Sea ice cover reaches lowest level in Antarctica

Tags: Science and Technology

In the study conducted by scientists, it has been told that the area of the Antarctic Ocean covered with ice has shrunk to a record low level.

An overview of the news

• According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center in the United States, Antarctica's sea ice extent was recorded at 2.2 million square kilometres last week, down from 2.27 million square kilometres as of February 24, 2022, the previous record.

• This is the lowest since records began in 1979.

• According to scientists, this is the second consecutive year when snow has melted up to 20 lakh square km in a day.

• The coldest region on Earth, 99 percent of Antarctica is covered with ice.

• About two thick layers of ice are frozen here. But now this ice is melting fast.

• According to scientists, due to the hot winds, the snow is melting rapidly, this year the temperature of the hot winds has been 1.5 degrees above the average.

About Antarctica

• It is the southernmost continent and the fifth largest continent on Earth.

• Antarctica is uninhabited except for about 40 permanent stations set up by many countries including India for scientific research.

• India has two research centres on the Antarctic continent - 'Maitri' and 'Bharati'.

• India has completed 40 scientific expeditions here under the Antarctic program so far.