predict

Arctic sea ice is declining and the lives of polar bears, who depend on ice in search of food, are threatened. Do you care? Do you want to know how Arctic sea ice would diminish in future global warming scenarios? You can find out here!

Introduction: Significant changes in arctic climate have been detected in recent years. One of the most striking changes is the decline of sea ice together with increased surface air temperature. Will arctic sea ice continue to decline? Under the scenario of increased emissions of greenhouses gases such as carbon dioxide, various climate models have projected an average of 7 ^oC increase in surface air temperature in the Arctic by the end of this century or the early 22nd century, leading to a substantially diminished arctic ice cover. Diminution of ice cover would greatly affect the people and ecosystems in the north polar region, including the polar bears who rely on ice in search of food. How much ice might be gone in global warming scenarios? You can do your own predictions by clicking in the Table for Predictions!

Your Prediction Assignment: Can you answer these questions: How does the present-day arctic sea ice cover look like? How would arctic sea ice cover look like when arctic surface air temperature is increased by 2.8 ^oC and by 4.9 ^oC? When would the Arctic be close to summer ice free if the air temperature keeps increasing? Would the Arctic be winter ice free by the end of the 21st cebtury? Do your predictions and find the answers using the Table for Predictions! (Map of arctic region is here)

Table for Predictions: Future Arctic Ice Cover vs. Surface Air Temperature Increase Compared to 2005 (in Red)

7.0C											2105
6.3C										2095
5.6C									2085
4.9C								2075
4.2C							2065
3.5C						2055
2.8C					2045
2.1C				2035
1.4C			2025
0.7C		2015
	2005

Free movies to watch: Winter_Seaice and Summer_Seaice.