
Full Text:
The recent trend of increasing Antarctic sea ice extent — seemingly at odds with climate model projections — can largely be explained by a natural climate fluctuation, according to a new study. The study offers evidence that the negative phase of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation, which is characterized by cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific, has created favorable conditions for additional Antarctic sea ice growth since 2000.
Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio/Cindy Starr
