Is Antarctic sea ice expanding?
The Arctic regularly reaches ever smaller extents of end-of-summer minimum extents of sea ice. This changing sea ice extent is cited by the IPCC as an indicator of a warming world. However, sea ice extent is growing in Antarctica [1]. In fact, it’s recently broken a record for maximum extent.
Is Antarctic ice increasing or decreasing?
According to climate models, rising global temperatures should cause sea ice in both regions to shrink. But observations show that ice extent in the Arctic has shrunk faster than models predicted, and in the Antarctic it has been growing slightly.
What is the difference between Arctic and Antarctic sea ice melt?
Compared to Arctic sea ice, Antarctic ice melts back to a smaller extent in summer, and grows to a greater extent in winter. Whereas Arctic sea ice shows a strong declining trend, Antarctic sea ice shows little or no trend, and exhibits much greater year-to-year variability.
What is one of the main differences between Arctic and Antarctic sea ice?
While thickness varies significantly within both regions, Antarctic ice is typically 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6 feet) thick, while most of the Arctic is covered by sea ice 2 to 3 meters (6 to 9 feet) thick. Some Arctic regions are covered with ice that is 4 to 5 meters (12 to 15 feet) thick.
Why is Antarctic ice increasing?
The general trend shows that a warming climate in the southern hemisphere would transport more moisture to Antarctica, causing the interior ice sheets to grow, while calving events along the coast will increase, causing these areas to shrink.
What is the difference between Artic and Antartic?
The primary difference between the Arctic and Antarctica is geographical. The Arctic is an ocean, covered by a thin layer of perennial sea ice and surrounded by land. Antarctica, on the other hand, is a continent, covered by a very thick ice cap and surrounded by a rim of sea ice and the Southern Ocean.
What are the similarities and differences between the Arctic and Antarctic?
Both poles are similar in temperature. Both the Arctic and Antarctic are solid ice, with snow on top. Antarctica is quite a small continent that nobody can visit. Humans cannot live in the Arctic.
What is the difference between Antarctic and Arctic?
Is Arctic or Antarctic better?
The Arctic offers breathtaking views of fjords, mountains, and glaciers, and there are more green areas with trees and vegetation than you may expect. Antarctica, which is almost totally covered in ice, has icebergs and glaciers of incredible height, without any of the vegetation the northern polar regions have.