Articles tagged with Sea Ice
Researchers have mapped ancient Inuit trails using archival accounts, maps, and place names, providing a vital step in cultural preservation and understanding Inuit history. The 'pan-Inuit' world is being fragmented due to climate change, but the atlas shows the geographical extent and connectedness of Inuit occupancy.
Scientists found that expanded sea ice in the Southern Ocean led to a massive drop in atmospheric CO2 levels during the Last Glacial Maximum. The study suggests a dynamic link between sea-ice expansion and ocean water insulation, providing new insights into past climate changes.
NASA's Operation IceBridge concludes its 11-week Arctic field campaign, collecting data on rapidly changing areas of sea and land ice. The mission released two new sea ice data products and provided a professional development opportunity for science teachers.
Scientists studied the persistence of a hexagon-shaped atmospheric phenomenon on Saturn, which remains constant despite large radiative forcing in its atmosphere. The findings suggest that the hexagon is deeply rooted within Saturn's atmosphere and could reveal the planet's internal rotational period.
The Arctic melt season is growing longer by several days each decade, with an earlier start allowing the ocean to absorb more solar radiation. This trend is causing the sea ice cover to weaken, as thinner, younger ice becomes more prevalent.
A study analyzing 300 summer Arctic sea ice forecasts found that predictions are accurate when conditions follow the observed downward trend, but less so when they deviate from it. Improving forecasting by incorporating sea ice thickness and concentration data may enhance seasonal predictions.
IceBridge began its 2014 Arctic campaign with two sea ice surveys north of Greenland, focusing on changes in sea ice elevation and thickness. The mission aims to collect more data, including cross-basin surveys over the Arctic Ocean and flights over the Beaufort and Chukchi seas.
New research confirms Arctic ice trends show a five-day per decade increase in the length of the melt season, with implications for climate change tracking and shipping. The study's findings also highlight the importance of understanding Arctic sea ice feedback mechanisms.
A new study projects that Antarctica's Ross Sea will lose over half its summer sea ice by 2050 and nearly three-quarters by 2100. This change will significantly impact the region's pristine food web, affecting species such as whales, penguins, and seals.
Researchers found that spotted seals have remarkably sensitive hearing in both air and water, detecting airborne sounds as well as terrestrial carnivores. In water, they hear almost as well as fully aquatic species like dolphins and porpoises, with a range of seven octaves.
A new digital atlas details historical sea ice concentration data in Alaska's Beaufort, Chukchi, and Bering seas from 1850 to the present. The atlas provides a reliable tool for researchers to evaluate climate change impacts and offers users interactive features to explore historical trends.
The UEA project aims to understand the chemical exchanges between ocean, sea ice, snow, and atmosphere in polar regions. It will use a unique sea ice chamber and computer models to predict the effect of global warming on Arctic ice melt.
A study published in PLOS ONE suggests that penguins' ability to respond to changes in sea ice concentrations is disrupted by extreme environmental events. Adélie penguins can cope with reduced summer sea ice, but extreme events like giant icebergs reduce their access to prey and overall efficiency.
A new study establishes a link between Arctic sea ice dynamics and the region's changing atmospheric chemistry, potentially leading to increased amounts of mercury deposited in sensitive ecosystems. The pumping effect created by opening and closing sea ice leads forces down additional mercury to restart chemical reactions.
High levels of molecular chlorine have been detected in the Arctic atmosphere, with concentrations peaking at 400 parts per trillion. The discovery highlights the potential for molecular chlorine to influence atmospheric chemistry and has implications for mercury cycling and ozone formation.
Researchers found that penguin colonies moved from sea ice to thicker floating ice shelves due to changing environmental conditions. This surprising adaptation may help the species survive, but more research is needed to understand its extent and implications for other penguin populations.
IceBridge collected data on many facets of Antarctic land and sea ice, including ice elevation and thickness. The mission also took measurements of sea ice in the Ross Sea, an area with comparatively little attention compared to other parts of the Southern Ocean.
A study by Ohio State University researchers found that there were approximately 1,900 cyclones per year in the Arctic region from 2000 to 2010, 40% more than initially estimated. This increased detection rate has significant implications for understanding regional weather patterns and potential climate change.
Researchers at MIT found that the Arctic Ocean is becoming a more efficient carbon sink due to increased biological growth in summer months. However, some regions, such as the Barents Sea, become carbon sources, emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
A new study suggests that a 'stadium wave' signal in ocean, ice, and atmospheric circulation regimes may explain the recent global warming hiatus. The 'stadium wave' propagates like a sports stadium crowd standing and sitting, with different regions responding to changes in temperature and sea ice extent.
A study by Penn State researchers links melting sea ice in the Arctic to changes in plant growth timing, which affects caribou calves' nutrition. The findings suggest a trophic mismatch between plants and caribou, leading to lower calf production.
The Arctic sea ice minimum extent for 2013 reached 1.97 million square miles, the sixth lowest on record, due to a late start of the melt season and cooler temperatures. The remaining sea ice cover is much thinner than it was in previous decades, with an average thickness of only 6.2 feet.
A new study reveals that stronger westerly winds around the South Pole can explain 80% of the increase in Antarctic sea ice volume over the past three decades. This is achieved through the creation of thicker, longer-lasting ice and exposure to blistering cold winds.
Researchers find unprecedented rate and scale of ocean acidification in the Arctic, driven by rapidly melting sea ice. This process threatens the health of the Arctic ecosystem and species that rely on calcium carbonate for survival.
The Arctic sea ice cover is on track to reach its annual minimum, but it's unlikely to break records this year. The ice extent has been declining steadily over the last decade, with a sustained downward trend observed by NASA and other satellites. Antarctic sea ice, however, is expected to reach its largest extent on record.
A recent review of research reveals that declining Arctic sea ice is leading to the greening of coastal areas, altering marine and terrestrial food chains. The study finds that changes in sea-ice cover are affecting animal migration patterns and plant growth, with some areas showing cooling trends and declines in vegetation productivity.
The loss of Arctic sea ice will have far-reaching ecological consequences, impacting the marine food web and wildlife species that depend on it. Human activity in the region is expected to increase, leading to increased oil spills and other disturbances.
Sea-ice loss has widespread effects on Arctic wildlife, including disruptions to food chains, population mixing, and disease dynamics. The loss of albedo and increased warming accelerate melting, affecting critical habitats for species such as caribou, arctic foxes, and walrus.
A Duke University study reveals that shrinking sea ice cover in the North Atlantic is disproportionately affecting young harp seals, causing them to strand. The research found no link between genetic diversity and stranding rates, instead highlighting the impact of climate change on younger animals.
Researchers modeled the influence of Arctic sea ice on temperatures during the Pliocene era, finding that ice-free conditions contributed to surface warming. The study suggests that 400 parts per million atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations may be sufficient to greatly reduce Arctic sea ice extent and seasonal persistence.
Research explores Arctic sea ice impact on atmospheric circulation and surface temperatures, revealing significant effects beyond the Arctic region.
IceBridge team measures sea ice, maps sub-ice bedrock, and gathers data on Greenland's glaciers, improving computer models of sea and land ice. The campaign aims to collect as much data as possible to understand the changing state of Arctic sea ice.
Researchers found that sunlit snow is a major source of atmospheric bromine in the Arctic, purging pollutants and destroying ozone. The loss of sea ice could disrupt this delicate balance and have extreme effects on atmospheric chemistry.
The 2013 Arctic sea ice winter extent was the fifth lowest in the past 35 years, reaching 5.82 million square miles. This decline is part of a long-term trend and is associated with increasing greenhouse gases, which affect the radiation type during Arctic winter.
Polar bears in western Hudson Bay are forced to adapt to earlier summer sea ice break-up and later fall departure due to climate change. The timing of their migration can be predicted by sea ice melt and freeze patterns, affecting their health and cub production.
A study on polar bears in western Hudson Bay found that the timing of their migration can be predicted by sea ice melt and freeze patterns. The results suggest that as sea ice melts earlier and freezes later, polar bears arrive on shore earlier in the summer and leave later in the autumn.
New UCLA research finds global warming will make Arctic shipping routes accessible due to melting sea ice, allowing ordinary vessels to navigate previously inaccessible areas. By mid-century, ships will be able to traverse the Arctic Ocean without icebreakers, and even the Northwest Passage may become viable for commercial shippers.
A distributed biological observatory in the North American Arctic will monitor the biological response to sea ice retreat and environmental changes in the Bering and Chukchi Seas. The project aims to track how Arctic creatures respond to climate change and understand its effects on higher organisms.
In 2012, huge quantities of algae grew on sea ice in the Central Arctic, with Melosira arctica responsible for almost half primary production. This led to rapid sinkage of algae to deep-sea, where it was consumed by bacteria and animals.
Researchers found a 36% autumn and 9% winter decline in Arctic sea ice volume over the last decade. The study builds on previous studies using submarine and NASA satellite data, verifying compatibility with CryoSat-2 satellite measurements.
Researchers have found that melt ponds on young, thin Arctic sea ice absorb 50% more solar radiation, causing the ice to melt faster. This changes the light transmission beneath the ice, affecting photosynthesis and potentially impacting ecosystems.
Researchers used NASA's Operation IceBridge data to correct forecast models and improve seasonal predictions. The new quick look data product, released before the end of the Arctic campaign, supplements final sea ice data and enables more accurate forecasts.
A University of Delaware research team has developed a novel camera system to map the surface topography of Arctic sea ice, enabling accurate habitat classification for threatened walruses. The system uses areas of higher competence to interpolate lower-confidence areas, resulting in dense 3-D reconstructions with precision accuracy wi...
Researchers tracked emperor penguin behavior near sea and found they spent 30% of their time at sea resting on ice, which may help avoid predators. The study's monitoring technique will aid in understanding the relationship between sea ice conditions and penguins' foraging habits
Researchers at MIT developed a new method to predict Arctic sea ice extent by combining models and observations, revealing an important interaction between sea ice and ocean currents. The study provides a valuable tool for climate scientists and industries, enabling better prediction of sea-ice growth and transport.
Scientists have found that Antarctic sea ice cover has increased, but with regional gains and losses offsetting each other. The changes are attributed to wind-driven changes in the Antarctic region, which affects both ice drift and air temperature.
The Antarctic Ocean has seen a steady increase in sea ice cover over the past three decades, growing by approximately 6,600 square miles annually. This growth is attributed to changes in atmospheric circulation and a depleted ozone layer over Antarctica, which leads to cooling of the stratosphere and strengthening of circumpolar winds.
The mission targeted the rapidly-changing Thwaites Glacier, a high-priority area for researchers. Scientists recorded new measurements to build a record of change in the Antarctic, combining them with previously gathered data.
The Arctic Ocean's sea ice cover has reached its annual minimum extent of 1.32 million square miles, a new record low in the satellite era. This represents a decline of almost 300,000 square miles from the previous lowest extent set in 2007, and is approximately half the size of the average extent from 1979 to 2000.
A new study found that the area with sufficient snow cover for ringed seals to reproduce will disappear by almost 70% this century. The researchers anticipate that the loss of sea ice will lead to insufficient snow depth, causing caves to collapse and hindering the seals' ability to raise their pups.
Researchers discovered Arctic crustaceans migrate below sea ice during winter nights, using deep-ocean currents to reach colder areas. This adaptation increases survival and enables them to remain in the Arctic Ocean, a key finding that challenges previous perceptions of ice fauna's vulnerability.
A new research study by Durham University found that the Little Ice Age enabled arctic foxes to colonize Iceland from different Arctic regions. The genetic diversity of the Icelandic population increased due to this migration, which is attributed to the formation of sea ice during the Little Ice Age.
The Arctic sea ice extent has reached a new record low, with scientists attributing the decline to warmer temperatures. The minimum summertime extent of the sea ice is now 27,000 square miles below its peak in 2007.
The Arctic sea ice extent has reached its lowest level on record, according to a research team from CU-Boulder. The decline is attributed to warming temperatures caused by human-produced greenhouse gases, which have led to the replacement of old, thick multi-year ice with young, thin ice that melts quickly.
Researchers from the University of Washington's Polar Science Center have made a prediction for Arctic sea ice, expecting 4.4 million square kilometers of remaining ice, barely more than the 2007 record low. They improved their ability to predict by including new NASA sea ice thickness data collected by airplane.
The study reveals that reduced Arctic sea ice contributes to ground-level warming, while global warming intensifies atmospheric circulation and temperature increases in the Arctic atmosphere. The combination of these factors amplifies the greenhouse effect, leading to faster Arctic warming.
Climate change is expected to reduce the extent of Antarctic sea ice, threatening the Emperor penguin population, which may decline by up to 80% by 2100. The study used computer simulations and statistical models to project the impact of sea ice loss on penguin demographics.
A new study predicts that global warming will lead to a significant decline in Emperor penguin populations by 2040, with only 500-600 breeding pairs remaining by 2100. The melting of sea ice will disrupt the penguins' food source and breeding habits.
Research over decades identifies impacts on burrowing animals, plant roots, and microorganisms like diatoms, which affects seabirds and mammals. Shrinking cryosphere also decreases carbon dioxide uptake from the atmosphere and alters land suitability for plants.
The 2012 Arctic campaign measures changes in polar ice using a modified P-3 aircraft equipped with various instruments, including lasers and radar. The campaign also features international collaboration and educational activities.