. Earth Science News .
WATER WORLD
Teleconnection between the tropical Pacific and Antarctica
by Staff Writers
Sapporo, Japan (SPX) May 16, 2017


Map showing the correlation values between the latitude of the land-fast sea ice edge in Lu?Ezow-Holm Bay and sea surface temperature in April. Reddish parts and blue parts show positive correlations and negative correlations respectively, suggesting that ice calving occurs when seawater temperatures are high in the tropical pacific. Water temperature data were provided by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Credit Aoki S., Geophysical Research Letters, April 7, 2017

In April 2016, a large-scale breakup of land-fast ice was observed in Lutzow-Holm Bay near Syowa Station, a Japanese research facility. It was the first comparably large calving in the region since 1998. Land-fast ice is sea ice that grows along the Antarctic coast and does not move much once formed. Syowa Station is normally surrounded by land-fast ice, which makes it very difficult for even an icebreaker to reach.

Such a large calving has been reported several times in the past, but the cause of ice calving in Antarctica has mostly been shrouded in mystery.

Associate Professor Shigeru Aoki of Hokkaido University's Institute of Low Temperature Science has studied satellite imagery from 1997 to identify possible correlations between land-fast ice breakups and the climate condition data gathered at Syowa Station as well as sea surface temperature data from around the world.

Land-fast ice breakup is most commonly observed in April, so Aoki investigated the latitudes where breakups of land-fast ice were observed and compared them with the data of April's climatological variable averages, such as atmospheric pressures on the ground and seawater surface temperatures.

According to Aoki's research, breakup latitudes in April exhibited a degree of correlation with ground-level atmospheric pressures and other indices of climate modes in the region. In particular, breakup latitudes highly correlated with seawater surface temperatures off Syowa Station and the tropical Pacific as far as 17,000 km away, indicating land-fast ice breakup is more often observed when seawater temperatures in the tropical Pacific are high.

At the end of 2015, several months before the major ice calving near Syowa Station, an El Nino climate cycle was said to be the third most intense in history, raised seawater temperatures in the tropical Pacific to one of the highest levels recorded. The 1998 ice calving, which occurred deep inside Lutzow-Holm Bay, coincided with the most intense El Nino in the history of the tropical Pacific.

Aoki says "The mechanism of teleconnection between tropical Pacific seawater and ice calving in Antarctica has yet to be fully elucidated. However, we hypothesize that high seawater temperatures in the tropical Pacific would trigger atmospheric waves, which eventually reach the sea off Syowa Station to cause oceanic heat storage.

"Warmer seawater would melt and reduce ice floes, which helps generate and propagate sea waves. This series of events would result in large ice breakup at the bay. Further study could enhance our understanding of global-scale climate teleconnections and allow for more precise forecasts of ice behavior in Antarctica."

Research paper

WATER WORLD
Dutch design breakthrough fast tracks oceans clean-up plan
Utrecht, Netherlands (AFP) May 11, 2017
A Dutch engineer aiming to clean up vast ocean "garbage patches" of plastic Thursday unveiled a radical design breakthrough, enabling his ambitious project to start two years early. Boyan Slat's innovative scheme seeks to use ocean currents to help gather up an estimated five trillion pieces of plastic - everything from bottles, to plastic bags, flip-flops and other detritus - from the pla ... read more

Related Links
Hokkaido University
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

WATER WORLD
Healthcare bill inspires road rage: Tenn. woman tries to run Congressman off road

New fiber-based sensor could quickly detect structural problems in bridges and dams

Marine Le Pen: far-right firebrand who has shaken up French politics

20 sentenced to prison for deadly 2015 China landslide

WATER WORLD
A bath for precision printing of 3-D silicone structures

Physical keyboards make virtual reality typing easier

Inverse designing spontaneously self-assembling materials

Scientists create hologram that changes images as it is stretched

WATER WORLD
Fish should figure in to fate of nation's aging dams

Dying Guatemala lake underlines climate change threat

Teleconnection between the tropical Pacific and Antarctica

Large storms can flood aging sewer systems with harmful bacteria, viruses

WATER WORLD
Alaska Tundra Source of Early-Winter Carbon Emissions

Tillerson hosts Arctic forum in shadow of Russia spat

Irreversible ocean warming threatens the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf

Montana's glaciers are disappearing

WATER WORLD
Tillage farming damaging earthworm populations

Syngenta shareholders accept ChemChina offer

Conservation agriculture offers tired soil remedies

Can edible insects help curb global warming?

WATER WORLD
Another day on the job, in the eye of a hurricane

NASA spots Eastern Pacific season's earliest first tropical storm in satellite era

Eastern Canada is drying out after the worst flooding in a half-century

New tool could help predict, prevent surging waters in flood plains

WATER WORLD
Wounded author Kuki Gallmann vows return to Kenyan ranch

Gunfire as I.Coast troops resume protest despite 'apology'

Ivory Coast's rebel soldiers apologise to president

Army to protect Tunisia economy from protests: president

WATER WORLD
South African cave yields yet more fossils of a newfound relative

Changes in Early Stone Age tool production have 'musical' ties

Homo naledi's surprisingly young age opens up more questions on where we come from

Modern DNA reveals ancient origins of Indian population









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.