Antarctic sea ice and the saltiness of Antarctic Intermediate Water, 1993–2024 (VIDEO)
Caption
The globe shows sea ice around Antarctica month by month. The first time-series graph shows whether sea-ice area was above or below normal (the 1993-2024 mean), based on satellite observations. The bottom graph tracks the saltiness of Antarctic Intermediate Water, a layer that sinks from the surface into the ocean’s interior, using Argo float data from 2004. From 1993 to 2015, Antarctic sea ice slowly expanded (blue trend line), releasing more freshwater, making the waters beneath it fresher. After 2016, sea ice dropped sharply (red trend line), and the layer turned saltier. Less melting ice means less freshwater reaching the ocean interior.
Credit
Kaushik Mishra
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To be used only with this research
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