Polar Melting
‘Archived’ heat has reached deep into the Arctic interior, researchers say
Yale News-Archived Heat in the Arctic
Arctic sea ice isn’t just threatened by the melting of ice around its edges, a new study has found: Warmer water that originated hundreds of miles away has penetrated deep into the interior of the Arctic. That “archived” heat, currently trapped below the surface, has the potential to melt the region’s entire sea-ice pack if it reaches the surface, researchers say.
Scientists are keeping a close eye on the Beaufort Gyre
The Beaufort Gyre, an immense 60-mile-diameter pool of cold freshwater and sea ice, is “stuck” in a clockwise rotation that should have ended years ago. Its eventual reversal could send massive amounts of chilly water straight toward western Europe, plunging it into brutal winters and disrupting fisheries.
Science Advances- Warming of the interior Arctic Ocean linked to sea ice losses at the basin margins
