How thick is the ice in the Arctic?

While thickness varies significantly within both regions, Antarctic ice is typically 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6 feet) thick, while most of the Arctic is covered by sea ice 2 to 3 meters (6 to 9 feet) thick. Some Arctic regions are covered with ice that is 4 to 5 meters (12 to 15 feet) thick.

Which is colder the Arctic or the Antarctic?

Antarctica and the Arctic are the two coldest places on earth. In fact, Antarctica is much colder than the Arctic, and there are several good reasons. The main reason that Antarctica is colder than the Arctic is that Antarctica is a landmass surrounded by ocean, and the Arctic is an ocean surrounded by landmasses.

What was the minimum extent of Arctic sea ice in 2015?

In September 2015, Arctic sea ice reached a minimum extent of 4.41 million square kilometers (1.7 million square miles)—the fourth lowest in the satellite record. The ice then grew during the winter months and reached its annual maximum extent in March 2016, measuring 14.52 million square kilometers (5.61 million square miles).

Where can I find sea ice concentration data?

The data from years 2002-2018 are also available at the data publisher PANGAEA, one data set each for Arctic and Antarctic, AMS-E-based and AMSR2-based: Melsheimer, Christian, Spreen, Gunnar (2020): AMSR-E ASI sea ice concentration data, Arctic, version 5.4 (NetCDF) (June 2002 – September 2011).

How does the Bering Strait affect Arctic sea ice?

Results show that Pacific Ocean heat entering the Arctic Ocean through the Bering Strait has the largest influence on sea ice conditions in the spring and early summer in the Chukchi Sea, fostering early opening of the pack ice and triggering the ice-albedo feedback (Figure 6).

How much of the Arctic sea ice has been lost?

In total, 1.70 million square kilometers (656,000 square miles) of ice were lost during August 2019. The linear rate of sea ice decline for August from 1979 to 2019 is 76,200 square kilometers (29,400 square miles) per year, or 10.59 percent per decade relative to the 1981 to 2010 average.