Antarktis

New studies indicate that stronger winds and warming deep ocean water have triggered a sharp decline in Antarctic sea ice since 2016. Previously expanding, the ice reached a record high in 2014 before plummeting to record lows. Researchers link this shift to wind-driven upwelling of circumpolar deep water.

18. März 2026 Von KI berichtet

Researchers have analysed a 3-million-year-old ice core from Allan Hills in Antarctica, measuring atmospheric CO2 at 250 parts per million and methane at 507 parts per billion during the late Pliocene. This epoch featured global temperatures about 1°C warmer than today and sea levels up to 25 metres higher. The levels are lower than previous indirect estimates.

A new study reveals that iron from melting West Antarctic ice does not boost algae growth as expected, potentially reducing the Southern Ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide. Researchers found that the iron delivered by icebergs is in a poorly usable form for marine life. This discovery challenges assumptions about how ice loss affects climate change mitigation.

16. Januar 2026 Von KI berichtet

Eine Gruppe von fünf südafrikanischen Schülern, darunter der 17-jährige Luke Boswell aus Gqeberha, ist kürzlich von einer prägende Expedition ins Deep Field Antarctica zurückgekehrt. Das Programm unter Leitung des Abenteurers Riaan Manser soll junge Menschen dazu inspirieren, Umweltprobleme durch praktisches Handeln anzugehen. Die Teilnehmer berichten von tiefgreifenden Veränderungen in ihrem Verständnis des Klimawandels und ihrer persönlichen Entwicklung.

An analysis of cracks in Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier over the past 20 years indicates it is nearing a total collapse. Known as the Doomsday Glacier, this rapidly changing ice mass poses uncertainties for global sea level rise predictions.

4. Dezember 2025 Von KI berichtet

Scientists from NOAA and NASA have reported that the 2025 ozone hole over Antarctica is the fifth smallest since 1992, when the Montreal Protocol began phasing out ozone-depleting chemicals. Warmer stratospheric temperatures and declining chlorine levels contributed to its limited size. The hole is already breaking apart nearly three weeks earlier than average.