And Arctic ice is all sea ice, meaning its presence or absence doesn't substantially change the mass distribution of the planet, since it's just frozen water floating on water.
I think it's well established in the scientific literature than Arctic sea-ice is in substantial decline while antarctic sea ice is growing. However it is also known that Antarctic land ice is declining. The reason I starred this question was because, knowing that it is not based on reality, if the statements in the question were true in a hypothetical world what would occur?
Both the Arctic and Antarctic are losing ice. Although the Antarctic shows area gains on the eastern portion during the winter, the western, ice is melting from underneath due to the ocean temperature. The deniers keep saying the Antarctic is gaining ice, but the total volume decreases every year and faster than expected, and they know this full well.
Well that is sea ice you are talking about, so the actual mass of the sea ice differences between the poles is not that different because it is floating in water. Glacial mass would be the one to know, which satellites have only recently been capable of making those measurements so we do not know if Antarctica's glaciers are increasing at the same rate as the Antarctic sea ice has been, if they were that would be significant.
Arctic and antarctic ice has decreased and increased in huge amounts before, without any major problems, why should anything happen now, anyway it's all part of a natural cycle which has happened many times before, last time was when the Vikings settled in Greenland.
Extent of Antarctic sea ice reaches record levels, scientists say
Scientists say the extent of Antarctic sea ice cover is at its highest level since records began.
Satellite imagery reveals an area of about 20 million square kilometres covered by sea ice around the Antarctic continent.
Jan Lieser from the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) said the discovery was made two days ago.
"This is an area covered by sea ice which we've never seen from space before," he said.
"Thirty-five years ago the first satellites went up which were reliably telling us what area, two dimensional area, of sea ice was covered and we've never seen that before, that much area.
"That is roughly double the size of the Antarctic continent and about three times the size of Australia."
The formation of sea ice around Antarctica every year is one of the biggest seasonal events on Earth.
The ice is generated in what scientists refer to as "sea ice factories" or polynia - areas of the ocean surface where currents and wind patterns combine to generate sea ice.
"As soon as sea ice is produced in these polynias it is actually transported away from that so more sea ice can be produced," Dr Lieser said.
As the area covered in sea ice expands scientists have said the ice on the continent of Antarctica which is not over the ocean continues to deplete.
CEO of the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC, Tony Worby, said the warming atmosphere is leading to greater sea ice coverage by changing wind patterns.
"The extent of sea ice is driven by the winds around Antarctica, and we believe that they're increasing in strength and part of that is around the depletion of ozone," he said.
He said changes to sea ice levels could have implications for the entire Antarctic ecosystem.
"So the sea ice is a very important habitat for krill in particular and for the reproduction of krill and that forms one of the absolute staples of the diet for many species in the Antarctic."
While the Antarctic ecosystem braces for change, the world's Antarctic research vessels will also have to contend with treacherous conditions in the months ahead.
By Jane Ryan and Sam Ikin
Updated 15 Sep 2014, 7:27pmMon 15 Sep 2014, 7:27pm
Abc news australia
If the Arctic' ice continues to decrease, whilst Antarctic' increases, what effect could that have on earth? I've been reading about crust displacement, which even Einstein regarded as a possibility. In your opinion, could a difference in ice mass between the poles cause such a thing to happen? Any thoughts are much appreciated.
