A saildrone observed the growth and decay of a bloom of ocean plants in the Alaskan Arctic in late summer 2017. Such blooms affect the rate of regional ocean acidification, which occurs as surface waters absorb human-produced carbon dioxide.
With long ranges and adaptive capabilites, saildrones provide researchers with a new tool in their toolbox for collecting data in remote and hard to reach parts of the ocean.
Models suggest 2016's extreme warmth may be the Arctic's new normal within a decade.
The 2018 winter sea ice maximum in the Arctic slipped into second place on the list of four smallest extents on record, all of which have occurred in the past 4 years.
February 2018 heatwave across the Far North
March 20, 2018
Very old ice—thick, strong, and more melt-resistant—has nearly vanished in the Arctic. In March 2017, it made up less than 1 percent of the ice pack.
Although the winter maximum ice extent in March 2017 was the smallest on record, the summer minimum didn't follow suit. This summer's minimum ice extent was the eighth smallest on record, continuing the long-term trend of sea ice loss, but not setting a new record.
Thanks to warming winters and thawing permafrost, Arctic soil microbes are churning out carbon dioxide well after the end of the growing season ends. This extra source of atmospheric carbon may accelerate a regional warming trend that is already twice as fast as the global average.
Northwest Passage clear of ice again in 2016
September 16, 2016
Greenland melt season off to very early start
April 28, 2016