A tabular iceberg surrounded by sea ice in the Antarctic. (Credit: Eva Nowatzki, distributed via imaggeo)
A new study says that the measured expansion of sea ice in the Antarctic may be due to an error in the way satellite data is processed as recent observations show the ice is actually retreating.
Comparing past and present datasets revealed a difference between the two records. The current data shows much faster sea ice expansion than before. The authors reveal that difference comes from a calibration error which had a large influence on the long-term trend of sea ice cover.
Original research paper published in the journal The Cryosphere on July 22, 2014.
Names and affiliations of selected authors
