Research Paper On Arctic Ice

Ice is something we use and see every day, whether it is a block in our freezer or an icicle hanging from our roof. Ice is an important, yet subtle, part of our world. Ice is most commonly used to cool down our drinks and if you have ever noticed that ice in different shapes melt at different rates, then you are on to something. Ice with greater surface areas melt faster than ice with lesser surface areas.

The sugar molecules don’t fit into this, so when you freeze the water, the water freezes first and the sugar stays behind in the liquid part as the ice develops. Sugar makes the ice harder to form, therefore lowering the freezing point. By lowering the freezing point, it keeps the ice from re-freezing as easily, helping to melt the rest of the ice.

In other words, it takes less energy to raise the temperature of the salt water 1°C than pure water. And in the winter time, adding salt to the ice lowers its freezing point, so even more energy has to be absorbed from the environment in order for it to melt.

sea ice. Similarly, since the ice has only spread 5.607 million square miles this year, it could

As important as it is, Arctic coastal sea ice plays a vital role in dynamics of the coastline, covers stretches of open water which serve as important biological habitats, and serves as a platform for a broad range of activities by residents and industries (Druckenmiller et al., 2009). Sea ice is also important because it is used as a platform for harvesting seals and whales in spring, transport of personnel and supplies to camps, and as a network of trails (Druckenmiller et al., 2009). Dangerous effects of climate change include “ice breakouts” which are when large chunks of ice that whalers are using as working areas break off of the main ice blocks and take whaling camps out to sea (Druckenmiller et al.,

The increasing global temperatures have caused many problems in Arctic ecosystems. The increasing warmth has caused ice caps to melt, and permafrost to thaw, causing shifts in the ecosystems around them. 1According to Harris (2005) “Permafrost is soil, rock or sediment that is frozen for more than two consecutive years. In areas not overlain by ice, it exists beneath a layer of soil, rock or sediment, which freezes and thaws annually and is called the "active layer".” (p. 17). While the melting of ice may not seem like a big issue at first glance, its effects are truly catastrophic. Many professionals in this field, such as Houghton (2009) have said 2“Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic, with the continuing retreat of

If water were more dense when frozen, lakes and oceans in a polar environment would eventually freeze solid (from top to bottom). This would happen because frozen ice would settle on the lake and riverbeds.

The Arctic Circle runs through the far north of Canada. This is considered the Canadian Arctic. The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. “The Arctic Circle, incidentally, is an imaginary line located at 66º, 30'N latitude, and as a guide defines the southernmost part of the Arctic. The climate within the Circle is very cold and much of the area is always covered with ice. (World Atlas) Although this is the case, the position of the Arctic Circle is not fixed. It directly depends on the Earth's axial tilt.

The mirror has a much higher albedo than that of the black paper. Hypothesis: If the albedo is increased it will take longer for the ice to melt. This is because the surface will reflect most of the light that hits it.

The Arctic is an ocean, enclosed by several continents, including Alaska, Russia, Norway, and Greenland. Expeditions are usually undertaken between the months of April and September, when the sea ice has sufficiently melted to allow ships to pass. Some scientists define the Arctic by temperature and include all high-altitude locations, with an average summer temperature below 10 degrees Celsius. Other scientists define the Arctic by location. The North Pole, the northern-most point on Earth, has six months of unbroken daylight, and six months of unremitting night. The Arctic is the region south of the North Pole, and north of the Arctic Circle, and at these latitudes, the duration of incessant days or continuous nights, are shorter. The Arctic’s singular location, climate, and surrounding lands are unique. Following are descriptions of some of the matchless wonders you may expect to see on an Arctic expedition cruise.

Ice is one of the first indicators of global warming actually occuring and it is important for research to be done on these layers of before they disappear. The recession of glaciers and the fragmentation of ice caps has been a clear sign to many that rising temperatures are having an impact, even on our very lives.

Sea ice depletion and retreating is becoming significantly severe nowadays. It draws increasing attention from scientists, environmentalists and public. Global warming trends and increased anthropogenic activities in Arctic region are the main factors contributing to sea ice extent problems. In addition, a vicious circle would occur, as if further sea ice extent problem deteriorates, marine fisheries, socio-economic development and ecosystem would have to confront significant threats and challenges that give feedbacks to sea ice (ACIA, 2004).

The thawing global ice caps have occurred for many years during the progression of global warming (as mentioned in part 1 and ). Soot or black carbon is emitted from burning fossil fuels, diesel engines, and wood. Black carbon is strongly absorbs radiation from the sun which causes global warming. These particles can easily flow into the global winds across the earth and has possibility of settling in the icy regions. Arctic ice caps tend to melt even faster because of soot/black carbon. If the consumption of the natural resources we remove reduces, less soot could be produced into the atmosphere. Diesel engines could be upgraded and function in ways of less black carbonation releases. Deforestation also is a cause of great amounts of black

The Arctic is global warming’s canary in the coal mine. It is a highly sensitive area which is profoundly affected by the changing climate. The average temperature in the Arctic is rising twice as fast as elsewhere in the world (nrdc.org). Because of this, the ice cap is getting thinner, melting away, and rupturing. Here is an example of this; the largest ice block in the Arctic, the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf, had been around for 3000 years before it started cracking in 2000 (nrdc.org) By 2002, the Ward Hunt has cracked completely through and had started breaking into smaller pieces. The melting ice caps are affecting the earth and its inhabitants in many ways. In this paper, the following concepts and subjects will be

Future manned expeditions could melt the ice into water, for drinking, washing and turning into rocket-fuel: there is enough ice to make a lake 10km across and 10m deep.