American scientists from the University of Colorado in Boulder have discovered that summer days in the Arctic may appear in the next few years, when the sea will be almost ice-free. So the polar region will turn from white to blue. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Nature Reviews Earth and Environment (NREE).
Experts’ findings suggest the Arctic’s first ice-free day could come 10 years earlier than previous predictions. An ice-free season does not mean the complete absence of ice. The concept implies a situation where ice in the Arctic region would cover less than 1 million square kilometers.
By mid-century the Arctic will likely be free of floating ice for a month. Most likely it will be September this month.
By the end of the century, the ice-free season could last several months per year, depending on future greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. If warming continues at a rapid or moderate pace, Arctic seas may stop freezing even in winter.
Reducing sea ice is having significant impacts on Arctic animals that depend on sea ice for survival, including seals and polar bears. Additionally, as the ocean warms, researchers worry that non-native fish could move into the Arctic Ocean. The impact of these invasive species on local ecosystems remains unclear.
Arctic sea ice remains persistent and will return rapidly as the atmosphere cools, scientists said.
Previous scientists warned About carcinogenic radon emissions from melting permafrost in the Arctic.
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Source: Gazeta
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