the sub zero temperatures in the air above. Again, changes in the sea ice, with its reflective and insulating qualities, are likely to have unpredictable consequences for the Antarctic continent and, flowing from that, climate change globally. JPL/British Antarctic Survey says the new study helps in understanding why there should be such a contrast between the two polar regions when it comes to sea ice. While the Arctic appears to be melting at an accelerating rate, over the period of the study, Antarctic sea ice in toto has actually increased, albeit slightly. The researchers state, however, that the slight net Antarctic increase in sea ice hides the underlying story of large regional increases and decreases, significant localised changes which are wind-driven. The different topography of the Arctic Ocean and Antarctica also provides some clues as to what is happening, scientists say. Whereas the Arctic Ocean is, to all intends and purposes, surrounded by land so that wind flows cannot cause Arctic ice to expand in the same way, in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, northward winds, blowing off the continent, can force sea ice to 'flow' northwards as there are no land or continental barriers to halt the flow. Highlighting how any localised expansion of Antarctic sea ice cannot be seen in isolation, Ron Kwok of JPL says, "The Antarctic sea ice cover interacts with the global climate system very differently than that of the Arctic, and these results highlight the sensitivity of the Antarctic ice coverage to changes in