Further Hadow Team Data - "Hardly Ever" Encountered Old Ice; Ice 50% Thinner Than Projected

[hatrack]

EDIT

The team trekked more than 269 miles over 73 days but were unable to make it to the North Pole because of extreme weather, with temperatures dropping below minus-40C. Speaking on a satellite phone while waiting to be airlifted away, Mr Hadow, 47, from Hexworthy on Dartmoor, said the results made for shocking reading.

His team, including Ann Daniels from Whimple in East Devon, found ice sheets were only half as thick as scientists previously believed – in places they measure just 1.77m. He warned some ice could disappear altogether as early as this summer. The alarming findings will add to scientists' fears the planet is finally succumbing to effects of global warming. Experts have long predicted a rapidly melting ice cap could accelerate the release of the greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere as the permafrost thaws. This in turn could speed up the global warming process – melting more ice.

Scientists had indicated the team would come across older ice which was expected to be around three metres thick. However, Mr Hadow revealed the survey team "hardly ever" came across layers of ice more than a year old during their 73 days. He said the thickness of the ice seemed to suggest it was all "first year ice".

"Our science advisers had told us to expect thicker, older ice on at least part of the route, so it is something of a mystery where that older ice has gone," he said. "It'll be interesting to see what scientists think about this. "The top line indications suggested by the data show that the sea ice on the Arctic Ocean is unlikely to survive as a year-round permanent feature.

EDIT

http://www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk/news/POLAR-ICE-CAP-CRITICAL-POINT/article-991466-detail/article.html

[phantom power]

1. thinner than expected

[hatrack]

2. Could there be a "faster than expected" somewhere in our future?

:hi:

[phantom power]

3. ....

[XemaSab]

4. So far the melt is going at a glacial pace

We're not caught up with last year yet.

[Dead_Parrot]

5. Thinner is the new faster

And I've heard blue is the new black

[phantom power]

6. I think we can expect thinner, faster. And we'll be black and blue.

[XemaSab]

7. You can't be too rich or too thin

:shrug:

[Dead_Parrot]

8. Certainly, they're not issues I'm troubled by.

Sigh...

[bluesmail]

9. Here's an interesting link

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2275213/web_bot_and_2012/ For the first time in recorded history we have no protection from the sun. We're being bombarded by gamma rays from the center of the universe. The sun lost it's electromagnetic field that used to protect us from radiation. It's a short but well worth it video. O8)

[Barrett808]

10. Uhh...what? n/t

[bluesmail]

11. Uhh...what? What? Link works.

[Delphinus]

12. Well, now,

that was interesting. Who was that guy? And what journals is he talking about that the scientists are using to discuss the losing of the magnetosphere (is that right?)?