Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center, Sea ice extent is a measurement of the area of ocean where there is at least some sea ice. The satellites pass over the polar region several times each day to gather data; researchers can then form the data into images for analysis and publication. Why don't I hear much about Antarctic sea ice? The Arctic is a semi-enclosed ocean, almost completely surrounded by land. When scientists compare average sea ice conditions between years, they often use a 30-year reference period of 1981 to 2010. Scientists monitor both Arctic and Antarctic sea ice, but Arctic sea ice is more significant to understanding global climate because much more Arctic ice remains through the summer months, reflecting sunlight and cooling the planet. Carbon dioxide (CO 2) is an important heat-trapping (greenhouse) gas, which is released through human activities such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels, as well as natural processes such as respiration and volcanic eruptions.The first graph shows atmospheric CO 2 levels measured at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, in recent years, with average seasonal cycle removed. Scientists tend to focus on Arctic sea ice extent more closely than other aspects of sea ice because satellites measure extent more accurately than they do other measurements, such as thickness. Whatever the reason though –whether it be a callous money-grab or all the way up to some regrettable excuse for a rollout of globalism– it still involves cherry-picking, dishonesty, and fraud…. No, the exclusion of charts like these reveals an agenda, and it should ring alarm bells for those with even the weakest of BS detectors. Although sea ice moves around the Arctic basin, it tends to stay in the cold Arctic waters. Read more ... Sea ice can take on a variety of textures. The safest bet is to be your own fact-checker (as best you can), as “blind belief in authority is the greatest enemy of the truth” — Albert Einstein. The rest of Antarctica has experienced a small increase in Antarctic sea ice. Lately, he has been scrutinizing the seasons of Antarctica and […] Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Scientists use the 15 percent cutoff because it provides the most consistent agreement between satellite and ground observations. On Thin Ice: Arctic sea ice keeps the polar regions cool and helps moderate global climate. In contrast, icebergs, glaciers, and ice shelves float in the ocean but originate on land. Polar ice caps are melting as global warming causes climate change. Monitoring winter sea ice is important to understanding the state of the sea ice. Changes in the timing of the sea ice minimum extent are especially important because more of the sun's energy reaches Earth's surface during the Arctic summer than during the Arctic winter. Already in the past 30 years, we’ve seen areas of Arctic sea ice melt that are larger than Norway, Sweden and Denmark combined. This paper – Part 2 – examines the period of warming 1920-1940 with a decade long overlap. Read scientist answers to common questions regarding Arctic sea ice.All About Sea Ice. Antarctica and the Arctic are reacting differently to climate change partly because of geographical differences. To monitor Arctic sea ice, NSIDC primarily has used the NASA Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer–Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) instrument on the NASA Aqua satellite and the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) instrument on the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite. What's hot in the news around climate and sea ice and what are scientists talking about now? The loss of sea ice also has the potential to accelerate global warming trends and to change climate patterns. For more on sea ice extent, see Frequently Asked Questions About Arctic Sea Ice: "What is the difference between sea ice area and extent?". Credit: NSIDC, The Arctic sea ice maximum marks the day of the year when Arctic sea ice reaches its largest extent. The 2012 Arctic sea ice minimum, on September 16, 2012, reached the lowest ice extent in the satellite record. The summer melt season usually begins in March and ends sometime during September. Credit: Ted Scambos, NSIDC. This is consisistent with observations of a warming Arctic. As explained above, sea ice reflects much of the sun's radiation back into space, whereas dark, ice-free ocean water absorbs more of the sun's energy. According to official government data from the National Snow & Ice Data Center (NSIDC), Arctic Sea Ice is once again GROWING, with current 2020 levels exceeding 8 out of the previous 10 years. This educational site covers many aspects of sea ice.State of the Cryosphere: Sea Ice. According to scientific measurements, both the thickness and extent of summer sea ice in the Arctic have shown a dramatic decline over the past thirty years. A small temperature increase at the poles leads to still greater warming over time, making the poles the most sensitive regions to climate change on Earth. For more on the ways sea ice interacts with other Earth systems, including global ocean circulation, people, and animals, see All About Sea Ice: Environment. The sea ice minimum has been occurring later in recent years because of a longer melting season. Seen from January through December, this timeseries shows the natural waxing and waning of the Arctic sea ice cover with the seasons. Strong winds caused sea ice to crack and buckle off the coast of Greenland. Scientists blog from Antarctica and provide a glimpse of what it's like to do research in the field. Of all the wildlife in the Arctic, the polar bear is the most fitting icon for this region. Do 2020’s developments look in any way catastrophic to you…? Home | Contact Us© 2021, National Snow and Ice Data Center :: Advancing knowledge of Earth's frozen regions, Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic (ELOKA), NASA Distributed Active Archive Center at NSIDC (NSIDC DAAC), All About Arctic Climatology & Meteorology. Historic variations in Arctic sea ice is a series that attempts to determine the arctic warming events through the Holocene which commenced some 11000 years ago. Documenting Earth Changes during the next GSM and Pole Shift. The oceans heat up, and Arctic temperatures rise further. See About the Cryosphere. 1816 to 1860. Any way you can, help us spread the message so others can survive and thrive in the coming times. The sea ice maximum occurs at the end of the winter cold season. However, ice growth and melt are local processes; sea ice in some areas will have already started growing before the date of the sea ice minimum, and ice in other areas will still shrink even after the date of the minimum. In contrast, the Arctic Ocean is intimately linked with the climate systems around it, making it more sensitive to changes in climate. So, reduced sea ice during the sunnier summer months has a big impact on the Arctic's overall energy balance. During summer months, it's not uncommon for polar bears to go months without eating while they wait for Arctic ice to solidify. Sea ice near the Antarctic Peninsula, south of the tip of South America, has recently experienced a significant decline. […] Paul Holland, a climate modeler with the British Antarctic Survey, has spent the last ten years studying Antarctica’s sea ice and the Southern Ocean. The large, half-ton bears find concentrations of seals on sea ice. Social Media channels are restricting Electroverse’s reach — be sure to subscribe to receive new post notifications by email (the box is located in the sidebar >>> or scroll down if on mobile). Arctic sea ice extent in January 2020 is sitting ABOVE levels observed in the years 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012 (record low extent), 2011, AND 2010. Why the Arctic Matters for Global Warming. Sea ice variability, but no long-term change. Sea ice has a bright surface; 80 percent of the sunlight that strikes it is reflected back into space. The site receives ZERO funding, and never has. Diverse landscapes—from the sea ice to coastal wetlands, upland tundra, mountains, wide rivers, and the sea itself—support abundant wildlife and many cultures. Related impacts include ocean circulation changes, increased input of freshwater, and ocean acidification. And with the world growing warmer, Arctic ice is melting even faster, threatening their safety and way of life. Expedition to a Crumbling Ice Shelf. If emissions continue to rise unchecked, the Arctic could be ice-free in the summer by 2040. Arctic sea ice extent in January 2020 is sitting ABOVE levels observed in the years 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012 (record low extent), 2011, AND 2010.. Can you imagine the likes of The Guardian, for example, ever running with this? Other changes in the Arctic, could alter the relative amount of the Sun's energy that is absorbed, reflected, or radiated in the Arctic. This reference period allows a consistent comparison of changes in extent over individual years. When waves buffet the freezing ocean surface, characteristic "pancake" sea ice forms. Or maybe it’s just that the majority of MSM editors are a bunch of woke, gullible hippies. Sea ice in the Southern Ocean defies predictions. For more information about Antarctic sea ice, see All About Sea Ice: Arctic vs. Antarctic. Melting of Arctic sea ice and the Greenland Ice Sheet could increase sea level and change the strength of the global ocean circulation. Useful satellite data concerning sea ice began in late 1978 with the launch of NASA's Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) satellite. Instead of reflecting 80 percent of the sunlight, the ocean absorbs 90 percent of the sunlight. The Arctic sea ice maximum marks the day of the year when Arctic sea ice reaches its largest extent. Sea ice extent in 2015 (blue) fell well below the 1981 to 2010 long-term average (gray) and was  above 2012 (dotted light green), in which the lowest summer minimum to date occurred. The effects of global warming in the Arctic, or climate change in the Arctic include rising air and water temperatures, loss of sea ice, and melting of the Greenland ice sheet with a related cold temperature anomaly, observed since the 1970s. On March 24, the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) reported that the 2019–2020 growth season had an unexceptional finish: 5.81 million square miles (15.05 million square kilometers). Credit: Andy Mahoney, NSIDC. As a result, the sea ice that forms in the Arctic is not as mobile as sea ice in the Antarctic. Due to basic geographic differences, Antarctic sea ice extents are smaller than the Arctic’s in summer, and larger in winter. As sea ice melts in the summer, it exposes the dark ocean surface. However, ice growth and melt are local processes; sea ice in some areas will have already started growing before the date of the sea ice minimum, and ice in other areas will still shrink even after the date of the minimum. Read their blog ... Icelights: Answers to your burning questions about ice and climate.