August Polar Sea Ice Area Loss Instructions

Objective: Determine a linear regression between the year and August polar sea ice area using Excel. After accessing the August Polar Sea Ice Area Loss Spreadsheet course file, you will perform your calculations and specify what year there will be no sea ice area in August.

Step Number

Instructions

1

Access the August Polar Sea Ice Area Loss Spreadsheet. This spreadsheet specifies the year and total polar sea ice area in August.

2

1. On your spreadsheet, highlight all the data in the Year and the Total Sea Ice Area columns.

1. Click INSERT > CHARTS > Scatter.

3

1. Click on the data in your chart to select data.

1. Right-click and select “Add Trendline.”

4

Click on the trendline. You will see a box called “Format Trendline.”

5

Scroll down the Format Trendline box until you see “Forecast.”

6

Under “Forward,” add enough years to the trendline until the line reaches zero ice area. This is the year there will be no polar sea ice in August.

7

1. Answer the questions below.

1. Submit your August Polar Sea Ice Area Loss Spreadsheet and the August Polar Sea Ice Area Loss Instructions to the assignment area.

Questions

1. According to your forecast, in which year will there be no polar sea ice in August?

1. Does the reduction in polar sea ice area constitute evidence that global warming is real? Why or why not?

1. How will the reduction in polar sea ice area affect the sea level and the safety of coastal communities?

1. In your response, specify at least one coastal area that would potentially be affected by the loss of polar sea ice area.

1. Be sure to cite the source of your information. Good places to start your research include the Basic Search: Strayer University Online Library , Google Scholar; or governmental websites, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

1. Remember to cite your source according to the Strayer Writing Standards (SWS) [PDF] .

Reference

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2015. August Monthly Sea Ice Area for the Arctic. ftp://sidads.colorado.edu/pub/DATASETS/NOAA/G02135/north/monthly/data/