Ned Potter is the science correspondent for ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson." He has reported on such topics as space exploration, the human genome and climate change.
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Report From the Arctic
September 17, 2008 1:39 PM
The National Snow and Ice Data Center reports that the earth's Arctic sea ice appears to have reached its minimum for the year. It's "the second-lowest amount recorded since the dawn of the satellite era," they say. The record was set a year ago.
"On September 12, 2008 sea ice extent dropped to 4.52 million square kilometers (1.74 million square miles). This appears to have been the lowest point of the year, as sea has now begun its annual cycle of growth in response to autumn cooling," says the NSIDC.
"The 2008 minimum is the second-lowest recorded since 1979, and is 2.24 million square kilometers (0.86 million square miles) below the 1979 to 2000 average minimum." There's more information and a map HERE.
NASA's Aqua satellite provided the data for the visualization above; more HERE, and a Quicktime animation HERE to show how the polar ice cap has receded since spring.
Shrinking ice means more of the Arctic is open to oil drilling and shipping. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, quoted by AP today: "The use of these energy reserves is a safeguard for Russia's energy security," he said. "It is our duty to our descendants, we have to ensure the long-term national interests of Russia in the Arctic."
(Image credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio; Blue Marble Next Generation data courtesy Reto Stockli (NASA/GSFC))
=======================
Note added Wednesday afternoon:
For some extra perspective, here is a graph of this year's ice cover, month-to-month, compared to last year's (the lower line) and the 1979-2000 average. Click on the graph to enlarge. Source: National Snow and Ice Data Center.
September 17, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (62)
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Can Palin see that from Alaska?
Posted by: Thinking | Sep 17, 2008 1:49:38 PM
Palin=Hotair melting Artic ice cap.
Posted by: Ernest T Bass | Sep 17, 2008 1:56:20 PM
Hey guys, lets say something about Palin here because it really matters to everyone. Grow up and get a life. I have heard that antarctica is actually gaining more ice? Could this have anything to do with how the earth has shifted on its axis? One gains and one retreats? seems fishy to me? But makes sense. Let's tilt it back.
Posted by: Eric | Sep 17, 2008 2:05:21 PM
What exactly is the "normal" size for the ice caps?
Posted by: Jayson | Sep 17, 2008 2:12:29 PM
Jayson
Depends on your definition of normal. If you refer to all of the time of earths existance the answer is ice free.
If you narrow that down to only since life began the answer is ice free.
If younarrow it farther down to within the current ice age then the answer is ice covered but with large variations within the interglacials.
Posted by: Quietman | Sep 17, 2008 2:20:16 PM
" I have heard that antarctica is actually gaining more ice"
Unfortunately, destruction of our planet is no joke. While no one knows for certain if global warming is man made, almost all the scientific evidence proves that it is.
So we have a choice:
Assume that the science is wrong, and elect republican leaders who care zero about our planet, and see what happens after another 8 years.
or,
Assume that the science is right, and elect a leader who believes in science and is determined to not allow our planet to be destroyed.
Stop and think about this for a minute. Our Planet. Who cares about it, and who does not.
Posted by: clifton | Sep 17, 2008 2:25:51 PM
Eric- It has more to do with the current changes to the Tranatlantic current due to increased global warming, specifically the temperature and salinity of the water it moves around the globe and past the Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets. P.S. Palin sucks
Posted by: M.Alto | Sep 17, 2008 2:31:08 PM
It's all Bush's fault.... oh yeah, and that guy Carl Rove... It's all his fault. It's that bald headed guys fault too... What's the vice presidents name?
Posted by: Leonidas | Sep 17, 2008 2:58:03 PM
Not like it's going to raise the sea level, since it is already covering the ocean and it is not sitting on land and melting into the sea. Oh Yeah (P.S.) Obama sucks... and so does his Obamabots....
Posted by: JWOS | Sep 17, 2008 3:02:09 PM
" almost all the scientific evidence proves that it is. "
The "scientific evidence" is a series computer models with one data point...
Posted by: Jeff | Sep 17, 2008 3:06:52 PM
And? it's been melting since the end of the ice age.... I think thats why they refer to it as the end of the ice age...
Posted by: Lumberman_63 | Sep 17, 2008 3:08:15 PM
Um folks, it melts, it grows back. It NEVER is at any one level at any given time. What's with the hysteria. There is no typical climate anywhere. That's why they went from global "warming" to "climate change". Climate ALWAYS changes. And the data shows hat the Earth is cooling and has been cooling for the last two years. (But thant's not good enough for the alarmists, they say that proves the effect of global warming, REALLY?) You can't win with these folks. And their solutions:Carbon tax/credits/offsetts don't even solve anything. Except transfer even more wealth to the rich from the middle class and the poor. You think the economy is bad NOW, just wait til the surcharges and "carbon footprint" fees kick in. (Google video Great Green Smokescreen) Goodbye fulltime employers, goodbye healthcare, hell goodbye national defense. but maybe you'll be given a job with the enviropolice. Would you like to get paid 6.00 to sift through your neighbors trash bins like they are already doing in Britan? (BBC) Now, there's a plan for ya.
Posted by: argh! | Sep 17, 2008 3:16:43 PM
What! And Florida is not under water. I thought Al Gore said our sea level was going to rise to catastrophic levels. Hum, I guess he miscalculated. Common mistake
Posted by: Doug | Sep 17, 2008 3:17:08 PM
Must be from Palin overusing her tanning bed in the Governor's mansion at tax payer expense.
Posted by: Sean | Sep 17, 2008 3:18:39 PM
Hmm, I think the headline should be "Arctic ice recovers after unusual 2007 melt".
Posted by: Arbie | Sep 17, 2008 3:19:59 PM
Probably George Bush's fault.
Posted by: Scuba | Sep 17, 2008 3:21:16 PM
everything is fine. No go back to listening to Rush L, et al.
Posted by: dave | Sep 17, 2008 3:21:26 PM
Damn Republicans. They've melted all the snow with their SUV's. Good thing Al Gore flew over in his private jet to check it out. Otherwise we probably wouldn't have noticed.
Posted by: Doug | Sep 17, 2008 3:24:44 PM
The earth has been around a long time and seems to handle its business well enough not to have to worry about plastic wrappers left on the streets/parks, never mind a warmer climate. We'll have to adjust ... and if we don't, we don't.
Don't get hysterical over something you can't change. Global warming ... I welcome it, but doubt I'll be around to have to worry much about it. In fact, I doubt the next 10 generations (or more) will have to worry.
Calm down. Then drink a beer and deposit the empty in a garbage pail not because the earth is going to fall apart someday ... because it's the right thing to do.
Posted by: Charlie Stella | Sep 17, 2008 3:28:41 PM
Is this the "change" that mccain is talking about? Did palin forget to turn the tanning bed off when she left Alaska? I wonder if palin can see Ice from her House?
Posted by: pt | Sep 17, 2008 3:31:27 PM
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