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Arctic sea-ice is defined as simply a condition were 15% or less of the water surface of the Arctic Ocean is open.

If 16% is open water, then there is no sea-ice.

Mighty small difference there, so I hope no one was planning on the Arctic Ocean's ice to completely disappear.

hummm...

Our supporters fund data management and scientific research at the project level. For example, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) supports the NSIDC Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) and funds the production and distribution of remote-sensing data sets. The National Science Foundation (NSF) provides data management for scientists doing polar research. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides support for management of NOAA data sets at NSIDC and has funded many of the center's data-rescue activities. NASA, NOAA and NSF, as well as additional sources of funding, support NSIDC scientists and outreach activities through competitive grants and contracts NSIDC is part of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The University and CIRES provide a collaborative environment and support for our research.

Last summer's record low sea ice extent was preceded by low ice extent in the 2006-2007 winter season, as I've learned from perusal of the Modis Rapid Response archives.

The thing is that sea ice has had a remarkable resurgence starting in Dec 2007. Now as daylight creeps northward we can start to see some good images of it. Compare this image of the Baffin Sea from Feb 10, 2007 With yesterday's Feb 9, 2008 image.

I'm sure you'll agree the difference is quite striking. I wouldn't go so far as to say this signals the end of global warming, but it ought to assuage fears of a run-away meltdown. We'll have to see what the summer brings.

I might add that the current summer season in the Antarctic is showing extensive sea ice, and even the reformation of the Larsen A ice shelf, as you can see in this image from Feb 2, 2008. Note the collapsed Larsen B embayment to the south of Larsen A is filled with sea ice. In recent years these have been open water at this season. I'm waiting for any press notice of this development. I suppose the new Larsen A may not last the summer, but it looks to me like it will make it, and I'm rooting for it.