The rapid retreat of sea ice in Antarctica can be explained by the “simple physics” of the sun’s melting powers, according to a new study. Heat from the sun could explain why ice around the South Pole does not expand and retreat at the same speed, scientists say. Ice cover around Antarctica gradually expands from March to October each year, covering a space larger than Russia, or six times its original size. It then retreats at a faster pace, most dramatically around December, when the South Pole experiences constant daylight. Wind patterns and warm ocean currents were thought to be behind Antarctica’s asymmetric seasonal sea ice cycle. But now, scientists at the University of Washington have found the sun’s rays could be responsible for this discrepancy, describing their results in the journal Nature Geoscience . “In spite of the puzzling longer-term trends and the large year-to-year variations in Antarctic sea ice, the seasonal cycle is really consistent, always showing this fast retreat relative to slow growth. “Given how complex our climate system is, I was surprised that the rapid seasonal retreat of Antarctic sea ice could be explained with such a simple mechanism,” said lead author Lettie Roach, a polar… Read full this story
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