{"id":266838,"date":"2025-07-16T14:39:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-16T14:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/266838\/"},"modified":"2025-07-16T14:39:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T14:39:15","slug":"new-mechanism-discovered-in-antarctica-could-accelerate-the-catastrophe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/266838\/","title":{"rendered":"New mechanism discovered in Antarctica could accelerate the catastrophe"},"content":{"rendered":"

A groundbreaking study reveals that Antarctica\u2019s once-stable sea ice is now on a fast track to collapse\u2014driven by an unseen ocean salinity shift and a dangerous feedback loop.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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There was an accelerated loss of sea ice volume last month in the #Arctic<\/a>. We are not far from a record low.<\/p>\n

Each line represents one year from 1979 [dark blue] to 2023 [dark red]. This year is shown in yellow \u2013 now updated through all of August 2024
https:\/\/t.co\/qXpJKsAzX9<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/FMqNnJUcwH<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Zack Labe (@ZLabe) September 10, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Antarctic sea ice update \ud83c\udf0a\ud83e\uddca<\/p>\n

Antarctic sea ice reached its max winter extent of 17.16 million sq km (6.62 million sq miles) on Sept. 19, 2024. This is the second-lowest winter max on record, @NSIDC<\/a> reports, just above last year. pic.twitter.com\/Z0vkotNu3W<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) October 3, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A Question of Water Salinity<\/p>\n

Researchers at the University of Southampton found that, as Antarctic<\/strong><\/a> ice melts, the Southern Ocean\u2019s surface is growing saltier<\/strong>. Saltier water lets deep-ocean heat rise and melt ice from below. \u201cLess ice means more heat, which means even less ice,\u201d says Alessandro Silvano. This flip in stratification<\/strong> overturns decades of assumptions that Antarctic ice would hold steady.<\/p>\n

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The Southern Ocean is undergoing profound changes that threaten to accelerate the melting of ice in Antarctica. \u00a9 Alberto Naveira Garabato, University of Southampton<\/p>\n

Upheavals Predicted in Antarctica and Beyond?<\/p>\n

Satellite<\/strong><\/a> and robotic probe data show this salinity surge coincides with the reappearance of the massive Maud Rise polynya\u2014an open-water hole unseen since the 1970s. Coauthor Alberto Naveira Garabato warns that these shocks could make current climate models obsolete. He urges continuous monitoring to grasp how the ice\u2013ocean system will evolve.<\/p>\n

Where Does This Giant Hole, Twice the Size of Switzerland, Come From?<\/p>\n

The Maud Rise polynya\u2019s return underscores the extraordinary nature of today\u2019s Antarctic conditions. If this trend of warmer, saltier waters continues, it could permanently reshape the Southern Ocean\u2014and with it, global climate patterns. Scientists now race to understand this hidden mechanism<\/a><\/strong> under our feet before it pushes Antarctic ice past a tipping point.<\/p>\n

\"mayer-nathalie\" <\/p>\n

\t\t\t Nathalie Mayer <\/p>\n

\n Journalist <\/p>\n

Born in Lorraine on a freezing winter night, storytelling has always inspired me, first through my grandmother’s tales and later Stephen King’s imagination. A physicist turned science communicator, I’ve collaborated with institutions like CEA, Total, Engie, and Futura. Today, I focus on unraveling Earth’s complex environmental and energy challenges, blending science with storytelling to illuminate solutions.<\/p>\n

\"author-fs\" <\/p>\n

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