At North Pole it is bitterly cold at this time of year, because re is polar night, total darkness in Arctic. Actually, it would have to be as frosty as se days in Germany. This has been case for many years, but this has changed: The Danish WetterdienstDMI reports Plusgrade on norrn Greenland. Since beginning of records re has never been wenigerMeereis at Arctic Circle in polar winter than this year. 2018 will go into history with a neuenNegativrekord. What's happening here could get you all mixed up soon.
The current heat is explained quickly. "As always, wear is determined by Luftdruckmusterauf of Earth," says Christian Haas, professor of geophysics of Arctic Ice at York University in Toronto, Canada. DasHoch over Siberian coast move cold air clockwise to Mitteleuropa, but at same time draw warm air masses from Atlantic in DieArktis.
This has consequences, because re ice surface does not come to regenerate because of warmth, especially at its edges. Shortly before climax of Arctic winter, which lies in ErstenMärztagen, sea ice area was 14.159 million square kilometers, on day 57 of this year (February 26th). "This is smallest ever in Arctic GemesseneEisdecke at end of month of February," says geophysicist Haas. seit1978 is measured by satellite.
Dwindling sea iceThe curve traces how much of Earth's surface is covered with sea ice both at north and South Poles in course of year. This year (red line) it has already decreased as never since beginning of records. The situation in Arctic alone is dramatic.
Source: National Snow Ice Data center © time OnlineIn weeks without any sunshine, DieWasseroberfläche has always been freezing around North Pole. But now in a few days polar night will end without this process. Then sun will show itself again. From this point on, ice surface will thaw again. Because starting area is so small, scientists fear a new melting record in summer.
"Ice surfaces have a higher jet effect alsdie darker water surface", explains Christian Haas, who also works beimAlfred-Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine research. The so-called Albedo effect works here: in those places where Arctic Ocean no longer carries sea ice, it swallows more solar energy and thus warms North Pole ever furr. EinTeufelskreis with severe consequences for wear and ecosystems.
Sea ice What is sea ice?- Sea ice contains salt, refore it is milk y and not transparent. And it's flexible. You can go on quite thin sea ice. Before sea ice breaks, it bends.
- Süßwassereis, on a lake, on or hand, is rigid, it breaks without warning.
- Sea ice, which exists for several years, loses salt with time. It flows down through ice. This makes ice more transparent and radiates in dazzling blue and turquoise tones. Previously, blocks of perennial sea ice served indigenous Iñupiat as a source of drinking water.
For example, for Jetstream, a wear best immendes wind band that revolves at a high altitude above norrn hemisphere. " The stability of jet streams is determined by temperature difference between Äquatorund North Pole, lower temperature difference, more virulent derJetstream, "explains Haas. Virulent means that Höhenwind stronger after Südenausschlägtund so wear gets messed up. This was case in North America, for example, in January 2014. In November 2016, impacts could be observed in Arctic itself. Also, effect was responsible for bad summer last year.
Date Of Update: 01 March 2018, 12:03
