Contrasting climate change in the two polar regions
Turner, John 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6111-5122; Overland, Jim.
2009
Contrasting climate change in the two polar regions.
Polar Research, 28 (2).
146-164.
10.1111/j.1751-8369.2009.00128.x
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Abstract/Summary
The two polar regions have experienced remarkably different climatic changes in recent decades. The Arctic has seen a marked reduction in sea-ice extent throughout the year, with a peak during the autumn. A new record minimum extent occurred in 2007, which was 40% below the long-term climatological mean. In contrast, the extent of Antarctic sea ice has increased, with the greatest growth being in the autumn. There has been a large-scale warming across much of the Arctic, with a resultant loss of permafrost and a reduction in snow cover. The bulk of the Antarctic has experienced little change in surface temperature over the last 50 years, although a slight cooling has been evident around the coast of East Antarctica since about 1980, and recent research has pointed to a warming across West Antarctica. The exception is the Antarctic Peninsula, where there has been a winter (summer) season warming on the western (eastern) side. Many of the different changes observed between the two polar regions can be attributed to topographic factors and land/sea distribution. The location of the Arctic Ocean at high latitude, with the consequently high level of solar radiation received in summer, allows the ice-albedo feedback mechanism to operate effectively. The Antarctic ozone hole has had a profound effect on the circulations of the high latitude ocean and atmosphere, isolating the continent and increasing the westerly winds over the Southern Ocean, especially during the summer and winter.
| Item Type: | Publication - Article |
|---|---|
| Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | 10.1111/j.1751-8369.2009.00128.x |
| Programmes: | BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Climate |
| ISSN: | 0800-0395 |
| Additional Keywords: | Annular modes; Antarctic; Arctic; climate change; ozone hole |
| NORA Subject Terms: | Meteorology and Climatology Glaciology |
| Date made live: | 15 Nov 2010 12:14 +0 (UTC) |
| URI: | https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/11331 |
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