Reassessing methanesulfonic acid as a sea ice proxy: An example from the Weddell sea sector

Smith, R. M., Weich, Z. C., Giorio, C., Allen, C. S. and Thomas, E. R. 2026. Reassessing methanesulfonic acid as a sea ice proxy: An example from the Weddell sea sector. Geophysical Research Letters 53 (20) , e2026GL124543. 10.1029/2026gl124543

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Abstract

Antarctic sea ice has declined since 2015, but placing this trend in a longer-term context remains challenging. Ice core methanesulfonic acid (MSA) offers a potential record of sea ice variability beyond the instrumental period, yet its applicability in sectors including the Weddell Sea remains unclear. We present an MSA record from the Gomez ice core on the southwest Antarctic Peninsula and combine air mass back-trajectories and satellite observations to reassess the MSA-sea ice relationship. Trajectory and spatial correlation analyses identify the central Weddell Sea as the dominant MSA source. We show that traditional correlations with northernmost sea ice extent are misleading in this region due to spatially complex seasonal ice dynamics; instead, the timing of autumn–winter ice advance and consolidation influences MSA formation during the following spring–summer. These findings highlight both the complexity of the MSA-sea ice relationship and its potential for reconstructing seasonal sea ice variability.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Earth and Environmental Sciences Schools > Physical, Chemical & Environmental Sciences
Publisher:	Wiley Open Access
ISSN:	0094-8276
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	23 October 2026
Date of Acceptance:	28 September 2026
Last Modified:	23 Oct 2026 14:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/190398

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