Sea-ice extent

SO-WISE

We are constructing observationally-constrained estimates of the state of the Weddell Gyre, including associated ice shelves and sea ice Introduction In the 25 years between 1992 and 2017, ocean melting …

Retreat of Southern Hemisphere Sea Ice, 127 000 years BP

Sea ice is the cause of the largest uncertainties in climate model projections of polar change in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). During the Last Interglacial (LIG), between 130 000 and …

Artificial Intelligence Lab

The BAS AI Lab is a cross-disciplinary group of researchers leading in the application of AI and Data Science to tackle our greatest environmental challenges. AI methods are now embedded …

Weddell Sea ice sheet and climate

In the south of the Weddell Sea lies the Ronne and Filchner Ice Shelves. During the coldest part of the last glacial period about 25,000 years ago, the ice in …

The role of Antarctic sea-ice in global climate

Sea-ice is frequently cited as a likely driver and propagator of abrupt climate change because of the rapid and far-reaching impact of its feedbacks. However, numerical climate models are still …

Filchner Ice Shelf System, Antarctica

Understanding the contribution that polar ice sheets make to global sea-level rise is recognised internationally as urgent. The mission of this five-year project is to capture new observations and data …

Three polar bears on the edge of a small iceberg

ICE-ARC

physicists, chemists, biologists, economists, and sociologists from 21 institutes in 11 countries across Europe assess the rapid retreat and collapse of Arctic sea-ice cover

Sea ice at both poles

17 March, 2017

What’s new about sea-ice data? Conditions in the Arctic in 2020 look set to be the hottest on record. We will soon learn of the impact of these conditions on …

Retreating ice shelves briefing thumbnail

The Antarctic Peninsula’s retreating ice shelves

1 January, 2012

The breakout in March 2008 of the Wilkins Ice Shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula is the latest drama in a region that has experienced unprecedented warming over the last 50 …

Past evidence supports complete loss of Arctic sea-ice by 2035

10 August, 2020

A new study, published this week in the journal Nature Climate Change, supports predictions that the Arctic could be free of sea ice by 2035. High temperatures in the Arctic …

A view of water and a mountain in the background.

Antarctic sea ice loss explained in new study

17 June, 2020

Scientists have discovered that summer sea ice in the Weddell Sea area of Antarctica has decreased by one million square kilometres – an area twice the size of Spain – …

Arctic sea ice loss in past linked to abrupt climate events

12 February, 2019

A new study on ice cores shows that reductions in sea ice in the Arctic in the period between 30-100,000 years ago led to major climate events. During this period, …

FEATURED PAPER: Sea-ice loss impacts Northern Hemisphere

20 June, 2018

This study, led by scientists from the British Antarctic Survey, suggests that sea-ice loss in different regions of the Arctic, and of different amounts, leads to different effects on surface …

Study sheds new light on krill larvae survival

14 November, 2017

An international study involving British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists has shed light on how the larvae of Antarctic krill – small shrimp-like crustaceans – use sea ice to ensure their …

New study calls for unified research to understand changing ecosystems

2 October, 2017

A new multidisciplinary study led by scientists at British Antarctic Study (BAS) stresses the need for an integrated approach to understand the effects of climate change on Antarctic marine ecosystems. …

Arctic sea ice at minimum extent for 2017

25 September, 2017

Arctic sea ice extent has likely reached its minimum extent for the year, at 4.64 million square kilometers (1.79 million square miles) on September 13, 2017, according to a team …

UK scientists to explore Changing Arctic Ocean

3 July, 2017

A new £10 million research programme to investigate how the Arctic Ocean is changing kicked off last week (Friday 30 June) with its first research expedition to the Barents Sea. …

Storms caused massive Antarctic sea ice loss in 2016

23 June, 2017

A series of unprecedented storms over the Southern Ocean likely caused the most dramatic decline in Antarctic sea ice seen to date, a new study finds. Antarctic sea ice – …

Antarctic sea ice extent lowest on record

16 February, 2017

This year the extent of summer sea ice in the Antarctic is the lowest on record. The Antarctic sea ice minimum marks the day – typically towards end of February …

Sea smoke early morning off the Ronne Ice Shelf

FEATURED PAPER: Sea-ice reduction

18 October, 2016

A team of British climate scientists comparing today’s environment with the warm period before the last ice age has discovered a 65% reduction of Antarctic sea ice around 128,000 years …

New polar ship reaches first construction milestone

17 October, 2016

Keel-laying ceremony at Cammell Laird

A body of water with a mountain in the background.

Arctic sea ice heading towards second lowest on record

15 September, 2016

This year the extent of summer sea ice in the Arctic is heading towards being the second lowest on record. The Arctic sea ice minimum marks the day – typically …

New Antarctic ice discovery aids future climate predictions

16 August, 2016

A team of British climate scientists comparing today’s environment with the warm period before the last ice age has discovered a 65% reduction of Antarctic sea ice around 128,000 years …

Sea ice breaking up in the summer. Taken from an aircraft en-route from Halley to George von Neumayer Station, close to the coastline north west of Halley.

Wind-blown Antarctic sea ice helps drive ocean circulation

27 June, 2016

Antarctic sea ice is constantly on the move as powerful winds blow it away from the coast and out toward the open ocean. A new study published today in the journal Nature Geoscience (Monday 27 June) shows how that ice migration may be more important for the global ocean circulation than anyone realized.