Arctic Sea Ice Near Historic Low; Antarctic Ice Continues Decline
Arctic sea ice pulled away to near-historic lows in the Northern Hemisphere this summertime, most likely melting to its minimum degree for the year on Sept. 11, 2024, according to scientists at NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). The decrease continues the decades-long pattern of diminishing and thinning ice cover in the Arctic Ocean.
The quantity of frozen seawater in the Arctic changes throughout the year as the ice defrosts and grows back in between seasons. Researchers chart these swings to build a photo of how the Arctic reacts gradually to increasing air and sea temperature levels and longer melting seasons. Over the previous 46 years, satellites have actually observed consistent patterns of more melting in the summertime and less ice development in winter season....