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EOS, TRANSACTIONS AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION, VOL. 89, NO. 2, doi:10.1029/2008EO020001, 2008

Arctic Sea Ice Extent Plummets in 2007

Julienne Stroeve

National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), University of Colorado, Boulder, USA


Mark Serreze

National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), University of Colorado, Boulder, USA


Sheldon Drobot

Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research (CCAR), University of Colorado, Boulder, USA


Shari Gearheard

National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), University of Colorado, Boulder, USA


Marika Holland

National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colo., USA


James Maslanik

Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research (CCAR), University of Colorado, Boulder, USA


Walt Meier

National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), University of Colorado, Boulder, USA


Ted Scambos

National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), University of Colorado, Boulder, USA


Abstract

Arctic sea ice declined rapidly to unprecedented low extents in the summer of 2007, raising concern that the Arctic may be on the verge of a fundamental transition toward a seasonal ice cover. Arctic sea ice extent typically attains a seasonal maximum in March and minimum in September. Over the course of the modern satellite record (1979 to present), sea ice extent has declined significantly in all months, with the decline being most pronounced in September. By mid-July 2007, it was clear that a new record low would be set during the summer of 2007.

Published 8 January 2008.

Index Terms: 4540 Oceanography: Physical: Ice mechanics and air/sea/ice exchange processes (0700, 0750, 0752, 0754); 4901 Paleoceanography: Abrupt/rapid climate change (1605); 1605 Global Change: Abrupt/rapid climate change (4901, 8408).

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Citation: Stroeve, J. ., M. Serreze, S. Drobot, S. Gearheard, M. Holland, J. Maslanik, W. Meier, and T. Scambos (2008), Arctic Sea Ice Extent Plummets in 2007, Eos Trans. AGU, 89(2), doi:10.1029/2008EO020001.