A study in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas showed how small cracks (water channels) in the Arctic ice interact with industrial emissions, accelerating local warming and ice melting.
In the spring, these cracks evaporate water and release heat, forming clouds and forming the lower layers of the more turbulent atmosphere. In parallel, emissions from Alaska’s oil and gas fields, which contain nitrogen oxides, mix with sea salt in coastal snow.
Under the action of spring sunlight, this triggers chemical reactions with the release of ozone-depleting bromine.
The decrease in ozone concentration allows more solar radiation to reach the surface, intensifying the melting. In turn, the warmer surface contributes to the release of even more bromine and the formation of new cracks in the ice,
Understanding these small-scale interactions is essential for more accurate forecasting of the region’s future, for navigation planning and for protecting the interests of local communities.
