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On the 2012 record low Arctic sea ice cover: Combined impact of preconditioning and an August storm
Author(s) -
Parkinson Claire L.,
Comiso Josefino C.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/grl.50349
Subject(s) - arctic ice pack , sea ice , arctic , arctic sea ice decline , storm , oceanography , climatology , environmental science , drift ice , geology , antarctic sea ice
A new record low Arctic sea ice extent for the satellite era, 3.4 × 10 6 km 2 , was reached on 13 September 2012; and a new record low sea ice area, 3.0 × 10 6 km 2 , was reached on the same date. Preconditioning through decades of overall ice reductions made the ice pack more vulnerable to a strong storm that entered the central Arctic in early August 2012. The storm caused the separation of an expanse of 0.4 × 10 6 km 2 of ice that melted in total, while its removal left the main pack more exposed to wind and waves, facilitating the main pack's further decay. Future summer storms could lead to a further acceleration of the decline in the Arctic sea ice cover and should be carefully monitored.