Ice core reconstruction of sea ice change in the Amundsen-Ross Seas since 1702 A.D.

Thomas, Elizabeth R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3010-6493; Abram, Nerilie J.. 2016 Ice core reconstruction of sea ice change in the Amundsen-Ross Seas since 1702 A.D. Geophysical Research Letters, 43 (10). 5309-5317. 10.1002/2016GL068130

Before downloading, please read NORA policies.

Preview

Text (Open Access) © 2016. The Authors. Thomas_et_al-2016-Geophysical_Research_Letters.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Download (742kB) | Preview

Abstract/Summary

Antarctic sea ice has been increasing in recent decades, but with strong regional differences in the expression of sea ice change. Declining sea ice in the Bellingshausen Sea since 1979 (the satellite era) has been linked to the observed warming on the Antarctic Peninsula, while the Ross Sea sector has seen a marked increase in sea ice during this period. Here we present a 308 year record of methansulphonic acid from coastal West Antarctica, representing sea ice conditions in the Amundsen-Ross Sea. We demonstrate that the recent increase in sea ice in this region is part of a longer trend, with an estimated ~1° northward expansion in winter sea ice extent (SIE) during the twentieth century and a total expansion of ~1.3° since 1702. The greatest reconstructed SIE occurred during the mid-1990s, with five of the past 30 years considered exceptional in the context of the past three centuries.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1002/2016GL068130
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > BAS Programmes 2015 > Ice Dynamics and Palaeoclimate
ISSN:	0094-8276
Additional Keywords:	sea ice reconstruction, ice core Antarctica
Date made live:	18 Jul 2016 11:02 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/512862

Actions (login required)

View Item

Document Downloads

More statistics for this item...