Latest Results
2003 Arctic Sea Ice Year in Review
| Recent studies indicate
that the sea ice cover is undergoing significant climate-induced changes,
affecting both its extent and thickness. It is important to continue and
expand efforts to monitor these changes to (a) improve the fundamental
understanding of the role of the sea ice cover in the global climate system
and its influence on the Arctic ecosystem and (b) take advantage of the
sensitivity of the sea ice cover as an early indicator of the magnitude and
impact of climate change.
As determined at a SEARCH Workshop on Large-Scale Atmospheric/Cryospheric Observations, coordination of related program activities is key to effectively monitoring the thickness of the sea ice cover. Responding to the results of this workshop, NOAA’s Arctic Research Office has taken a lead role in establishing and maintaining a large-scale sea ice thickness observing network. This activity is one component of NOAA’s currently funded SEARCH initiative. This is a joint effort by researchers at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, and the Polar Science Center. |