Environment: Antarctica, marked decrease in sea ice thickness in the proximity of the Italian base

24 November 2022

A marked decrease in sea ice thickness occurred in the area in front of the Mario Zucchelli Italian Base in the Ross Sea where the 38th Expedition of the National Research Program in Antarctica (PNRA) took off, funded by the Ministry of University and Research, managed by ENEA for logistic planning and the National Research Council (Cnr) for scientific planning. For the first time sea ice, typically ranging around 200 centimetrs, has thinned to around 120 centimeters. According to researchers the phenomenon, which also involved the area where the runway for aircraft carrying personnel and materials is located, was caused by several and prolonged episodes of strong wind.