Warm Waters Are Usually Trapped Deep Within the Southern Ocean. Now, They're Encroaching on Antarctica, Threatening Its Ice
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2Fd5%2F73%2Fd5731a8e-c968-46bd-ac7e-7bf9a86f99f8%2Fsea_ice_off_brunt_ice_shelf_modis_2021-01-31.jpg&w=1024)
Recent studies indicate that warm waters are moving closer to Antarctica, threatening its ice stability. These changes are attributed to climate change, which has altered ocean movements and increased the risk of ice melting. The findings highlight the need for enhanced data collection in the Antarctic region to better understand these dynamics.
- ▪Two studies reveal that deep-ocean heat is encroaching on Antarctica, threatening its ice.
- ▪The Southern Ocean's circulation has changed, allowing warmer water to rise and impact sea ice formation.
- ▪Researchers used data from the Argo network of robotic instruments to track these changes over the past 20 years.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Warm Waters Are Usually Trapped Deep Within the Southern Ocean. Now, They’re Encroaching on Antarctica, Threatening Its Ice Two new studies that relied on data from a fleet of diving robots show how climate change is altering ocean movements in ways that jeopardize the stability of the polar ice cap Rudy Molinek | Reporter April 28, 2026 ShareCopy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrintAdd as preferred source Sea ice forms off the edge of the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea. NASA The massive ice sheet covering Antarctica holds enough water to raise the global sea level by almost 200 feet. Human-caused climate change has been making it melt, raising the risk of flooding and other damaging effects for people living in many corners of the world.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Smithsonian Magazine.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Smithsonian Magazine
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F03%2F1f%2F031f1c20-fb8c-45e8-964a-4ba82e2950d8%2Fs-014-c01_1.jpeg&w=320)
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F21%2F3e%2F213e6ee0-ae4b-403e-a75e-516653c10772%2Fgettyimages-139289970.jpg&w=320)
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F88%2F59%2F885977a1-c31a-42e2-8ac9-c39bebe9ded5%2Ferdos4.jpg&w=320)
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F27%2Faa%2F27aa2593-9660-43a6-844d-52af3a7fd996%2Fc69a7443_1.jpg&w=320)
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F3f%2F59%2F3f59f4a3-baa6-4e76-8ec1-d1f67bed20b5%2Felisenda.jpg&w=320)
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F21%2Fe0%2F21e01f01-f286-4f57-bc46-5d031b7f727f%2Fenterprise12.jpg&w=320)