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Ice cap
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== Global warming == Ice caps have been used as indicators of global warming, as increasing temperatures cause ice caps to melt and lose mass faster than they accumulate mass.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Bahr |first1=David B. |last2=Dyurgerov |first2=Mark |last3=Meier |first3=Mark F. |date=February 2009 |title=Sea-level rise from glaciers and ice caps: A lower bound: SEA-LEVEL RISE FROM GLACIERS |journal=Geophysical Research Letters |language=en |volume=36 |issue=3 |pages=n/a |doi=10.1029/2008GL036309|s2cid=130266957 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Ice cap size can be monitored through different remote-sensing methods such as aircraft and satellite data.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Bell |first1=Christina |last2=Mair |first2=Douglas |last3=Burgess |first3=David |last4=Sharp |first4=Martin |last5=Demuth |first5=Michael |last6=Cawkwell |first6=Fiona |last7=Bingham |first7=Robert |last8=Wadham |first8=Jemma |date=2008 |title=Spatial and temporal variability in the snowpack of a High Arctic ice cap: implications for mass-change measurements |url=https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/rbingham/wp-content/uploads/sites/971/2019/12/012_2008_Bell_AGlac_Devon_snowpack.pdf}}</ref> Ice caps accumulate snow on their upper surfaces, and ablate snow on their lower surfaces.<ref name=":1" /> An ice cap in equilibrium accumulates and ablates snow at the same rate. The AAR is the ratio between the accumulation area and the total area of the ice cap, which is used to indicate the health of the glacier.<ref name=":1" /> Depending on their shape and mass, healthy glaciers in equilibrium typically have an AAR of approximately 0.4 to 0.8.<ref name=":1" /> The AAR is impacted by environmental conditions such as temperature and precipitation.<ref name=":1" /> Data from 86 mountain glaciers and ice caps shows that over the long term, the AAR of glaciers has been about 0.57.<ref name=":1" /> In contrast, data from the most recent years of 1997β2006 yields an AAR of only 0.44.<ref name=":1" /> In other words, glaciers and ice caps are accumulating less snow and are out of equilibrium, causing melting and contributing to sea level rises.<ref name=":1" /> Assuming the climate continues to be in the same state as it was in 2006, it is estimated that ice caps will contribute a 95 Β± 29 mm rise in global sea levels until they reach equilibrium.<ref name=":1" /> However, environmental conditions have worsened and are predicted to continue to worsen in the future.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Given that the rate of melting will accelerate, and by using mathematical models to predict future climate patterns, the actual contribution of ice caps to rising sea levels is expected to be more than double from initial estimates.<ref name=":1" />
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