Climate change affects all regions around the world, but the ice covered areas are particularly vulnerable in this case. The Antarctic ice sheet is the largest single mass of ice on Earth. Melting of ice sheets is dangerous, as it can lead to flooding of low-lying coastal areas and other negative processes. In this study, we use remote sensing methods to analyze the changes in air temperature and its impact on the condition of the ice sheets in the coastal regions of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Analysis of space images of the Antarctic Peninsula coast for the period 1985-2020 showed that the ice covered area shrinked, as a result, the length of the coastline expanded, and it became more winding. The length of the coastline has increased by 20-25%. Temperature analysis of the investigated area during 1985-2020 (according to the data provided by the Ukrainian Antarctic Akademik Vernadsky station) showed clearly that the average, maximum, and minimum air temperatures have been trending upwards. The average annual air temperature and the average minimum air temperature increased by 1–1.5 0C, the average maximum air temperature during this period increased by 3.30C. This is a sign that global climate change is also impacting the southernmost regions of Earth.
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