Science > Physics > Global warming devastates sea ice in Arctic Circle
| Topic: |
Science > Physics |
| User: |
"Ray Lopez" |
| Date: |
04 Oct 2006 01:52:15 AM |
| Object: |
Global warming devastates sea ice in Arctic Circle |
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article1786830.ece
Global warming devastates sea ice in Arctic Circle
By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Published: 04 October 2006
Sea ice in the Arctic last month melted to its second lowest monthly
minimum in the 29-year record of satellite measurements.
Scientists at the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) in Colorado
said the total surface area covered by sea ice during September was
smaller than in any previous year apart from 2005, when it reached an
all-time record minimum. And it was only a sudden change to cool and
stormy weather in August that prevented another record low being set this
September, they said.
"At this rate, the Arctic Ocean will have no ice in September by the year
2060," said Julienne Strove, one of the NSIDC's research scientists.
The Arctic sea ice floats on the ocean and its surface coverage varies
naturally in line with seasonal temperature changes, with an absolute
minimum in summer occurring around mid-September.
However, rising temperatures have seen a steady long-term decline in sea
ice during the summer months, with little recovery during the Arctic
winter.
Summer sea ice across the entire Arctic has been dwindling steadily since
satellite measurements began in 1977. But since 2002 scientists have
detected a noticeable acceleration in the rate of summer loss, which they
believe is caused by global warming.
Mark Serreze, a senior research scientist at the NSIDC, said this summer
could easily have surpassed last year's record loss if it had not been for
the change in the weather.
"If fairly cool and stormy conditions hadn't appeared in August, slowing
the rate of summer ice loss, I feel certain that 2006 would have surpassed
last year's record low for September sea ice," Dr Serreze said.
"August broke the Arctic heatwave and slowed the melt, and storm
conditions led to wind patterns that tend to spread the existing ice over
a larger area."
Arctic sea ice acts like an insulating lid on the northernmost ocean,
reflecting sunlight and preventing the water from absorbing heat and
warming up.
Scientists fear that as more and more sea ice is lost, a "positive
feedback" will kick in, with the Arctic Ocean absorbing more sunlight,
which will in turn cause the loss of more sea ice.
"I'm not terribly optimistic about the future of the ice," Dr Serreze
said. "Although it would come as no surprise to see some recovery of the
sea ice in the next few years - such fluctuations are part of natural
variability - the long-term trend seems increasingly clear. As greenhouse
gases continue to rise, the Arctic will continue to lose its ice. You
can't argue with the physics."
The Arctic has seen some of the largest increases in average temperatures
in the world over the past few decades, and could be one of the places
hardest hit by climate change.
"Arctic sea ice is an important climate indicator because it's so
sensitive to this initial warming trend," said Ted Scambos, a senior
scientist at the Snow and Ice Data Centre.
Sea ice in the Arctic last month melted to its second lowest monthly
minimum in the 29-year record of satellite measurements.
Scientists at the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) in Colorado
said the total surface area covered by sea ice during September was
smaller than in any previous year apart from 2005, when it reached an
all-time record minimum. And it was only a sudden change to cool and
stormy weather in August that prevented another record low being set this
September, they said.
"At this rate, the Arctic Ocean will have no ice in September by the year
2060," said Julienne Strove, one of the NSIDC's research scientists.
The Arctic sea ice floats on the ocean and its surface coverage varies
naturally in line with seasonal temperature changes, with an absolute
minimum in summer occurring around mid-September.
However, rising temperatures have seen a steady long-term decline in sea
ice during the summer months, with little recovery during the Arctic
winter.
Summer sea ice across the entire Arctic has been dwindling steadily since
satellite measurements began in 1977. But since 2002 scientists have
detected a noticeable acceleration in the rate of summer loss, which they
believe is caused by global warming.
Mark Serreze, a senior research scientist at the NSIDC, said this summer
could easily have surpassed last year's record loss if it had not been for
the change in the weather.
"If fairly cool and stormy conditions hadn't appeared in August, slowing
the rate of summer ice loss, I feel certain that 2006 would have surpassed
last year's record low for September sea ice," Dr Serreze said.
"August broke the Arctic heatwave and slowed the melt, and storm
conditions led to wind patterns that tend to spread the existing ice over
a larger area."
Arctic sea ice acts like an insulating lid on the northernmost ocean,
reflecting sunlight and preventing the water from absorbing heat and
warming up.
Scientists fear that as more and more sea ice is lost, a "positive
feedback" will kick in, with the Arctic Ocean absorbing more sunlight,
which will in turn cause the loss of more sea ice.
"I'm not terribly optimistic about the future of the ice," Dr Serreze
said. "Although it would come as no surprise to see some recovery of the
sea ice in the next few years - such fluctuations are part of natural
variability - the long-term trend seems increasingly clear. As greenhouse
gases continue to rise, the Arctic will continue to lose its ice. You
can't argue with the physics."
The Arctic has seen some of the largest increases in average temperatures
in the world over the past few decades, and could be one of the places
hardest hit by climate change.
"Arctic sea ice is an important climate indicator because it's so
sensitive to this initial warming trend," said Ted Scambos, a senior
scientist at the Snow and Ice Data Centre.
.
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| User: "Hysterical leftwing global warmers must DIE" |
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| Title: Re: Global warming devastates sea ice in Arctic Circle |
04 Oct 2006 11:59:43 AM |
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Resulting in the savings of BILLIONS of dollars in transportation
costs and billions of gallons of fuel that would otherwise be needed.
BRING ON THE ICE MELT!
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| User: "MrX" |
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| Title: Re: Global warming devastates sea ice in Arctic Circle |
04 Oct 2006 03:08:43 PM |
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"Hysterical leftwing global warmers must DIE" <rander3127@gmail.com> wrote
in message news:1159981182.972248.176180@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
Resulting in the savings of BILLIONS of dollars in transportation
costs and billions of gallons of fuel that would otherwise be needed.
BRING ON THE ICE MELT!
Once again, Mr. Bank Auditor and his idiot ideas...
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| User: "Hysterical leftwing global warmers must DIE" |
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| Title: Re: Global warming devastates sea ice in Arctic Circle |
04 Oct 2006 05:39:34 PM |
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MrX wrote:
"Hysterical leftwing global warmers must DIE" <rander3127@gmail.com> wrote
in message news:1159981182.972248.176180@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
Resulting in the savings of BILLIONS of dollars in transportation
costs and billions of gallons of fuel that would otherwise be needed.
BRING ON THE ICE MELT!
Once again, Mr. Bank Auditor and his idiot ideas...
Idiot ideas? A Northwest passage to Asia from North American has been
a Holy Grail in
shipping for the past 400 YEARS! If it comes to pass, it will be
amazing. F--- the polar bears.
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| User: "hanson" |
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| Title: Re: Global warming devastates sea ice in Arctic Circle |
04 Oct 2006 06:32:22 PM |
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"Hysterical leftwing global warmers must DIE" <rander3127@gmail.com> w/i
news:1160001574.626782.124350@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
news:1159981182.972248.176180@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
Resulting in the savings of BILLIONS of dollars in transportation
costs and billions of gallons of fuel that would otherwise be needed.
BRING ON THE ICE MELT!
[MrX wrote]
Once again, Mr. Bank Auditor and his idiot ideas...
[rander]
Idiot ideas? A Northwest passage to Asia from North American
has been a Holy Grail in shipping for the past 400 YEARS!
If it comes to pass, it will be amazing. F--- the polar bears.
[hanson]
.... ahahaha... right on!..
*** BRING ON THE ICE MELT! ***
**** Drill ANWR ****
No new Alaskan pipeline is needed when we drill ANWR!
Juice flows right to the Prudhoe Bay Terminal into tankers.
***** the caribou! -- Greenshits be grateful for all the new
wetlands that you are getting!!! Don't be such ingrates!
**** Drill ANWR ****
*** BRING ON THE ICE MELT! ***
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| User: "Bawana" |
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| Title: Re: Global warming devastates sea ice in Arctic Circle |
04 Oct 2006 03:56:30 PM |
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MrX wrote:
"Hysterical leftwing global warmers must DIE" <rander3127@gmail.com> wrote
in message news:1159981182.972248.176180@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
Resulting in the savings of BILLIONS of dollars in transportation
costs and billions of gallons of fuel that would otherwise be needed.
BRING ON THE ICE MELT!
Once again, Mr. Bank Auditor and his idiot ideas...
Leave it to poor and stupidX to out idiot the idiot.
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| User: "aloha.kakuikanu" |
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| Title: Re: Global warming devastates sea ice in Arctic Circle |
06 Oct 2006 06:40:29 PM |
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Ray Lopez wrote:
And it was only a sudden change to cool and
stormy weather in August that prevented another record low being set this
September, they said.
Excuses, excuses how typical for GW paranoid crowd. Face the facts: the
earth didn`t warm up a single degree the last century. Nor the sea
level raized an inch.
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| User: "TimK" |
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| Title: Re: Global warming devastates sea ice in Arctic Circle |
06 Oct 2006 09:07:29 PM |
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"aloha.kakuikanu" <aloha.kakuikanu@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1160178029.192697.256700@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
Ray Lopez wrote:
And it was only a sudden change to cool and
stormy weather in August that prevented another record low being set this
September, they said.
Excuses, excuses how typical for GW paranoid crowd. Face the facts: the
earth didn`t warm up a single degree the last century. Nor the sea
level raized an inch.
Because YOU said so!
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| User: "SmokeyJose" |
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| Title: Re: Global warming devastates sea ice in Arctic Circle |
05 Oct 2006 01:05:10 PM |
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oops, I believe that's "arctic circle warming" not "global??
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| User: "Jean Smith" |
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| Title: Re: Global warming devastates sea ice in Arctic Circle |
06 Oct 2006 06:07:28 PM |
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In article <1160071510.769312.123110@m7g2000cwm.googlegroups.com>,
"SmokeyJose" <Knoxville121@gmail.com> wrote:
oops, I believe that's "arctic circle warming" not "global??
Save the polar bear feeding season.
--
Best War Ever http://www.prwatch.org/tbwe/index.html
Habeas Corpus http://www.habeascorpus.net/asp/
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