Antarctica is melting unexpectedly fast – scientists
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Scientists have said that the area of sea ice in Antarctica is shrinking very quickly. Because of this, global changes in weather and climate occur, the National Antarctic Science Center reports. More than 60 scientists from 14 countries of the world are calling for the immediate intensification of research related to the state of the Antarctic ice because of the rapid pace of its melting. This is stated in the statement of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). “Certain species of animals, such as emperor penguins, some types of seals and seabirds, are also under threat of extinction,” the scientists note. Penguins in Antarctica. Photo: National Antarctic Science Center Scientists made these conclusions after analyzing data collected from satellite monitoring of the Earth’s ice caps. They were presented during a meeting of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), which coincided with the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. Monitoring has been ongoing for 44 consecutive years. Starting from 2007 to 2022, satellite studies indicate a constant decrease in the amount of subpolar ice. Since 2016, this trend has become increasingly unpredictable. The melting trend of Antarctica’s glaciers. Infographic: World Meteorological Organization “Right now, in the middle of the polar winter, the ice should be the most powerful. But polar explorers are observing an unprecedented minimum of ice cover,” scientists say. Some parts of Antarctica have lost their ice cover in places where this was not observed before. The researchers note the most significant decrease in sea ice in the Bellingshausen Sea. There are also changes in the water area of Galindez Island, where the Ukrainian station “Vernadskyi” is located. The other day, the temperature was recorded there at +3 C, although at this time of the year it should be a real Antarctic winter, and the ocean around the island should freeze. However, the expected ice did not form this year. In order to reduce the tendency of ice melting and slow down the negative impact of the phenomenon on humanity, scientists propose to standardize the methods of monitoring the ice cover. “In particular, introduce a standardized concept of “essential climate change” (Essential Climate Variables) for monitoring sea ice, ocean and atmosphere,” the scientists add. This, according to them, will make it possible to identify the most threatening phenomena for the global ecosystem. In addition, scientists plan to collect information using the same approaches and methods in order to more accurately measure various processes of the Earth’s ecosystem. In their opinion, this will allow governments to act more quickly and make decisions about how to respond to the consequences of melting glaciers. We will remind, scientists have identified 5 global threats of 2023, among which are climate changes. Read also: Seals and some penguins: polar explorers showed the “autumn” inhabitants of the Antarctic. PHOTO
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