Accelerated decline in the Arctic sea ice cover
In: Geophysical Research Letters. American Geophysical Union: Washington. ISSN 0094-8276; e-ISSN 1944-8007, more
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| Keywords |
Ambient temperatures > Atmospheric temperature
Aquatic sciences > Marine sciences > Earth sciences > Oceanography
Atmospheric temperature
Climatic changes
Ice > Sea ice
Ice cover
Prediction > Weather forecasting
Properties > Physical properties > Thermodynamic properties > Temperature
Satellite imagery
Seasons > Summer
Wind
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top |
- Comiso, J.C.
- Parkinson, C.L.
- Gersten, R.
- Stock, L.
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| Abstract |
Satellite data reveal unusually low Arctic sea ice coverage during the summer of 2007, caused in part by anomalously high temperatures and southerly winds. The extent and area of the ice cover reached minima on 14 September 2007 at 4.1 × 106 km2 and 3.6 × 106 km2, respectively. These are 24% and 27% lower than the previous record lows, both reached on 21 September 2005, and 37% and 38% less than the climatological averages. Acceleration in the decline is evident as the extent and area trends of the entire ice cover (seasonal and perennial ice) have shifted ftom about -2.2 and -3.0% per decade in 1979-1996 to about -10.1 and -10.7% per decade in the last 10 years. The latter trends are now comparable to the high negative trends of -10.2 and -11.4% per decade for the perennial ice extent and area, 1979-2007. |
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