Ice cover in the Arctic has continued declining trend since 1979 – 04/16/2024 – Environment

Post on The planet’s temperature is causing the progressive melting of ice caps in the Arctic.

However, as verified by Comprova, the analysis underlying the post is biased. In fact, March 2024 recorded the highest level of ice extension in the Arctic Ocean since the same month in 2013. However, the analysis of the historical series, when ignored, results in a misleading conclusion. According to NASA, since 1979, when measurements began, the maximum extent of ice cover in the Arctic has followed a trend of continuous decline since 1979. The parameter is verified in March, at the end of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, when the ice reaches its highest annual level.

According to NASA, satellite observations show that the total area covered by ice in the Arctic reached 15.6 million square kilometers on March 14 this year. Since 1979, there has been a reduction of 1.68 million square kilometers, an area equivalent to the territory of Alaska or Iran. The analysis is available on the website of the National Snow & Ice Data Center (NSIDC), at the University of Colorado.

NASA states that, in addition to the continued loss of ice in the Arctic Ocean, measuring its thickness shows that a smaller volume of ice has been able to remain in the warmer months of the year. According to the agency, this means that more new ice must form each year from scratch, rather than accumulating on top of old ice to form thicker layers, which are less likely to melt. On the agency’s website, scientist Linette Boisvert concludes that “within a few decades we will have essentially ice-free summers”, and with most of the Arctic Ocean exposed to the sun.

The result of this, according to the scientist, is that the ocean ends up retaining solar radiation, warming the oceans and the Earth’s atmosphere. On the other hand, with greater ice coverage in summer, the surface reflects solar radiation, contributing to the cooling of the planet.

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The investigation of this content was carried out by Estadão and Estado de Minas and published on April 12 by Comprova, a coalition that brings together 42 vehicles to check viral content. It was verified by Folha, Piauí, BandNews FM, Tribuna do Norte, Imirante, SBT, SBT News and O Dia.