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Southern Ocean Saltier, Hotter and Losing Ice Fast as Decades-Long Trend Unexpectedly Reverses

SOUTHERN OCEAN, ANTARCTICA, JUN 29 – Since 2015, surface salinity in the Southern Ocean has risen sharply, causing rapid sea ice loss and the return of the Maud Rise polynya, a feedback loop worsening ice melt, scientists say.

  • A recent study published on June 30 highlights a significant reduction in Antarctic sea ice and increasing surface salinity in the Southern Ocean, featuring the return of a large open water area known as the Maud Rise polynya.
  • Researchers from the University of Southampton led by Dr. Alessandro Silvano found that a decades-long trend of fresher, colder surface water reversed around 2015, causing sudden salinity increase and sea ice loss.
  • The research highlights a dangerous feedback loop where saltier surface water allows heat to rise from the deep ocean, accelerating ice melt and increasing iceberg calving around Antarctica.
  • Beginning in 2015, the amount of sea ice around Antarctica has decreased by an area comparable to Greenland, and in years with reduced ice coverage, ocean temperatures in the Southern Ocean have increased by 0.3°C, with this warming persisting for up to three years—posing a significant threat to species that depend on sea ice habitats.
  • These findings imply current models may underestimate Antarctic changes, signaling urgent need for continuous monitoring as ongoing sea ice loss could reshape the Southern Ocean and worsen global warming effects.
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