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| Marta I. Krynytzky | |
| mkrynytz@u.washington.edu |
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| climate change project | |
| motivations | |
| about AOGCMs | |
| what is the IPCC | |
| methods | |
| results | |
| summary | |
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all contents copyright
Marta Krynytzky 2005 unless otherwise noted
|
The Effects of Global Warming in High Latitudes:
Reduction of Sea Ice
Marta Krynytzky, Polar Science Center, Applied Physics
Laboratory
Mary Gates Scholar and Washington Space Grant Recipiant
Faculty Mentor: Cecilia Bitz, Atmospheric Sciences
Motivations:
The high latitudes of our planet are more sensitive to global
climate change than other areas. In particular, records show that
Arctic sea ice has been thinning for over 40 years. Sea ice plays an
important role in the regulation of our planet's climate state. It
influences the absorption of solar radiation and the ocean's
thermohaline ciculation which controls a large part of the heat
exchange of our earth's system. In addition to having a major effect on
our planet’s climatic feedback mechanisms, sea ice also provides a
unique habitat for many high latitude species, including humans.
Some key questions were used to guide the investigation of
climate models. First, how does sea ice change over time? What is the
seasonal and spacial variability of the change in sea ice? Does ice in
the northern and southern hemisphere behave differently?
Animals that use sea ice for Habitat:
polar bears (arctic only), penguins (antarctic only), seals,
walruses, micro algae, humans – Northern residences use sea ice
as hunting grounds in regions where other food is hard to find. The
reduction of sea ice in the Arctic and other climatic changes due to
warming decreases their hunting grounds and threatens their way of life.
