events of the
Arctic and Antarctic today are no less significant problems than the economic crisis and political instability . Due to global warming, melting glaciers threaten to sink nearby islands and continental coasts. Although this is still a long way off, there is evidence that temperatures in the Arctic may rise even higher. Scientists base their conclusions on the results of the analysis of carbon dioxide of the Pliocene era, when the level of carbon dioxide was almost equal to modern indicators.
Scientists from the University of Colorado, USA, led by Ashley Ballantyne, analyzed samples of peat formed 4 million years ago during the Pliocene era . The goal of the researchers was to find out what the climate was like at that time on the planet. To do this, they measured three indicators: the concentration of chemical substances, the level of certain isotopes, and types of fossil plants.
It is believed that the level of carbon dioxide at that time was close to modern levels: about 390 parts per million. However, the temperature at that time was also 2-3 °C higher. This was the last period of warm weather before the glaciation, and scientists are using it to model the planet's future climate. The researchers came to the conclusion that during the Pliocene era, the Arctic temperature was 10°C higher than the current one. Even the slightest warming on the planet has had a stronger impact on the Arctic: the ice that reflects the sun's rays is disappearing, vegetation appears on the territory, which absorbs a large amount solar energy.
After analyzing, the researchers found that peat samples were formed at a temperature that is 19° C higher than today's typical for the Arctic — 0.5° C. Balantine, such results are worrying, because despite the fact that it will take centuries for the Arctic to feel the impact of rising levels of carbon dioxide, the temperature there will still be higher, compared to the rest of the planet.
But Marchi Robinson from Virginia, USA, does not agree that temperatures in the Arctic will rise to the Pliocene level. According to him, it should be borne in mind that the ridge, which today stretches from Greenland to Scotland, was lower during the Pliocene era, and, therefore, waters could freely move from warm seas to cold Arctic region, thus contributing to higher temperatures. Despite this, according to Robinson's model, temperatures in the Arctic could rise by 14°C.