Comments on: WMO confirms “Overall [Arctic] ice volume was less than that in any other year”

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:40:12 +0000

And why is Antarctic sea ice increasing?

By: John Carroll

John Carroll — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 01:41:28 +0000

Hmmm, the latest articles I read indicate that Arctic ice has increased in the final months of 2008 to levels not seen since 1979. Now what is this article about, more B.S.

[JR: No such "articles" exist -- you have been duped.]

By: llewelly

llewelly — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:12:21 +0000

David Lewis:

Remember this?

Andy Revkin: “…the increasing summer retreats of sea ice, which many polar scientists say probably are being driven in part by global warming caused by humans, there will always be enough ice in certain parts of the Arctic to require icebreakers”.

Even with AGW of 6C Arctic winters would remain cold enough for ice formation. But the day when the need for ice breakers in the Arctic becomes seasonal is probably not far away.

By: jorleh

jorleh — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 08:48:26 +0000

What about the melting ice keeping the warming concealed somewhat?

We can calculate that 1 cubic kilometre ice warmed from -15 degrees Celcius to +15 C, and the energy extra demand just from ice to water makes 30 terawatthours which energy is out of the global warming.

Ice loss of Greenland, Antarctica and Alaska being some 1000 km3 per year makes 30 000 TWh out of global warming.

But the Arctic Sea loses ice ten times this much, making warming effect loss 300 000 TWh per year. The Arctic ice lost, this 300 000 TWh per year abruptly begins to warm the atmosphere. And the same effect later of course after the Greenland and Antarctic ice masses have gone.

By: Bob Wallace

Bob Wallace — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 04:29:46 +0000

Albedo is basically reflection. Both new and old ice should be covered by the same new/older snow or soot/whatever.

But that’s just a guess….

By: Mark Shapiro

Mark Shapiro — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:11:00 +0000

Aaron d –

1) Thin ice is a symptom of Arctic warming.

2) thin ice melts sooner in the spring and summer, reducing albedo, thus increasing heat absorption by the ocean.

3) Albedo of old ice vs new ice? don’t know.

By: David Lewis

David Lewis — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:32:18 +0000

Remember this?

Andy Revkin: “…the increasing summer retreats of sea ice, which many polar scientists say probably are being driven in part by global warming caused by humans, there will always be enough ice in certain parts of the Arctic to require icebreakers”.

By: Aaron d

Aaron d — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:21:33 +0000

Is there an albedo difference between older (thicker) ice and newer (thinner) ice?
A decrease in sea ice cover will lead to decreased albedo and cause the arctic to warm that much faster.

So are there any other effects of thin ice? Other than not being there during the summer.

By: tidal

tidal — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:46:42 +0000

Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home

Boy, you’re gonna carry that weight
Carry that weight a long time

…yup, we’ve really got our work cut out for us this century, starting yesterday… godspeed.

By: richard pauli

richard pauli — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:14:29 +0000

What are the radical changes to polar weather systems that we can expect from this change?