Record heat causes ice to melt in the Arctic and Antarctica

In 2022, scientists recorded record heat in different parts of the world. At the poles, the situation was no different. This year’s high temperatures have caused a melting of ice unprecedented in history, in both the Arctic and Antarctica.

Read more: What are the effects of melting glaciers?

Extreme heat where it should be cold

To you, a temperature of -12.2°C may seem like an uncountable cold. However, it was one of the highest temperatures ever recorded at the Concordia research station, which is 1,600 kilometers from the South Pole. Reading recorded in March 2022.

According to a report published by the magazine new worldThe “extreme” heat was caused by the mass of hot, moist air brought to the continent by atmospheric rivers. This has happened frequently in recent years.

Information from Katherine Walker, researcher at the Woods Home Oceanographic Institution. According to her, one of the explanations for this is human-caused global warming.

Melting snow

In Antarctica, scientists have recorded the smallest extent of sea ice in history. This is a reflection of warming oceans.

In fresh water, there was also a melt. An ice pack the size of New York City collapsed off the eastern side of Antarctica in March this year.

In the arctic, issues involving The war between Russia and Ukraine Did not allow for more in-depth studies in the Arctic. However, through other means, scientists have discovered that the temperature of the region is rising.

In September, there was record heat in Greenland. The thermometer’s measurements were caused by hot, moist debris from Hurricane Fiona. The heatwave has caused “billions of tons of ice” to melt, according to The Guardian new world.

The trend for 2023 is not the best. And according to the publication, the situation should be repeated next year.

What happens if glaciers melt?

As we know, planet Earth lives in a delicate and balanced ecosystem. a Global Warming It could lead to continued melting of glaciers. As a result, people all over the world will suffer severe consequences.

Among them, perhaps the most important is the scarcity of fresh water. It is estimated that only 3% of the water in the world is fresh, and the rest is salt. Therefore, every little part is precious. The melting leads to the loss of river water and its mixing with sea water.

In addition, there may be extinctions of animal species that make glaciers their natural habitat. Not to mention, melting ice can harbor deadly viruses and bacteria that have survived being frozen for years.

Finally, the melting of ice in the Arctic and Antarctic is causing sea levels to rise on a large scale. And so, coastal cities – or even countries! – Can be completely submerged.