Articles tagged with Antarctica
Researchers have discovered a global phenomenon where microbes thrive on air, expanding the possibilities for microbial life beyond Earth. This process, known as atmospheric chemosynthesis, was previously thought to be unique to Antarctica, but is now found in soils across the Arctic and Tibetan Plateau.
A University of Colorado Boulder-led team has discovered a critical connection between equatorial winds and atmospheric waves at the South Pole. The study highlights how winds in the deep tropics affect the polar vortex, triggering outbreaks of cold weather patterns in mid latitudes.
A new study reveals that penguins originated along the coasts of Australia and New Zealand, 22 million years ago. The researchers also found that penguins are not adapting quickly enough to changing climate conditions, putting many populations at risk.
A New Zealand-led international study used satellite images and citizen science to uncover the secret lives of crabeater seals in Antarctica. The researchers found that crabeater seal distribution overlapped mostly with Antarctic krill habitat, highlighting the importance of conserving this ecosystem.
Researchers used a high-resolution climate model to compare Arctic sea ice conditions during the last interglacial with present-day data. The findings suggest that intense springtime sunshine led to the formation of melt ponds, which contributed to sea ice melt.
A new study reveals nearly 20% more emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica, totaling 61 colonies worldwide. The discovery uses satellite images to locate the birds, which are vulnerable to climate change and loss of sea ice breeding habitat.
Dome A's unique atmospheric properties make it an ideal location for optical and infrared astronomy, with measurements showing excellent seeing values of up to 0.13 arcseconds. The site's feasibility and cost-efficiency are enhanced by its lower boundary layer thickness compared to other Antarctic locations.
Scientists have identified Dome A in Antarctica as the best place on Earth to view distant stars, thanks to its extremely stable atmosphere. The location offers a unique opportunity to observe the universe with greatly reduced interference from atmospheric turbulence.
A new study published in Nature shows that the East Antarctic Ice Sheet retreated 700 kilometers inland during an interglacial warm period 400,000 years ago. This retreat contributed to a 3-4 meter increase in global sea level rise, with the Wilkes Basin playing a significant role.
Researchers have discovered an active methane seep in Antarctica, which provides new insights into the methane cycle and its role in global warming. The study reveals that microbes around the seep are fundamentally different from those found elsewhere in the world's oceans, allowing scientists to better understand how methane cycles work.
A recent study using 2.7 million human activity records found that humans have extensively used Antarctica over the last 200 years, with only 16% of Important Bird Areas located within negligibly impacted areas. This highlights the need for swift action to declare new protected areas and conserve biodiversity.
A team of researchers has quantified human activity across Antarctica, revealing that almost every area has been visited. Biodiversity is not well-represented within these areas, highlighting the need for swift action to declare new protected areas.
A new study published in Nature Climate Change reveals the South Pole has warmed at a rate three times the global average over the past 30 years. The warming trend was mainly driven by natural tropical climate variability, with greenhouse gas increases likely intensifying the effect.
Researchers found that ancestors of distinctive Australian pollinating bees likely originated in tropical Asian countries, islands in the south-west Pacific or greater Oceania region. This study aims to better understand the origin and radiation of insects and other animals, helping environmental management during changing climates.
Researchers found that Adélie penguins in Antarctica prefer less sea ice due to its impact on their foraging habits. With less sea ice, they can dive more easily, reducing competition for prey and increasing their krill catch.
Researchers evaluated 40 climate models focusing on Antarctic sea ice, finding improvements in projections compared to previous models. The study sheds light on dynamics in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica, essential for understanding global climate changes.
Researchers at Virginia Tech propose that high-energy cosmic rays, rather than neutrinos, are responsible for the mysterious signals detected by the ANITA experiment. The team suggests that sub-surface firn, a dense layer of compacted snow, is causing the reflections.
Researchers used seismic data to calculate the maximum speed at which an ice sheet can retreat, revealing historic retreat rates that are almost ten times faster than those observed today. The study found that the ice sheets surrounding Antarctica's coastline retreated at speeds of up to 50 meters per day during regional deglaciation.
Scientists have mapped a large-scale bloom of green snow algae across Antarctica's coastline, which could become a significant carbon sink as the climate warms. The 'green snow' is likely to spread due to rising global temperatures.
A study reveals that cyanobacteria and tardigrades are widely distributed in freshwater lakes in Antarctica, with specific eukaryotic algae dominating certain sites. This research contributes to understanding adaptation mechanisms of microorganisms to extreme physical stresses in Antarctica.
The study found that Greenland's ice sheet lost an average of 200 gigatons of ice per year, and Antarctica's ice sheet lost an average of 118 gigatons of ice per year. This resulted in a global sea level rise of 0.55 inches (14 millimeters) since 2003.
Researchers used ICESat-2 to track changes in ice sheet elevation over 16 years, finding significant losses in West Antarctica and Greenland's shrinking ice sheet, responsible for 14 millimeters of sea level rise. The study also reveals complex patterns of change in individual glaciers and ice shelves.
A new analysis of data from NASA's ICESat-2 and ICESat satellites estimates that polar ice losses from Greenland and Antarctica contributed to 14mm of sea level rise between 2003 and 2019. The study projects that melting ice from these regions will increasingly contribute to sea level rise within tens to hundreds of years.
The discovery of ancient frog fossils in Antarctica provides insight into a warm and temperate climate before the continent's separation. The 40-million-year-old fossils found on Seymour Island suggest that the Antarctic Peninsula may have had forests similar to those in modern-day South America.
The Southern Ocean's biodiversity is at risk due to current marine protected areas, which are insufficient to represent the region's unique habitats and species. To address this, a new study suggests doubling existing protected areas to better safeguard biodiversity and resilience in the face of climate change.
A recent special issue of Advances in Atmospheric Sciences presents the latest findings from expanded and ongoing research efforts in Antarctic meteorology and climate. The studies reveal signs of climate change, including strong warming over the Antarctic Peninsula, rapid ice loss, and changes in precipitation patterns.
Researchers found that UAV sounding data can improve Antarctic weather forecasting, especially for temperature, wind speed, and humidity predictions. The limited flight altitude of UAVs restricts the improvement to the atmospheric boundary layer.
A team of Brazilian researchers collected shallow snow cores and analyzed BC concentrations to study the particle's effect on Antarctic climate. They found very low BC concentrations, sparking questions about BC seasonal variability and geographical sources.
Researchers found fossil traces of a temperate rainforest in Antarctica dating back 90 million years, revealing a warmer climate than previously thought. The discovery suggests that the continent had an exceptionally warm climate during the Cretaceous period, with annual mean air temperatures similar to modern-day Hobart, Australia.
A team of researchers discovered pristinely preserved forest soil from the Cretaceous, including plant pollen and spores, in West Antarctica. The soil confirms that the region was home to temperate, swampy rainforests with an annual mean temperature of 12 degrees Celsius, much warmer than today's South Pole.
Researchers have assessed East Antarctica's Denman Glacier, which has retreated 5 kilometers, and found alarming clues about its condition. The glacier's potential impact on long-term sea level rise is significant due to its sheer size.
Scientists track unprecedented rate of Greenland's ice melting and continued Antarctic loss in a new study. The research used data from NASA's GRACE Follow-On satellites to monitor changes in Earth's gravity and water reserves, revealing striking results.
The 'Antarctica Factor' study reveals that Antarctic ice-loss is the greatest risk and uncertainty for global sea-levels, with a possible contribution of up to 58 cm within this century. The range of estimates is quite large, from 6-58 cm, but the results are robust due to the large number of ice sheet modeling groups involved.
Scientists tracked mass loss from Pine Island Glacier using ESA satellite technology and found complex patterns in space and time, with thinning rates decreasing in the central trunk by a factor of five since 2007. This contradicts previous observations, highlighting the need to improve model projections for future sea level rise.
Researchers at Columbia University found that ozone-depleting substances caused about a third of all global warming from 1955 to 2005 and half of Arctic warming and sea ice loss during this period. The Montreal Protocol, which phased out these substances, has been instrumental in reducing their impact on climate change.
A new study identifies 13 non-native species most likely to invade Antarctica's Antarctic Peninsula region over the next decade. The invasion could have devastating effects on fragile polar biological communities and ecosystems. Comprehensive biosecurity checks are crucial to prevent invasive species from reaching Antarctica.
Researchers observe a high-speed ice feature forming on a Russian glacier, which could indicate the transition from a glacial surge to an ice stream. The study suggests this phenomenon may be more common than previously thought and could impact predictions for global sea level rise.
A team of researchers extracted large air samples from Antarctica's Law Dome site, dating back to the 1870s, to track the history of hydroxyl and its impact on climate models. The analysis aims to produce a concentration curve for carbon-14 monoxide and hydroxyl over the decades, shedding light on past and future climate changes.
A UCI-led team has unveiled the most accurate portrait yet of Antarctica's ice sheet bed topography, revealing stabilizing ridges and deep land canyons. The new map will help scientists predict the continent's vulnerability to future climate warming.
A new study using satellite data from the European Space Agency has provided unprecedented insights into the deep structure of Antarctica. The researchers used special gradient data to analyze the lithosphere, which consists of the crust and the earth's upper mantle below the frozen continent.
A newly discovered penguin species, Kupoupou stilwelli, found on Chatham Island has proportions close to its modern relatives, indicating it waddled on land. The 62.5-60 million-year-old fossil provides insight into the evolution of early penguins and their adaptation to subtropical seas.
A new study reveals that the Montreal Protocol successfully mitigated global warming by banning CFCs in 1987. The treaty has led to a reduction of up to 3°C-4°C of avoided warming in the Arctic, and 1.5°C-2°C in regions like North America, Africa, and Eurasia.
A new study reveals the Arctic has warmed by 0.75 degrees C in the last decade alone, with potential consequences including up to 7 degrees C warming for the Arctic and increased risk of extreme weather. The authors emphasize the need for near-term measures to reduce carbon emissions to slow high latitude warming.
Researchers found significant changes in Antarctica's ice shelf thickness, causing ice to flow into the ocean. Thinning ice shelves result in a significant instantaneous response to ice flow and ongoing mass loss, affecting global sea levels.
This study examines how penguin species in Antarctica respond to changes in krill availability due to human activities and climate change. The analysis of nitrogen stable isotope values reveals that gentoo penguins shift their diet towards fish and squid, while chinstrap penguins remain exclusive to krill.
More than half of identified climate tipping points are now active, threatening the Amazon rainforest and ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland. The scientists call for urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to prevent key tipping points, warning of a worst-case scenario of a less habitable planet.
Researchers extracted pristine samples of carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases from 2 million-year-old ice cores in Antarctica. These 'snapshots' of prehistoric atmospheric conditions provide direct access to greenhouse gas measurements and shed light on the Mid-Pleistocene Transition, a period that saw significant changes in globa...
A study found that climate change impacts Arctic Terns' behavior and distribution in Antarctica, affecting their main food source of krill and habitat. The birds converged on the Shackleton Ice Shelf during a period of reduced krill abundance, highlighting the vulnerability of the species to climate change.
Researchers recorded persistent drizzle at temperatures below minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit in Antarctica, with the presence of low concentrations of airborne particles contributing to its formation. The findings have implications for improving the accuracy of climate models in polar regions.
Scientists have discovered a clear link between carbon dioxide levels and temperature in the past 2.8 million years, providing a new baseline for understanding climate science. The study reveals that highest CO2 levels matched recent warm periods, while lowest levels did not reach those found in ice ages of the last 800,000 years.
A new study models fracture chain reactions from meltwater ponds on Antarctica's ice shelves, finding a speed limit to their damage. The research suggests that while pond fracturing is short-ranged, rapid surface melting can trigger catastrophic collapses like Larsen B.
The Antarctic Broadcasts: Broader Impacts Through Telepresence project invites the public and classrooms to interact with polar scientists conducting critical research in Western Antarctica. The Inner Space Center will broadcast live 'Polar Stories' sessions, providing real-time feeds from ships and remote stations.
Researchers found that even the tallest ice cliffs will support their own weight rather than collapsing catastrophically, with slower ice shelf removal leading to slow sloughing away. This challenges previous predictions of rapid sea-level rise from Antarctica.
A £4 million EU-funded study is investigating the likelihood of abrupt changes in Antarctica's ice sheets, which could lead to a large and irreversible rise in global sea levels. The researchers aim to assess the chances of Antarctica's ice sheets entering an unstable retreat caused by thinning or disappearance of ice shelves.
New research reveals that warm ocean water is attacking the undersides of Antarctica's ice shelves, weakening their edges and making them more vulnerable to breakup. This process can lead to increased rates of sea-level rise, as ice on land flows quickly into the ocean.
Researchers studying the Ross Ice Shelf's paleo-pinning points aim to understand how and why it unpinned from Ross Bank. The study focuses on a crucial 30-year period, with data collection set for January 2021 in Antarctic waters.
Researchers found that a dramatic increase in North Atlantic salinity caused the Arctic-Atlantic gateway to close, preventing ocean-sinking and kickstarting the modern circulation. The study suggests that changes in the Atlantic conveyor belt could dramatically alter Europe's climate in a future warm world.
A new species of giant penguin, Crossvallia waiparensis, has been identified from fossils found in Waipara, North Canterbury. The discovery adds to the list of gigantic, but extinct, New Zealand fauna and reveals a close Antarctic relative.
The collaboration will produce digital elevation models (DEM) of the entire Earth, leveraging Blue Waters' domain expertise in optimizing workflows and applications. The project aims to create an ecosystem for geospatial modeling, allowing researchers to assess various research areas with unprecedented speed and efficiency.
A team of scientists will conduct a scientific cruise to the Arctic Ocean to understand the behavior of copepods, small crustaceans that are a vital source of food for fish and other species. The research aims to shed light on how climate change affects the Arctic food chain, with implications for ecosystem dynamics.