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| Weddell Sea Ice Loss - Susie Grant |
A team of scientists found that the summer sea ice in the Weddell Sea is diminishing at a dramatic rate. Since 2015, the ice cover has decreased by one million km² and could pose a problem for local marine life.
They found that the Weddell Sea was subjected to a number of severe summer storms in 2016 and 2017. When such storms occur in both the Arctic and the Antarctic, they can break up pack ice and drive the resulting floes, causing them to melt faster.
The team also found something that has not occurred in 50 years. A polynya ; A polynya is an area of open water surrounded by contiguous area of sea ice.