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SEPTEMBER 29, 2012
Science Saturday - Polar Ice

The National Snow and Ice Data Center released the numbers for September that indicate the sea ice is shrinking faster than anticipated.  September is the month that the sea ice reaches it's minimum before longer nights and cooler weather begin to reform the ice.  This year the ice minimum was 800,000 which is smaller than the record set in 2007.  The world has seen a .8 degree Celsius increase in temperature and the arctic has seen a twice as high increase at 1.9 degrees.

What does this mean for the planet?  Is this global warming in action?  Will New York City soon be underwater?  The good news is that as sea ice melts it does not raise the sea level.  The melting of the sea ice creates a loop, or positive feedback (not in a good way).  As the ice melts there is less snow / ice area to reflect the Sun's rays thus the temperature will rise.  Water vapor in the air is another form of greenhouse gas.  The cold air above the arctic is very dry, similar to a desert.  As the temperature warms and more ice melts the air holds more moisture.  This added humidity traps more heat.

Over the last few decades ice thickness has decreased by half.  There is speculation that the polar sea ice will completely melt in the next couple of decades.  The ice will still be there in winter but in September the ice may be in the form of ice bergs instead of a solid mass of ice. 

Want to know more?  Check out the National Snow and Ice Data Center website or the library database Global Issues in Context.

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posted by Arra, Lakewood Library

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