After last year's thin ice cover, the North Pole is poised to vanish due to global warming in a short time DailyTech has previously covered the frantic pace of melt in Greenland, which is accelerating, dumping vast amounts of water into the sea. Meanwhile, the North Pole has been steadily melting away as well. Fortunately, the North Pole ice is floating, and thus will not affect sea levels, but its dissolution is an important indicator of warming.
After last year's thin ice cover, the North Pole is poised to vanish due to global warming in a short time
DailyTech has previously covered the frantic
pace of melt in Greenland, which is accelerating, dumping vast amounts of
water into the sea. Meanwhile, the North
Pole has been steadily melting away as well. Fortunately, the North
Pole ice is floating, and thus will not affect sea levels, but its dissolution
is an important indicator of warming. While some remain critical
that global warming is occurring at all, the melting of the North Pole
represents a sharp indicator against voices of doubt. Now scientists are
predicting that a major milestone will be reached this summer or next -- the
disappearance of the North Pole's ice cover during the Arctic Summer. !ADVERTISEMENT! The prediction comes
from the U.S.'s top climate researchers at the National Snow and Ice Data
Center in Boulder, Colorado. They predict that in September, there is a
good chance that the ice will be gone on the pole. Article Continues: http://www.dailytech.com/Global+Warming+to+Melt+North+Pole+Ice+Cover+For+First+Time+in+Recorded+History/article12218.htm
To most, imagining the North Pole without ice -- only water -- is an incredible
prospect. But that's the reality of a warming world.
While this is obviously a rather sobering event, the scientists aren't afraid
to poke a little fun at the climatological milestone. Says the center's
senior research scientist, Mark Serreze, "We kind of have an informal
betting pool going around in our center and that betting pool is 'does the
North Pole melt out this summer?'"
About half the researchers are betting that the geographic pole, currently
covered in ice will be ice free this fall. Last year already saw a
similarly landmark event -- the Northwest Passage was ice free last September
for the first time in recorded history.
All of these events are merely part of a larger trend according to
researchers. Says Serreze, "What we've seen through the past few
decades is the Arctic sea ice cover is becoming thinner and thinner as the
system warms up."
Why are they uncertain about whether this summer's warmth will pierce the polar
ice? The warming fluctuates largely with weather patterns, so the
metaphorical straw that breaks the camel's back will likely be weather, either
this year or next.
"Last year, we had sort of a perfect weather pattern to get rid of ice to
open up that Northwest Passage," explains Serreze, "This year,
a different pattern can set up. so maybe we'll preserve some ice there. We're
in a wait-and-see mode right now. We'll see what happens."
While the event is significant, it will not cause any problems says Serreze.
