The Catlin Arctic Survey combines a pioneering feat of human endurance with scientific discovery on a geographic scale most would think impossible in the 21st century, a detailed and accurate mapping of one of the earth’s largest geophysical surface features: the floating North Pole sea ice.
Such a surface survey has never before been attempted, and the need for the information has never been greater. Current estimates for the Arctic Ocean sea ice’s total disappearance vary enormously amongst the scientific community, ranging from 100 years away to just 5 years from now. Whatever happens, the consequences of its meltdown will be of global significance in terms of sea level rise, the geo-politics of energy resources, rainfall patterns and the availability of water supplies, and of course the impact on biodiversity, including seals, walrus and the polar bear.
The Survey will arguably provide the most comprehensive surface-based data set available to scientists yet. The information obtained will be used to improve the accuracy and reliability of supercomputer-generated climate models forecasting the timing of the sea ice’s disappearance, and the associated impacts for our changing global climate, and beyond.
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KEY FACTS AT A GLANCE
-The Expedition The expedition leaving Resolute, northern Canada - late-February 2008; arriving at the North Geographic Pole - 90ºNorth estimated early June 2008
-The Ice Team will walk 1,200 kilometres in around 100 days in temperatures as low as -50C (with wind-chill -90ºC) in the early stages
-The team will average about 11 miles (18 kms) a day pulling sledges weighing up to 100 kilograms (15.5 stone)
-Hazards include: polar bear attacks, thin ice, open water, ice ridges, rubble-fields, fog, blizzards and carbon monoxide poisoning from cooking inside the tent.
-They will be swimming for about 150 hours during the journey in water as cold as -1.8ºC (28ºF)
-They will be re-supplied by fixed wing aircraft up to four times throughout the expedition.
The survey:
-Survey measurements by ice penetrating radar will be taken every 10cms.
The radar will produce separate readings for the depth of ice and the overlying snow.
-Snow and ice samples will be taken on a daily basis over the 100 day expedition.
-The survey vessel, or sledge, measures 2.3 metres (long) by 60cms (wide) by 80cm high; and fully loaded weighs up to 100kgs
-The hull of the sledge was made in Germany and the rest of the vessel was made in Norway. It is will house the science and communication equipment.
The science:
-Scientific predictions of when the Arctic ice-cap will disappear vary. The IPCC predicts between 50-100 years. One super-computer model calculation by a reputed research organisation is in just five years.
-The permanent central region of the Arctic Ocean’s ice-cap has receded by 300,000 kilometres each year since 2001. This is equivalent to an area the size of the United Kingdom, Poland, Italy, or the Philippines and greater than the size of California.
-Up to 25% of the Earth’s known oil and gas reserves lie under the Arctic Ocean’s seabed
-The ice-cap covers almost three per cent of the Earth’s surface and reflects approximately 80% of incoming solar energy – its removal would allow 70% more of the sun’s energy to be absorbed by the Earth’s surface in this region.
-As the ice-cap melts, sea levels rise; during the 20th century sea levels rose between 10 and 20cms. A further increase of between 20cms and 80cms could lead to 300m people being flooded each year
-A rise of between 8cms and 30cms could lead to Indonesia losing up to 2000 of its 17,508 islands
-Approximately 5m people live in the coastal regions of the Arctic – the loss of the ice-cap will mean an abrupt end to their way of life
More information:
Zahra Akkerhuys and Rod Macrae, Catlin Arctic Survey media team
Tel: +44 (0) 1491 613 715 or email:
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