The extent of sea ice in the Arctic this spring was the third lowest recorded by satellites, according to the European Space Agency, whose new CryoSat mission has just released its first map of sea-ice thickness.
CryoSat's sophisticated imaging technologies enable researchers to measure the height of ice above the water line and to calculate its thickness. The objective of measuring changes at the points where ice meets the ocean is to monitor the effects of climate change.
The satellite's highly detailed data enable scientists also to see the effects of wind stress on the ice sheet. And CryoSat's wide range of view even includes parts ofAntarctica, allowing nearly pole-to-pole coverage.
Source: European Space Agency [Editor's note: Arctic specialist Lawson Brigham will be discussing the implications of such issues in his Saturday keynote luncheon on "The New Maritime Arctic" during WorldFuture 2011 in Vancouver. Details here.
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