[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

There are, essentially, two types of sea ice — new and not new. New ice forms each winter, by the freezing of the salty ocean water. Older ice is largely salt-free — because the salt was expelled as brine (and, in some places, because of accumulated snow). The new ice melts at a significantly lower temperature than the old ice. The dramatic annual changes in ice area are almost entirely due to melting of new ice. We can expect to hear very little about Arctic ice this summer — because there will likely be a significant increase in area.

[GOPJ]

Interesting - thanks for sharing.