Why Isn't Antarctica Melting?

An iceberg melts off of Collins Glaciers by King George's Island, Antarctica.

Photo: Roberto Candia / AP Photo

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Antarctic sea ice hasn't shown the same obvious melting patterns in recent decades as the Arctic, fueling the global warming denialist crowd. Though the data isn't as consistent as in the North, where the extent of sea ice this summer hit a stunning record low, southern sea ice has been expanding.

While the Arctic has been melting faster than global climate models predict, Antarctic sea ice hasn't been responding as much as predicted, according to the Christian Science Monitor. Scientists know they don't know enough about either region, with complex ocean currents, and the likes of El Nino and La Nina, playing roles that are clearly as important to the Antarctic region as they are poorly understood.

And Antarctica's global warming counter-punch has not been consistent. Some areas have shown severe melting, which has unlocked glaciers that are now flowing more quickly to the sea. In 2000 and 2002, significant melting upset the gradual sea ice growth trend since 1978, but scientists warn global warming deniers that the dynamics in Antarctica, versus the Arctic, are very different, given that Antarctica is surrounded by so much more open ocean. And, because Antarctica has been so little studied, relative to the Arctic, it still isn't known if melting is occurring that is masked, as was the case in the Arctic, where warm water melted ice from the bottom up.

The bottom line is that there is still a lot to learn.

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