Page 11 - living-ice

Climate change impacts
PHOTO: Rudi Cayers
Ill.: Audun Igesund / Norsk Polarinstitutt
Open water absorbs light and heat, while ice re ects light and heat back into the atmosphere. Thereby, ice plays such an im- portant role in the Arctic warming and affects the weather and climate else- where on earth. The amount of re ected light converted into heat is determined by the surface area, texture and colour of the ice. Dry snow re ects the most, but as the snow becomes wetter or melts the degree of re ection declines.
Less snow and stronger ice melting generate more light and heat in the ocean, leading to thinner ice. This process in combination with heat from ocean currents coming from the south determines how much sea ice melts. A low-pressure area char-
acterized by humid, warm air masses winds its way around the Arctic. These air masses can break out of the low-pressure belt, with consequences for the climate in the southern regions. Consequently, the Arctic Ocean and its seasonal ice zone are closely linked to climate changes in the Paci c Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and on land. For instance, recent temperature records in Svalbard are likely linked to Arctic winds now being warmer due to less sea ice and more open water.