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Scientists from 17 countries onboard icebreaker leave for year-long Arctic expedition

Scientists for more than 350 days will conduct monitoring of the Arctic nature

Polarstern research icebreaker AP Photos/Frank Jordans

Polarstern research icebreaker

© AP Photos/Frank Jordans

TASS, September 24. Climate studies are a key direction of a year-long expedition, which features scientists from 17 countries, including Russia, press service of Russia’s Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) said on Friday.

The expedition on board Germany’s Polarstern research icebreaker departed from Norway’s Tromso on Friday. The icebreaker will be frozen into ice and will drift along the Transpolar Drift Stream, will pass the North Pole, and by autumn 2020 it will get free from the ice in the Fram Strait. This route repeats Fridtjof Nansen’s drifting onboard the Fram vessel in 1893-1896.

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The MOSAiC (Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate) international expedition will study physical processes in the Central Arctic climate system. The Polarstern will become an observatory for atmosphere, ice, snow, ocean, ecology and bio-geo-chemical measures and experiments.

"At an ice camp not far from the icebreaker, scientists for more than 350 days will conduct monitoring of the Arctic nature, and received data will be used to upgrade models of the polar and ocean atmosphere and weather forecasts," the press service said. "The expedition’s budget is about 140 million euros."

Over the year, on board the icebreaker will come about 300 researchers from Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the UK, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the US. Experts from Austria and South Korea will update the expedition with news from the mainland.

About Russia’s involvement

Russia’s Akademik Fyodorov research vessel will escort the Polarstern icebreaker until the German vessel freezes into drifting ice. The Institute will offer satellite information, which will be used to pick the best ice, and besides, the Akademik Fyodorov will be used for ice reconnaissance off helicopters. The Institute’s two glassier experts will work in shifts onboard the vessel.

"When the glassier is chosen, the Akademik Fyodorov will do diesel refueling of the Polarstern icebreaker," the press service said.

Russian icebreakers, helicopters and aircraft will be used to rotate teams of scientists on board the Polarstern icebreaker.

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