Arctic Warming Causes Ice Melting

Due to the rising temperature, climate in the north polar region had become warmer during the past few decades that causes ice to melt in the said region.

Modern science have a lot of ways to find out and monitor what's going on in the Arctic region. We now have satellites that collect data from above that would tell where it is melting and how fast ice is moving towards the ocean. We all know that Greenland is packed with ice but as our planet gets warmer, glaciers are melting. It is even melting faster now than ever before.

The most logical thing to think about is when icebergs calve off a glacier into the ocean, sea level would definitely rise because the melted ice is added to the ocean. Many glaciers are melting quickly.  Thawing permafrost releases greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. Though there's only a tiny amount of greenhouse gases in Earth's  atmosphere, they have a tremendous effect on climate.

What happens when temperature gets warmer? Not only would glaciers melt but other things would follow. Plants and animals are moving further north to find a suitable habitat for them. And if this continues to happen, many species of each kind could not survive.

Melting ice from different Arctic areas is feared to cause enough flood in low lying cities such as Shanghai, China, New York City, Boston, Halifax and other cities in the northeastern United States and in Canada, according to new research led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Millions of people could be displaced in the process.

An estimate of three feet rise in the sea level is predicted over the next century that could wreak havoc around the world if it comes to pass. Moreover, warmer water temperatures could shift ocean currents. As more ice melts, sea level increases and in turn absorb more of the sun's heat, leading more snow and ice to melt.

 
What Causes the Greenhouse Effect?

Greenhouse gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone and methane regulates our climate by trapping heat and holding it in a kind of warm-air blanket that surrounds the planet.  This is called the 'greenhouse effect' phenomenon.

How Humans Contribute to the Greenhouse Effect?

Human activities distort and accelerate the natural process by creating more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere than necessary.

• Burning natural gas, coal and oil including gasoline increase the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere.
• Deforestation. Trees use carbon dioxide which helps create optimal balance of gases in the atmosphere. Due to deforestation, we have fewer trees to perform this critical function.
• Farming practices increase levels of methane and nitrous gases.
• Factories produce long lasting industrial gases.
• Population growth. People use fossil fuel for heat, transportation among others. As more farming occurs to feed millions of people, more greenhouse gases enter the atmosphere.

To sum it all up, more greenhouse gases would mean more infrared radiation trapped in the atmosphere which gradually increase the temperature of the Earth's surface and the air in the lower atmosphere.