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Near Antarctica, Saltier Seas Mean Less Ice, Study Finds (nytimes.com) 47

Some of the water around Antarctica has been getting saltier. And that has affected the amount of sea ice at the bottom of the planet. From a report: A study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that increases in salinity in seawater near the surface could help explain some of the decrease in Antarctic sea ice that have been observed over the past decade, reversing a previous period of growth.

"The impact of Antarctic ice is massive in terms of sea-level rise, in terms of global warming, and therefore, in terms of extremes," said Alessandro Silvano, a senior scientist at the University of Southampton studying the Southern Ocean and lead author of the study. The findings mean "we are entering a new system, a new world," he said.
The Times adds: "the Department of Defense announced it would be no longer be providing some of the satellite data that researchers use to monitor changes in sea ice."

Near Antarctica, Saltier Seas Mean Less Ice, Study Finds

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  • by ndsurvivor ( 891239 ) on Saturday July 05, 2025 @09:18AM (#65498890)
    is that the DOD will not be providing any more satellite images. I am guessing that the reason is that if you deny something is happening, then it won't.
  • by schwit1 ( 797399 ) on Saturday July 05, 2025 @09:28AM (#65498914)

    https://joannenova.com.au/2025... [joannenova.com.au]

    NYTimes provided no links to the study.

  • Of course, NASA recently released satellite data showing that total Antarctic ice has increased in recent years. Now, maybe that is ice on land, since sea ice is decreasing - especially around the peninsula, due to volcanic activity. However, the actual ESA press release notes that this doesn't make any sense either, since melting sea ice should reduce the saltiness of the water.

    At this point, honestly, it may be measurement errors. If it's not, it may be that the salinity is responsible for the loss of s

    • Of course, NASA recently released satellite data showing that total Antarctic ice has increased in recent years. Now, maybe that is ice on land, since sea ice is decreasing - especially around the peninsula, due to volcanic activity.

      You are correct. One report was regarding an increase in land ice, while the other report was regarding a decrease in sea ice.

      At this point, honestly, it may be measurement errors. If it's not, it may be that the salinity is responsible for the loss of sea ice, rather than any sort of climate change. Further investigation needed.

      The question is not whether the increased salinity is likely causing the decrease in sea ice; that seems like a safe presumption. The question is what's causing the increased salinity?

      • by SoftwareArtist ( 1472499 ) on Saturday July 05, 2025 @12:43PM (#65499392)

        This article [sciencealert.com] written by one of the authors of the study provides some insight on what is happening.

        Normally, the cold, fresh surface water sits on top of warmer, saltier water deep below. This layering (or stratification, as scientists call it) traps heat in the ocean depths, keeping surface waters cool and helping sea ice to form.

        Saltier water is denser and therefore heavier. So, when surface waters become saltier, they sink more readily, stirring the ocean's layers and allowing heat from the deep to rise.

        This upward heat flux can melt sea ice from below, even during winter, making it harder for ice to reform. This vertical circulation also draws up more salt from deeper layers, reinforcing the cycle.

        A powerful feedback loop is created: more salinity brings more heat to the surface, which melts more ice, which then allows more heat to be absorbed from the Sun.

  • by burtosis ( 1124179 ) on Saturday July 05, 2025 @09:43AM (#65498940)
    You can’t have a climate catastrophe if you don’t look up - taps head. It works swimmingly as long as the body needs are looked after, despite the brain unhindered by reality. Usually they shuffle mindlessly about and moan about the freedom they lost in vapid irony. But if it’s deep enough, and they are truly faithful, that realization will lie beyond their grasp to the last breath.

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