EcoAlert - 2011 --A New Arctic Sea Ice Minimum

Researchers from the University of Bremen have announced that 2011’s Arctic Sea Ice Minimum is the smallest in recorded history, coming in under the previous lowest Minimum in September of 2007, reaching  its minimum on September 8 at 4.24 million square kilometres. This, compared to the 4.267 million square kilometres reached back in 2007, and down from 15 million square kilometres during the peak of winter.

“The decline of summer ice is already 50 percent since 1972. For small organisms that live on the underside of the ice and also the starting point of the human food chain are also for us, leaving less and less habitat,” said Dr George Heygster.

Satellite observations of the Arctic sea ice extent began back in 1972, and so far this year the current minimum sits 27,000 square kilometres below the 2007 number, 0.6 percent, and could drop even lower in the coming weeks.

 


Provided by The Daily Galaxy - University of Bremen and planetsave.com