Climate of extremes - Antarctica: Global Science from a Frozen Continent - page 136

Figure 4.31 Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change (IPCC) figure of projected
temperature change at end of twenty- rst
century.

Arctic

10 C

7
5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
-0.5
-1

Antarctic

ultimately drives all of the atmospheric and oceanic circulations on Earth, and gives
rise to our global climate as we know it. It would seem that projected changes in
Antarctic climate during the twenty- rst century, particularly expected increases

in snowfall over the Antarctic ice sheets, will have an impact on changes in global
sea level that impact all of us. Continued observation of the Antarctic atmosphere
and research into the linkages between Antarctic weather and climate and that of
lower latitudes and the interactions between the atmosphere, ocean, sea ice and ice
sheets will allow scientists to better re

ne these estimates of climate change.