Scientists from the University of Colorado at Boulder's National
Snow and Ice Data Center said today that the extent of Arctic
sea ice appears to have reached its minimum for 2007 on Sept.
16, shattering all previous lows since satellite record-keeping
began nearly 30 years ago. The Arctic sea ice extent on Sept. 16
stood at 1.59 million square miles, or 4.13 million square
kilometers, as calculated using a five-day running average,
according to the team. Compared to the long-term minimum average
from 1979 to 2000, the new minimum extent was lower by about 1
million square miles -- an area about the size of Alaska and
Texas combined, or 10 United Kingdoms, they reported. The
minimum also breaks the previous minimum set on Sept. 20 and
Sept. 21 of 2005 by about 460,000 square miles, an area roughly
the size of Texas and California combined, or five United
Kingdoms, they found. The sea ice extent is the total area of
all Arctic regions where ice covers at least 15 percent of the
ocean surface. Scientists blame