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Article: Big thaw could leave the Arctic ice-free by 2013
- Article from:
- The Scotsman
- Article date:
- June 20, 2008
- Author:
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Copyright informationCopyright 2008 The Scotsman. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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THE Arctic could be ice-free in summer within five years,
scientists have warned.
Sea ice is melting at a faster rate than last year, despite a
cold winter, according to new data released yesterday by the US
National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC).
Figures show that 2008 began with ice covering a larger area than
at the beginning of last year. Since then, however, the levels have
shrunk to what they were last June, a record-breaking period for sea-
ice loss. Researchers say that much of the ice is so thin it melts
easily, and that previous forecasts for an ice-free Arctic during
the summer season may now have to be brought forward drastically.
Julienne Stroeve, a research scientist at ...