As previously reported, the melting of ice in the Arctic has set a new record. On Sunday, according to the National Snow and Ice Center, sea ice covered just 24 percent of the surface of the Arctic Ocean, or 1.32 million square miles. That shattered the previous low set in 2007, when sea ice covered just 29 percent of the ocean.
Predictions of future ice melts vary wildly — some scientists say the summer ice could be gone within four years, while other scientists support climate models which don’t expect ice-free summers in the Arctic for another 30 or 40 years. Some models indicate that 2015 may be an extreme.
These predictions aren’t just of interest to scientists. A wide variety of nations and companies are now swooping in to exploit the Arctic’s oil, gas and minerals.
But there remain plenty of mysteries about how the ice will melt — and when, exactly, we’ll see ice-free summers. What does seem indisputable is that the present trend towards global warming will continue.
The warmest Atlantic waters on record off New England are driving Cod and other fish to cooler waters.
Soot from oil production and shipping across the Arctic threatens to cause even more rapid sea ice melt.
Previous prediction model:
New prediction model:
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