Antarctic sea ice hits one of its lowest winter peaks on record

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a sweeping view of Antarctic sea ice as it reached its annual winter peak in mid-September.  The bright expanse of ice stands out sharply against the deep blue of the Southern Ocean. Yet even at its widest reach, the frozen cover remained smaller than what long-term records would normally suggest.  The scene captures a moment in a year that left scientists with more questions than answers about the future of this remote and...