santa’s foreclosure

The arctic is melting faster than anyone expected. And, while scientists agree that summer ice will disappear, they cannot agree on when that will happen.

US researchers claim to have found evidence that accelerated melting has crossed a “tipping point” from which there is no going back.

The amount of summer ice at the North Pole has steadily declined since 1979, according to satellite images. Computer models predict that this trend will continue, leaving the Arctic completely ice-free during the summers as early as 2030.

Of the many issues that will arise with arctic melting, the one with the most concern is the subsequent release of methane gas. The problem at hand: methane has 21 times the warming power of carbon dioxide. And, while it has a half life that is shorter than CO2, the damage may well be greater. Because of its ability to trap heat, it has a greater impact for a small amount of time, compared to CO2′s lesser impact over a large amount of time.

In any case, the arctic melting cannot be good. Due to current conditions in the world, we have had a 150% increase in methane in the last 200 years and accounts for 20% of the mixed greenhouse gases.

Article is HERE. You can find out more information about methane, HERE.