September, 26 2007 The International Polar Year Ends in Norway!
Norway has been chosen to host the conference that will mark the end of the International Polar Year. Thousands of polar researchers from all over the world are expected to the country in June, 2010.
The Minister of Education and Research, Oystein Djupedal, recently announced the news at the opening of the National Science Week in Norway (Forskningsdagene)
After two mid-way conferences, one in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2008 and one in 2009 where the location is not yet determined, the International Polar Year (IPY) will end with a big conference at Norway Trade Fairs (Norges Varemesse) in the town of Lillestrom, just outside of Oslo. Thousands are expected to attend the conference which has been titled "Early Science Conference".
September, 25 Scientists Report Severe Retreat of Arctic Ice
FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Sept. 20 - The cap of floating sea ice on the Arctic Ocean, which retreats under summer's warmth, this year shrank more than one million square miles - or six Californias - below the average minimum area reached in recent decades, scientists reported Thursday.
The minimum ice area for this year, 1.59 million square miles, appeared to be reached Sunday. The ice is now spreading again under the influence of the deep Arctic chill that settles in as the sun drops below the horizon at the North Pole for six months, starting Friday.
September, 24 On September 21st research vessel of AARI Roshydromet - "Akademik Feorov " finished the unloading of the equipment and supply for the drifting research station " North Pole-35" ". Total cargo weight is 343.9 tons.
At 5 p.m. at the position 81 3 N and 103 E on the station "North Pole-35" the flag of Russian Federation was raised. At 10 p.m. first meteorological report was transmitted. Life support system of the station is ready, first set of fit to live and laboratory complex is made. "NP-35" was placed on the ice field to the north-east from Severnaya Zemlya archipelago at the position 81 3 N and 103 5 E. Operation was carried out with the help of the nuclear ice breaker "Rossiya".
September 12, 2007 Most polar bears gone by 2050, studies say
Two-thirds of the world's polar bears could disappear by 2050 as global warming continues to melt the Arctic's sea ice, according to a series of U.S. government studies released last Friday.
The new findings paint a sobering picture for polar bears, whose dependence on sea ice makes them particularly vulnerable to warming temperatures.
"Our results have demonstrated that as the sea ice goes, so goes the polar bear," said Steven Amstrup, a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) wildlife research biologist in Anchorage, Alaska, and leader of the polar bear studies.
September 11, 2007 Danish researchers warn of melting Arctic ice cap
Danish researchers have provided further evidence to suggest how the North Pole's ice cap is shrinking, reports said Monday. "The ice cap is at an extreme low. For the 50 years we have data from, we have never seen anything like it," Leif Toudal Pedersen of the Technical University of Denmark told the Jyllands-Posten newspaper.
A survey based on satellite imagery from Sunday suggested that the ice cap was 40 to 45 per cent less - or a reduction of 2.5 million square kilometres - than on average during the period 1997-2000, the newspaper reported.
