Meltdown: Ice Cracks at North Pole

[Amelia]

Meltdown: Ice Cracks at North Pole

By Sara Goudarzi

LiveScience Staff Writer

20 September 2006

Satellite images of the Arctic show large openings in the perennial ice cover, yet another consequence of greenhouse warming, scientists announced this week.

The Arctic's thick perennial sea ice typically survives the warmth of the summer and lasts through the year. But satellite images taken in late August show that up to 10 percent of the perennial sea ice has been fractured by summer storms. The surprising change involves an area larger than the size of the British Isles.

The striking openings in the pack ice were found north of Svalbard, Norway and extend to the Russian Arctic all the way to the North Pole. This condition is likely due to the thinning and extra mobility in the European section of the central Arctic ice pack seen in recent years.

"This situation is unlike anything observed in previous record low ice seasons," said Mark Drinkwater of the European Space Agency's Oceans/Ice Unit. "It is highly imaginable that a ship could have passed from Spitzbergen or Northern Siberia through what is normally pack ice to reach the North Pole without difficulty."

The minimum ice extent—the lowest amount of ice recorded in the area annually—has shrunk from 3 million square miles in the early 1980's to less than 2 million square miles in 2005. A recent study showed that between 2004 and 2005, the ice shrunk by 14 percent, a decrease in area the size of Texas.

"If this anomaly trend continues, the North-East Passage or 'Northern Sea Route'between Europe and Asia will be open over longer intervals of time, and it is conceivable we might see attempts at sailing around the world directly across the summer Arctic Ocean within the next 10-20 years," Drinkwater said.

[Naomi]

WOW ... that's huge!

Quote:

and it is conceivable we might see attempts at sailing around the world directly across the summer Arctic Ocean within the next 10-20 years," Drinkwater said.

Now that would be history making. Almost makes one believe Global warming is a serious issue. Imagine the influx of water into areas unaccustomed to accomodate it.

Signs of the times.

Naomi

[Dr. Shane]

Do you think one will be able to book a cruise on that trip? And what will that do to the fishing industry? What is bad for one part of the world is good for another. Too bad there are no peguins up there.

[Naomi]

Quote:

Too bad there are no peguins up there.

I think I missed your point.

But, you are correct, what is bad for some is good for others.

Think the price of good Alaskan salmon will decrease?

If you find a way to book a cruise on that trip, take lots of pictures!

[Nicodema]

Almost makes one believe Global warming is a serious issue.

Almost??????????

[Dr. Shane]

There has been global warming in the past. That isn't to say we need not be concerned about it. We need to do what we can to take care of the earth.

Ice cores and tree-ring studies have confirmed there has been global warming in the past. Of course that is obvious since the glaciers that covered much of North America melted away. These periods of global warming were before many was contributing CO2 into the environment. So it is unknown how much increased levels of CO2 are contributing and how much increased solar activity, as seen in sun spots, is contributing.

Should we decrease our CO2 emmissions just in case? I think so. It certainly wouldn't hurt anything and may help the problem even if it isn't the biggest contributing factor.

[Naomi]

Everything cycles. Yes, we should do what we can. Historically nature has created many changes on the earth's surface.

[olger]

Global warming occurs every morning at sun-up.

olger

[Bravus]

{speechless}

[Amelia]

HUH?

[Bravus]

Takes a fair bit to render me speechless, as you know. But the determination of some people to continue to ignore and ridicule the rock solid scientific and just visible evidence does the trick.