地球的北极和南极都以冰冷闻名。但是,去年北冰洋上的冰含量跌到了历史最低点。
正常情况下,每年冬天在北极附近的北冰洋开始结冰,并在夏天缩减。但是多年以来,在夏天结束时冰的含量在下降。
自从1979年以来,每l0年在夏季末的冰覆盖量都下降11.4%。在1981到2000年之间,北极冰的厚度下降了22%变成了l.13米这么薄。
去年,北极的冰雪覆盖达到了最薄的程度。在2007年夏天快结束的时候,冰层已经缩减到只覆盖四百二十万平方公里。这比那年的平均覆盖面积少38%,比两年前最低记录少23%。这个持续的趋势令科学家们万分担忧。
冰雪融化有许多原因,话雅图华盛顿大学的海洋学家张金伦说,有许多原因导致了冰层融化。极不寻常的强风去年刮过大西洋,风把大西洋中部的冰散去,留下大面积的薄冰和没有冰覆盖的海面。
科学家们还怀疑在大西洋上空有比过去越来越少的云层。晴朗的天空使更多的阳光照射大西洋。升高的温度使水和空气都变温暖。在去年大西洋的部分海域,表面温度比平均温度高3.5摄氏度,比历史最高点还高l.5摄氏度。
由于空气和水都变暖,冰从上面和下面都开始融化。在波弗特海的部分海域,阿拉斯加的北部和加拿大的西部,夏天开始时冰的厚度为3.3米,但到了季末仅仅为50厘米。
新的测量表明,情况远远比科学家们仅仅从表面上看到的要严重得多,新罕布什尔州汉诺威市的地球物理学家Donald K.Perovich说。
一些科学家担心北极已经深陷变热的趋势不能恢复。
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