Essential Question:
How are Arctic sea-ice, climate and culture all connected?
Introduction
Water, water everywhere. Solid, liquid or gas, it surpasses even the esteemed Carbon atom in terms of its importance in regulating the climate and life on Earth.
Evolutionarily, it is the medium and/or participant for virtually all chemical reactions involving life. No wonder astronomers seek water whenever they explore other planets, solar systems and most recently, NASA's 2009 polar crash test looking for lunar liquids.
In this module we further explore the role of water, but in its solid form primarily as Arctic sea ice. And when you consider that most Antarctic ice is continental while Arctic ice is mostly oceanic, there are good scientific reasons to treat the two poles separately in our studies of the cryosphere.
From reflections on albedo to the cultural connections of those who have subsisted from the sea-ice for thousands of years, this module on the role of Arctic sea ice is Part I of a two-part series on the Cryosphere.
