Science

NASA scientists gather air, space and ground data on Arctic sea ice to refine measurements and improve scientific insight into the region’s changing climate, supporting climate models and policy decisions.

A new field campaign uses airborne and satellite platforms to measure Arctic sea ice, aiming to improve understanding of how shrinking ice alters ocean circulation, weather patterns, ecosystems and shipping routes.

The study demonstrates how unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery can be used to observe and analyze small catchments in Southwest Spitsbergen, providing high‑resolution data that improve understanding of Arctic hydrology and ecosystem dynamics.

Arctic hillslopes with frozen soils can exhibit a range of geometric patterns—including circles, stripes, and polygons—that illustrate how gravity and physical forces shape permafrost terrain.

Scientists urge the scientific community to take urgent steps to fill gaps in observations and research of Arctic polar winters, citing limited data since the MOSAiC expedition that began on December 15 2019.

Arctic sea‑ice loss changes how wind and waves exchange energy with the ocean.

Arctic Ocean is losing sea ice at an unprecedented rate, raising concerns about impacts on marine ecosystems and climate dynamics.

A new study led by Philip Holden finds a 10‑23% chance that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation is already committed to collapse—an outcome that could sharply cool Northern Europe and alter rainfall and sea‑level patterns, prompting Iceland to flag it as a national security threat.

China’s 15th Arctic expedition saw its Fendouzhe and Jiaolong manned submersibles conduct operations in the Arctic, marking a new three‑dimensional presence.

French scientists plan to launch the Tara floating polar station, a house‑laboratory that will drift on an ice floe for 18 months to study Arctic climate.

Turkey’s TÜBİTAK has launched its second National Arctic Scientific Research Expedition (TASE‑II) into the Arctic Ocean under the coordination of Prof. Dr. Burcu Özsoy, director of the MAM Institute of Polar Research.

The fourth National Arctic Scientific Research Expedition (TASE IV) operated from the Norwegian‑flagged PolarXplorer and welcomed a Chilean scientist to conduct studies in the Arctic.

Rising acidity in Arctic rivers is linked to increased precipitation and snow melt, which accelerate the thaw of underlying permafrost. Scientists warn this trend could degrade water quality and harm ecosystems across the region.

Recent wildfires have returned to western Greenland after a quiet period, prompting residents, tourists, and authorities to adapt fire‑management practices amid rising temperatures that increase tundra flammability.

China launched three research icebreakers from Dalian as part of its 16th Arctic Ocean scientific expedition, which will operate for four months in the Arctic.

China launched its 16th Arctic scientific expedition, deploying four research vessels for the first time to study the region, underscoring the nation’s expanding presence and focus on polar science.

The AFWG report indicates that ICES cannot currently conduct stock assessments or offer advisory support for Barents Sea populations of NEA cod, haddock and capelin, highlighting a significant gap in Arctic fishery science.

Germany’s research vessel Polarstern is heading to the HAUSGARTEN long‑term observatory to collect data that will shed light on how shifts in Arctic Ocean circulation are altering where sea ice originates.

Japan will commission its first sea‑ice‑breaking Arctic research vessel equipped with underwater drones, signalling a shift toward stronger scientific collaboration in the region.

The Ivan Frolov research vessel’s hull is now over half finished and set to launch in 2027, with a planned 2028 commissioning that will add an Arc‑7 ice‑capable ship—replacing the RV Akademik Fedorov—in Russia’s polar expedition fleet.