FRANZ JOSEF LAND, July 5. /TASS/. The Arctic Floating University expedition terminated work on the Northbrook Island, Franz Josef Land, due to an approaching ice field, a TASS correspondent reported from aboard the Professor Molchanov research vessel. The expedition managed to send ashore only a few groups that carried out ornithology and microbiology studies, and collected and registered plastic litter on the shore.
"As of today, not all groups have managed to work on the Northbrook Island. The reason is the east wind, which continues for the third day, and which has brought an ice field. While earlier those were small strips of ice, brought possibly from the Franz Josef Land straits, now we see - here comes the ice, which apparently has broken off a large ice field, most likely between Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya. Not to have the ship get torn off the anchor, the captain has decided to pass through this field, now we are still near the Northbrook Island, we are monitoring this field's movement, and the fog. As soon as there is an opportunity to go ashore, we will go ashore Franz Josef Land, however, it may be not the Northbrook, but the Bell Island, we'll follow the situation," the expedition leader Alexander Saburov told TASS.
Teams of ornithologists and microbiologists worked together at the Cape Flora bird rookery, and they have good results. According to Maria Gavrilo of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, between 2013 and 2021 specialists conducted regular studies of black-legged kittiwakes on the cape: catching, ringing, installing locators on birds. This time, scientists have caught 13 birds, including six kittiwakes ringed earlier. "We took off four geo locators, the data from them may be downloaded. Such a locator is worth gold," she noted. The sensors could have recorded information about the birds' movements for up to two years, and this is very important data.
Microbiologists were able to sample a large amount of zoogenic material. During the ringing they took samples from living birds, which is a rare occasion in the Arctic. "We've taken smears from living birds for the first time, and we hope to get interesting data," said Artemy Goncharov of the Institute of Experimental Medicine. "Overall, we've collected more than 50 samples, not only from birds, but also from water, soil, and bacterial mats."
Arctic Floating University - 2024
On June 25, the Arctic Floating University departed from Arkhangelsk to conduct research in the White and Barents Seas, on the Kolguev Island, on islands of Novaya Zemlya and Franz Josef Land.
The project's partners and sponsors are the Arkhangelsk Region's government, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Russian Geographical Society, VTB Bank, Norilsk Nickel, Roshydromet (the hydrometeorology service), the Russian Arctic National Park, the Floating University Coordination Center at MIPT (Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology; also known as PhysTech), the Nauka (Science) year-round youth educational center.
The Arctic Floating University's expeditions continue under the Science and Universities national project, implemented by Russia's Ministry of Science and Higher Education.