This summer may see first ice-free North Pole
By SETH BORENSTEIN - 15 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) - There's a 50-50 chance that the North Pole will be ice-free this summer, which would be a first in recorded history, a leading ice scientist says.
The weather and ocean conditions in the next couple of weeks will determine how much of the sea ice will melt, and early signs are not good, said Mark Serreze. He's a senior researcher at the National Snow and Ice Data Center and the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colo.
The chances for a total meltdown at the pole are higher than ever because the layer of ice coating the sea is thinner than ever, he said.
"A large area at the North Pole and surrounding the North Pole is first-year ice," Serreze said. "That's the stuff that tends to melt out in the summer because it's thin."
Preliminary February and March data from a NASA satellite shows that the circle of ice surrounding the North Pole is "considerably thinner" than scientists have seen during the five years the satellite has been taking pictures, NASA ice scientist Jay Zwally said Friday. He thinks there is slightly less than a 50-50 chance the North Pole will be ice-free.
Read the rest of the story here.
This may be global warming ... it may be a natural, cyclic occurrence. But what do you think? Does the idea of an ice-free north pole concern you?
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 8
We're still coming out of the 'Little Ice Age' and the industrialization of the last century has exacerbated that, as we're heating up a bit faster than expected. We haven't yet reached the climate temperature averages that were here prior to the beginning of the little ice age period in the 1000 to 1300 time frame.
It's a stupid idea to take corn and the acreage necessary to support that for ethanol production out of the farmland that is used for food.
And the poorest side of all this, is that it was known by Bush before this was done, and that would be the outcome. However, he just thought so what the squeeze to the oil and food side would benefit the ethanol production, because the costs would rise.
mooch