Zmiany trendu temperatury powietrza na Antarktydzie w latach 1958-2000

The progressive increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in consequence leads to the rise of the global air temperature. According to the III Report of IPCC (2001) from 1880 the mean temperature on the Earth has grown by 0.6°C ą0.2°C. The reaction of polar regions to the greenhouse effect is unknown. The Antarctic climate shows a considerably greater variability in comparison with the lower latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. This is conditioned by interactions between the atmospheric circulation, the ocean, and the cryosphere. According to the scenarios of global greenhouse effect the temperature at the polar regions should grow by 3°C in summer and 4-5°C in winter. However, these model researches are not confirmed in reality. This shows that our knowledge concerning the functioning of climate system of the polar regions is insufficient. In the paper we have used monthly mean air temperature values for 21 stations being in operation on the Antarctic in the years 1958-2000 and for 34 stations making observations in the years 1981-2000. After checking the homogeneity of the series by the Alexandersson?s (1986) test we have counted the trends of air temperature. The average trend for annual and seasonal values were expressed by temperature change per 10 years. In the years 1958-2000 on the Antarctic the trend of the mean annual values of the air temperature shows great spatial differentiation. These differences are connected with the radiation balance depending on the variability of cloudiness and the albedo of the surface, and on the transformation of pressure fields and changes of the atmospheric circulation. Statistically significant (on 0.95 significance level) air temperature increase occurred on the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula (for example Faraday 0.67°C/10 years) and at the stations Belgrano and McMurdo. A negative air temperature trend occurred on the South Pole (-0.21°C/10 years) and on the Droning Maud Land. The temperature changes in the region of the Antarctic Peninsula are correlated with the extension and surface of sea ice, especially in winter. There are considerable differences of air temperature trends on the Antarctic between the periods 1958-1980 and 1981-2000. The period 1958-1980 is characterized by an increase of air temperature, especially on the shore of continent (Casey 0.84°C/10 years, Faraday 0.76°C/10 years, Halley 0.69°C/10 years). The interior of the continent is distinguished by stability of weather conditions. Year-to-year temperature changes are smaller, then at the coast (the trend at the Amundsen-Scott station average 0.26°C/10 years). During the last years (1981-2000) significant changes took place in the tendency of air temperature on the Antarctic. In many regions of the Antarctic cooling began, on the cost of East Antarctica the temperature decreases, on the coasts of the Wilkes Land (Casey -0.82°C/10 years) and the Weddell Sea (Halley -1.13?C/10 years, Larsen Ice -0.89°C/10 years), especially in the autumn-winter period. In the interior of the continent also lower and lower temperatures occurred (Amundsen-Scott -0.42°C/10 years, Dome C -0.71°C/10 years). The cooling can be observed in all seasons, but it is the greatest in summer and autumn, when the decrease of solar radiation was observed in connection with the growing cloudiness. Vostok situated at the highest parts of ice dome does not show statistically significant trend. An increase of the temperature was observed in the interior of West Antarctica (Byrd 0.37°C/10 years). The warming rate of the climate became weaker on the Antarctic Peninsula (Faraday 0.56°C/10 years). The largest temperature changes occurred in the autumn-winter season when in the Antarctic Peninsula region the temperature increased, while in the interior and at the coast of East Antarctica considerably fell. Climate changes during the last 20 years of the 20th century showed the weakening of the warming rate on the Antarctic Peninsula and distinct cooling on the East Antarctica. The lack of warming, or even cooling, on the East Antarctica, is favourable to maintain the present climate system in this region. The increasing air temperature on the West Antarctic, especially on the Antarctic Peninsula caused many natural consequences. The ablation of glaciers clearly intensified, deglaciation takes place, glaciers retreat. The environmental changes lead to disturbances in the functioning of the Antarctic ecosystem.