Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    TopBuzzMagazine.com
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    • Home
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Music
    • Fashion
    • Books
    • Science
    • Technology
    • Cover Story
    • Contact
      • About
      • Amazon Disclaimer
      • Terms and Conditions
      • Privacy Policy
      • DMCA / Copyrights Disclaimer
    TopBuzzMagazine.com
    Home»Science»New observations from ICESat-2 show remarkable Arctic sea ice thinning
    Science

    New observations from ICESat-2 show remarkable Arctic sea ice thinning

    By AdminApril 19, 2022
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Over the past two decades, the Arctic has lost about one-third of its winter sea ice volume, largely due to a decline in sea ice that persists over several years, called multiyear ice, according to a new study. The study also found sea ice is likely thinner than previous estimates.

    Seasonal sea ice, which melts completely each summer rather than accumulating over years, is replacing thicker, multiyear ice and driving sea ice thinning trends, according to the new research.

    Arctic sea ice snow depth is estimated, for the first time, from a combination of lidar (ICESat-2) and radar (CryoSat-2) data. Using these estimates of snow depth and the height of sea ice exposed above water, the study found multiyear Arctic sea ice has lost 16% of its winter volume, or approximately half a meter (about 1.5 feet) of thickness, in the three years since the launch of ICESat-2.

    The study was published in the AGU journal Geophysical Research Letters, which publishes short-format, high-impact papers with implications that span the Earth and space sciences.

    “We weren’t really expecting to see this decline, for the ice to be this much thinner in just three short years,” said lead study author Sahra Kacimi, a polar scientist at the California Institute of Technology’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

    Scientists make satellite estimates of sea-ice thickness using snow depth and the height of the floating ice above the sea surface. Snow can weigh ice down, changing how ice floats in the ocean. The new study compared ice thickness using new snow depths from satellite radar and lidar to previous ice thickness and snow depth estimates from climate records. The researchers found using climatology-based estimates of snow depth can result in overestimating sea-ice thickness by up to 20%, or up to 0.2 meters (0.7 feet).

    “Arctic snow depth, sea ice thickness and volume are three very challenging measurements to obtain,” said Ron Kwok, a polar scientist at the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory who co-authored the new study. “The key takeaway for me is the remarkable loss of Arctic winter sea ice volume — one-third of the winter ice volume lost over just 18 years — that accompanied a widely reported loss of old, thick Arctic sea ice and decline in end-of-summer ice extent.”

    “This is the first time anyone has several years’ worth of data from the difference between lidar and radar data for snow depth,” said Robbie Mallett, a polar ice researcher at University College London who was not involved in the study. “It’s a really useful update on how ICESat-2 is performing.”

    The study used an 18-year record of sea-ice observations from ICESat and the newer ICESat-2 and CryoSat-2 satellites to capture monthly changes in Arctic sea-ice thickness and volume, to provide context for sea ice thickness estimates from 2018 to 2021. The 18-year record showed a loss of about 6,000 cubic kilometers of winter ice volume, largely driven by the switch from predominantly multiyear ice to thinner, seasonal sea ice.

    Older, multiyear ice tends to be thicker and therefore more resistant to melting. As that “reservoir” of old Arctic sea ice is depleted and seasonal ice becomes the norm, the overall thickness and volume of Arctic sea ice is expected to decline. “Current models predict that by the mid-century we can expect ice-free summers in the Arctic, when the older ice, thick enough to survive the melt season is gone,” Kacimi said.

    “This is really old ice we’re losing at quite a frightening rate,” Mallett said.

    Story Source:

    Materials provided by American Geophysical Union. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

    Read The Full Article Here

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Related Posts

    Sled dog DNA reveals hidden chapter in Greenland’s history

    August 24, 2025

    X-ray telescope finds something unexpected with the ‘heartbeat black hole’

    August 23, 2025

    Antibiotics normally don’t increase the risk of autoimmune disorders

    August 23, 2025

    Hydroxyl adsorption identified as key factor in electrocatalytic ammonia production

    August 22, 2025

    James Webb telescope reveals that asteroids Bennu and Ryugu may be parts of the same gigantic space rock

    August 22, 2025

    How to tackle environmental issues when the world can’t agree

    August 21, 2025
    popular posts

    Emily Ratajkowski Wears a Completely Sheer Dress With Nothing But

    2024 was China’s hottest year on record: weather agency

    Astronomers have spotted the largest known object in the universe

    How Hurricane Season Went from Quiet to a ‘Powder Keg’

    Todd Chrisley Is ‘Suffering From Anxiety’ & Has Privacy Issues

    How to Declutter Your Home Screen

    Station 19 Season 7 Episode 1 Review: This Woman’s Work

    Categories
    • Books (3,367)
    • Cover Story (5)
    • Events (19)
    • Fashion (2,502)
    • Interviews (43)
    • Movies (2,667)
    • Music (2,947)
    • News (156)
    • Politics (3)
    • Science (4,517)
    • Technology (2,662)
    • Television (3,392)
    • Uncategorized (932)
    Archives
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube Reddit TikTok
    © 2025 Top Buzz Magazine. All rights reserved. All articles, images, product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement unless specified. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie SettingsAccept
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT