The temperature of the Arctic Ocean has changed during the last 40 years due to a combination of natural and human-caused factors. Natural factors such as changes in ocean circulation patterns, changes in the amount of sunlight reaching the Arctic, and changes in the amount of volcanic activity have all contributed to the warming of the Arctic Ocean. Human-caused factors such as the burning of fossil fuels, which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, have also contributed to the warming of the Arctic Ocean. These greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, causing the Arctic Ocean to warm faster than the rest of the planet.
