Measuring Ice Thickness in the Arctic

Greenpeace crew use a helicopter to move a boxed 'hot water drill' across sea ice, from the MY Arctic Sunrise. The drill is used to make holes through the floe in order to assess ice thickness and to fix instruments into the floe. Polar oceanographer Dr Peter Wadhams, from the University of Cambridge, leads an independent team of five scientists. The scientists are working with the Greenpeace crew, researching the effects of climate change on fast depleting sea ice.

Unique identifier: GP01ZZ9

Type: Image

Shoot date: 25/09/2009

Locations: Fram Strait

Credit line: © Nick Cobbing / Greenpeace

Size: 5616px × 3744px 8MB

Ranking: ★★★★ (E)

Containers

Shoot:

Sea Ice Research in the Arctic

In summer 2009, the MY Arctic Sunrise sails to the Arctic to document the dire effects climate change has on one of the most fragile environments in the world. Independent scientists use the ship, helicopter, boats and assistance of the crew, to collect data and research the impacts of climate change. During this third section of the three-part tour, the ship travels to Fram Strait and seas to the east of Greenland and north-west of the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard to research the effects of climate change on fast depleting sea ice. That year (2009) the summer sea ice minimum was reported to be the third lowest on record. The depletion of Arctic sea ice has serious implications for many reasons. Loss of sea ice creates a positive feedback effect, when the darker ocean surface is exposed it absorbs more heat, melting the surrounding ice further. The loss of ice also threatens vulnerable species likes polar bears who depend on multi year ice to hunt for seals; their primary food source.

Related Collections:

Arctic Under Pressure Expedition - Full Set (Photo & Videos)

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