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Yes, it is increasing more rapidly in the Arctic than anywhere else in the world. It has increased several degrees celsius in the past century. This has been primary due to enhanced feedbacks that occur in this region.
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∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoArctic Sea ice has been declining since 1979, when satellites began observing it. September (the minimum) ice cover has been decreasing at 11%/decade. While it has risen from its record low in 2007, it is still well below the mean for this time period. Additionally, 2 years does not make a trend, and the minimum in 2007 had to do with the dominant circulation of the atmosphere that summer.
Sea ice extent is only going to get so low, because even in a warming world it will still be very cold through the summer at the highest latitudes, and it will be difficult to melt the thick ice up there that had been freezing throughout the remainder of the season. The concern is that even more than 11%/decade has been lost in ice volume, which cannot be measured easily.A lot of "multiyear ice" has been flushed out through the Fram Strait in the last 15 years where it enters the North Atlantic and melts. This is very difficult to regenerate, especially when the Arctic continues to experience record warmth.
- In the 1980s average minimum Arctic sea ice was 7.4 million square kilometers.
- In the 1990s it was 6.8 million.
- In the 2000s it was 5.7 million.
- In 2012 it was 3.41 million, the lowest ever.
Scientists used to say the Arctic would be ice free by 2050. Now they think certainly by 2030, and perhaps even by about 2016.
The speed of events is why scientists are so worried. The only known way to stop this melt is to cut greenhouse emissions triggering these changes, and there are few signs of that occurring.
''This is absolutely the critical decade for action,'' said Australian climate expert Tim Flannery.
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∙ 9y agoIce at the South Pole is getting larger. In September 2012, ice at the South Pole expanded to cover a larger area.
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoNo. Over the time scale of years and decades, Arctic sea ice has been consistently decreasing by 11% every ten years.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoDue to the gradual warming of the planet, the arctic ice is melting. Although Polar Bears may become extinct, it will open up a northern shipping passage.
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The North Pole is a land mass as big as Texas true or false?
False, It is not even a land mass, it is an ocean. The North Pole is a point which happens to fall in the Arctic Ocean. It can be reached by travelling over the pack ice of the Arctic Ice Sheet which covers the Arctic ocean.
What ocean surrounds north pole?
No ocean covers the North Pole. The North Pole is an imaginary point on the Arctic Ice cap that covers the Arctic Ocean. SHORT ANSWER- Arctic Ocean
Where is the majority of the earths freshwater found?
In the Antarctica and Arctic regions, the freshwater is stored as ice.
How have animals in the Arctic been affected by the ice cap melting?
An ice cap is ice over land. There is no ice cap in the Arctic. Arctic sea ice is melting, however, more and more each year, and this is threatening the existence of the polar bears who rely on the habitat of sea ice to build up their store of body fat to last them through the (lengthening) summers.
What is polar pack ice?
Polar pack ice is snow which has been compacted into solid chunks of ice. It is found in the most extreme Northern and Southern regions of the planet.
In what pack is the white Arctic wolf?
Ice Pack
What pack is a good portion of the arctic ocean?
A good portion of the arctic ocean is icepack.
How much has the arctic ice pack lost due to global warming?
Nothing at all.
Are ice caps growing or melting?
According to the GISS, the ice caps in the north are close to normal averages. Yes, they are larger then they used to be and no, they are not yet back to normal. The southern hemisphere is different. It is still growing and has for decades.
Where can poler bear can be found in the wild?
In the Arctic, on pack ice during the winter and in Northern Canada, Greenland, and other Arctic landmasses and islands during the summer.
In which countries are polar bears found?
Polar Bears are native to the pack/sea Ice of the Arctic. There are therefore to be found in the countries which border this pack Ice, including Greenland, Norway (Svalbard), Canada, Alaska etc.
In what part of the ocean does a polar bear live?
Polar bears do not live in the ocean but do swim some in the Arctic Ocean. They live in the Arctic where they hunt seals on the ice pack.
The North Pole is a land mass as big as Texas true or false?
False, It is not even a land mass, it is an ocean. The North Pole is a point which happens to fall in the Arctic Ocean. It can be reached by travelling over the pack ice of the Arctic Ice Sheet which covers the Arctic ocean.
Which body of water were europeans most likely to explore last and why?
Europeans were most likely to explore the Pacific Ocean last due to its vast size and the challenges posed by its multiple island chains, varied climates, and unpredictable weather patterns. Additionally, the lack of established trade routes and the distance from European ports made exploration of the Pacific Ocean more challenging compared to other bodies of water.
What is an arctic ice caps?
It is an ice cap (ice berg) found in the arctic.
Are there any reasons for the polar bear decline in their species?
The loss of the arctic ice pack is a loss of their hunting 'grounds'. They are starving to death.
Is the North Pole barren?
There is no land under the north pole it is simply ice pack over the arctic ocean. I'd say that its barren.
