The implications of changing sea ice conditions of the Canadian Arctic

The implications of changing sea ice conditions of the Canadian Arctic
Student Name
Institutional Affiliation
The implications of changing sea ice conditions of the Canadian Arctic
Introduction
The Canadian Arctic has changed drastically in the last decade. There has been a continued decrease in the extent and thickness of sea ice. There has been a considerable interest regarding these changes. As a result, numerous studies have demonstrated the effects of the changes on the Canadian Arctic. This annotated bibliography includes studies that have explored the issue extensively. The studies constitute the effect of the changes on flora, fauna and also human beings. The sources chosen for the investigation are peer-reviewed to enable the researcher to present credible evidence.
Howell, S. E., Tivy, A., Yackel, J. J., Else, B. G., & Duguay, C. R. (2008). Changing sea ice melt parameters in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Implications for the future presence of multiyear ice. Journal Of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 113(C9).
The paper examines the effects of reduced sea ice on the future availability of multiyear ice. The paper indicates that sea ice in the Canadian Arctic has been experiencing a reduction, especially during summer. The increase in melt season has contributed to the decline in sea ice. With simulations forecasting a rapid decline in sea ice, the researchers indicate the need to determine how the trend will affect multiyear ice. The study utilizes the QuikSCAT melt algorithm to determine freeze onset (FO) and melt duration (MD). The researchers obtain QuikSCAT data from NASA Scatterometer which covers the period 2000-2007. They believe that observing data during this period offers them an opportunity to get more accurate data. The results indicate that the time of FO and MD was different in the areas of Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) during the period under examination. The average FO took place on the 266th day while the average number of days of the melt as 116. Overall, the presence of longer melt seasons within CAA is responsible for the decline in sea ice in the CAA region. The longer melt seasons in the areas have negative implications on the formation of sea ice. The situation leads to ice-free summer seasons which has adverse effects on the formation of multiyear ice. The researchers conclude that it is uncertain whether or not multiyear sea ice will be in a position to survive longer melt seasons as it moves towards the southern regions.
Hu, X., & Myers, P. G. (2014). Changes to the Canadian Arctic Archipelago sea ice and freshwater fluxes in the twenty-first century under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change A1B climate scenario. Atmosphere-Ocean, 52(4), 331-350.
The article seeks to demonstrate the essence of sea ice. It affects exchanges of heat and freshwater fluxes which occur between the air and the sea. The researchers examine numerous studies which indicate a significant decrease in ice region in the Canadian Arctic, especially in the past decade. Data from remote sensing and submarines have indicated a significant thinning of the ice. The investigators focus their attention on the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) due to its significance in the north of Canada. CAA connects the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, and it is also an essential contributor towards Arctic Ocean freshwater outflow. A model based on the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) is utilized in the study. The results demonstrate that during warmer seasons, ice in the CAA reduces during all the seasons. Further, ice thickness reduces more substantially in the Arctic Ocean where multi-year ice is situated. Within the CAA, the results indicate a distinct increase in both summer and autumn from 2040 and onwards. During this time, the surface ocean will warm from about 00 to almost 20C. The paper concludes by demonstrating that the CAA region will have variations in sea ice between 2026 and 2065, with more shrinking and thinning.
Kovacs, K. M., Lydersen, C., Overland, J. E., & Moore, S. E. (2011). Impacts of changing sea-ice conditions on Arctic marine mammals. Marine Biodiversity, 41(1), 181-194.
The paper has three main objectives. Firstly, it endeavors to show the linkage between Arctic marine mammals and sea ice. Secondly, it reports on the changes that have taken place in the marine mammal population due to changes in sea ice. Lastly, it forecasts in the future changes in marine mammal population considering the current state of the Canadian Arctic sea ice. The researchers observe that there is a potential change in the populations of mar...