The Arctic has warmed nearly four times faster than the rest of the world over the past 43 years, points out a Popular Science article, notes Grumpy Editor.
"This means the Arctic is on average around 3℃ warmer than it was in 1980," it adds. "This is alarming, because the Arctic contains sensitive and delicately balanced climate components that, if pushed too hard, will respond with global consequences.”
A large part of the explanation relates to sea ice, a thin layer of sea water that freezes in winter and partially melts in the summer.
The article mentions “the Sea Ice is covered in a bright layer of snow which reflects around 85 percent of incoming solar radiation back out to space.”
When covered with sea ice, it adds, the Arctic Ocean acts like a large reflective blanket, reducing the absorption of solar radiation. As the sea ice melts, absorption rates increase, resulting in a positive feedback loop where the rapid pace of ocean warming further amplifies sea ice melt, contributing to even faster ocean warming.
One result of Arctic warming: Faster melting of the Greenland ice sheet. That adds to a rise in sea level.
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