The melting continues and Wilkins’ bridge collapses
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The NSIDC has released the March figures for Arctic ice extent.
Importantly, they describe how the decline in older ice continues. This is important, because more 1st-year ice means more susceptibility to higher melt.
As the melt season begins, the Arctic Ocean is covered mostly by first-year ice, which formed this winter, and second-year ice, which formed during the winter of 2007 to 2008. First-year ice in particular is thinner and more prone to melting away than thicker, older, multi-year ice. This year, ice older than two years accounted for less than 10% of the ice cover at the end of February. From 1981 through 2000, such older ice made up an average of 30% of the total sea ice cover at this time of the year.
Grist has an article on how the Arctic will probably be ice-free within 30 years (not 90 years as originally forecast). This adds weight to the view that our models are underestimating climate change effects.
Here’s a TV show about this: http://www.pbs.org/now/on-thin-ice-preview.html.
And importantly, here’s why this stuff matters:
- ClimateProgress article on polar amplification.
- Guardian UK article on why once the ice melts, it’s too late
- Climate Progress article about stabilising CO2 or risk ice free planet
- New Scientist – Ice receding = border changes, resource conflict?
Meanwhile, Wilkins has lost its bridge: here and here. Things are getting gnarly. Suddenly I feel the need to preserve everything, not our piddling snow seasons.
Similar Posts:
- Arctic sea ice will probably not recover
- Study finds rapid polar ice melt
- The Siberian Tundra melt – why this matters to you
- Watch Greenland Melt
- Our World is Melting, Fast
