Marine Science Lecture: The Effects of Global Warming in the Arctic

The School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and Stony Brook Southampton will present a talk on the effects of global warming in the Arctic to kick off its Fall 2008 "Critical Issues Facing the World’s Oceans" lecture series.

Prof. J. Kirk Cochran testing water samples.

Stony Brook University Professor J. Kirk Cochran will discuss “The Arctic Ocean: Canary in the Global Warming Coal Mine” on Friday, September 5, at 7:30 p.m. in Stony Brook Southampton's Duke Lecture Hall. A reception will follow. For further information, call 631-632-5046.

Recent studies have documented that large changes are occurring in the Arctic Ocean as a consequence of global warming. As such, the Arctic serves as the “canary in the coal mine” as an early harbinger of the effects of global warming on the Earth’s oceans. Decreasing extent of sea ice, melting glaciers and ice caps ,changing circulation patterns and increased river flow are all evident.

Professor Cochran has studied the Arctic for nearly 20 years, and over the past summer participated in the international Circumpolar Flaw Lead Study. In this lecture, he will describe the ongoing research that is trying to understand the patterns and consequences of environmental changes in the Arctic.

 

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