Arctic Sea Ice Concentration for SSP2-4.5

For scenario SSP2-4.5 ("The Middle Path"), the ensemble simulation with MPI-ESM LR shows a noticeable decrease in sea ice cover in the Arctic. In summer (September), sea ice would be expected to melt completely (disappearing white area) toward the end of the century. In winter (March), however, as the light blue area shows, new ice would form again - albeit to a reduced extent.

Video: Temporal evolution of Arctic sea ice cover in September (white) and in March (light blue) for scenario 2-4.5 based on simulations with MPI-ESM HR (ensemble means, 2 realizations).