Scientists prepare for year-long expedition to Arctic centre
Posted September 20, 2019 2:16 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
BERLIN — Scientists from more than a dozen nations are preparing to launch the biggest and most complex research expedition ever attempted in the central Arctic.
About 100 researchers will set sail Friday from Tromsoe, Norway, aboard a German icebreaker in an effort to understand how climate change is affecting the Arctic and regions beyond.
The aim is to anchor the RV Polarstern to a large ice floe and slowly drift with the current as the sea freezes around the vessel and scientists conduct experiments throughout the entire Arctic year — including the pitch-black winter months.
The 140-million-euro ($158 million) expedition is being spearheaded by Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute but also involves scientists from 19 countries including the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.
The Associated Press
