Importance of Arctic Sea ice

Arctic sea ice reflects sunlight, keeping the polar regions cool and moderating global climate. Sea ice has a bright surface, so 80 percent of the sunlight that strikes it is reflected back into space, whereas an open ocean reflects only about 10-15% of solar radiation. As sea ice melts in the summer, it exposes the dark ocean surface. If you think of the planet as a house, the poles play the role of the whole-house air conditioner, supplying cool air masses to lower latitudes.

A small temperature increase at the poles leads to still greater warming over time, making the poles the most sensitive regions to climate change on Earth. Thus, Arctic Sea ice plays a big role in global climate change. And global climate change affects all of us and whole world.

Arctic Sea ice also affects the movement of ocean waters. Water below sea ice has a higher concentration of salt and is more dense than surrounding ocean water, and so it sinks. In this way, sea ice contributes to the ocean’s global “conveyor-belt” circulation. Cold, dense, polar water sinks and moves along the ocean bottom toward the equator, while warm water from mid-depth to the surface travels from the equator toward the poles. Changes in the amount of sea ice can disrupt normal ocean circulation, thereby leading to changes in global climate

Moreover, North pole is a home for many animals, birds, and fishes. They are very sensitive to the change of temperature and environment. For example, polar bears are starving because they cannot find food anymore.

http://nasadaacs.eos.nasa.gov/articles/2006/2006_seaice.html

~ by varvarag on May 29, 2009.