Permafrost threatened by rapid retreat of Arctic sea ice, study finds
Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 @ 23:16:06 UTC
Topic: General
The rate of climate warming over northern Alaska, Canada, and Russia
could more than triple during periods of rapid sea ice loss, according
to a new study led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research
(NCAR). The findings raise concerns about the thawing of permafrost, or
permanently frozen soil, and the potential consequences for sensitive
ecosystems, human infrastructure, and the release of additional
greenhouse gases.
"Our study suggests that, if
sea-ice continues to contract rapidly over the next several years,
Arctic land warming and permafrost thaw are likely to accelerate," says
lead author David Lawrence of NCAR.
The study, by scientists from NCAR and the National Snow and Ice Data Center, will be published Friday in Geophysical Research Letters. It was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and by the National Science Foundation.
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Full story: http://www.physorg.com/news132322491.html
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