Expedition Arctic century

The expedition left the port of Murmansk on August 5 on the ship Akademik Treshnikov and returned on September 6. In 5 weeks, 58 scientists from different countries completed an extensive scientific program at 125 stations in the Barents, Kara and Laptev Seas, as well as on remote islands of the high-latitude Arctic. Throughout the entire route, the parameters of the atmosphere, cryosphere, marine and terrestrial environment in a rapidly changing Arctic climate were measured in real time.

A presentation of the results of Arctic century expedition took place in Moscow on October 20, 2021. Members of the expedition Dr. Heidemarie Kassens, Vice Chairman of the Marine Working Group, International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Dr. Gabriela Schaepman-Strub, University of Zurich & Scientific Director, Swiss Polar Institute, Mikhail Makhotin, Researcher, Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute St. Petersburg (AARI) told about their observations in the Arctic. Climate change is very significant and visible to the naked eye. Previously, icebreakers were needed for the expedition, and scientists had to wear winter jackets and hats. Now in the summer months, even at high latitudes, the sea is free of ice, and scientists rather need raincoats and rubber boots. There is often such an unusual phenomenon for the Arctic as fog. During the expedition, scientists managed to collect a large array of data that will be analyzed in the coming months, but it is already obvious that the marine and terrestrial ecosystems of the Arctic are changing faster than expected, and biodiversity is under threat.

According to the speakers, in the near future, society will face a global question about which regions in the Arctic we should preserve and protect, because the moment has already been missed to preserve the entire Arctic region. International and interdisciplinary research is needed to assess the effects of global warming. Only together we will be able to cope with this task.