So I subscribe to an image e-mail list from the folks at NASA. They usually send some amazing photos of hurricanes and other weather phenomenon. The photos I got recently were indeed amazing...but for a different reason.

The following is from NASA:

"Arctic summer sea ice has reached its lowest extent on record - nearly 25% less than the previous low set in 2005. At the end of each summer, the sea ice cover reaches its minimum extent and what is left is what is called the perennial ice cover, which consists mainly of thick multi-year ice floes. The area of the perennial ice has been steadily decreasing since the satellite record began in 1979, at a rate of about 10% per decade. But the 2007 minimum, reached around September 14, is far below the previous record made in 2005 and is about 38% lower than the climatological average. Such a dramatic loss has implications for ecology, climate and industry..."

Picture taken September 21, 2005 [Courtesy NASA]

Picture taken September 16, 2007 [Courtesy NASA]

You can see in the above images the visible decline in ice between the 2005 level and the 2007 level. Is it global warming, or just a natural occurence?

Joe M.

---