The maximum extent of Antarctic sea ice has decreased for the first time in three years, according to new satellite imaging data.

Use the slider to see how the maximum extent of Antarctic sea ice was less in 2015 than in 2014. The yellow outline shows the median sea ice extent observed during September from 1981 through to 2010.

antarctic ice sheet slider Share Satellite data image showing the maximum extent of Antarctic sea ice coverage on September 20, 2014 Share Satellite data image showing the maximum extent of Antarctic sea ice coverage on October 6 2015

Despite climbing global temperatures, sea ice coverage around the Antarctic has been increasing in direct contrast to the Arctic ice sheet, which gets smaller each year.

Scientists say this is due to a vortex of winds around the South Pole that have gradually strengthened and converged since the 1970s. These winds are pushing and compressing ice into thick ridges that are slower to melt, even in the face of rising global temperatures.

But in 2015 the maximum extent of ice decreased for the first time in three years.

"After three record-high-extent years, this year marks a return towards normalcy for Antarctic sea ice," said Dr Walt Meier, a sea ice scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre.

"There may be more high years in the future because of the large year-to-year variation in Antarctic extent, but such extremes are not nearly as substantial as in the Arctic, where the declining trend towards a new normal is continuing."

Sea ice around Antarctica generally reaches its maximum extent sometime around September 20, before shrinking during the southern hemisphere summer. This year the maximum was reached on October 6, covering an area of 18.83 million square kilometres.

In comparison, in 2014 a record maximum was reached on September 20 with sea ice covering an area of 20.14 million square kilometres.

Scientists think this year's strong El Niño could also have had an effect on the extent of Antarctic sea ice.

El Niño causes higher sea-level pressure as well as warmer air and sea surface temperatures in the Amundsen, Bellingshausen and Weddell seas off west Antarctica, affecting sea ice distribution.

The data for the maps was acquired by the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 sensor on Japan's GCOM-W1 satellite.

The video below shows this year's growth of Antarctic sea ice from its minimum extent on February 20 through to its October 6 peak.