Arctic & Earth SIGNs

Sea Ice Decline

GLOBE Atmosphere (including solid precipitation) protocols and learning activities

GLOBE Earth as a System learning activities

Earth's Cryosphere: The Arctic | PBS LearningMediaThis video segment adapted from NASA uses satellite imagery to provide an overview of the cryosphere in the northern hemisphere, including the Arctic. Investigate the cryosphere's role in North America, the extent of permafrost in the northern hemisphere, and how the polar regions play a role in regulating global climate. Finally, observe changes in Arctic ice cover, such as the decrease in summer sea ice over the past few decades and changes in the flow rate of Greenland's Jakobshavn Glacier.

Earth’s Albedo and Global Warming | PBS LearningMediaThis interactive activity adapted from NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey illustrates the concept of albedo—the measure of how much solar radiation is reflected from Earth's surface. The balance between the amount of solar radiation reflected and absorbed by Earth's surface plays an important role in regulating global temperature. Learn about how Earth materials, such as snow, ice, and water, differ in their ability to reflect and absorb the Sun's energy and how melting polar ice creates a positive feedback loop that accelerates global warming. Investigate how the presence of pollution, such as soot, lowers the albedo of ice and further increases melting. In addition, observe the decline in Arctic sea ice cover from 1979–2007 and the effect of melting ice on sea levels.

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