarm scientists.”

Dr Hayhoe explains why climate finance matters to real people

Dr Katharine Hayhoe explains why climate
finance matters to real people.

We humans are used to the climate of the places where we live, regardless of how extreme they may be.

I witnessed this first-hand during my time in Churchill with Polar Bears International, just a few weeks before COP21. While we were there to track the bears, I found that locals were waiting just as impatiently for the water to freeze and snow to fall, so they could head out to their cabins and trap lines. For all who live in the Arctic, life begins in the winter. But this winter—as in so many winters, lately – the sea ice was late to come, and both bears and people remained trapped on land well into December.

Read The Union of Concerned Scientists story by Dr Katharine Hayhoe of the

Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University - “Why Climate Finance Matters to Real People.”