01-05 December 2025
INCOIS, Hyderabad, India.
| Abstract Submission No. | ABS-04-0343 |
| Title of Abstract | Extreme warming events in the East Antarctic: Drivers, impacts, and climate significance |
| Authors | Sathish Kashaboina*, Babula Jena, Kshitija Suryawanshi, Bajish C.C, Ashwita Chouksey, Jeebanjyoti Swain |
| Organisation | National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research |
| Address | National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research Vasco da gama, Goa, India Pincode: 403804 E-mail: ksathish@ncpor.res.in |
| Country | India |
| Presentation | Poster |
| Abstract | Antarctic heatwaves are extreme events sustained over several days, characterized by temperatures that exceed specific threshold values or rank among the most intense in the historical record, causing major impacts on sea ice, ocean atmosphere interactions, and the cryospheric ecosystem. This study focuses on the extreme warming events observed during the austral summer of 2022 and investigates the underlying atmospheric drivers. To analyze these events, we combine observations from Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), satellite-based measurements, and ERA5 reanalysis data. The analysis emphasizes spatial and temporal variations in key atmospheric circulation variables, including mean sea level pressure (MSLP), wind patterns, surface air temperature (SAT), and sea ice concentration (SIC), over the Indian Ocean Sector of the Southern Ocean. During the summer of 2022, East Antarctica experienced record-breaking temperature anomalies, with the Relay AWS reporting SAT values more than 13.4°C above climatological mean. These extreme temperatures were strongly linked to the repeated intrusion of atmospheric rivers (ARs), with a long, narrow corridors of moisture originating in the midlatitudes. The occurrence of heatwaves was primarily driven by the increasing frequency of ARs, which were associated with anomalous cyclonic activity, reduced MSLP, and poleward advection of warm air. In addition to synoptic-scale systems, broader climate drivers also contributed to the formation and intensity of these ARs. These included variability in the Amundsen Sea Low, fluctuations in the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), dynamics of the polar vortex, and upper-ocean warming. Episodes of atmospheric blocking and extratropical storm activity further amplified the persistence of these events. Together, these interacting processes shaped the occurrence of extreme temperature anomalies in Antarctica during 2022, accelerating sea ice decline and intensifying climate-related impacts across the region. |
| Are you part of IIOE-2 endorsed project | no |
| Keywords | Marine Heatwaves, Extreme temperatures, ERA5, Southern Ocean, East Antarctic. |
| For Awards | yes |
| Date Of Birth | 02-12-1996 |
| ECSN Registration Number | IIOE2-ECSN-0177 |