North Pole could be ice free in 2008

[depakid]

Keep that North Pole cam bookmarked....

You know when climate change is biting hard when instead of a vast expanse of snow the North Pole is a vast expanse of water. This year, for the first time, Arctic scientists are preparing for that possibility.

"The set-up for this summer is disturbing," says Mark Serreze, of the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). A number of factors have this year led to most of the Arctic ice being thin and vulnerable as it enters its summer melting season.

In September 2007, Arctic sea ice reached a record low, opening up the fabled North-West passage that runs from Greenland to Alaska.

The ice expanded again over the winter and in March 2008 covered a greater area than it had in March 2007. Although this was billed as good news in many media sources, the trend since 1978 is on the decline.
Young and thin

Arctic ice at its maximum in March, but that maximum is declining by 44,000 km2 per year on average, the NSIDC has calculated (see graph, top right). That corresponds to an area roughly twice the size of New Jersey.

What is more, the extent of the ice is only half the picture. Satellite images show that most of the Arctic ice at the moment is thin, young ice that has only been around since last autumn (see picture, right).

Thin ice is far more vulnerable than thick ice that has piled up over several years.

More: http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn13779-north-pole-could-be-ice-free-in-2008.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=news1_head_dn13779

[phantom power]

1. I guess we'll know the day the webcam disappears?

[havocmom]

2. And Russian oil platform cams replace them

[Deja Q]

5. Or Canadian, or American...

[havocmom]

6. Followed by big crops or mushroom

clouds

[Dead_Parrot]

3. bugger

Select:
a) Oh fucking hell, we're all doomed.
b) That's faster than expected.
c) No-one could have foreseen that!
d) Oops.
e) All of the above.

Tune in around mid-September to find the answers!

[livvy]

4. Santa will not be pleased. n/t

[havocmom]

7. coal for cheney

I always hope he gets his lumps

[livvy]

8. No! No! No more fossil fuels for Darth. n/t

[havocmom]

9. ever see what the stuff does to lungs?

Might wanna re-think your position :evilgrin:

[livvy]

10. Good point. Let's make him eat it as well, just to be on the safe side. n/t

[hunter]

12. Maybe polar bears can eat drownt elves.

:shrug:

[XemaSab]

11. You can't be too young and too thin

:D