In the late summer and early fall of 2007, there were a number of alarming media reports about the arctic sea ice melting. Additionally, there were predictions that it would not recover to its previous levels.
But, we have this graph charting the rise and fall of arctic sea ice for the last 365 days, notice that the arctic sea ice is right back where it started at in February 2007.
From the University of Illinois Cryosphere Today:
Image above was edited to fit. Click for a full sized image. A long time series is also available.
And here is the satellite sounder derived image showing sea ice extent as of Saturday, Feb 2nd 2008 (right) compared to Feb 2nd, 1980 (left). The color key shows the concentration of sea ice, with deep purple being the most solid ice and reds, yellows. blues showing areas of thinning ice or seawater/ice mix:
Click for a full sized image. Note that the 1980 photo does not show snow cover (in white) as the technology then wasn’t able to resolve it as it does today.
While there has been a slight reduction in sea ice, NASA indicates in a press release in October 2007 that the main component of change is wind driven flow patterns, not air temperature changes.
I’m wondering; are the polar bears out having fun on the new 2008 ice?
And while we are on the subject of melting sea ice, polar bears, and pictures, I’d like to point out that our Nobelic hero, Al Gore, has been caught not only propagandizing, but also using a copyrighted work without permission.
Astute readers may recall seeing a photo flashed around the world earlier this year of polar bears “stranded” on an ice cube at sea. I won’t show it here but rather please follow this link to the original photographer. See the bottom right photo.
A Canadian blogger, Carole Williams, tells the story behind this picture, which was taken in 2004 just off Alaska by a marine biologist on a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute project, Amanda Byrd. As the marine biologist (Byrd) points out, the bears were in no danger so close to the coast (they can swim 30 miles).
She just wanted a photograph more of the “wind-sculpted ice” than of the bears. Byrd writes:
“[You] have to keep in mind that the bears aren’t in danger at all. It was, if you will, their playground for 15 minutes. You know what I mean? This is a perfect picture for climate change, in a way, because you have the impression they are in the middle of the ocean and they are going to die with a coke in their hands. But they were not that far from the coast, and it was possible for them to swim.”
The image was copied from the ships computer (where Byrd had downloaded the camera flash memory stick to) by another member of the shipboard research crew and passed on to Environment Canada. Then it was eagerly adopted by many as an example of the fate that awaits the polar bears – including Al Gore, who used the picture as huge projected backdrop in one of his highly lucrative lectures.
Gore said:
“Their habitat is melting,” “beautiful animals, literally being forced off the planet.”
Audience: [gasp!]
Yes, it melts every summer.
Read all the details of the story behind the photo, here and here. It seems that a lawsuit is brewing and Canada has some pretty hefty copyright laws.
In the meantime, there’s a big push in the US to “save the polar bears”. The LA Times writes today:
“The Bush administration is nearing a decision that would officially acknowledge the environmental damage of global warming, and name its first potential victim: the polar bear.”
Sure I want to protect wildlife just as much as the next person, but this is just getting to be all about spin and little about facts. Write your congressman and senator and let them know the true story. Let’s give the folks in Alaska (who should know) some credit for injecting some reason into the issue.
UPDATE – The “spike” has a well written story about the Polar Bear issue, along with some statistics.
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A simple solution to the hungry polar bears is for all AL Core’s groupies to will their bodies to The Feed a Polar Bear Society. The Canadian and USA Air Forces could drop them in areas of bear groups. It is a win win solution. The bears get fed and maybe counted. The Air Forces can always use practice in making strategic air drops. We gain more space in the local cemeteries and use less wood, metal and concrete for buriel.
Can I be forgiven that ‘global warming’ [Oh heavens, we’re all gona die!!] is probably little more than a money grab??
@911allo (11:14:19) :
“Click for a full sized image. Note that the 1980 photo does not show snow cover (in white) as the technology then wasn’t able to resolve it as it does today.”
Try reading the “Bold Print” under the image – it states “the 1980 photo does not show snow cover (in white)” – no attempt at deception – all you have to do is read it.
Also WRT “5- Honest scientifics in Canada are presently saying that we could have, for the first time ever, absolutly no arctic sea ice at all VERY SOON. Some bet even in Sept 2008!” – Well they lost their bet didn’t they – not even close.
911allo Your barking at shadows…
Some of you are morons.
Sure let’s pretend this doesn’t exist and keep consuming our way to the edge of the cliff. The 2 Billion or thereabouts Chinese and Indians knocking on the western way of life sure aren’t going to make this worse.
Unfortunately by the time you guys get the proof you need it’s going to be a slap in the face with a tsunami or hurricane and by then it will be way too late.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17912_3-10043977-72.html
Unfortunately by the time you guys get the proof you need it’s going to be a slap in the face with a tsunami or hurricane and by then it will be way too late.
Would you care to explain the physics by which human activity is responsible for a) Hurricanes (2 marks) b) Tsunamis (10 marks).
Thanks for your words of correction, Tim. You are exactly what we need, another big daddy telling us how we must live our lives.
Thanks again from a contrite and humbled,
Mike Bryant
The Global Warming scare is not about saving the Planet. The planet Earth has been around a lot longer than man kind. The main purpose of the Global Warming scare is MONEY. The Fat Cats like Al Core and Scientific Researchers who need grant money started the rumor that the sky was falling and all the Chicken Littles are running around screaming The Sky is Falling. This is nothing more than a money scam on the World. What right does Al Core have in selling carbon credits? What are carbon credits? You pay for a piece of paper that lets you emit X amount of CO2. The US Justice Dept should investigate this scam. I can understand the Scientific Researchers point it is difficult to get money for research with out having a disaster. But Al Core is just out to make the American Public pay ( your hard earned money) for not having elected him President.
Just how thick due these fools think the ice at the North Pole is or was? US Navy submarines where punching holes at the North Pole back in the 1960s. They had hardened conning towers but still could only break through a few feet of ice. The Earth’s Climate is controlled mainly by the Moon and Sun and our relation to them. Also by the jet stream winds and the sea currents that run like rivers through the oceans. The molten core of the earth leaks heat through cracks in the earth plates which change as the plates move. Al Core and his groupies can stand by the sea and command the tide not to rise BUT IT WILL RISE and with a little luck right over their heads.
I attended a conference last year where the main speaker was one of the founding members of Greenpeace. He no longer supports Greenpeace, feeling that they have become more or less a home for the disenchanted, the ignorant, the angry, basically people who couldn’t make it as teachers. Anyway, as far as I could tell this guy remains a dedicated and well regarded scientist on the leading edge of environmental issues and this is what I got out of his message, ….bottom line, the link between CO2 and Global warming has not been established and no serious scientist could ague differently… What!! Shocked and angered were the hard-core greens, lacking everything but the innate assuredly that western civilized and the Bush administration, and all those meat eating republicans (read farting cows), were directly behind it. ALL OF IT!!! But he added, and pay attention here, …on the other hand, given the possibility of the linkage, the ease of which CO2 could be controlled in many instances, the risk if there is linkage, and given that we have the general shared goal of decreasing pollution and increasing energy independence, why not do what we can?
So, yeah, why not; conservation, nuke power, heat sinks, better engineering, electric autos, etc. But it has to make economic and social sense – bringing down western civilization does not make sense. So, let’s do what’s reasonable, but let’s not get crazy.
As usual those who desperately believe (the operative word is “believe”) in climate change and global warming do not look at the total body of science information. They look for a reason to believe that climate change is about to destroy the planet. They do not understand or refuse to be intellectually honest about the entire scope of the climate process. Many devotees of the so called dangers of global warming obtain their information from politicians, actors, amateur scientists and those who have a vested interest in keeping this issue alive, This vested interest may be political , financial or merely fear of losing employment or not being awarded a grant to study the topic du jour, which right now is climate change. These people rely upon the scientific illiteracy of the general public and can easily scare them into believe that we are in imminent doom. Just look at the doomsday junk science movies like ‘Day After Tomorrow’ that portray worst case scenarios as plausible. A scientifically literate patron would laugh at these events. Instead they leave the theater worried and confused about the possible end on civilization.
The reality is that climate is supposed to change. It is a dynamic not a static process. There is nothing unusual about climate change. It is the height of arrogance to assume that we humans can have such a dramatic effect on climate. If we are really that powerful then why can we not accurately predict or prevent natural disasters.
[…] on my story about the hoax that is global warming by saying that the Arctic is melting….well, no it isn’t. As usual–too much hype. […]