A piece of pipe protruding from a metal cylinder hold hope for refreezing the Arctic ice.
A group of researchers from a UK-based nonprofit, Real Ice, drilled a hole through the Arctic ice and inserted a Hydrogen pump. This pump sucks up seawater from below and spews it onto the surface. This flooding covers the ice with a thin later of water that will, overnight, freeze and thicken the ice that's already there. The thicker the ice gets, the more likely it is to hold up during the summer months.
This dwindling landscape must be preserved. Pumping just ten inches of water onto the top of the ice can boost ice growth from the bottom thickening it for another twenty inches! This process can easily equal the lower range of older, multi-year ice which, if it can be proven on a bigger scale, could create a big gain through the winter with very little energy.
Arctic ice reflects 80% of the sun's energy back into space. Without Arctic ice the ocean will continue to absorb heat and warm the planet. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California states that the melting of the Arctic Ice would be the equivalent warming of 25 years of CO2 emissions.
The Arctic Ice is freezing later in the year and is thinner and thinner each year. Communities that rely on the Arctic Ice are frequently going missing from falling through the ice and are suffering from a lack of ability to hunt and fish. Wild animals, like musk ox and caribou, use the ice for migration... they are also falling through the ice and drowning. Being able to pursue research and coming up with plans to refreeze the ice would be beneficial for future generations.
There are worries of the salty sea ice melting faster in the summer months but results from current research suggest that is not a severe issue or really an issue at all. Noise seems to be more of a concern. Water noise significantly alters the behaviors of underwater sea animals, especially whales.
We need the ice.
Four more years of research are needed before the nonprofit organization can properly recommend the new technology.
This is such a cool piece of technology, thanks for sharing it! I am worried a but about the timeline though, with all that we've learned about positive feedback loops I don't know if we can wait four more years.
ReplyDeleteIt's very cool technology, and everything worth something takes time, but it's scary to think that it still may be too late in 4 years.
ReplyDeleteNice post. I think the idea was floated in Ministry for the Future. A key issue here that while this benefits the whole earth, who will pay for it? There is not a single nation or group that directly gets benefits. It is for this reason that the wealthy countries have to support a wide range of climate action that doesn't always directly benefit only them...
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that the time to act was so short to save the Arctic. Positive feedback loops are so scary.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to see a solution proposed in our reading put into action, it is discouraging that it will not be able to be used on a larger scale for years
ReplyDeleteIt's one of the ideas that played out in ministry for the future! I'm just curious what the staying power of this project is, however. Has the research on that been done yet?
ReplyDeleteI love this post. It is nice to know that at least some research is out there to help the arctic ice situation. I wonder if this would work long term.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this, Liz. It’s amazing to see how creative solutions like the hydrogen pump could help protect the Arctic. I didn’t realize just how much ice loss affects both people and animals—this kind of research really gives hope for the future.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post! Arctic ice is crucial for combatting climate change and that needs to be more recognized. You clearly described the process for refreezing ice and the overall post is fascinating! I'm glad there are ways to protect the frozen environment.
ReplyDeleteThe frozen tundra is also important to protect since if/when it thaws it releases methane.
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