Study of sea ice aims to ‘see’ future

What does Antarctica have to do with one of Jupiter’s moons?

Much more than we might think — what Kiwi scientists discover on the continent may even aid the search for signs of life on Europa, 628.3 million kilometres away.

But their sea-ice study could answer important questions about how climate change might affect us.

“By looking at what happens where the sea ice meets the ocean, scientists will be able to use this information and apply different climate scenarios to ‘see’ into our planet’s future,” said Niwa marine physicist and team leader Dr Natalie Robinson.

Each year, the continent’s sea ice retreats in summer and expands in winter, doubling its size.

Antarctica NZ acting chief scientific adviser Dr Fiona Shanhun said this work posed some globally significant questions about sea ice.

“The long-term trend shows Antarctic sea ice extent has been increasing, despite a warming ocean.”

This year, Robinson’s team will collaborate with United States scientists who are collecting data underneath the sea ice with a purpose-built underwater robot funded by Nasa.

The two teams will compare information which may have implications for exploring life on Europa.

Europa is one of Jupiter’s 79 identifiable moons, with an ocean that lies below a thick ice shell. “Antarctica is the closest Earth-based comparison to Europa,” Robinson said.

Meanwhile, environmental group Greenpeace has condemned Russia, China and Norway for failing to back proposals to create in Antarctica what would have been the world’s largest marine protected area.

Proposals to establish three Antarctic ocean sanctuaries were tabled at the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources’ meeting in Hobart last week. But without support from the three nations the 25-nation commission couldn’t reach a unanimous vote.