Polar explorers on mission to answer Arctic sea ice question

posted by DAISY in Climate Change

L-R: Hadow, Hartley and Daniels. Photo: Martin Hartley (www.martinhartley.com)

A trio of polar explorers is set to undertake an arduous Arctic expedition to collect data vital to our understanding of global warming.

The Catlin Arctic Survey Ice Team - Pen Hadow, Martin Hartley and Ann Daniels - is conducting a scientific survey of the Arctic Ocean’s floating sea ice, measuring its thickness and density in order to accurately determine the rate at which it is disappearing.

The Ice Team will start at the edge of the permanent sea ice off the Canadian coast and make its way 1,300 kilometres to the North Geographic Pole, which it hopes to reach in late May to early June.

Hadow, Daniels and Hartley will haul sleds weighing around 100 kilograms, carrying ice drills and specially designed ice-penetrating radar equipment to take comprehensive measurements of the ice thickness and density, as well as gather atmospheric and water readings. The 90-day trek may also include swimming for more than 100 hours in Arctic waters. During the early stages of the expedition, the team will experience temperatures as low as -50ºC, with a wind chill temperature of -90ºC.

“This is important data at a critical time for the Arctic,” said Neil Hamilton, Director of WWF International’s Arctic Programme. “This is the only on-the-ground information about ice thickness coming out of the Arctic this year. Satellites give us good indications about the extent of the ice, but this expedition will produce solid information about its thickness and density. These measurements are important for our understanding of how long the ice will last.”

Sea ice is critical to a stable global climate as it reflects 80 per cent of the sun's rays, which otherwise would be absorbed by the open water, resulting in rising sea levels and unpredictable weather patterns. It is also vital for Arctic wildlife, such as polar bears.

The permanent central region of the Arctic Ocean’s ice cover has receded at a rate of up to 10 per cent per decade since 1979, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre. Last year’s summer melt saw Arctic sea ice plummet to its lowest level since satellite measurements began. According to one projection, floating Arctic sea ice may vanish as early as 2013.

“The scientists we are working with at the Catlin Arctic Survey are recording rapidly receding ice,” said Hamilton. “I only know what I have seen myself during my time on the Arctic Ocean, but if we succeed in re-connecting exploration with its origins in science, it will be a job well done.”

The expedition can be tracked online at Google Earth, where viewers can see information from the expedition, along with photos and video.

More information about the expedition can be found at catlinarcticsurvey.com.
Google Earth can be downloaded for free at earth.google.com.

Information from Catlin Arctic Survey and WWF. All photographs Martin Hartley (martinhartley.com)