SEA ICE DYNAMICS IN THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA REGION BASED ON ERA5 DATA

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14393/RCG2780204

Keywords:

Sea ice extent, Seasonal trends, Climate variability, Ocean-atmosphere interaction

Abstract

Sea ice (SI) plays a fundamental role in the global climate balance by modulating ocean-atmosphere interactions over the Antarctic Peninsula. This study examines the seasonal and interannual variability of sea-ice extent in the Amundsen-Bellingshausen Seas (ABS) and the Weddell Sea (WS) from 1979 to 2020, using ERA5 reanalysis data and the Mann-Kendall and Pettitt statistical tests. The results indicate a statistically significant reduction in sea-ice cover in ABS during the austral summer and autumn (~20%), contrasting with a moderate increase in August and September (~10%), which suggests an intensification of sea-ice seasonality. In WS, a slight recovery of sea-ice extent is observed in February and March (~18%). These variations appear to be associated with modes of climate variability and the persistence of the Amundsen Sea Low (ASL).

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Author Biographies

  • Ynara Aguiar Castro, Federal University of Pelotas

    Graduanda em Meteorologia pela Universidade Federal de Pelotas e aluna de Pós-graduação em Meteorologia pela Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul.

  • Douglas da Silva Lindemann, Federal University of Pelotas

    Meteorologista formado na Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPEL), mestre e doutor em Meteorologia Aplicada pela Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), tendo realizado doutorado sanduíche no International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) em Trieste-IT. Professor Substituto na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG). Atualmente é Pesquisador do Programa Nacional de Pós-Doutorado (PNPD/CAPES) na Faculdade de Meteorologia da UFPEL.

  • Mateus Dias Nunes, Federal University of Pelotas

    Graduação em Meteorologia pela Universidade Federal de Pelotas (2014). Mestrado em Meteorologia pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Meteorologia da Universidade Federal de Pelotas (2017), com foco nas áreas de Radiação Atmosférica, Dinâmica da Atmosfera e Sensoriamento Remoto da Atmosfera. Atualmente, doutorando no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Meteorologia do Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (PGMET/INPE), atuando nas linhas de Trocas entre a Alta Troposfera e Baixa Estratosfera (UTLS) e Modelagem de Códigos de Transferência Radiativa com ênfase em ozônio estratosférico e gases de efeito estufa. Atuou como professor assistente entre 2019-2020 na Universidade Federal de Itajubá (UNIFEI)

  • André Becker Nunes, Federal University of Pelotas

    Graduação em Meteorologia pela Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPEL) (2000), Mestrado em Meteorologia pela UFPEL (2002) na área de física da camada limite planetária e Doutorado em Meteorologia pelo Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (2008) na área de modelagem em micrometeorologia. Participação no Grupo de Mudanças Climáticas do CCST-INPE entre 2008 e 2009. Professor da Faculdade de Meteorologia da UFPEL desde novembro de 2009. Membro permanente do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Meteorologia (PPGMET) e do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Hídricos (PPGRH). Orientações de doutorado, mestrado e iniciação científica nas áreas de climatologia, mudanças climáticas, meteorologia sinótica, agrometeorologia e micrometeorologia. Co-orientações no PPG em Agronomia (UFPEL), no PPG em Sensoriamento Remoto (UFRGS), PPG em Meteorologia (UFSM) e PPG em Oceanologia (FURG). Chefe do Departamento de Meteorologia da UFPel (2010-2014). Tutor do Grupo PET-Meteorologia (2016-2021). Coordenador do PPGRH da UFPEL (2022-2024). Atual coordenador adjunto do PPGRH (2025). Professor Associado do Departamento de Meteorologia da UFPEL.

  • Rose Ane Pereira de Freitas, Federal University of Pelotas

    Graduada em Meteorologia pela Universidade Federal de Pelotas (2006), mestra em Meteorologia Agrícola pela Universidade Federal de Viçosa (2011), doutora em Meteorologia pela Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (2017) e formação pedagógica em Geografia pelo Grupo Uniasselvi (2021). Atualmente, professora na Faculdade de Meteorologia da Universidade Federal de Pelotas (FAMet/UFPEL). Tenho experiência na área de Meteorologia Física, Climatologia, Interação Oceano-Atmosfera e Biometeorologia Humana.

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Published

2026-05-29

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Vol. 27 (2026)

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Copyright (c) 2026 Ynara Aguiar Castro, Douglas da Silva Lindemann, Mateus Dias Nunes, André Becker Nunes, Rose Ane Pereira de Freitas

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How to Cite

AGUIAR CASTRO, Ynara; LINDEMANN, Douglas da Silva; NUNES, Mateus Dias; NUNES, André Becker; FREITAS, Rose Ane Pereira de. SEA ICE DYNAMICS IN THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA REGION BASED ON ERA5 DATA. Caminhos de Geografia, Uberlândia, v. 27, p. e2729, 2026. DOI: 10.14393/RCG2780204. Disponível em: https://seer.ufu.br/index.php/caminhosdegeografia/article/view/80204. Acesso em: 1 jun. 2026.