Arctic sea ice - Revision history

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	[[Category:Done ~~2016~~-04-30]]		[[Category:Done 2026-07-01]]
	[[File:6246557536_257ce1c46f_b.jpg\|400px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. An image showing sea ice in the Arctic Ocean.<ref>"Sea-ice-in-the-Arctic-Oce-004", Flickr, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.flickr.com/photos/10565417@N03/6246557536. [Accessed: 11- May- 2016]. Available: https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6052/6246557536_257ce1c46f_b.jpg</ref>]]		[[File:6246557536_257ce1c46f_b.jpg\|400px\|thumb\|right\|Figure 1. An image showing sea ice in the Arctic Ocean.<ref>"Sea-ice-in-the-Arctic-Oce-004", Flickr, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.flickr.com/photos/10565417@N03/6246557536. [Accessed: 11- May- 2016]. Available: https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6052/6246557536_257ce1c46f_b.jpg</ref>]]
	<onlyinclude>'''Arctic sea ice''' is a major concern for [[climate]] scientists, as it is one of the most sensitive systems to [[global warming]]. With potential impacts of further [[ice melt]] from both [[land vs sea ice\|land and sea ice]] worldwide, monitoring the sea ice in the Arctic is an ongoing task.</onlyinclude>		<onlyinclude>'''Arctic sea ice''' is a major concern for [[climate]] scientists, as it is one of the most sensitive systems to [[global warming]]. With potential impacts of further [[ice melt]] from both [[land vs sea ice\|land and sea ice]] worldwide, monitoring the sea ice in the Arctic is an ongoing task.</onlyinclude>
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	===Geography===		===Geography===
	The Arctic Ocean is an [[ocean]] covered by ice and surrounded by land. Due to this regional setting, sea ice that is produced in the Arctic is not as mobile as sea ice in the [[Antarctic ice \| Antarctic]].		The Arctic Ocean is an [[ocean]] covered by ice and surrounded by land. Due to this regional setting, sea ice that is produced in the Arctic is not as mobile as sea ice in the [[Antarctic ice \|Antarctic]].

	Arctic sea ice can extend to the North Pole. At this point, the arctic sea receives a decreased amount of solar energy at the surface level because of the oblique angle the sun’s rays strike.<ref name=RE1>"All About Sea Ice \| Arctic vs. Antarctic \| National Snow and Ice Data Center", National Snow & Ice Data Center, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/seaice/characteristics/difference.html. [Accessed: 12- May- 2016].		Arctic sea ice can extend to the North Pole. At this point, the arctic sea receives a decreased amount of solar energy at the surface level because of the oblique angle the sun’s rays strike.<ref name=RE1>"All About Sea Ice \| Arctic vs. Antarctic \| National Snow and Ice Data Center", National Snow & Ice Data Center, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/seaice/characteristics/difference.html. [Accessed: 12- May- 2016].
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	===Thickness and Mobility===		===Thickness and Mobility===
	[[Land vs sea ice \| Sea ice]] is present longer in the Arctic than the Antarctic, allowing it to grow thicker. Most arctic sea ice ranges in thickness of 2 to 3 [[meter]]s thick. Certain areas in the Arctic are covered with 4 to 5 meters of ice.<ref name=RE1/> ~~Artic~~ sea ice is quite mobile and tends to stay in cold Arctic waters. [[Floe]]s, sheets of floating ice, tend to group together and stack together into thick ridges consequently making the ice thicker.<ref name=RE1/>		[[Land vs sea ice \|Sea ice]] is present longer in the Arctic than the Antarctic, allowing it to grow thicker. Most arctic sea ice ranges in thickness of 2 to 3 [[meter]]s thick. Certain areas in the Arctic are covered with 4 to 5 meters of ice.<ref name=RE1/> Arctic sea ice is quite mobile and tends to stay in cold Arctic waters. [[Floe]]s, sheets of floating ice, tend to group together and stack together into thick ridges consequently making the ice thicker.<ref name=RE1/> This thicker ice stays frozen longer during the summer melting period and grows into the following autumn season.
	This thicker ice stays frozen longer during the summer melting period and grows into the following autumn season.

	===Ice growth===		===Ice growth===
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	The Pacific Ocean and numerous rivers located in Canada and Russia provide a fresher, less dense water source into the Arctic Ocean. This causes the Arctic Ocean to have a layer of cold, fresh water near the surface and warmer, saline water below it. This mixture promotes an environment that allows for more ice growth in the Arctic than the Antarctic.<ref name=RE1/>		The Pacific Ocean and numerous rivers located in Canada and Russia provide a fresher, less dense water source into the Arctic Ocean. This causes the Arctic Ocean to have a layer of cold, fresh water near the surface and warmer, saline water below it. This mixture promotes an environment that allows for more ice growth in the Arctic than the Antarctic.<ref name=RE1/>

	The Arctic ice is also classified by age, some ice is multiyear ice and some is single year ice. Multiyear ice contains less salty [[brine]]; this ice is more rigid and difficult to break (and has a low enough salt content that people sometimes drink it! <ref> "All About Sea Ice, Multiyear ice, hummocks insert, "National Snow and Ice Data Center", Dational Snow & Ice Data Centre, 2016. [Online. Available: https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/seaice/characteristics/multiyear.html. [Accessed: July 24th, 2016].</ref>). It also contains more air pockets making it clear. Multiyear ice is more common in the Arctic than in the Antarctic due to [[ocean current]]s and [[wind]] patterns moving sea ice around Antarctica, causing most of the ice to melt in the summer as it moves into warmer waters. Additionally, the Arctic Ocean is land locked allowing more multiyear ice to form. In contrast, single year ice is ice that has been formed and been around for one year. Single year ice forms from young ice that has a thickness of 0.3 to 2 meters.<ref name=RE2>”Quick Facts \| Quick Facts on Arctic Sea Ice \| National Snow and Ice Data Center", National Snow & Ice Data Center, 2016. [Online]. Available: http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/quickfacts/seaice.html. [Accessed: 08- May- 2016].</ref> Physical characteristics for single year ice include rough angular ridges, formed from a lack of pressure from the surrounding environment.		The Arctic ice is also classified by age, some ice is multiyear ice and some is single year ice. '''Multiyear''' '''ice''' contains less salty [[brine]]; this ice is more rigid and difficult to break (''and has a low enough salt content that people sometimes drink it!''<ref> "All About Sea Ice, Multiyear ice, hummocks insert, "National Snow and Ice Data Center", Dational Snow & Ice Data Centre, 2016. [Online. Available: https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/seaice/characteristics/multiyear.html. [Accessed: July 24th, 2016].</ref>). It also contains more air pockets making it clear. Multiyear ice is more common in the Arctic than in the Antarctic due to [[ocean current]]s and [[wind]] patterns moving sea ice around Antarctica, causing most of the ice to melt in the summer as it moves into warmer waters. Additionally, the Arctic Ocean is land locked allowing more multiyear ice to form. In contrast, '''single year ice''' is ice that has been formed and been around for one year. Single year ice forms from young ice that has a thickness of 0.3 to 2 meters.<ref name=RE2>”Quick Facts \| Quick Facts on Arctic Sea Ice \| National Snow and Ice Data Center", National Snow & Ice Data Center, 2016. [Online]. Available: http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/quickfacts/seaice.html. [Accessed: 08- May- 2016].</ref> Physical characteristics for single year ice include rough angular ridges, formed from a lack of pressure from the surrounding environment.

	==Importance of the Arctic Ocean==		==Importance of the Arctic Ocean==
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	The video below shows Arctic sea ice reaching its annual minimum extent<ref name="RE4”>"NASA \| Arctic Sea Ice Reaches 2015 Minimum Extent", YouTube - NASA Goddard, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3H7zfabJk8&nohtml5=False. [Accessed: 12- May- 2016].		The video below shows Arctic sea ice reaching its annual minimum extent<ref name="RE4”>"NASA \| Arctic Sea Ice Reaches 2015 Minimum Extent", YouTube - NASA Goddard, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3H7zfabJk8&nohtml5=False. [Accessed: 12- May- 2016].
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			== For Further Reading ==

			*[[Climate]]
			*[[Ice melt]]
			*[[Land vs sea ice]]
			*[[Antarctic ice]]
			*Or explore a [[Special:Random\|random page]]

	==References==		==References==
	{{reflist}}		{{reflist}}
			[[Category: Uploaded]]

Jmdonev: 1 revision imported: From the summer

2016-09-17T22:29:29Z

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Jmdonev at 23:19, 24 July 2016

2016-07-24T23:19:54Z

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[[Category:Done 2016-04-30]]
[[File:6246557536_257ce1c46f_b.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Figure 1. An image showing sea ice in the Arctic Ocean.<ref>"Sea-ice-in-the-Arctic-Oce-004", Flickr, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.flickr.com/photos/10565417@N03/6246557536. [Accessed: 11- May- 2016]. Available: https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6052/6246557536_257ce1c46f_b.jpg</ref>]]
<onlyinclude>'''Arctic sea ice''' is a major concern for [[climate]] scientists, as it is one of the most sensitive systems to [[global warming]]. With potential impacts of further [[ice melt]] from both [[land vs sea ice|land and sea ice]] worldwide, monitoring the sea ice in the Arctic is an ongoing task.</onlyinclude>

==Features==

===Geography===
The Arctic Ocean is an [[ocean]] covered by ice and surrounded by land. Due to this regional setting, sea ice that is produced in the Arctic is not as mobile as sea ice in the [[Antarctic ice | Antarctic]].

Arctic sea ice can extend to the North Pole. At this point, the arctic sea receives a decreased amount of solar energy at the surface level because of the oblique angle the sun’s rays strike.<ref name=RE1>"All About Sea Ice | Arctic vs. Antarctic | National Snow and Ice Data Center", National Snow & Ice Data Center, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/seaice/characteristics/difference.html. [Accessed: 12- May- 2016].
</ref> In the winter season, over 15 million km<sup>2</sup> of sea ice is present compared to 7 million km<sup>2</sup> at the end of the summer melt season.<ref name=RE1/>

===Thickness and Mobility===
[[Land vs sea ice | Sea ice]] is present longer in the Arctic than the Antarctic, allowing it to grow thicker. Most arctic sea ice ranges in thickness of 2 to 3 [[meter]]s thick. Certain areas in the Arctic are covered with 4 to 5 meters of ice.<ref name=RE1/> Artic sea ice is quite mobile and tends to stay in cold Arctic waters. [[Floe]]s, sheets of floating ice, tend to group together and stack together into thick ridges consequently making the ice thicker.<ref name=RE1/>
This thicker ice stays frozen longer during the summer melting period and grows into the following autumn season.

===Ice growth===
Ocean currents produce warmer water in the south that travels north of the Atlantic Ocean. The warmer water prevents any sea ice from forming in the North Atlantic. In contrast, waters off the eastern coast of Canada and Russia are impacted by cold air moving west-ward off the land. The eastern Canadian coast is also fueled by southward flowing cold water currents that make it easier for sea ice to grow.<ref name=RE1/>

Since the Arctic Ocean is frequently covered by ice and always surrounded by land, [[precipitation]] is relatively rare. Snowfall tends to be low, except near the ice edges.<ref name=RE1/>

The Pacific Ocean and numerous rivers located in Canada and Russia provide a fresher, less dense water source into the Arctic Ocean. This causes the Arctic Ocean to have a layer of cold, fresh water near the surface and warmer, saline water below it. This mixture promotes an environment that allows for more ice growth in the Arctic than the Antarctic.<ref name=RE1/>

The Arctic ice is also classified by age, some ice is multiyear ice and some is single year ice. Multiyear ice contains less salty [[brine]]; this ice is more rigid and difficult to break (and has a low enough salt content that people sometimes drink it! <ref> "All About Sea Ice, Multiyear ice, hummocks insert, "National Snow and Ice Data Center", Dational Snow & Ice Data Centre, 2016. [Online. Available: https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/seaice/characteristics/multiyear.html. [Accessed: July 24th, 2016].</ref>). It also contains more air pockets making it clear. Multiyear ice is more common in the Arctic than in the Antarctic due to [[ocean current]]s and [[wind]] patterns moving sea ice around Antarctica, causing most of the ice to melt in the summer as it moves into warmer waters. Additionally, the Arctic Ocean is land locked allowing more multiyear ice to form. In contrast, single year ice is ice that has been formed and been around for one year. Single year ice forms from young ice that has a thickness of 0.3 to 2 meters.<ref name=RE2>”Quick Facts | Quick Facts on Arctic Sea Ice | National Snow and Ice Data Center", National Snow & Ice Data Center, 2016. [Online]. Available: http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/quickfacts/seaice.html. [Accessed: 08- May- 2016].</ref> Physical characteristics for single year ice include rough angular ridges, formed from a lack of pressure from the surrounding environment.

==Importance of the Arctic Ocean==

Both Arctic and Antarctic sea ice are closely monitored, however in terms of understanding [[climate change]] impacts, the Arctic sea ice is of higher concern. This is because Arctic ice remains throughout the summer months, reflecting sunlight ([[albedo]]) and cooling the planet.<ref name=RE2/>

Sea ice in the Arctic has experienced rapid decline due to [[anthropogenic]] warming. In contrast, the Antarctic has experienced a small increase in sea ice with the exception of the Antarctic Peninsula, located in the southern tip of South America which has experienced a significant loss in ice.<ref name=RE2/> This is due to wind patterns and ocean waves impacting the region. Wind patterns can cause strong low pressure systems to form that can deflect warmer temperatures from melting or preventing sea ice to form. Another contribution is due to continental ice sheets. When cold fresh water enters the ocean, it starts forming a colder layer of water on the ocean surface which favours sea ice growth.<ref name=RE2/>

==Impact of climate change on Arctic ice==

The Arctic Ocean is intimately linked with the [[climate system]]s around it, making it more sensitive to changes in climate. This is looked at in contrast to Antarctica, where [[wind]] and ocean currents around Antarctica isolate the continent from global [[weather]] patterns, keeping it consistently cold.

Reasons why the Antarctic and Arctic are reacting differently to climate change are partly due to geological differences. Mentioned above, the Arctic is a region surrounded by both land and ocean, while the Antarctic is a continent completely surrounded by water. Antarctica is geographically isolated from global [[weather]] patterns by wind and ocean currents around it.<ref name=RE3>”Polar Ice Fact Sheet : Feature Articles", NASA, 2016. [Online]. Available: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/PolarIce/polar_ice2.php. [Accessed: 07- May- 2016].</ref> In the Antarctic, [[temperature]]s are below the freezing point that even with some extent of global warming, temperatures could stay suitably cold to prevent large surface melting.<ref name=RE3/> However, the Arctic ocean isn’t, which is why is it more sensitive to temperature change and closely interconnected with climate systems around it.<ref name=RE3/> An example of this scenario is the Greenland ice sheets. They are warmer than the Antarctic ice sheet making them substantially more fragile and susceptible to global warming causes mass melting to occur.<ref name=RE3/>

The video below shows Arctic sea ice reaching its annual minimum extent<ref name="RE4”>"NASA | Arctic Sea Ice Reaches 2015 Minimum Extent", YouTube - NASA Goddard, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3H7zfabJk8&nohtml5=False. [Accessed: 12- May- 2016].
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==References==
{{reflist}}