Seaice in the Arctic Circle.Aswater and air temperatures rise each year near the Poles, some of thes
Seaice in the Arctic Circle.Aswater and air temperatures rise each year near the Poles, some of thesea ice melts. Antarctic sea ice melts more completely in summerthan in the Arctic, because of differences in geography and climate.Forice to thicken, the ocean must lose heat to the atmosphere. But theice also insulates the ocean below, so heat loss gradually becomesmore difficult. Eventually the ice becomes too thick for more heatto escape (about 3 – 4 metres). Now further thickening is onlypossible through collisions and ridge-building.Icethat survives the summer melt season can last for years. It losesmore salt each year, and thus hardens further. First-year ice isthinner and saltier, and more prone to melting during the summer.Duringthe melt season, melt ponds form on top of the sea ice. The numberof melt ponds that form early in the season can affect the minimumextent reached by sea ice at the beginning of autumn. -- source link
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