An article from over the weekend, indicates that recent dire Artic ice melt predictions aren’t necessarily accurate. Because of something called “sensor drift” with the satellites, the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) who monitors this type of thing, were claiming an area the size of California was open sea, when in fact it was ice.
Another interesting tidbit buried in the article indicates the NSIDC continues to use less accurate defense satellites, rather than more accurate NASA satellites to monitor the ice. Apparently they are more concerned with long-term changes in the ice than actual accuracy. Seems a bit ridiculous if you ask me.
Click here for the full article.