Devon research expedition survives bitter storms but makes headway in scientific study on the Arctic Ocean

31st March 2010

 

Two Devon based scientists who are leading the research at an Arctic ice base say they’re making great headway with the work despite storms and temperatures dropping every day to minus 35 degrees celsius.

 

Dr. Helen Findlay from Plymouth Marine Laboratory and Dr. Ceri Lewis of the University of Exeter are part of the Catlin Arctic Survey which has established an ice base on the floating sea ice on the Arctic Ocean. Their field research is capturing data on how carbon dioxide (CO2) is affecting the waters of the Arctic Ocean.

 

Helen and Ceri were dropped into their icy home at the tented camp on March 16th as part of an international team researching how rising levels of CO2 in our atmosphere could be leading to ocean acidification. The base is off the northern coast of Canada about 450 miles from the geographic North Pole.

 

After two weeks of working in the inhospitable location, they say they’ve been able to set up most of their work and begin to analyse the data at a special laboratory space at the tented ice base. But life in the Arctic is never easy, especially for scientists, as Ceri explained: “I’m normally in a clean and warm laboratory where the sea water is on tap and I have access to temperature-controlled facilities for maintaining the small marine animals at their correct temperature. There are no such luxuries here in the Arctic, and the relatively simple task of collecting sea water for the acidification experiments took up a whole afternoon; the sea surface is frozen, and so we’ve had to dig a hole close to the ice base.”

 

The Survey is a pioneering collaboration between scientists and explorers. It is in many respects a Devon-led project since the scientists have teamed up with Devon explorer Pen Hadow’s explorer team who are ensuring they are safe from the harsh conditions and from polar bears. At the same time as the scientists are working, another Devon woman, Ann Daniels, is trekking with two colleagues on a route north towards the geographic North Pole capturing even more data for the programme from a wider part of the ocean.

 

The team of scientists has captured some of their activity on video and has been explaining some of their work.

 

To capture water samples from beneath the sea ice they have cut a hole that allows them to cast sampling bottle and other equipment through. These specialised water traps are then hauled back up to the surface using a winch and the water is then transferred to smaller bottles to take back to the science lab 1.5 kilometres away at the ice base. Amongst the samples, the team is taking are small marine creatures ranging from plankton to krill. They are interested to know how these creatures react to higher levels of CO2 in the water.

 

The result of the expedition will be much needed data from the Arctic Ocean where little research has previously been carried out, most notably in winter and spring time into carbon dioxide. Scientists are increasingly concerned that CO2, which is easily absorbed by cold water, is leading to acidification. If levels continue to increase as they are predicted to do, then it may begin to affect marine life with serious impacts for life on earth.

 

During their first two weeks on the sea ice Helen and Ceri have experienced the worst of the Arctic environment, with wind storms that suddenly erupt, driving temperatures downwards. At times, with a wind-chill factor, it has been well below zero. All the team could do was stay safely inside their tents, venturing out only to make sure the tents weren’t buried beneath the drifting snow. So when the temperature does rise it is, according to Helen, a mixed blessing: “We have experienced quite a range of temperatures, coldest still air has been down to about minus 50, but wind chill down to about minus 60 or 70°C. Today is a balmy minus 5°C, it’s crazy, we're all walking around as if it’s summer! I hope it gets colder again, everything just starts to melt and get wet, which is less fun and, in a way, makes the science more difficult.”

 

The team is expecting to carry on its work until the end of April before returning to Devon to continue the research in warmer conditions in Plymouth and Exeter.

 

You can follow the scientists and Ann Daniels the explorer on the project’s website: www.catlinarcticsurvey.com where you’ll find messages, audio and video reports.