A downward spiral of the Arctic’s ecological health and climatic conditions continued in 2023, causing problems for people, plants, and animals, according to a new NOAA report.
sea ice
Posted inNews
Arctic Ice Loss Could Shorten Winter Feeding Time for Zooplankton
The Arctic’s thinning sea ice allows more light to penetrate deeper into the ocean, holding zooplankton far beneath the surface.
Posted inNews
Winds Clear Sea Ice Through Fertile Arctic Waters
The North Water polynya might not be as dependent on a sea ice bridge as previously thought, but not everyone is convinced.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Landfast Sea Ice: The Most Important Ice You’ve Never Heard Of
Landfast sea ice, sea ice that is held stationary against the Antarctic continent, links firmly with many key climate processes, but its importance is only being fully realized as its extent dwindles.
Posted inNews
Herbivore Diversity Helps Maintain Arctic Tundra Diversity
A long-term experiment in southwestern Greenland reveals that the presence of musk oxen and caribou helps stave off declines in Arctic tundra diversity brought on by climate change.
Posted inNews
Meltwater from Antarctic Glaciers Is Slowing Deep-Ocean Currents
Antarctic ice drives crucial deep-ocean currents that help regulate Earth’s climate. But the system is slowing down.
Posted inNews
Sea Ice Is Going, but When Will It Be Gone?
A pair of studies demonstrate the uncertainty over when the Arctic will become seasonally sea ice free.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Clues from a Subglacial Lake for Holocene Grounding Line Change
Organic carbon sampled in the lake contained radiocarbon, indicating connection to the ocean in the mid-Holocene, when the grounding line was up to 260 kilometers inland of its current position.
Posted inNews
Rivers in the Sky Are Hindering Winter Arctic Sea Ice Recovery
Climate change is increasing the frequency of moisture-dumping atmospheric rivers in the Arctic. The storms are pushing back sea ice at a time of year when it should be expanding.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How Thick Is Antarctic Ice, and What Is Underneath?
Scientists used electromagnetic fields to determine the thickness of fast ice.