Over the past 20 years, the Arctic has lost about a third of its winter sea ice volume, largely due to a decline in sea ice that persists over several years, called multiyear ice. Seasonal sea ice, which melts completely each summer rather than accumulating over years, is replacing older, thicker, multiyear ice and driving thinning trends. Multiyear sea ice has lost 16% of its winter volume, or about 1.5 feet of thickness between 2018 and 2021. As it’s depleted and seasonal ice becomes the norm, overall thickness and volume of Arctic sea ice is expected to decline. By mid-century we may have ice-free summers in the Arctic, when the older ice, thick enough to survive the melt season, is gone. That means dark water absorbing heat and increasing temperature rise.
Story Source: American Geophysical Union
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220310143725.htm