Arctic ice to drop 40 percent before 2050
A U.S. study released Thursday forecast that the Arctic Ocean's ice coverage will decline by more than 40 percent by 2050.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research was led by oceanographer James Overland and meteorologist Muyin Wang.
The findings are based upon a study of national and international computer models that closely matched the observed sea-ice extent during a 1979-1999 baseline period and then project forward to determine changes.
The report forecast summer sea ice loss across the Arctic Ocean north of Alaska, Canada and Asia. Sea ice loss is also predicted to occur during winter months in the seasonal ice zones of the more southern Bering and Barent seas and the Sea of Okhotsk. The models show no ice loss in the Baffin Bay region, west of Greenland.
"These seasonal ice zones have large variability on annual and decadal time scales," said Wang. "Projections of sea ice are important as there will be impacts on humans and other ecosystem components."
The study is to appear in the Sept. 8 issue of Geophysical Research Letters. // Copyright 2007 by United Press International
- New warning on Arctic ice melt
- Arctic ozone levels in never-before-seen plunge
- Mishandling of radioactive materials accelerating demise of Russia’s Arctic population
- Central Asia: UN's ban calls Aral Sea 'shocking disaster'
- Polar bear fossil traces origin to brown bears
- Ancient Mammals Wintered in Warm, Dark Arctic
- ABOUT 72% OF MOLDOVAN WELLS CONTAIN NITRITES – NICOLAE OPOPOL
- Romania will provide over 380,000 euros for Moldova-Romania border environment conservation projects
- By the year 2011, Soroca could have a cleaning station
- China boosts environment investment
- Naked photo shoot planned for Mexico City
- Kerry Katona expecting another girl
- Anna Nicole Smith's body in morgue amid court fight
- Johnny Knoxville has confessed he has a small penis
- Nude Britney Spears on Bearskin Rug
- Captive Natascha Kampusch was sexually abused - Images
- Angelina Jolie till sleeps with Jenny Shimizu
- Fire of raunchy photos Katie Rees Miss Nevada
- Sex scandal: Romanian consul in Moldova caught on tape
- World's smallest baby to be released from hospital