A recent Chinese study revealed the important role played by the growth of the Antarctic ice sheet and the expansion of sea ice in the Southern Ocean in causing the transition to the middle of the Ice Age, which is a period characterized by intensive formation of ice sheets and low sea surface temperatures.

The study was conducted by researchers from the Institute of Earth Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with researchers from other domestic and international institutes.

The study published in the ‘Science’ journal indicates an important climatic shift that occurred between 1.25 million and 2 million years ago.

According to the findings, the significant growth of the Antarctic ice sheets during this period had a profound impact on global climate patterns. As the Antarctic ice sheets expanded, they caused an increase in sea ice in the Southern Ocean, which in turn led to a cooling effect in the high northern latitudes. This cooling enhanced the transport of moisture to the No
rthern Hemisphere, contributing to the growth of ice sheets there, thus transitioning the Earth into the middle of the Ice Age.

“The study will contribute to the assessment of the recent global warming phenomenon, which is already causing asymmetric melting of the ice sheets at the poles,” said academician An Zhixing of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He noted that the ice sheet in the Northern Hemisphere and the sea ice in the Arctic Ocean are melting rapidly, while the ice sheet in Antarctica is melting at a relatively slow rate.

“The study will raise awareness of the importance of quantitatively assessing the relationship between asymmetric melting of polar ice sheets and global climate change,” Xing added.

Source: Qatar News Agency