Stock Photo - EARTH Antarctica -- 15 Oct 2015 -- 2015 Antarctic Maximum Sea Ice Extent Breaks Streak of Record Highs. . . The sea ice cover of the Southern Ocean reached its yearly maximum extent on Oct. 6. At 7. 27 million square miles (18. 83 million square kilometers), the new maximum extent falls roughly in the middle of the record of Antarctic maximum extents compiled during the 37 years of satellite measurements - this year's maximum extent is both the 22nd lowest and the 16th highest. More remarkably, this year's maximum is quite a bit smaller than the previous three years, which correspond to the three highest maximum extents in the satellite era, and is also the lowest since 2008 -- Picture by Atlas Photo Archive/NASA.