Melting Arctic sea ice
In 2015, University of Washington researchers compiled a survey of Arctic ice-floe melting trends for the past 40 years. Data gathered by space satellites, aircraft, ships and submarines shows that the area of Arctic sea ice has shrunk by 65 percent
The Arctic plays an important role in effecting global climate change and is therefore called the “weather kitchen.” Arctic ice formations serving as natural temperature regulators reflect sunlight and therefore prevent the Earth from overheating
Since 1979, space satellite data has been used to regularly measure the area of Arctic sea ice
The sea ice area reaches its lowest point in September and peaks in March
Annual low of Arctic ice areas, mln sq km
CAUSES OF ARCTIC ICE MELTING
Global warming
Changing atmospheric circulation when warmer and more humid air flows reach the high latitudes more often
Peter Wadhams, Professor of Ocean Physics at the University of Cambridge, is confident that the Arctic will be completely ice-free in summer by 2040
CONSEQUENCES OF MELTING ARCTIC ICE FORMATIONS
Rising water levels of the world’s oceans may flood some territories
Shrinking Arctic sea ice open up new prospects for merchant marine traffic
New opportunities for exploiting mineral deposits
Greenhouse gas emissions, released by melting permafrost, will accelerate global climate change
Many animal and plant species may disappear
Changing direction of ocean current flows due to reduced salinity of sub-Arctic waters and disrupted land temperature patterns