The Arctic hasn’t been this warm in centuries

Over the past decade, the scientific community has agreed that the average global temperature is rising. Some attribute this increase to the production of greenhouse gases; others believe that the rising temperatures are part of a bigger cycle, consisting of warm and cold periods. Nevertheless, there is an evident rise in temperatures. Recently, a research team from the University of Colorado Boulder presented convincing evidence that global warming is a result of greenhouse gas emissions.

             The study conducted by the research team consists of samples taken from Eastern Canadian Arctic, which according to lead researcher Miller is a remote region that is rather difficult to get to. By digging through the snow, the researchers collected dead moss samples on Baffin Island. These moss samples are preserved under ice, isolating them from the changing climate. As a result, these moss clumps are microcosms from the past. With radiocarbon dating, researchers are able to pinpoint the age of the samples.

They found that the moss samples were sealed in ice approximately 44,000 to 51,000 years ago. The age of the sample matches the expectations of the scientists. The last glacial period is approximately 11,700 years ago, dating the samples well-before a period of extreme cold. Consequently, the fact that the sample has not been exposed to the outside world for 44,000 years signifies that temperatures have not risen enough to melt the thick buildup of ice—until recently.

             To build a more complete picture of the average temperatures in the Arctic, ice core samples were taken from the Greenland Ice Sheet, not far from Baffin Island. The ice cores preserve the atmospheric data of the time period. Dust, atmospheric gases and other sub

stances are trapped within the growing ice layer and, by analyzing the different components, scientists can reconstruct the different climates experienced in a region. From the ice core samples, the research team determined that the only time period with a temperature similar to that of present day society is roughly 120,000 years ago.

             Even though the Earth experienced a period of warmth over the past century, the increase in global temperatures has been more prominent over the past decade. Since the end of the Little Ice Age, a period between 1275 to 1900, global temperature has been on the rise. However, the ice on Baffin Island did not experience any significant melting until the 1970s. In addition, the temperatures of the ice sheets in Greenland experienced a rise of 7 degrees Fahrenheit over a period of 20 years. Current temperatures are now sufficient to melt the entire ice cap on Baffin Island.

           At the end of the study, Miller mentioned that the Arctic has been warming faster than any other region. However, the evidence is not complete enough to analyze the extent that greenhouse gases contribute to the warming. One thing is clear though. The sample obtained from Baffin Island and Greenland encompassed the Holocene period. The Holocene period started after the last glacial age and it is a period of time when the Earth received more energy from the sun than in recent times. This suggests that greenhouse gases are a crucial, if not major, contributor to the current rising temperatures.