Global warming: Arctic seas becoming sources of CO2

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Swedish researchers pinpoint scary climate feedback loop

Arctic seas becoming carbon sources instead of carbon sinks. IMAGE COURTESY NASA.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Instead of absorbing heat-trapping gases, Arctic near-shore seas are becoming sources of carbon dioxide, accorindg to researchers from Sweden’s University of Gothenburg. With careful measurements, the scientists found that the amount of CO2 being absorbed by the oceans is decreasing.

That leads to an increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and an increased rate of warming in the Arctic in a self-reinforcing climate feedback loop that includes some unexpected factors. For example, increased coastal erosion carries more organic matter into the sea, where it breaks down and releases even more CO2. (more…)

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Climate: Arctic sea passage along Russian coast thaws early

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Northeast Passage expected to open in early summer this year; route along Russian coast offers a 4,000 mile shortcut between Europe and Asia

The EM-Bird over thin ice: The picture was taken with a camera mounted inside the MI-8 helicopter. It shows the EM-Bird 15 meters above a layer of rafted thin ice, approximately 10 centimeters thick. Photo: Thomas Krumpen, Alfred Wegener Institute.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — After a series of measurement flights over the Laptev Sea, scientists with the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research are predicting that the Northeast Pass, an Arctic Ocean shortcut along the north coast of Russia, will once again be ice-free and passable to ships by early summer.

The Laptev Sea is known as in ice factory, but at the end of the winter, researchers discovered large areas of thin ice that won’t survive the summer melting season.

“These results were a great surprise to us,” said expedition member Dr. Thomas Krumpen.

In previous measurements in the winter of 2007-2008 the ice in the same area had been up to one meter thicker. Krumpen said the difference is mainly due to wind. (more…)

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Global warming: Arctic sea ice getting thinner

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Bob Berwyn

This aerial photograph shows the research icebreaker Polarstern at the North Pole. PHOTO COURTESY ALFRED WEGENER INSTITUTE.

Research voyage yields solid  data on Arctic sea ice loss

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Old, thick sea ice that helps sustain a long-term ice cover in the Arctic is disappearing, according to researchers with the Alfred Wegener Institute who recently sailed more than 12,000 miles through Arctic seas aboard the Polarstern to investigate ice loss and related issues. In the central Arctic, the ice cover now largely consists of thin, one-year-old floes.

As part of their research, the team of 130 scientists aboard the research ship wanted to determine whether the Arctic sea ice melted to a greater or lesser extent than in previous years.

“The ice has not recovered. This summer it appears to have melted to exactly the same degree as in 2007 … it is exactly as thin as in the record year,” said Stefan Hendricks. (more…)

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