FAST BREAKING PAPERS - 2008

  Why do you think your paper is highly cited?

It provides an overall synthesis of the problem of declining Arctic sea ice cover. The literature is extensive and growing, and there was a need to bring it all together.

  Would you summarize the significance of your paper in layman's terms?

The Arctic's floating sea ice cover is quickly shrinking. While this decline is a clear indicator of climate change, the processes of sea ice loss are rather complex—many different processes are involved. This paper attempted to put the different pieces of the puzzle together to form a clear picture as to what is going on.

  How did you become involved in this research, and were there any problems along the way?

I've been involved in Arctic climate research since 1982 and have been looking at changes in the sea ice cover since about 1989. The key problem encountered in writing this paper was simply trying to sort out all of the different things contributing to loss of the ice cover, and determining how they fit together.

  Where do you see your research leading in the future?

The growing issue now is the potential impacts of a rapidly changing Arctic. How will loss of the sea ice cover affect the mass balance of Greenland, as growing water causes a rise in sea level? How will loss of the ice cover impact patterns of atmospheric circulation and precipitation in the middle latitudes? I'm also examining the role of Greenland and the surrounding area on cyclone development and poleward heat and moisture transports. These are among the questions that I'll be focusing on in the future.

  Do you foresee any social or political implications for your research?

Such issues are already emerging—as we continue to lose the sea ice, the Arctic will become more accessible for shipping and thus for mineral and oil extraction. Countries are already scrambling to claim their piece of the Arctic pie.

Mark C. Serreze, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist
National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC)
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES)
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO, USA

Keywords: mark c. serreze, geosciences, arctic sea ice cover, arctic's floating sea ice cover, arctic's shrinking sea-ice cover, arctic climate research, greenland, water, rise in sea level, loss of sea ice cover, patterns of atmospheric circulation, precipitation, middle latitudes, cyclone development, poleward heat, moisture transports, accessible, shipping, mineral and oil extraction.