The area of the Arctic Ocean covered by ice fell to a modern low this year, breaking all records kept since satellites began monitoring the poles almost 30 years ago.
Some Arctic sea ice always melts in summer, generally reaching its lowest level in September before it refreezes with the coming of winter. Analyzing satellite data, scientists with the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder declared the new record on Sept. 16. By that date, the Arctic ice had shrunk to just 4.13 million square kilometers, which is some 1.19 million km2 lower than the prior record, set in 2005. Compared with the old record, 2007’s summer-ice coverage lost an area “about the size of Texas and California combined,” says team member Mark Serreze. “This year didn’t just beat the old record, it completely shattered it,” he adds.