Detection of Temperature and Sea Ice Extent Changes in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean

Some global climate models indicate that future global warning from increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases may be greatest in the polar regions, over areas where the sea ice cover is reduced. The reduction of sea ice area in the models also gives rise to a strong positive feedback...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jacka, T. H., Budd, W. F.
Other Authors: MELBOURNE UNIV PARKVILLE (AUSTRALIA)
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1992
Subjects:
Meteorology
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
*CLIMATE
*POLAR REGIONS
*SEA ICE
*TEMPERATURE
ATMOSPHERICS
CYCLES
ESTIMATES
FEEDBACK
GLOBAL
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
ICE MECHANICS
MODELS
OCEANS
OPEN WATER
TRANSIENTS
WATER
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
*Global climate change
Component Reports
Climate models
Antarctic
Fairbanks
Southern Ocean
The Antarctic
Antarc*
Ice
permafrost
Sea ice
Alaska
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADP007268
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADP007268
Description
Summary:Some global climate models indicate that future global warning from increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases may be greatest in the polar regions, over areas where the sea ice cover is reduced. The reduction of sea ice area in the models also gives rise to a strong positive feedback to the warming. From the increase of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration to date and the results of transient climate models, an estimate of the expected change in the Antarctic temperatures and sea ice extent can be made. The existing data for observed changes in temperatures of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean (extending back to approx. 1956 and approx. 1945 respectively) are analyzed along with the data of sea ice cover (commencing in 1973) to examine the extent to which the anticipated warming trends and sea ice decrease are being realized. In spite of high temporal and spatial variability, the data does support small significant trends of temperature increase and sea ice cover decrease compatible in magnitude to those expected as a consequence of atmospheric greenhouse gas increase. The seasonal cycle shows a delayed period of autumn-winter sea ice growth with a longer period of open water. This supports a mechanism for positive feedback between decreasing sea ice cover and increasing temperature. This article is from 'Proceedings of the International Conference on the Role of the Polar Regions in Global Change Held in Fairbanks, Alaska on 11-15 June 1990. Volume 1', AD-A253 027, p63-70. See also Volume 2, AD-A253 028.

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