| Summary: | Global climate change has become a significant topic of study during recent years, as searches are made for trends in climate data, their causes and possible effects. Antarcüa is important as an indicator of change in global temperatures as climate models have predicted that the polar regions may show larger temperature increases than other areas due to feedback mechanisms which operate in the atmosphere-ice- ocean system (Raper et al, 1983). As temperatures increase, the sea ice area is predicted to decrease, reducing the albedo and resulting in further temperature rise. Thus any trends shown by Antarctica may act as early warning signals Of temperature changes on a global scale. Global climate change has become a significant topic of study during recent years, as searches are made for trends in climate data, their causes and possible effects. Antarcüa is important as an indicator of change in global temperatures as climate models have predicted that the polar regions may show larger temperature increases than other areas due to feedback mechanisms which operate in the atmosphere-ice- ocean system (Raper et al, 1983). As temperatures increase, the sea ice area is predicted to decrease, reducing the albedo and resulting in further temperature rise. Thus any trends shown by Antarctica may act as early warning signals Of temperature changes on a global scale.
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