Arctic Degrading Faster than First Thought

(AP)  A massive international study on climate change has found global warming is degrading the Arctic more than previously thought.

David Barber, who helped lead a international expedition in the arctic, says rapid sea ice melt is affecting everything from polar bears to microorganisms.

He says there is more open ice now in the Arctic. That creates more cyclones, which in turn further erodes the sea ice crucial to the region's ecosystem. Scientists on the mission say what is happening in the Arctic is a bellwether of what will eventually happen further south.

Some 300 scientists from 27 countries spent months on an icebreaker studying climate change in the Arctic.

Meanwhile, U.S.-based Pew Environmental Group said it has quantified for the first time the economic costs of the Arctic's warming and it adds up to at least $2.4 trillion over the next 40 years.

Economist Eban Goldstein of Bard College in New York says the Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world.

And he says the combination of melting ice, increased sunlight absorption by darker barren ground and the release of methane as the permafrost thaws will this year warm the earth the equivalent of 40 per cent of total U.S. industrial emissions.

[lakota2012]

by Noval53:
"Now we have climate MAD science and and their devout followers declaring "the sky is falling" and the world will end; unless we repent and change now."
---------------------



Of course through the centuries, we've always had devout religious groups declaring everything from going to hell for your sins or that the world would end, but I certainly don't see that from published scientists today -- just the opposite. Making predictions for the future is always troublesome, especially when you must take into account so many different variables, and the timeframe can get lost. We've seen that a few times just recently when physical evidence is overwhelming, and just because emotion becomes one of those variables, it certainly doesn't mean it isn't happening or even happening faster. But those that have a need to interject doubt, jump all over a timeframe prediction with their own FEARmongering.

Those supporting the manufactured doubt industry certainly have no need to provide peer-reviewed scientific research proving their points -- only that good scientists are "EVIL" or "MAD," and that their claims to a warming planet due to excessive GHG emissions are indicitive of "the sky is falling" as well as "economic tsunami" attacks.

Sorry, but until the denialist cult can show scientific proof that explains why, in their scenarios, CO2 as a known GHG which is steadily increasing, is not compounding the problem of global warming, they will remain the contrarians and alarmists they try to paint others. Merely trying to make the case for global "cooling" without taking into account CLIMATE over a longer period of time, has only made them look like the "alarmists" without scientific proof, especially as dr. roy spencer has shown the +0.72 degree C global temperature anomaly for Jan. 2010 (the third warmest month in the 32-year satellite record) as the east coast gets record snowfall. Check out: www.drroyspencer.com

[Noval53]

For most of the last century, we had religious crack pots declaring "the end of the world is near". Now we have climate MAD science and and their devout followers declaring "the sky is falling" and the world will end; unless we repent and change now. Each zealous group treats their published works as gospel and unquestionable. Both groups are arrogant, fanatical, and both groups are convinced that only they know the truth. We should never let either MAD troop of "nuts" get a hold on our governments, our resources, or our pocket books.

[lakota2012]

February 3, 2010
Despite cool temperatures, ice extent remains low

Despite cool temperatures over most of the Arctic Ocean in January, Arctic sea ice extent continued to track below normal. By the end of January, ice extent dropped below the extent observed in January 2007. The linear rate of decline for January is now 3.2% per decade.


Slow freeze-up keeps ice extent low

Analysis of data from the last three decades shows that the summer Arctic sea ice melt season now lasts nearly a month longer than it did in the 1980s. A later start of freeze-up and an earlier start to the melt season both contribute to the change. A recent paper by Thorsten Markus at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center suggests that the later freeze-up is the dominant factor lengthening the melt season. The analysis shows that, on average, autumn freeze-up starts nearly four days later each decade. Extensive open water at the end of the summer melt season, combined with warmer autumns, delay the autumn freeze-up. The larger expanses of open water absorb more solar energy, and before ice can form again, that heat must be released back to the atmosphere.

http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/

[justthefactsmam]

Here are some facts to consider when analyzing sea surface temperatures such as the ones Roy Spencer is using. Sea surface temperatures in the top meter of the oceans rapidly increase in periods of extended calm weather due to the cessation of wave driven mixing. After a week or two of calm, the surface temperature may become as much as 4-5° higher than the temperature 2m below the surface. This thermal stratification disappears in a few hours when normal trade winds resume. El Niño events are characterized by extended and expanded areas of calm over the tropical oceans and it is this calm, not exceptional atmospheric temperatures, which is responsible for the rise in sea surface temperatures.

Elevated sea surface temperatures would presumably result in greater transfer of thermal energy to the atmosphere via increased back radiation, conduction/convection and evaporation. After an El Niño, when the warm layer is again mixed through the normal 70-100m thickness of the surface zone above the thermocline, the total thermal content should be somewhat less than it otherwise would be due to the cessation of mixing during the period of calm and the greater loss to the atmosphere from the higher temperature shallow surface layer. The result is that the high SSTs characteristic of El Niños is followed by a period of lower than average surface temperatures (i.e. La Niña). This seems quite evident following the 1998 El Niño.

[lakota2012]

by Mortar_29:
"Wow. What a silly post.....We actually have been in a cooling period, since I believe 1999.....I have 30 inches of snow outside my house in Virginia."
--------------------------


Nah...the silly posts come from the religious denialists, spewing ridiculous rhetoric about global "cooling" and delusionally relating weather events during an el Nino year that somehow can be matched to CLIMATOLOGY, but only in their parallel theocratic universe! BTW, you better get ready for the next onslaught we're sending you tomorrow from the Rockies! Enjoy the cold and snow during WINTER!

Here, check out one of the lead denialist's (dr. roy spencer along with his denialist partner, john christy) webpage, explaining exactly how wrong they were about global cooling with the warmest January in 32 years with a +0.72 degree C anomaly. You denialists are the ones that continuously look sillier and more ignorant with that global "cooling" propaganda coupled with regional weather reports! Come back when you can find FACTS to substantiate your rhetoric!


NASA Aqua Sea Surface Temperatures Support a Very Warm January, 2010
February 4th, 2010

When I saw the ?record? warmth of our UAH global-average lower tropospheric temperature (LT) product (warmest January in the 32-year satellite record), I figured I was in for a flurry of e-mails.

January 2010 UAH Global Temperature Update +0.72 Deg. C

The global-average lower tropospheric temperature anomaly soared to +0.72 deg. C in January, 2010. This is the warmest January in the 32-year satellite-based data record.

The tropics and Northern and Southern Hemispheres were all well above normal, especially the tropics where El Nino conditions persist.
This record warmth will seem strange to those who have experienced an unusually cold winter.

http://www.drroyspencer.com/latest-global-temperatures/

http://www.drroyspencer.com/

[louiville35]

"Bard is widely regarded as one of the most left-leaning colleges in the country. In 2005, the Princeton Review ranked it as the second-most liberal college in the United States, declaring that Bard "puts the 'liberal' in 'liberal arts.'""

"Economist Eban Goldstein of Bard College in New York says the Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world.

And he says the combination of melting ice, increased sunlight absorption by darker barren ground and the release of methane as the permafrost thaws will this year warm the earth the equivalent of 40 per cent of total U.S. industrial emissions. "

Well that settles it, a Bard "Economist" would certainly know, LOL.......

[lakota2012]

by louiville35:
"Well that settles it, a Bard "Economist" would certainly know"
----------------------



Actually, the joke is on you, ranting in such a highly partisan manner, first attacking a certain college and then attacking economists, all the while allowing a statistician and mathematician (mcintyre/mckitrick) to denigrate 3 peer-reviewed CLIMATOLOGISTS!

Guess you didn't get the memo that both NOAA and NSIDC have also confirmed the steady DECLINE in Arctic sea ice, even during the last couple of la Nina cooler years. What is it about you religious denialists that just have a need to spew your anti-science propaganda?


Global Highlights

Global land and ocean annual surface temperatures through December tied with 2006 as the fifth warmest on record, at 0.56°C (1.01°F) above the 20th century average.

The 2000-2009 decade is the warmest on record, with an average global surface temperature of 0.54°C (0.96°F) above the 20th century average. This shattered the 1990s value of 0.36°C (0.65°F).

Ocean surface temperatures (through December) tied with 2002 and 2004 as the fourth warmest on record, at 0.48°C (0.86°F) above the 20th century average.
Land surface temperatures through December tied with 2003 as the seventh warmest on record, at 0.77°C (1.39°F) above the 20th century average.

Sea Ice Extent

The past five years have had the five smallest minimum sea ice extent on record. The September 2009 Arctic sea ice extent was 1.1 million square kilometers greater than 2007's record low and 690,000 square kilometers greater than September 2008, the second-lowest extent. This was the 13th consecutive September with sea ice extent below average. September 1996 was the last year with above-average sea ice extent.

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/?report=global&year=2009&month=13&submitted=Get+Report

[troutfishyman]

by louiville35 February 8, 2010 8:31 AM EST
by troutfishyman February 7, 2010 8:58 PM EST
Poor old Mortar thinks that climate change means the end of snow. LOL
=============================================================================
Poor old trout he thought the IPCC had science in mind when they produced the all time best seller in fiction the IPCC IR4 apocalypse now report. AHHAHHAHAH



Goodness son, choking on a fishbone again? Do be careful!

[louiville35]

Ummm wouldn't that be you gay fisherman on the "Rainbow Warrior"?

[louiville35]

by troutfishyman February 7, 2010 8:58 PM EST
Poor old Mortar thinks that climate change means the end of snow. LOL
=============================================================================
Poor old trout he thought the IPCC had science in mind when they produced the all time best seller in fiction the IPCC IR4 apocalypse now report. AHHAHHAHAH

[lakota2012]

Actually, louiville slugger, the best work of fiction was the religious denialists like john christy and roy spencer getting you Kool-aid guzzlers to buy into the "global cooling" farse! Seems as if ol' roy spencer is singing a completely different tune now, but you're not!

January 2010 UAH Global Temperature Update +0.72 Deg. C

The global-average lower tropospheric temperature anomaly soared to +0.72 deg. C in January, 2010. This is the warmest January in the 32-year satellite-based data record.

The tropics and Northern and Southern Hemispheres were all well above normal, especially the tropics where El Nino conditions persist. This record warmth will seem strange to those who have experienced an unusually cold winter.

http://www.drroyspencer.com/

[Noval53]

Let's not forget what the global warming/climate change scam is all about. It's a collosal fable of fear designed to scare people around the globe into pouring money in to the United Nations and other "sky is falling" organizations who are claiming they will save the world. Do you really believe the UN can change the weather/climate. If so; the Brooklyn Bridge is on the market now; just for you. If you want to throw your money into the bottomless pot at the UN, be my guest. Just leave the rest of us out of this chicken little fiasco.

[lakota2012]

by Noval53:
"collosal fable of fear"
-----------------------



Is that the economic catastrophe that the religious denialists have been predicting through their endless FEARmongering about what will happen if we address climate change through a REAL energy policy -- not the GOP idea of energy legislation in 2005 -- of expanding renewable energy and 4th generation nuclear IFR/LFTR technology, while we phase out the finite fossil fuel nightmare?

[troutfishyman]

Poor old Mortar thinks that climate change means the end of snow. LOL

[lakota2012]

by troutfishyman:
"Poor old Mortar thinks that climate change means the end of snow. LOL"
------------------------------


Hilarious!....just wait to hear more whining from him as the next storm of a foot or more hits him in VA tomorrow!.....ROTFLMFAO!!

[troutfishyman]

by cbs4111 February 7, 2010 4:38 PM EST
Troutman,

Yes, but the gauging stations show a ruler-straight sea level increase for the last 100 years. ABSOLUTELY RULER STRAIGHT since well before CO2 started increasing. 8 inches per 100 years. Now what does that mean? It means that CO2 hasn't driven any alarming increase in the sea level.




Really? When did the Industrial Age and mass consumption of fossil fuels start?

[louiville35]

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/images/1/1d/Post-Glacial_Sea_Level.png

Hmmmmmm that must have been about 6,000 years ago right trout? (see 24,000 year sea level graph)

[lakota2012]

Aaaaaah...now louiville slugger is using the "global warming art" as something that can be classified as "science." HA!...HA!...HA!...HA!

Might want to check out your lead denialist's page, after he and his cohort john christy kept spewing the moronic rant of global "cooling," it seems as if their satellite observations have found Jan. 2010 as the warmest globally in 32 years, with a +0.72 degree C. temperature anomaly:
http://www.drroyspencer.com/