Scientists have highlighted the impact of episodes of "extreme melting" on the Arctic

In addition to rising temperatures, climate change in the Arctic is leading to episodes of extreme melting, where ice loss that previously took weeks or months occurs in just a few days. These increasingly frequent events are changing the normal dynamics of ice loss, significantly changing the state of snow and ice — the most vulnerable elements of the polar climate system. This was reported on December 16 by Science X.

The winter accumulation of snow, allegedly, no longer compensates for the summer losses. This annual balance has been negative for decades, however, extreme episodes cause much higher melting rates than usual. These events can be called heat waves. They are determined not by air temperature, but by high melting rates, which cause snow and ice to disappear.

According to the publication, the pattern is observed throughout the Arctic, but there are regional differences. It is specified that Greenland, which contains the largest ice reserve in the Northern Hemisphere, has suffered the most. So, in July 2012, August 2019 and August 2021, more than 90% of the island's surface was simultaneously in a state of melting.

These episodes occur when general warming in the Arctic is combined with atmospheric patterns that enhance melting. The gradual rise in temperatures creates the basis for such events, but it is specific weather patterns such as prolonged anticyclones that turn a hot summer into an extreme event.

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Anticyclones are blocked when an area of high pressure remains stationary for several days, rejecting normal weather systems. This causes atmospheric stability and clear skies, allowing warm air from the south to dramatically increase surface temperatures. In some cases, the arrival of masses of moist air creates warm clouds that radiate heat to the ice. This accelerates the melting even more.

Each episode also leaves a physical footprint on the surface, as melting removes recent snow, exposing dark, less reflective ice. This decrease in albedo (reflectivity) increases the absorption of solar energy, which causes the next melting process on a more vulnerable surface. This process creates a closed cycle that accelerates the loss of ice mass and contributes to the rapid warming that now characterizes the Arctic.

In addition, since the 1990s, summer melting has intensified and spread to high-altitude areas that previously remained frozen even in summer. Currently, the isotherm is rising higher, moving the melting zone deeper into the glaciers and reducing the size of areas that previously served as reservoirs of ice accumulation.

On December 14, Science X reported hundreds of iceberg earthquakes in Antarctica. It was clarified that the recorded seismic events occurred between 2010 and 2023, most of which were at the sea edge of the Thwaites Glacier, known as the Doomsday Glacier. According to the publication, its destruction could lead to a sharp rise in sea levels.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.