SA scientists gather cold facts about global warming

Researchers probe the secrets of sea ice in the Southern Ocean. (Photo: supplied)

There is a sense of irony when our scientists have to travel to one of the coldest corners of the Earth to get a better handle on why the planet is getting hotter.

Deep down near Antarctica, a 92-strong team of South African scientists aboard the SA Agulhas II has been wrapped up very warmly since leaving Cape Town last month.

Last week, for example, the air temperature was -19 °C, (or nearly -45 °C when combined with the wind chill factor) while travelling through the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties.

The remainder of this article is available on https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-08-05-sa-scientists-gather-cold-facts-about-global-warming/.

Ice pancakes are cut up and analysed on the heli-deck of the SA Agulhas II. (Photo: supplied)

A researcher bores into the sea ice to collect core samples (Photo: supplied)

Floating ice ‘pancakes’ are collected and winched aboard the SA Agulhas II. (Photo: supplied)

Story: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-08-05-sa-scientists-gather-cold-facts-about-global-warming/  Author: Tony Carnie    Photos: Provided