"Those water masses play a very important role in the present-day status of the ice pack and changes in the delivery would have an influence and effect on ice distribution, " said Weingartner.
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At the board's hearing in May, the NTSB will look into a number of topics, including the effect of ice on the aircraft's performance, cold weather operations, the crew's experience and sleep issues.
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"We do see these big variations in the temperature in the mantle across parts of Antarctica that will have a big effect on the ice sheet, " Wiens said.
Instead of using aircraft-borne chemicals as seeds, the researchers propose spraying seawater from unmanned, wind-powered, satellite-controlled vessels that would cruise the latitudes where hurricanes form since droplets of brine have a similar effect to dry ice and silver iodide.
The effect of diminishing sea ice isn't limited to increasing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.
After the cold snap that gripped the UK throughout December the effect of snow and ice on the roads is obvious for motorists to see and feel, Mr Shallcross warned.
That way, the spirits are extra-cold when served, and there is less need for ice, which can have a diluting effect.
But it is also possible that one or other of them will win through, with a significant effect on this year's summer ice.
ECONOMIST: Britain��s cold snap is explained by the Arctic oscillation
Black carbon deposited on the Arctic snow and ice, he says, will have only a minimal effect on its reflectivity.
Researchers are using a nuclear submarine to take them beneath the Arctic ice cap to study ocean currents that may have an effect on global climate.
CNN: Nuclear sub dives under the ice to explore climate change
Since sea-ice is already in the water, its melting has little effect on sea levels.
The project will also examine the arrival of ice cream and pork with Italian and German immigrants and the effect of the first Indian and Chinese restaurants.
The indirect effect is that it can "pre-condition" the ice shelves that float at the edges of the ice sheet.
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While ice reflects around 80 percent of the sun's heat, having a cooling effect, blue sea water can absorb up to 95 percent of solar radiation, warming up the sea and accelerating the melting process further.
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