THE Arctic Ocean will be an “open sea” almost entirely free from ice within a decade, the latest data released today indicates.
Ice cover during summer will have disappeared within 20 years, but most of the decrease will happen before 2020, leaving the Arctic Ocean clear for marine transport.
The Catlin Arctic Survey, completed earlier this year, is the latest research into the condition of Arctic ice.
Drilling and observation figures obtained during a 450km route across the northern part of the Beaufort Sea suggest the area is almost entirely made up of young, “first-year” ice, whereas the region traditionally consists of older, thicker “multi-year” ice.
