Arctic Sea ice, which has historically deflected up to 80% of the sun's rays to keep the ocean cool, is now melting at a dangerous rate.

 

Dr. Mark Serreze, senior research scientist at the US National Snow and Ice Data Center, and Dr. Olav Orheim head of the Norwegian International Polar Year Secretariat, state that there is an alarming chance the North Pole's Arctic ice will melt by the end of summer 2008.

ARCTIC SEA ICE

Twenty years ago (1988):
Thick, older ice At least 3  meters thick Over 50% of the ice more than 5 years old

(2008):
Thin, new ice Only 1 meter thick 70% of the ice formed Autumn 2007 and Winter 2007

 

Dr. Mark Serreze: Now we are warming the system up, and what we are starting to do is lose that reflective sea ice.

 

Current melt rate is becoming too fast to recover
Ice melt => no reflective
cover => accelerated
warming in oceans