Abstract The tendency for the atmosphere to reside in one of two radiative states (“transmissive” or “opaque”) is unique to the high latitudes. This phenomenon makes the Arctic climate particularly sensitive to change if the conditions that support one of these states vanish. This study examines 25 years of in‐situ data from the North Slope of Alaska to investigate how these two states have changed over time. While November once had nearly equal occurrences of both states, the transmissive state has almost completely disappeared, resulting in an increase of over 30 W/m2 ${\text{W/m}}^{2}$ in surface downwelling longwave radiation since the turn of the century. This dramatic shift highlights a crucial climate feedback that any region prone to sea ice loss may experience—reducing the transmissive state enhances atmospheric warming and moistening, further promoting the opaque state. This feedback accelerates surface energy imbalances and could amplify Arctic change beyond current projections.
Observations from the Little Bunker
Last updated: August 18, 2025 06:15 PM
Atmospheric CO₂
425.4 ppm
+18.4
ppm/year
Atmospheric CH₄
1934.91 ppb
+9.11
ppb/year
Global Temperature
+1.48 °C
Peak: +1.73°C
World Population
8.1 billion
+67
million/year