1. ERASMUS+
OUR PLANET OUR FUTURE
IES ALFONS XIII CABANES
APRIL 2019
the melting of the
polar ice caps
2. INTRODUCTION:
In the past, the melting of the polar ice caps was a
natural process. The periods of glaciation and
melting have been natural until the end of the 20th
century. But today, the polar sheets are melting at an
increasing rate.
Studies carried out in the year 2013, estimated that
the Polar regions would need more than 5,000 years
for all the ice to melt and the sea level would rise
about 66 meters. Among other reasons, the large
amount of carbon dioxide that we produce and emit
into the atmosphere raises the levels of global
warming in our planet.
3. WHAT ARE THE POLES?
What is Polar ice?
It's fresh water coming from a variety of sources. It forms, develops and melts into the
ocean. On the other hand, icebergs, glaciers and ice platforms float in the ocean, but
originate on land.
Why is it important?
Arctic and Antarctic ice keeps the polar regions cold and helps to moderate the global
climate. The sea ice has a shiny surface, and 80% of the sunlight that affects it is
reflected back into space (albedo). As the ice melts in the summer, the dark surface of
the dark ocean is exposed, which instead of mirroring absorbs 90% of sunlight. The
Oceans are warming up, and the Arctic temperatures are rising even higher.
4. CAUSES OF THAT:
Temperature changes have led to changes and
several phenomena that are currently very well
known.
Emissions of polluting gases make the
greenhouse effect raise by changing the
temperature of the oceans and seas. Thus,
affecting the poles. Carbon dioxide is a main
cause for this effect.
The greenhouse effect makes the average
temperature on Earth ideal for life. However, the
uncontrolled increasing of the temperature is
becoming a main issue nowadays.
5. CONSEQUENCES:
Decreased Albedo: Albedo is the percentage of solar radiation that the Earth's surface
reflects or returns to space. One of the consequences of the disappearance of ice
sheets would be the reduction of albedo from 0.6% to 0.1%. This leads to a greater
heat-up in the Earth's surface and therefore an increase in global temperatures.
Sea level Rise: The Summer ice has only a quarter of the volume it had in the
seventies of the last century. This causes the thawing water to circulate through the
caps until it ends up in the sea, increasing its level.
6. Methane Emissions: The sediments that we find in the marine permafrost have large
amounts of methane retained, so their thaw would generate the release of large
columns of methane. Methane has a greenhouse effect 23 times higher than carbon
dioxide, so its release into the atmosphere would further increase global warming.
Jet Stream : This jet stream is slower than before, because the temperature difference
between the lower latitude waters and the Arctic waters has been reduced. The fact
that the jet stream is slower allows local meteorological systems to be prolong from a
single phenomenon such as droughts, floods, heat waves, etc.
Ocean Conveyor Belt : It is a current in which the masses of hot water circulate in the
direction of the Arctic and as they go cold they become more salty and dense. This
increase in density causes the water masses to sink and circulate again to lower
latitudes.When they reach the Pacific, they again get warmer and less dense, they
return to the surface .
7. NUMBERS:
THAW IN THE NORTH POLE in september
(the end of the summer in North
Hemisphere)
THAW IN THE SOUTH POLE in march
(the end of the summer in South
Hemisphere)
ICE IN THE POLAR CAPS
– Average length in the last 30 years
