ARCTIC OCEAN — An underwater "heat blob" from the Atlantic is exacerbating the warming of the Arctic Ocean and contributing to the rapid disappearance of Arctic sea ice, according to a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change.<br /><br />The study shows that the amount of heat transported to the Nordic Seas and Arctic Ocean by ocean currents has increased dramatically since 2001.<br /><br />This poleward heat transport has been implicated as one possible cause of the warming of the Arctic Ocean and the rapid disappearance of Arctic sea ice.<br /><br />As warm surface waters travel to regions further north, they lose heat and gain in salinity as freshwater evaporates. <br /><br />When warm Atlantic water reaches the Arctic, it sinks to form a "heat blob" because the cool, fresh water from the Arctic is less salty and thus more buoyant.<br /><br />This facilitates the formation of sea ice over the ocean. However, the increased transmission of heat to northern latitudes could hinder sea ice formation.
