The thickness of the ice can rapidly increase from one year to another, according to new research. Photo: Tore Meek / TT
The researchers, whose results were published in Nature Geoscience, concludes that sea ice is tougher than most people thought.
It all strengthened by the measurements, not the ice extent – which can vary significantly from time to time – but its actual volume. This is a more reliable measurement of ice conditions.
Volume is much harder to measure than the spread. Until recently, there was no safe method, but the new research satellite Cryosat-2, which was shot up in 2010 and measures the change in ice thickness with radar, has solved the researchers’ dilemma.
It shows that the volume can increase very rapidly from one year to another, which is surprising because it is assumed that the thickness of the ice built up quite slowly.
The research vessel Lance from the Norwegian Polar Institute remains frozen in the ice to perform research work. Photo: Tore Meek / TT
Even the perennial portion of ice – ice that consists at least one summer without melting away – show the same pattern. It almost doubled between 2012 and 2013, 3700-6950 cubic kilometers.
The researchers, led by climatologist Rachel Tilling at University College London, points out that the results should not be seen as a sign of someone long-term change in the Arctic. Most likely, the previous trend of shrinking sea ice to continue – but the measurements also show that the ice can recover quickly if given the chance.
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