The event is 5 standard deviations beyond the mean average, statistically a one-in-7.5 million-year warming event.
The scientists don’t know why it is happening, and the loss of ice means that it will not be present to reflect energy back into space, so the warming accelerates, creating a self-reinforcing loop. However, due to atmospheric pollution, the snow and ice in the high Arctic is no longer white; it is grey, brown, or black due to black carbon soot and atmospheric particle pollution.
When ice has a darker colour, it absorbs more infrared heat energy and melts. The discoloration of the snow causes at least 25% of all the snow and ice to melt, but the figure may be as high as 50% or more.
The concentration of black carbon particles and particles of microplastic is in the order of 10,000 particles per kg of ice from the surface. I will say this again: black carbon soot and microplastics combined equate to 20,000 particles in every litre of ice melt.
As the ice melts, the particles concentrate, the ice gets darker, and then it melts faster until it is all gone.
And the scientists are wondering why the ice is melting ??????
What are we doing about the problem? Nothing.
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Arctic snow and ice are not white.
