Shrinking sea cover means the Earth's surface darkens, increasing absorption of the sun's energy. (Photo: Christopher Mikel/flickr/cc)
Jul 07, 2016
Arctic sea ice plummeted to a record low in June, shrinking 56,900 square kilometers (22,000 square miles) per day last month, according to new figures from the National Snow & Ice Data Center.
June's "sea ice extent" was 260,000 square kilometers (100,000 square miles) below the previous record low for the month, set in 2010--even dropping beneath the 1981-2010 long-term average.
As the Guardiannotes, that means a vast expanse of ice the size of Texas has vanished over the past 30 years.
The Guardian writes:
Researchers did not go so far as to predict a new low for the entire 2016 season. But they said the ice pack over the Beaufort Sea was studded with newer, thinner ice, which is more vulnerable to melting. Ice cover along the Alaska coast was very thin, less than 0.5 meters (1.6 ft).
Apart from March, every month in 2016 has surpassed the record for retreating sea ice levels, as the year shapes up to be the hottest in documented history.
Scientists have also warned that the skyrocketing global temperatures mean Arctic ice will only continue to disappear. In early June, Cambridge University scientist Peter Wadhams told the Independent that the area could become virtually ice-free--that is, shrink to an expanse of less than one million square kilometers--by 2017 for the first time in 100,000 years.
"Arctic ice may well disappear, that is, have an area of less than one million square kilometers for September of this year," he said at the time.
Retreating sea ice contributes to a feedback loop, scientists have explained, as the darker ocean is more exposed, thereby creating more warming and melting.
Jennifer Francis, a research professor at the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University, told the Independent last month, "We are definitely looking at a very unusual situation up in the Arctic."
"The ice is very low and there have been record-breaking low amounts of ice in January, February, March, April and now May, so this is very worrisome," she said. "I think we are going to see perhaps a new record [in September], that's very possible."
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
Arctic sea ice plummeted to a record low in June, shrinking 56,900 square kilometers (22,000 square miles) per day last month, according to new figures from the National Snow & Ice Data Center.
June's "sea ice extent" was 260,000 square kilometers (100,000 square miles) below the previous record low for the month, set in 2010--even dropping beneath the 1981-2010 long-term average.
As the Guardiannotes, that means a vast expanse of ice the size of Texas has vanished over the past 30 years.
The Guardian writes:
Researchers did not go so far as to predict a new low for the entire 2016 season. But they said the ice pack over the Beaufort Sea was studded with newer, thinner ice, which is more vulnerable to melting. Ice cover along the Alaska coast was very thin, less than 0.5 meters (1.6 ft).
Apart from March, every month in 2016 has surpassed the record for retreating sea ice levels, as the year shapes up to be the hottest in documented history.
Scientists have also warned that the skyrocketing global temperatures mean Arctic ice will only continue to disappear. In early June, Cambridge University scientist Peter Wadhams told the Independent that the area could become virtually ice-free--that is, shrink to an expanse of less than one million square kilometers--by 2017 for the first time in 100,000 years.
"Arctic ice may well disappear, that is, have an area of less than one million square kilometers for September of this year," he said at the time.
Retreating sea ice contributes to a feedback loop, scientists have explained, as the darker ocean is more exposed, thereby creating more warming and melting.
Jennifer Francis, a research professor at the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University, told the Independent last month, "We are definitely looking at a very unusual situation up in the Arctic."
"The ice is very low and there have been record-breaking low amounts of ice in January, February, March, April and now May, so this is very worrisome," she said. "I think we are going to see perhaps a new record [in September], that's very possible."
Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
Arctic sea ice plummeted to a record low in June, shrinking 56,900 square kilometers (22,000 square miles) per day last month, according to new figures from the National Snow & Ice Data Center.
June's "sea ice extent" was 260,000 square kilometers (100,000 square miles) below the previous record low for the month, set in 2010--even dropping beneath the 1981-2010 long-term average.
As the Guardiannotes, that means a vast expanse of ice the size of Texas has vanished over the past 30 years.
The Guardian writes:
Researchers did not go so far as to predict a new low for the entire 2016 season. But they said the ice pack over the Beaufort Sea was studded with newer, thinner ice, which is more vulnerable to melting. Ice cover along the Alaska coast was very thin, less than 0.5 meters (1.6 ft).
Apart from March, every month in 2016 has surpassed the record for retreating sea ice levels, as the year shapes up to be the hottest in documented history.
Scientists have also warned that the skyrocketing global temperatures mean Arctic ice will only continue to disappear. In early June, Cambridge University scientist Peter Wadhams told the Independent that the area could become virtually ice-free--that is, shrink to an expanse of less than one million square kilometers--by 2017 for the first time in 100,000 years.
"Arctic ice may well disappear, that is, have an area of less than one million square kilometers for September of this year," he said at the time.
Retreating sea ice contributes to a feedback loop, scientists have explained, as the darker ocean is more exposed, thereby creating more warming and melting.
Jennifer Francis, a research professor at the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University, told the Independent last month, "We are definitely looking at a very unusual situation up in the Arctic."
"The ice is very low and there have been record-breaking low amounts of ice in January, February, March, April and now May, so this is very worrisome," she said. "I think we are going to see perhaps a new record [in September], that's very possible."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.