Sea ice in the Arctic.Sea ice is frozen seawater floating on the surface of the ocean.  Itrestr

Sea ice in the Arctic.Sea ice is frozen seawater floating on the surface of the ocean.  Itrestricts wind and wave movement near coastlines, which reducescoastal erosion and protects ice shelves.The sea ice creates an insulating “cap” on the water, reducingevaporation and heat loss to the atmosphere.  Because of this, theweather in ice-covered areas tends to be colder and drier.Sea ice also encourages the growth of phytoplankton in various ways. When ice freezes, it releases salt into the water below.  This densesalty water sinks downwards, mixing the water column and bringingnutrients to the surface.  When the ice melts in summer, it releasesmore nutrients into the water.  The melting ice also exposes theocean water to sunlight, which encourages photosynthesis in plankton.The white surface of sea ice has a high albedo – it reflects moresunlight back into space than open water does.  When it begins tomelt, it exposes more dark water, and this water absorbs moresunlight.  The sun-warmed water then melts more ice.  This creates aself-reinforcing albedo cycle, and over several years, thisice-albedo feedback can influence global climate. -- source link

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