Sea ice extents for mid September 2007 and 2008. Credit Spreen and Kaleschke. http://www.ifm.uni-hamburg.de/~wwwrs/seaice/amsr-e.html

UCAR 2007, Steve Deyo

2007

2012

75% of the total mass of sea-ice is already missingHow long will it take to melt away the last quart?

2020 2030

Trend in loss of Arctic Sea Ice volume calculated from a sea ice data assimilation modelfrom Overland and Wang 2013 based on values from the PIOMAS project at the UW (USA)

6 million km23m thick

18 000 km3

3 million km21.5m thick4500 km3

Tfreez - 1.7C

WARMER

ice Volume km3

Year

The Arctic Ocean polar stereo-projection showing the 70°N - 80°N and 80°N - 90°N band of latitudes and the line (bold black) stretched along the 90°W and 90°E meridians separating the Arctic Atlantic sector from the Arctic Pacific sector arbitrarily.

The Arctic sea-ice extent annual cycle within the 70°N - 80°N band of latitudes for the past 10 years.

The important factor is

not only that the Arctic sea-ice extent minimum characterizing the Arctic sea-ice retreat each year in summer (around mid-September) is decreasing

but it is also because the melting period was steadily increasing by few days every year during the past 10 years.

both factors are very important for evaluating opportunities,risks and hazards for ship traffic along the NSR and NWP