Large Areas Of Arctic Sea Ice Only 1 Meter Thick - 50% Thinning Since 2001 - Wegener Institute

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Berlin, Sept 14: Large areas of the Arctic sea-ice are only one metre thick this year, equating to an approximate 50 percent thinning as compared to the year 2001, the latest findings by the Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research in Bremhaven, Germany has revealed. "The ice cover in the North Polar Sea is dwindling, the ocean and the atmosphere are becoming steadily warmer, the ocean currents are changing" said chief scientist Dr Ursula Schauer from AWI.

Dr Schauer is part of the international team of 50 scientists from Germany, Russia, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, the USA, Switzerland, Japan, France and China, who are investigating ocean and sea-ice conditions in the Arctic.

She said the thickness of the arctic sea-ice has decreased since 1979, and at the moment measured about a metre in diameter in the central Arctic Basin. In addition, studies have also revealed a particularly high concentration of melt-water in the ocean and a large number of melt-ponds, she added.

So far, the scientists on board the AWI research ship Polarstern have found during their two and a half moths research that not only are the ocean currents changing, community structures in the Arctic are also altering. Oceanographers on board the Polarstern are investigating the composition and circulation of the water masses, physical characteristics of sea-ice and transport of biological and geochemical components in ice and seawater.

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http://www.dailyindia.com/show/173994.php/Large-areas-of-Arctic-sea-ice-only-1-metre-thick-reveals-AWI-study

Kick this up, folks. This is a big story.

[AlecBGreen]

1. man o man

Lowest amount (by far) of ice coverage and whats left is thinner than ever. What more evidence do we need? The global climate IS changing and not in a positive way for humanity.

[phantom power]

2. I remember shooting the shit with a friend about this a few years ago.

We both wondered if one day the ice cap would just get thinner until it rapidly collapsed. Like a tree rotting from the inside out.

Maybe, say, like this:

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3. This would explain why so much of the cap is gone from the Siberian side

With the polar currents moving (generally) from the Siberian side towards Greenland and the Canadian Arctic, ice that's only half as massive as it was only six years ago is likely to mean just that much more ice movement.

[XemaSab]

4. Time to cue the Pink Floyd...

Momma loves her baby,
And daddy loves you, too.
And the sea may look warm to ya, babe,
And the sky may look blue.

Oooooo babe.
Oooooooo baby blue.
Oooooo ooohh babe.

If you should go skating,
On the thin ice of modern life,
Dragging behind you the silent reproach,
Of a million tear-stained eyes,
Dont be surprised when a crack in the ice,
Appears under your feet.
You slip out of your depth and out of your mind,
With your fear flowing out from behind,
You as you claw the ice.

[Gregorian]

5. The amount of man made stuff is absolutely stunning.

I spent this evening just looking at machines on Youtube.

Engines blowing up, mainly. Just old cars that were going to be junked. But before they went, the people put bricks on the gas pedal, and rrrrRRRRRRR BLAM.


Every heat treated gear.
Every tire ever made.
Every toothpick made from every log from every forest.
Every chopstick, except for those made by hand.
Every tv dinner.
Every war.
Every trip to the store in 1925.
Every piece of medical equipment.
Every trip to Yosemite, except for those that were done on bikes.
Every shingle.
Every new car.
Every recycled can.
Every coke bottle made.
Every toothbrush.
Every lightbulb.
Every load of laundry.
Every cake baked.
Every dinner made since the invention of the electric and gas stove.
Every Barbie doll.
Every window in every house.
Every piece of linoleum flooring.
Every piece of plywood.
Every computer.
Every typewriter.
Every tricycle.
Every newspaper.
Every piece of candy.
Every airplane.
Every flashlight.
Every boat.
Every piece of tape.
Every staple.
Every piece of paper.
Every u-joint.
Every bolt.
Every sprinkler.
Every ice cube.
Every refrigerator.

It's a mountain that we can't even see. Some of it doesn't even exist any more. It's much much bigger than almost anyone realizes. To realize it is to be in pain. I live my life mostly in a state of boycott. But it doesn't do much good. It takes everyone to accomplish it. Everyone has to stop. Everyone has to deal with the big problem. Primarily, boredom. That and comfort. Tomorrow morning I get up and put my potato in the microwave. Then I fry it. Then I turn on my espresso machine. The metal for that machine was mined. The chromium was filtered and melted and solidified into an ingot. Then the metal was formed. The chromium was electrically depostited. The parts were machined. It was shipped to me. The power that runs it comes through wire that was mined, supported by logs that were cut and soaked in special insect treatment, and turned on a giant lathe. That lathe was made by mining iron ore and casting it and machining it. That machine... And my coffee was roasted using gas or electricity. And it was shipped by plane or boat. That plane was... That boat was... They were all made at the cost of the planet. And billions of people will have coffee today. Billions. Billions.

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6. Shameless self-kick

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