On October 7, 2013, the Nordic Orion bulk carrier ship completed its journey from Vancouver, Canada, to Pori, Finland, having traveled northward around Alaska and through the Northwest Passage. It was the first large commercial freighter ever to make the voyage through these typically ice-covered Arctic waters. Avoiding the longer journey, through the Panama Canal, […] … learn more→
Tag Archives: Arctic sea ice
As sea ice shrinks, Arctic shipping options expand
Ocean currents play a role in predicting extent of Arctic sea ice – Research
Each winter, wide swaths of the Arctic Ocean freeze to form sheets of sea ice that spread over millions of square miles. This ice acts as a massive sun visor for the Earth, reflecting solar radiation and shielding the planet from excessive warming. The Arctic ice cover reaches its peak each year in mid-March, before […] … learn more→
Arctic Sea Ice in Free Fall
The North Pole is losing its ice cap. Comparing recent melt seasons with historical records spanning more than 1,400 years shows summer Arctic sea ice in free fall. Many scientists believe that the Arctic Ocean will be ice-free in the summertime within the next decade or two, and some say that this could occur as […] … learn more→
On Arctic Sea ice melt and coal mine canaries
Despite peak global temperatures in 2005 and 2010 (unprecedented in the instrumental record), a recent sharp plunge in volume of the Arctic Sea ice and a spate of extreme weather events, coal mining, coal exports and carbon emissions continue to grow, overwhelming any mitigation attempted by schemes such as the Australian carbon price. And although […] … learn more→
Loss of Arctic sea ice: don’t let the GFC distract you, climate change is happening
A few weeks ago, NASA announced that the area of Arctic ice is now almost as low as it was in 2007, its historic minimum. The extent of ice has reduced to 4.33 million km² compared to the mean (1979 to 2000) of 7.04 million km². Simultaneously, three navigation routes have opened across the Arctic […] … learn more→