Arctic sea ice extent ebbs and flows with the seasons. During the summer months, the ice melts and the edge recedes northward, usually reaching its annual minimum sometime in September. The ice extent is shaped by a variety of factors, including warmer temperatures, storms, and changes in the ocean, which makes it difficult to predict. Sea ice plays an important role in maintaining Earth's temperature, so predicting how the ice extent might change helps us understand the warming climate. Scientists have developed a new model to predict the sea ice minimum extent, using historical measurements and real-time satellite data. The model can begin predictions up to six months before the predicted minimum and continue to improve each day.
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NASA ID
GSFC_20170302_SeaIce_m12519_Predictions
Date Created
March 2, 2017
Center
GSFC
Media Type
video
Location
Goddard Space Flight Center
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