The recent dramatic decline in Arctic sea-ice cover is illustrated in new data from Europe's CryoSat mission.
| The Arctic has experienced rapid change in recent years |
For the years 2010-2012, this is down to third Compared with data for 2003-2008.
For winter months, the fall in volume is not so great - down 9% over the same period.
A lot of thicker ice appears to Have Been lost from a region to the north of Greenland, the Canadian archipelago, and to a lesser Extent the northeast of Svalbard.Continue reading the main storyThe Arcticarctic volcano
The Arctic region contains a vast ice-covered ocean roughly centered on the Earth's geographic North Pole
The Sun does not rise at all on the shortest day of the year Within the Arctic Circle
Humans have the Arctic region Inhabited for Thousands of years and the current population is four million
Geologists estimate the Arctic may hold up to 25% of the world's remaining oil and natural gas
Watch the dramatic retreat of some of the world's largest glaciers
We Have Become accustomed to the big retreats in sea-ice area That Occur in summer. Last year saw the smallest yet Measured Extent in the satellite era.
But the latest report Gives an indication Cryosat of the status of the floes During the months When the seasonal re-freeze Occurs With The advance of colder temperatures.
"We've only been in orbit for two complete with Cryosat winters, and so it is not possible at the moment to discern any long term trends," mission scientist Dr Explained Katharine Giles from the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM) at University College London, UK.
"But as the mission moves forward we will get more and more information and will help us That better describes the emerging patterns are That."
Cryosat was Launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in early 2010.
It is what is Known as an altimetry mission, using advanced radar to measure the difference in height Between the top of the marine ice and the top of the water in the cracks, or leads, That separate the floes.
From this number, scientists can with Relatively easy calculation to work out the thickness of the ice.
Multiplying by the area Gives an overall volume, and it is the volume That is likely to Provide The Most Reliable assessment of the changes now underway in the Arctic.
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