Arctic sea ice decline
Arctic sea ice decline describes the sea ice loss observed in recent decades in the Arctic. The IPCC AR5 report concluded with high confidence that sea ice continues to decrease in extent and there is robust evidence for the downward trend in Arctic summer sea ice extent since 1979.[1]
Observation
Observation with satellites show that sea ice declines since a few decades in area, extent, and volume and may cease to exist during the summer month sometime during the 21st century. Sea ice extent is the area with at least 15% sea ice, while the volume is the total amount of sea ice. [2]
Ice-free summer
Many scientists have attempted to estimate when the Arctic will be ice-free. In doing so, they have consistently noted that climate model predictions have tended to be overly conservative regarding sea ice decline.[3][4] Wang and Overland, in 2009, predicted that there would be an ice-free Arctic in the summer by 2037.[5] Similarly, a 2006 paper by Marika Holland et al. predicted "near ice-free September conditions by 2040,"[6] and Boé et al. found that the Arctic will probably be ice-free in September before the end of the 21st century.[7]
In September 2013, some controversy surrounded the Arctic sea ice annual minimum because its surface area increased by almost 60% relative to 2012's minimum, as reported by David Rose of the Daily Mail.[8] However, many other journalists argued that the Mail's reporting was misleading by focusing on a short time period of only two years, the first of which was a record low.[9][10]
See also
References
- ^ IPCC AR5 WG1 (2013). PDF "Summary for policymakers".
{{cite journal}}: Check|url=value (help); Cite journal requires|journal=(help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Daily Updated Time series of Arctic sea ice area and extent derived from SSMI data provided by NERSC". Retrieved 14 September 2013.
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|doi=10.1038/ngeo467instead. - ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2415191/And-global-COOLING-Return-Arctic-ice-cap-grows-29-year.html
- ^ Samenow, Jason (18 September 2013). "Arctic sea ice has *not* recovered, in 7 visuals". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- ^ Revkin, Andrew (18 September 2013). "The Vital Long View in Tracking Diminishing Arctic Sea Ice". New York Times. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
