Satellite image showing the sea ice extent around Svalbard in late May
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Sea Ice, frozen sea water, is a very special feature in the arctic. Since sea water contains salt, it’s freezing temperature is lower as for normal water: sea ice freezes at about -1.8° C ! When the water freezes, some salt is included into the sea ice in small “pockets”, but most of the salt will be “left behind” in the surrounding water, making it more saline and therefore denser. This makes sea water sink and drives the global ocean currents (see Ocean section). |
