# What causes Arctic Sea Ice loss/gain?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-arctic-sea-ice-loss-gain/526134>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [January 23, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-arctic-sea-ice-loss-gain/526134 "2010-01-23T17:02:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-arctic-sea-ice-loss-gain/526134/21 "2010-01-26T05:33:46Z")

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> [@Chief\_Pedant](#):
>
> I don’t want to belabor the thread much longer, since there is apparently not an answer for my OP, but just wanted to make sure you don’t think melting sea ice raises ocean levels…
> 
> I don’t mean to offend; just making sure, since it is a popular misconception.

And I’m not referring to that, the big concern from climate researchers comes from the ice in Greenland and over the antarctic, that is the ice over ground. I’m also taking into account the ice that is close to shore, warming water melts the underside of the floating fringes of the Greenland ice sheet.

> **[Site is undergoing maintenance](https://www.innovations-report.com/agriculture-environment/earth-sciences/report-57140/)**
>
> Site will be available soon. Thank you for your patience!

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**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-arctic-sea-ice-loss-gain/526134/22 "2010-01-26T05:40:53Z")

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> [@Chief\_Pedant](#):
>
> On the other hand, if flames are licking at the house and we assume the problem is an oil-rag fire in the garagae when it’s a grass fire just outside, we’ve got a problem.
> 
> It’s not enough to yell fire because the earth is heating up. It is important to know why because without knowing why we may be taking the wrong action.

We already know it is not the the oil-rag fire. Again, if you think there are other better causes for the ice loss than the current warming caused by human activities post them; there is clearly already a good answer for your OP, the warming in last decades is clearly not natural, ignoring that answer is reaching very silly levels.

[http://climateprogress.org/2009/08/13/west-antarctic-ice-sheet-pine-island-glacier-thinning-faster-sea-level-rise/](http://climateprogress.org/2009/08/13/west-antarctic-ice-sheet-pine-island-glacier-thinning-faster-sea-level-rise/)

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