...Arctic sea ice set to hit record low [
link to www.bbc.co.uk]
Scientists at the US National Snow and Ice Data Center said data showed that the sea ice extent was tracking below the previous record low, set in 2007.
Latest figures show that on 13 August ice extent was 483,000 sq km (186,000 sq miles) below the previous record low for the same date five years ago.
The ice is expected to continue melting until mid- to late September..
"The previous [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] report (published in 2007) stated that the likely date for an ice-free Arctic in the summer - and definitions for this vary a bit - was 2100," he explained.
"When we had the 2007 minimum, that date was brought forward to 2030-2040..
Arctic sea ice plays a key role in help keep polar regions cool and helps control the global climate system.
As the ice has a bright surface, it reflects about 80% of the sunlight that hits it back into space.
When the sea ice melts, it exposes more of the dark ocean surface, resulting in 90% of the sunlight being absorbed, which warms the Arctic ocean.
