ST. PETERSBURG, March 4. /TASS/. The North Pole-42 expedition, which started in September, 2024, on the world's only ice-resistant self-propelled platform, is drifting eastward rather than westward, as it was expected, Director of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) Alexander Makarov told reporters.
The situation, on one hand, would complicate the staff rotation, but on the other hand, scientists will collect data in areas where Russian researchers have not been since 2007, he added.
"We have been preparing to make the staff rotation by air, but there are some peculiarities. The North Pole-42 expedition started approximately in the same place as last year's North Pole-41 expedition, near the New Siberian Islands. But at the moment, our floating observatory has been blown not to the west, as we have expected, but to the east. On one hand, this is a certain difficulty in preparing the staff rotation, since we are at a great distance from airports. On the other hand, we are getting to the eastern sector of the Arctic, which is important from the science point of view, because we were there the last time in 2007," he said.
In that area, he continued, the influence of Pacific waters on the Arctic Ocean is particularly visible. Our understanding of ice drift, its evolution and development from season to season requires ongoing updates through Arctic research, he said. This is especially important now that the ice situation may change quite seriously within a very short time, which in turn affects directly operation of the Northern Sea Route - a major economic route in Russia.
About the expedition
The North Pole is designed for year-round expeditions in northern latitudes of the Arctic Ocean. It does not require icebreakers to get to the work site, to drift for up to two years and then to return to port. The platform can accommodate Mil Mi-8AMT (Mi-171) helicopters and ensures comfortable and safe operation at minus 50 degrees and 85% humidity. The speed is at least 10 knots. The vessel is designed for 14 crew and 34 scientific staff. The displacement is more than 10,000 tons. The platform is equipped with an on-board scientific complex of 15 laboratories, and a mobile field camp for accommodation on ice floes.