Unprecedented springtime retreat of Antarctic sea ice in 2016

Turner, John, Phillips, Tony, Marshall, Gareth J., Hosking, J. Scott, Pope, James O., Bracegirdle, Thomas J. and Deb, Pranab (2017) Unprecedented springtime retreat of Antarctic sea ice in 2016. Geophysical Research Letters, 44 (13). pp. 6868-6875. ISSN 0094-8276

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Abstract

During austral spring 2016 Antarctic sea ice extent (SIE) decreased at a record rate of 75 x 10(3) km(2) d(-1), which was 46% faster than the mean rate and 18% faster than in any previous spring season during the satellite era. The decrease of sea ice area was also exceptional and 28% greater than the mean. Anomalous negative retreat occurred in all sectors of the Antarctic but was greatest in the Weddell and Ross Seas. Record negative SIE anomalies for the day of year were recorded from 3 November 2016 to 9 April 2017. Rapid ice retreat in the Weddell Sea took place in strong northerly flow after an early maximum ice extent in late August. Rapid ice retreat occurred in November in the Ross Sea when surface pressure was at a record high level, with the Southern Annular Mode at its most negative for that month since 1968.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	©2017. Crown copyright. This article is published with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	model simulations,annular mode,extent,ocean,variability,trends,maximum,cycle
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	09 Aug 2018 15:30
Last Modified:	21 Oct 2022 19:34
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/68005
DOI:	10.1002/2017GL073656

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