Ice-Free Arctic Winters Could Explain Amplified Warming During Pliocene

Year-round ice-free conditions across the surface of the Arctic Ocean could explain why the Earth was substantially warmer during the Pliocene Epoch than it is today, despite similar concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, according to new research.

"We're trying to understand what happened in the past but with a very keen eye to the future and the present," said Jim White, co-author of the new study.  "The piece that we're looking at in the future is what is going to happen as the Arctic Ocean warms up and becomes more ice-free in the summertime."

Ice-Free Arctic Winters Could Explain Amplified Warming During Pliocene