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Antarctic Pack Ice

Every year as the sun disappears for the winter, the surface waters around Antarctica freeze into a slab of ice 10-feet thick, which effectively doubles the size of the continent.
(© John Weller)
Every year as the sun disappears for the winter, the surface waters around Antarctica freeze into a slab of ice 10-feet thick, which effectively doubles the size of the continent. In the summer, the slab of ice breaks up into pack ice, which eventually drifts out to sea and melts, only to be replaced the next year. Sea ice is a critical habitat for nearly all the denizens of Antarctica, and is changing quickly in response to climate.
Tags: Antarctic