What has happened to the polar ice caps over the last 100 years?

London, Nov 24 (IANS) The area of sea ice around Antarctica has barely changed in size in the past 100 years, researchers have found. According to estimates by climate scientists at the University of Reading in London, Antarctic has lost ony 14 per cent summer sea ice since the early 1900s.Nov 24, 2016

What has happened to the Arctic ice cap since 1970?

Sea ice in the Arctic has decreased dramatically since the late 1970s, particularly in summer and autumn. Since the satellite record began in 1978, the yearly minimum Arctic sea ice extent (which occurs in September) has decreased by about 40% [Figure 5].

What is happening to polar ice caps?

Polar ice caps are melting as global warming causes climate change. We lose Arctic sea ice at a rate of almost 13% per decade, and over the past 30 years, the oldest and thickest ice in the Arctic has declined by a stunning 95%.

What has happened to the Arctic sea ice from 1979 to 2010?

September Arctic sea ice is now declining at a rate of 13% per decade, relative to the 1981 to 2010 average. This graph shows the annual Arctic sea ice minimum each September since 1979, derived from satellite observations.

What has happened to the Arctic sea ice since 1979?

Since 1979, scientists have observed a decrease in the extent of Arctic sea ice in all months of the year. The September minimum extent is 36.5 per cent smaller in the period 2010–2019 than it was in the 1980s.

Is there still ice at the North Pole?

Unlike Antarctica, there's no land at the North Pole. Instead it's all ice that's floating on top of the Arctic Ocean. Over the past four decades, scientists have seen a steep decline in both the amount and thickness of Arctic sea ice during the summer and winter months.

Is the North Pole frozen year round?

The North Pole is presently covered by sea-ice all year. Each summer, the area of sea-ice coverage decreases and grows again in winter. However, as a result of global warming, the overall area of the Arctic Ocean covered by sea-ice has reduced rapidly over the past few decades.

How long will the polar ice caps last?

The Icy Earth Even grade-schoolers know to splash some white on the top and bottom of a drawing of the Earth. But turn back the clock some 40 million years, and those icy promontories disappear. Indeed, for the majority of Earth's existence, the poles have been ice-free.

What would happen if Antarctica melted?

If all the ice covering Antarctica , Greenland, and in mountain glaciers around the world were to melt, sea level would rise about 70 meters (230 feet). The ocean would cover all the coastal cities. And land area would shrink significantly. But many cities, such as Denver, would survive.

How much has Arctic ice melted since 1979?

Since 1979, Arctic sea ice has declined by an average of 27,000 square miles a year, an area the size of North Dakota that melts each year and doesn't grow back. In July of 2020, the area covered by sea ice in the Arctic Ocean reached a new low for the month.