Environment Arctic summers ice-free 'by 2013'

[The Helper]

Scientists in the US have presented one of the most dramatic forecasts yet for the disappearance of Arctic sea ice.

Their latest modelling studies indicate northern polar waters could be ice-free in summers within just 5-6 years.

Professor Wieslaw Maslowski told an American Geophysical Union meeting that previous projections had underestimated the processes now driving ice loss.

Summer melting this year reduced the ice cover to 4.13 million sq km, the smallest ever extent in modern times.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Arctic summers ice-free 'by 2013'

news.bbc.co.uk

 

[Jindo]

Shocking... And people are always telling me how they don't have to make a difference because of how far off this is... 5-6 years isn't exactly out of our life-time.

 

[Prometheus]

I heard a counter argument today on this, I don't think this reflects EVERYWHERE.

 

[The Helper]

[Sci/Tech] Earth's heat adds to climate change to melt Greenland ice

Scientists have discovered what they think may be another reason why Greenland 's ice is melting: a thin spot in Earth's crust is enabling underground magma to heat the ice.

They have found at least one “hotspot” in the northeast corner of Greenland -- just below a site where an ice stream was recently discovered.

The researchers don't yet know how warm the hotspot is. But if it is warm enough to melt the ice above it even a little, it could be lubricating the base of the ice sheet and enabling the ice to slide more rapidly out to sea.

“The behavior of the great ice sheets is an important barometer of global climate change,” said Ralph von Frese, leader of the project and a professor of earth sciences at Ohio State University. “However, to effectively separate and quantify human impacts on climate change, we must understand the natural impacts, too.

Whole story here.

 

[turok255]

Theres less and less water EVERYWHERE, That means less water also less ice... Sounds to me like all the water is slowly drying up... Bye bye life on Earth

 

[esb]

Actually, water can't dry. As matter can't be destroyed nor created.

There is the water cycle too. What happens with the water is that it goes to the sea, rising sea levels.