The cover of the Southern Ocean sea ice reached its annual maximum point on 6 October with 18.83 million square kilometers, the average of 37 years of satellite measurements. The growth of Antarctic sea ice this year was erratic. It was well above normal in the first half of 2015, but since mid-July spread has become less than the average.
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Photo: Agency One
Cover sea ice partially recovered in September but still the highest level this year is 1.33 million square kilometers below the maximum extent of registration, which was established in 2014.
Scientists believe the strong event “El Niño” this year, a natural phenomenon that warms the surface waters of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, had an impact on the behavior of sea ice cover around Antarctica.
“El Niño” causes more pressure at sea level, warmer air temperature and sea surface temperature in the seas of Amundsen, Bellingshausen and Weddell in West Antarctica, affecting the distribution of ice navy.
“After three record years, this year marks a return to normality for the Antarctic sea ice,” said Walt Meier, a scientist at the sea ice in the Goddard Space Flight Center of NASA in Greenbelt , Maryland.
“There may be years with more ice in the future, due to the wide variation from year to year as in Antarctica, but such extremes are not nearly as important as the Arctic, where the downward trend continues, “he added.
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