Last week the ice in the Arctic reached its seasonal lowest point with a measurement that made it the lowest since 1979. Today NASA’s Earth Observatory released new imagery showing how the record low mark compares to average levels. Check out the imagery and read the rest of this story on Examiner.com
Scientists announced yesterday that Arctic sea ice had completed its summer melt and in the end reached the lowest extent since satellite measurements began. At the other end of the globe Antarctica was seeing the exact opposite as the ice at the South Pole grows to record levels. Read the rest of this story on Examiner.com. Be sure to check out the video of the early August storm that tore the Arctic ice to shreds.
Having seen many of their predictions proven false, climate change alarmists have taken on a new tact in the last couple of years – whether hot or cold, snowy or balmy, manmade climate change is to blame. A new study from NCAR continues that trend saying Arctic ice may shrink or it may grow, take your pick.
A new study by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) shows that Arctic sea ice is “as likely to expand as it is to contract for periods of up to about a decade.”
NCAR scientist Jennifer Kay, the lead author of the study said, “The computer simulations suggest that we could see a 10-year period of stable ice or even a slight increase in the extent of the ice. Even though the observed ice loss has accelerated over the last decade, the fate of sea ice over the next decade depends not only on human activity but also on climate variability that cannot be predicted.”
Utilizing a single climate model, the study authors speculate that fluctuations in the sea ice will increase due to a warming climate and thinning ice.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases are not the only reason for the decline of the ice.
Scientists attributed half of the decline to “climate variability.” This seems at odds with the results from the UN’s IPCC’s AR4 report which dismisses natural climate variability as a reason for increased global temperatures.
The statement from NCAR said that the computer model used by the scientists “has certain biases” however it is unclear how that would have affected the results of the modeling that was performed. A recent study has demonstrated that computer models are significantly underestimating the Earth’s ability to dissipate heat.
Reliable sea ice measurements have only become a reality since 1979 when satellites started observations. However, data suggests that as recently as 5,500 years ago during the Holocene Thermal Maximum the Arctic had considerably less ice than what it does today.
This story was originally published on Examiner.com. Be sure to check out the Climate Change Examiner for the latest global warming and climate change news.
A curious thing has happened over the 2009 – 2010 winter season – Arctic sea ice has rebounded to near normal levels. Long pointed to as a sign of the impact of global warming, the extent of sea ice had been shrinking in recent years.
According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), the maximum extent for Arctic sea ice was reached on March 31st. This is the latest date maximum extent has been reached since 1979 when satellites began measuring the Arctic Ice.
The center said that it was thought the sea ice was done growing around the beginning of March. However, late season winter storms over the Bering and Barents Seas allowed it to continue to enlarge. “By the end of March, total extent approached 1979 to 2000 average levels for this time of year,” the NSIDC said.
The NASA video below portrays the 2009 – 2010 sea ice season from start to finish. For all the latest climate and global warming news, be sure to visit the Climate Change Examiner.