Study led by Irina Gorodetskaya warns of the impact of heatwave events on the melting of the surface of the Antarctic Peninsula.
A collaborative study led by CIIMAR researcher Irina Gorodetskaya, member of the Land-Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions team, reveals alarming new data on the impact of heat wave events on the melting of the surface of the Antarctic Peninsula.
The study, which follows the latest expedition by Irina and her team to the Antarctic Peninsula, looks at the drivers and impacts of an extreme and unprecedented heatwave that hit the Antarctic Peninsula in February 2022, causing a record melting of its surface.
One of the study’s key findings was the direct impact of an intense atmospheric river that brought unusual heat and rainfall to the north/northwestern part of the Antarctic Peninsula. The scenario was further amplified by the interaction of other large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns, resulting in widespread and intense surface melting throughout the region.
The work, which brought together 25 researchers from around the world, not only highlights the alarming pace of climate change, but also underlines the urgent need for collective action to safeguard one of the planet’s most vulnerable regions.
Photo credits: Irina Gorodetskaya
