After 389 days in the Arctic, costing more than $160 million, hundreds of scientists brought back bad news: What was it?

After 389 days in the Arctic on a project that cost more than $160 million, scientists unexpectedly brought back bad news .

On October 12, 2020, scientists participating in the world's largest Arctic exploration mission returned after a 389-day journey. Accordingly, the team of 300 scientists from 20 countries around the world witnessed firsthand the effects of global warming on Arctic ice .

The goal of the $165 million expedition is to understand how the Arctic climate mixes, which could add more accurate models to global climate models. The findings about the atmosphere, sea ice, ecosystems, etc. could help experts improve weather forecasts and better assess the impact of climate change on the region and the world.

MOSAiC is considered the largest Arctic mission in world history. (Photo: MOSAiC Expedition).

The Polarstern ship of the Alfred Wegener Institute (Germany) is responsible for transporting, providing accommodation, and helping experts explore and collect data and samples in the Arctic.

According to experts, the Polarstern mission, also known as MOSAiC, has spent more than a year collecting data, from sea ice, ocean, to ecosystems, biogeography and establishing models.

Unlike Antarctica, the Arctic region has no permanent scientific research stations. Therefore, very few teams of experts conduct research there for long periods of time.

But the Arctic plays a major role in global climate change. After a 389-day voyage, scientists returned with bad news.

According to initial predictions by scientists, the Arctic may no longer have ice in the summer in the next few decades of the 21st century. This major change will have a very strong impact, even covering the weather and climate of the entire Northern Hemisphere.

This expedition brings together hundreds of scientists from 20 countries around the world.

The undeniable truth from the Arctic

Scientists have collected more than 1,000 ice samples in the Arctic.

The melting of ice has exposed raw materials such as natural gas, crude oil and metals in the Arctic. On the other hand, with the disappearance of ice shelves, many new shipping routes and fishing grounds are beginning to appear in the Arctic. All these changes mean that a clear framework is needed to protect the sustainable development of the Arctic . Therefore, a better understanding of climate and environmental systems can help protect the Arctic.

An investigator from the ecosystem research team on the expedition pointed out that the Arctic has been warming rapidly since the pre-industrial era. Related studies also point to ice loss as a major reason. Accordingly, as ice melts, deeper waters can receive more solar radiation, which leads to Arctic amplification, or faster warming in the region.

The Polarstern has spent hundreds of days and nights in the Arctic. (Photo: MOSAiC Expedition).

According to scientists, since 1980, the thickness of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has been decreasing and it is now only half of its original size. The thickness of the ice sheets has been decreasing for many years. This corresponds to the fact that the warming in the Arctic is very serious.

Sampling chunks of ice can help scientists analyze changes in microorganisms in the ice as well as the role of climate influences.

The MOSAiC mission ended on October 12, 2020 , about a month and a half later than originally planned. After more than a year, the expedition brought back 150 terabytes and more than 1,000 ice samples.

" This expedition will naturally yield results on many different levels ," said team leader Markus Rex .

In fact, according to experts, it will take years of data analysis to develop models that can predict heat waves, heavy rains. in the next 20, 50 or 100 years.

However, the undeniable fact is that the Arctic is 'dying' . Even with more aggressive action, the region will still lose sea ice in the summer in the coming decades . This is unlikely to be reversed.

" It's heartbreaking to know that we may be the last generation to see an Arctic that is still covered with ice in the summer ," said Stefanie Arndt, an expert on the physics of sea ice.

The shrinking Arctic Ocean and thinning ice layers are putting many species at risk of extinction.

The reduction in the area of ​​the Arctic Ocean due to global warming puts many species living there such as polar bears, seals, seabirds, and bowhead whales at great risk of extinction.

In addition, as climate change slows the convection currents that carry warm water from the tropics up into the North Atlantic, the system could collapse completely. As a result, climate change will spread to Western Europe and North America. Ultimately, the disappearance of the Arctic Ocean will affect the entire climate system.

What is happening in the Arctic is a wake-up call for everyone about the impact of climate change. According to scientists, we need to limit greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible and work together to protect the environment around us.