Arctic meltdown exacerbated by positive feedback

sea-maid submitted, created time 3 months 3 weeks (environment.newscientist.com)

With just weeks to go before the extent of the Arctic ice reaches its summer minimum, we take a look at the reasons behind its dramatic melt. How much is to do with global warming – and how much can be blamed on the weather?

In 2007, temperatures were unusually warm, and the sky was very clear at the beginning of the summer when solar radiation is strongest. What's more, winds pushed ice away from the Siberian coast and helped it move out into the Atlantic. These factors led to a record ice minimum and the opening of the Northwest Passage

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