Arctic ice may be liquid by September 2008 at North Pole

By William Atkins
Friday, 27 June 2008 21:21

Science - Climate

According to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A., the Earth’s Arctic seawater around the North Pole may be ice-free by the end of summer.



[Addition by author] Is this a claim to global warming? Or not? Maybe a bit of both? Some media reports are even claiming that Mark Serreze was misquoted. Please read on.

Mark Serreze, a senior scientist at NSIDC, says, “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?' and it may well.” [CNN: "North Pole could be ice-free this summer, scientists say"]

Serreze remarks there is an even chance—50-50 chance—that the thin ice on the Arctic Sea will be completely melted away at the geographic North Pole (90 degrees north latitude) by September 2008.

The trend over the past several decades, about thirty years, has seen less and less ice in the summers and, thus, less and less ice reforming in the winters.

Serreze states, “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.” [CNN]

The summer of 2007 saw sea ice still at the North Pole but the boundary between solid ice-water and liquid-water in the Arctic Ocean extended as far as 700 miles (1,100 kilometers) from the geographic North Pole.

Now, with less ice forming during the past winter, the summer of 2008 may see all liquid water at the North Pole if the right amount of winds and temperatures occur to melt the remaining ice at a rapid rate.

Serreze also states, “From the viewpoint of science, the North Pole is just another point on the globe, but symbolically it is hugely important. There is supposed to be ice at the North Pole, not open water.” [The Independent: “Exclusive: No ice at the North Pole”]

Is this a cycle of nature or not? Please turn the page for more.