Arctic's First Ice-Free Summer Possible Even This Year
Experts Worry About a Disturbing Trend at the North Pole
But now, Maslowski says that "whether the Arctic sea ice disappears for the first time this summer or four or eight summers from now may be beside the point."
"The point," he emphasized, "is that we may well be passing through the sea-ice tipping point now. We'll just have to see what July and August weather have in store for the ice this summer."
The disappearance of Arctic sea ice may mean an even hotter planet, since the region's ice pack helps cool the earth by bouncing the sun's rays back into outer space. This reflective property, known as albedo, also prevents the rays from reaching the ocean, where heat is absorbed.
Less sea ice means more dark open water to absorb the heat, which scientists worry would melt the sea ice even further.
"Losing the ice sheet means losing an important way of cooling down," Mahoney said. "As a result, global warming would accelerate as the ice retreats."
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