New alarm call for the Arctic sea ice: its surface area has never been so small for the month of October, according to data presented Wednesday, October 28 by the Danish Meteorological Institute DMI.
"
The area of the Arctic sea ice is the lowest on record for the season,
" Rasmus Tonboe, an expert at DMI, told AFP.
According to preliminary satellite data, its area was 6.5 million square kilometers on October 27.
"
The rate of growth of the sea ice is slower than normal
", added the scientist, who speaks of a "
record
"
October
since the start of satellite measurements in 1979. For the month of October alone, the ice cover has shrunk 8.2% over ten years.
In question, a warmer sea than usual which prevents the formation of ice with temperatures above normal of 2 to 4 degrees in the eastern part of the Arctic north of Siberia, and 1 to 2 degrees more warm in Baffin Bay, between Greenland and Canada, according to data put forward by the DMI in a press release.
“
This is a trend that we have seen in recent years with a longer open water season, causing the sun to warm the sea for longer, resulting in shorter winters, so the ice does not sink. 'thickens more as much as before
,' summarized the researcher.
Already in September, the size of the sea ice had recorded a very low level with its second smallest area on record, after 2012, at 4.2 million square kilometers on September 8.