SEPTEMBER 2, 2008
One of Canada's (click here) five remaining Arctic ice shelves - the 4,500-year-old, 50-sq.-km. Markham Ice Shelf - has broken completely away from Ellesmere Island and drifted into the Arctic Ocean, the most dramatic sign yet of how rising temperatures and retreating sea ice are creating "irreversible" changes to the country's polar frontier....
When the older ice melts it is entering the ocean circulation of the North Atlantic and dilutes the warmer waters.
There is a very good chance with the loss of older ice, the Thermohaline Current is beginning to be effected.
The Markham Ice Shelf above is nothing but fresh water and as it melts it dilutes the ocean currents, effects circulation and assists sea level rise.
Growth of Ice (click title to entry - thank you)
...The ions of the salts in sea water cannot enter the crystal structure despite its open nature. One might expect all salt to be rejected, therefore, leading to a sea ice cover composed of pure ice. Such is not the case, however. If you suck on a piece of first-year sea ice it will taste distinctly salty. The water from young sea ice may have a salinity of about 10 parts per thousand, dropping to 1-3 (parts per thousand) in old ice....
