The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the National Polar Research Institute jointly released a press release on the 18th, stating that the agency observed the maximum Arctic sea ice area of 13.79 million square kilometers this year in March, but this data is the lowest since Japan began satellite observations in 1979.
Xinhua News Agency reported that the Arctic sea ice area continues to expand during the winter season from October to March each year, usually reaching its maximum value in March. Researchers from two institutions analyzed the distribution of sea ice in the Arctic using observation data from the high-performance microwave radiometer 2 carried by the Japanese water cycle monitoring satellite "Shuidi". They found that on March 20th, the sea ice area reached 13.79 million square kilometers, the largest area of the year.
By comparing observation data from over 40 years ago, researchers found that the lowest recorded historical data for the same period was 13.92 million square kilometers on March 5, 2017, marking a new low for this year's data. After analysis, researchers believe that one of the reasons for the record low maximum sea ice extent in the Arctic this year is that the temperature in the Arctic and surrounding waters from December 2024 to February 2025 was higher than in previous years.
The statement believes that the reduction of Arctic sea ice is closely related to global climate change and may have an impact on future meteorological patterns and marine environments.
