The U.S. National Research Council has just released a synthesis of reports from thousands of scientists in 60 countries who took part in the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-08, the first in over 50 years to offer a benchmark for environmental conditions and new discoveries in the polar regions.
Tag Archives: Arctic
Albedo effect of tundra vegetation accelerates global warming
Climate change has increased vegetation in Arctic tundra regions. According to a recent study, the increase in vegetation in tundra regions may further accelerate global warming.
Saving the Arctic with geoengineering only costs 24 million euros
But not to linger, waiting till tomorrow will cost much, much more:
Arctic beluga whales and narwhals had a close relative in Pliocene waters
Beluga whales and narwhals live solely in the cold waters of the Arctic and sub-arctic. Smithsonian scientists, however, found that this may not have always been the case. They recently described a new species of toothed whale and close relative to today’s belugas and narwhals that lived some 3-4 million years ago during the Pliocene in warm water regions.
Beluga whale, narwhal and Pliocene relative Bohaskaia monodontoides shown in artist impression by Carl Buell
Arctic ice has had a good winter
Each year at the end of winter the Arctic sea ice reaches its maximum extent. Although unsurprisingly this ice maximum receives less media attention than the annual sea ice minimum in September, combining the two gives a better representation of … Continue reading
Arctic warming cold winter hypothesis loses one year
And it also loses a study, but then it gains two… We’ll just admit a small prejudice. Are gut feelings allowed in science?
Today´s paradox: European cold winters associated with Arctic warming – and positive(!) AO
Warming in the Arctic would increase the chance of cold winters in Europe and parts of North America and Asia. There have now been three consecutive studies that reach this conclusion in as many years. That means it is about … Continue reading
Today’s paradox: Russian ice is melting, water becomes saltier
As the climate changes, so does the face of local meteorology. In the Arctic it appears the Beaufort high is gradually making place for increased dominance of low pressure systems, leading to a more dominant positive phase in the Arctic … Continue reading
Drop in CO2 heralded the onset of Antarctic glaciation
For about 100 million years all sorts of animals roamed the then subtropical North and South poles. But then suddenly some 34 million years ago during the Eocene everything changed when temperatures fell dramatically in only a 100,000 year timespan, … Continue reading