In the Arctic, the old, multiyear ice is increasingly melting, dramatically reducing the frequency and size of pressure ridges.
In the Arctic, the old, multiyear ice is increasingly melting, dramatically reducing the frequency and size of pressure ridges. These ridges are created when ice floes press against each other and become stacked, and are a characteristic feature of Arctic sea ice, an obstacle for shipping, but also an essential component of the ecosystem. In a recently released study in the journal Nature Climate Change, experts from the Alfred Wegener Institute report on this trend and analyse observational data from three decades of aerial surveys.
Satellite data from the last three decades documents the dramatic changes in Arctic sea ice due to climate change: the area covered in ice in summer is declining steadily, the floes are becoming thinner and moving faster. Until recently, it was unclear how the characteristic pressure ridges had been affected, since it’s only been possible to reliably monitor them from space for the past few years.
Read More: Alfred Wegener Institute
Close-up of a newly formed pressure ridge in the Arctic Ocean. (Photo Credit: Alfred-Wegener-Institut)
