New feedbacks speed up the demise of Arctic sea ice
Voosen, Paul
Next month, Arctic sea ice extent will reach its annual minimum, which is poised to be among the lowest on record. The trend is clear: Summer ice covers half the area it did in the 1980s, and because it is thinner, its volume is down 75%. With the Arctic warming nearly three times faster than the global average, most scientists grimly acknowledge the inevitability of ice-free summers, perhaps as soon as 2035. A warming atmosphere is far from the only factor speeding up the ice loss. Strengthening currents and waves are pulverizing the ice. And a study published this month suggests deep heat in the Arctic Ocean, long held at bay, has risen and is now melting the ice from below.</p>
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