Antarctic sea ice extent hits new low in February

Antarctica’s sea ice extent has reached a new low, marking a melting record since satellite measurements began 45 years ago, the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) announced on Monday (February 27th). She has “probably reached its minimum extent for the year, at 1.79 million square kilometers, on February 21, 2023”, specifies the observatory. He added that this figure was “preliminary” and “continued melting conditions could push the ice extent further down”. A formal announcement is expected in early March.

Antarctic sea ice melts in summer and recovers in winter. This phenomenon has no immediate impact on sea level, because this ice is formed by freezing the salt water already present in the ocean. But “Lower sea ice extent means that ocean waves will hit the shores of the ice sheet, further reducing the ice barriers around Antarctica”NSIDC contributor researcher Ted Scambos said in a statement.

However, the ice cap, this thick freshwater glacier that covers Antarctica, is particularly monitored by scientists because it contains enough water to cause a catastrophic rise in the level of the oceans if it were to melt. Moreover, the white pack ice reflects the sun’s rays more than the ocean, and its loss thus accentuates global warming.