Abstract

BRACEGIRDLE, Thomas J. Detection and attribution of Antarctic climate change. Anales Instituto Patagonia (Chile) [online]. 2012, vol.40, n.1, pp. 51-56. ISSN 0718-686X.  doi: 10.4067/S0718-686X2012000100005.

The current understanding of climate changes that have occurred in the last 50 years over Antarctica is presented with a focus on: (i) a summer warming of the eastern Antarctic Peninsula, which caused the collapse of the larsen B ice shelf, (ii) the observed significant increase of total sea ice extent and (iii) an anthropogenic ‘fingerprint’ in the Antarctic-wide temperature change pattern. The implications of this for predictions of the future are discussed.

Keywords : Detection and attribution; Antarctic; climate; ozone hole; sea ice.