The situation of Arctic sea iceby | 29-09-2015 07:25 |
|---|
 Arctic sea ice extent and especially concentration are now growing rapidly, as illustrated by the Naval Research Lab animation :  http://www7320.nrlssc.navy.mil/hycomARC/navo/arcticicen_nowcast_anim30d.gif This means that the sea ice is effectively sealing off the water of the Arctic Ocean from the atmosphere, which reducing the chances of transfer of ocean heat from the water to the atmosphere. Conversely, the risk grows that ocean heat will reach the seafloor. Furthermore, this seal makes that less moisture evaporates from the water, which together with the change of seasons results in lower Hydroxyl levels at the higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, in turn resulting in less methane being broken down in the atmosphere over the Arctic. |
