Satellite data shows sea ice on September 18 covered just 1.6 million square miles.
Arctic sea ice maximum extent is also falling. NSIDC research scientist Walt Meier said the last four years have been some of the lowest on record,"reflecting a downward trend in winter sea ice extent." He continued:"This is just another indicator of the rapid changes that are occurring in the Arctic due to climate change.
It is thought that increasing global temperatures are behind the decline in Arctic sea ice. Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, temperatures have increased by around 1 degree Celsius. It is thought that if greenhouse gas emissions continue at current levels, warming could reach over 4 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.
Tom Rippeth, Professor of Physical Oceanography at the U.K.'s Bangor University, said 2019's sea ice minimum was initially tracking below the 2012 record. The August sea ice extent was the lowest ever recorded."The decline in summer sea ice extent is something we have been observing for well over a decade," he told.
"The more the sea ice melts back, the greater the proportion of the first year ice at the end of the winter, and so the more easily the ice is melted, and the earlier it melts. This causes the ocean to absorb more heat, which it must be got rid of to the atmosphere in the fall in order for the ocean surface to cool sufficiently to allow sea ice to reform. The result is the ice forms later and so the ice free season is longer where ice is lost.
Rippeth said sea ice is particularly effective at reflecting the sun's rays back into space—which helps limit warming. When there is less ice, less light—and heat—is reflected back, which causes more warming to the water and atmosphere above. This may then impact weather systems across the northern Hemisphere, he said."While there is still some debate as to the roll of reducing sea ice on our weather, I would be very surprised if it wasn't having some impact.
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