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The Arctic Sets Yet Another Record Low Maximum Extent (nsidc.org)

Posted by msmash on from the tracking-climate-change dept.

Layzej writes: Arctic sea ice was at a record low maximum extent for the second straight year, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) and NASA. This year's maximum extent is 1.12 million square kilometers below the 1981 to 2010 average of 15.64 million square kilometers. Ice extent increases through autumn and winter, and the maximum typically occurs in mid-March. Sea ice then retreats through spring and summer and shrinks to its smallest or minimum extent typically by mid-September. Ice melt in the region is reducing the transport of warm southern waters brought north by the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). "Some studies suggest that decreased heat flux of warm Atlantic waters could lead to a recovery of all Arctic sea ice in the near future," said NSIDC senior research scientist Julienne Stroeve. "I think it will have more of a winter impact and could lead to a temporary recovery of winter ice extent in the Barents and Kara seas."

4 of 245 comments (clear)

  1. No amount of evidence is enough by PvtVoid · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It really doesn't matter how much compelling evidence continues to pile up that global warming is an imminent threat, deniers will continue to deny. If I believed in an afterlife, I would sincerely hope that those choosing inaction would spend eternity hearing the cries of the billions who will suffer as a consequence. But there will be no such luck.

    1. Re:No amount of evidence is enough by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Tired of hearing about climate change/warming what ever, I accept we have screwed the pooch.

      I bought a house 400ft above sea level in a location that rarely gets storms or temperature extremes .
      I avoid carbon emitting activities where its practical to do so - I leave the car at home and ride the bus and train to work, have made effort to get my house energy efficient with a heatpump waterheater, and a heatpump for heating the house, next I'm replacing windows, at that point I've done as much as I can with out getting all greenpeace about it.

      What I cant control are disruptions to the food supply, electricity generation or a steady income. Hopefully we'll make it the next 30 to 40 years with out any drama, by then I'll be old and wont care. However I do wonder what a mess of a planet my kids are going to inherit, and the kids of the morons that run the evil carbon spewing activities, do these guys not worry about that?

  2. Sea ice evolution by Layzej · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This web app shows the evolution of northern and southern hemisphere sea ice evolution over the satellite record. Use left and right to change month. http://phosphorus.github.io/ap...

  3. Considerations... by PortHaven · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Arctic vs Antarctic ice
    https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/s...

    http://www.nasa.gov/content/go...

    http://www.climatechangenews.c...

    ***

    The truth is, there have been times when the Earth did not even have polar ice caps. But I have a hypothesis regarding this scenario.

    The orbital plane of earth is slightly lower. Think about it. The Earth's orbit around the sun is not perfect - no celestial body is. Look at the moon sometimes it's higher in altitude and sometimes lower.

    So what if the Earth is slightly lower in altitude of it's planar orbit around the sun? The northern hemisphere would be warmer, ice would melt. The southern hemisphere would experience the opposite, with the antarctic increasing in the accumulation of ice.

    Yet I have seen very little research into this possibility that could pose a valid explanation for Earth's present climate changes.

    ***

    None of this means we shouldn't clean up our act, stop pollution, and move to clean renewable energy. Far beyond CO2, look at the damage coal mining has done to the neighboring environments. Streams poisoned until no life is in them. I think we can ALL agree we need to clean up our act.