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The graph above shows Arctic sea ice extent as of September 3, 2012, along with daily ice extent data for the previous five years. 2012 is shown in blue, 2011 in orange, 2010 in pink, 2009 in navy, 2008 in purple, and 2007 in green. The 1979 to 2000 average is in dark gray. The gray area around this average line shows the two standard deviation range of the data. Sea Ice Index data. Graphic courtesy NSIDC.
August extent just half of the average levels recorded in the 1980s and 1990s
By Summit Voice
SUMMIT VOICE — For the first time in the modern satellite record, Arctic sea ice extent has dropped below 4 million square kilometers, marking a 45 percent reduction from the levels recorded in the 1980s and 1990s.
The National Snow and Ice Data Center said the ice extent may shrink for another week or so before the Arctic region starts to cool off, leading to a renewed cycle of freezing.
During most of August, the ice extent remained well below the levels of 2007, when the previous record low was set. The only place where sea ice remained near its average long-term extent was along the east coast of Greenland.
According to the NSIDC, the five-day running average dropped below the previous record low daily extent on August 26, more than two weeks earlier than the record low set on Sept. 18, 2007.
The rate of ice loss in August was by far the fastest that’s been observed, shrinking by about 91,700 square kilometers (35,400 square miles) per day. That’s almost double the average daily rate of ice loss that’s been recorded during the satellite observation era (about 55,100 square kilometers per day.
In August 2007, ice was lost at a rate of 66,000 square kilometers (25,400 square miles) per day, and in 2008, the year with the previous highest August ice loss, the rate was 80,600 square kilometers (31,100 square miles) per day.
This year’s rapid pace of ice loss was dominated by large losses in the East Siberian and the Chukchi seas, likely caused in part by the strong cyclone that entered the region earlier in the month and helped to break up the ice.But even after the cyclone had dissipated, ice loss continued at a rate of 77,800 square kilometers (30,000 square miles) per day.
Other recent measurements also show that the volume of ice, based on thickness, as well as extent, has been decreasing steadily. More and more studies are suggesting that the diminishing ice pack is affecting mid-latitude climate and weather.
As compared to the bright ice, the darker colored open water absorbs and holds more heat. That has affected the air pressure gradient between the high latitudes and the mid-latitudes, slowing the jet stream and increasing the amplitude of high and low pressure areas.
Those ridges and dips in the jet stream appear to be slowing down and even getting stuck at times, leading to sustained periods of more extreme weather, like this summer’s brutal months-long heatwave in North America.
Filed under: Arctic, climate and weather, Environment, global warming Tagged: | Arctic, Arctic sea ice extent, climate, global warming, National Snow & Ice Data Center
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Innovative energy underwrites coverage of energy stories.
If one applies the most common, commercial property of CO2 to climate change, it is all clear and apparent as well as ominous. CO2 likes water more than water likes water whence beverage carbonation, e.g., beer and pop. Increased atmospheric CO2 means water will be soaked up which causes droughts followed by later, downwind deluges when the saturated air suddenly releases water after aggitation.
For the polar icecap, increased CO2 speeds up ice melt by soaking up water while serving as a dessicating barrier between upper atmospheric moisture and the ground which prevents replenishing the icecap in the winter–see Polar Timebomb.
The role of CO2 barriers between upper atmosphere and ground is very evident in the US 2012 Mid-west drought where massive, mega-fires in the Rocky Mountains generated broad, ground-covering smog of CO2 that dessicated the ground while preventing upper atmosphere moisture from reaching the ground.
The above mentioned CO2 matrix (release, dessication and deluge) is what has caused the multi-decade Horn of Africa drought which is downwind from the Saudi Peninsula where over seven billion cubic feet of natural gas is burned each day. This vast plume of CO2 sucks up water on the Horn causing the destruction of farmland which has led to the social, economic and political chaos.
If you want to understand the hidden force worsening global warming faster than scientists and computers project, visit youtube.com/globaldying or visit timism.com/GlobalDying/Index.htm.
The CO2 matrix has been documented at timism.com\globaldying\Index.htm for the droughts in Central Asia, China, Brazil, Russia as well as the historical US Dustbowls (1930′s and 1950′s)
You can do your readers and yourself a great service by encouraging readers to visit the aforementioned youtube site as well as timism.com. I hope your eventual “mental earthquakes” will not deter you from an objective, full viewing/readeing of the documentation of what is not global warming but global dying. We don’t have CO2 footprints but CO2 sinning.
best wishes,
bob barnett
[...] Sea Ice Fades, The Arctic Becomes A Nautical HighwayClimate CentralThe Guardian (blog) -Summit County Citizens Voice -The Atlanticall 39 news [...]
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[...] to melt below former record lows – NewsXNewsXThe Guardian (blog) -The Atlantic -Summit County Citizens Voiceall 41 news [...]
[...] on the Greenpeace Arctic SunriseThe Guardian (blog)The Atlantic -The International -Summit County Citizens Voiceall 41 news [...]
It just occurred to me that the earth, in order to exist for 4.5 billion years, must has great survival instincts. Also I have been observing the sun’s, current, and it’s long term activity. Currently the sun is experiencing the lowest activity in hundreds of years. Particularly, it is similar to the maunder era when we had a very cold phase and severe freezing.
With these thoughts in mind, I began to wonder if the earth is preparing itself for a cold era. What I mean is this….If the ice cover reflects the sun, it would be an advantage for the earth to reflect the sun back to space. I understand that this is the current fear. Conversely, the oceans, without the ice cover, will absorb the suns rays and store the heat that it absorbs. Now if the earth and mother nature, God or whatever, knows that a cold phrase is upcoming, wouldn’t it be an advantage to have the oceans free of ice covering so to have the ability to store as much heat as possible.
Maybe we are looking at this all wrong. After all, humans are, by nature, fearful of change and we usually apply whatever knowledge or fearful thoughts we have. I think that this could be a instinct that we are endowed with so that we protect ourselves but, as we all know, sometimes it doesn’t always work to our advantage.
As the current phraseology would put it…..I’m just saying!