The Antarctic and Arctic ， Getting Warmeror Colder ？

Much of the Antarctic and Arctic regions are covered by snow and ice throughout the year， so the natural environment is terrible. The regions are climate-sensitive on the earth， and also key areas in the research of global climate change. The special geographical location and ecological environment of the Antarctic and Arctic show how important the areas are in the research of global climate change.

In the Arctic， rapid change called “Unaami” has been taking place during recent decades. The word “Unaami” in Inuktitut means “tomorrow”. People compare the rapid change of climate and environment in the Arctic to “tomorrow”， which implies “unpredictable” and “uncontrollable”. Just as the Spanish word “El Nino” was named after the East Pacific Oceans unusual warming up in the west coast of South America， which called peoples wide-spread attention.

In the plan of the Arctic environment research， scientists define “Unnami” as the following： different phenomena related to the complex environmental change in the Arctic and its adjacent areas， which took place during recent decades（30-50years）. These changes include the following phenomena： the ground temperature of the Arctic kept rising， in some area， the highest change of temperature could reach 5oC ； the sea ice coverage has reduced， every 10 years ，its area reduced by 3%， while its thickness reduced by 3% to 5% ； the edge Greenland ice sheet was melting， at the speed of 50 km3 per year； the snow coverage of the Europe and Asia has reduced by 10%， the frozen earth was melting； the land fresh water runoff， rainfall， as well as the melted snow have increased， however the sea waters salinity reduced； the temperature of sea water increased， for part of the Atlantic Realms mid water has increased by 1% of its temperature； the air pressure of the Arctic has reduced， the intensity of polar vortex was enhanced， the sea levels air pressure reduced， while the heat and humidity radical flux increased； the fresh water flux from the Arctic to the Subarctic has increased. The word “Unaami” has close relation with the Arctics atmospheric circulation， which is an important part of the climate change. On account of the interaction of ocean， land， sea ice and air， “Unaami” played an important role in the Arctics climate change， made big differences on the ecological system and the human society， its the main content of the research in Arctics environment.

The Arctic is the most remarkable area of global warming， and very sensitive to the warming. The different environmental changes， including the air， ocean and land， which have been taking place recent decades， is influencing on the ecological system and life resources， and is having bad effect on peoples society， so that the region and even the Northern Hemispheres economical activities are also affected.

The polars climate and atmospheric environment changing will have impact on the global atmospheric circulation， especially on our countrys climate. Our country locates on the Northern Hemisphere， the disastrous weather ，such as drought， flood， wind and hail， are mostly related to the cold and warm air， as well as their unusual activities.

The Arctic region is specially strategic position， which has big potential of resource reservation. There are enormous oil-gas and mineral resources at the bottom of the Arctic Ocean， plentiful fishes and important strategic shipping lances also exists in the region. At the present speed of the sea ices melting in the Arctic， “the Northeast Passage” and “ the Northwest Passage” of the Arctic Ocean may fully opened until 2030， which will become the fastest golden waterway to navigate among North America， Northern Europe and Northeast Asia.