Researching Arctic sea ice restoration to keep our planet cool
The Arctic has been warming almost 4 times faster than the rest of the world. Even in the most optimistic scenarios, the IPCC warns that the Arctic Ocean will be completely ice-free during the summer as soon as the 2030s or 2040s. Without this sea ice acting as the planet’s natural refrigerator – reflecting the sun’s heat back into space – we risk the loss of a vital regulator of global temperature.
In 2016, scientists proposed a simple solution: increase ice volume by pumping Arctic sea water onto the existing ice sheets. When pumped over the ice, the water freezes quickly, producing thicker ice sheets that are less likely to melt completely during summer. It is a simple yet promising solution, and since 2023, Arctic Reflections has been testing this idea. If this intervention works, to meaningfully halt the decline, we have therefore set ourselves the goal of eventually thickening 100,000 km² of sea ice per year.
Starting from less than one hectare in our first field test in Svalbard, we expanded to 9 hectares in Newfoundland, Canada and we are now back from our third field test in Nunavut, Canada where we thickened almost 17 hectares.
Think big, start small
Starting with less than one hectare in our first field test in Svalbard, we expanded to 9 hectares in Newfoundland, Canada, and we have returned from our third field test in Nunavut, Canada, where we thickened almost 17 hectares.
We are also exploring a new concept: using larger pumps in specific locations around the Arctic Ocean to create ice and then transport it into the Arctic waters by existing ocean currents. This method is significantly more efficient than conventional estimates suggest, ad could make large scale ice restoration far more achievable than previously thought.
A new concept – thickening ice arches
A sizeable portion of Arctic sea ice is exported out of the region by wind and currents, and melts when it encounters warmer water. So, as part of our mission to preserve Arctic sea ice, we are also exploring ways to reinforce ice arches to prevent the export of sea ice, by pumping or spraying water on the existing arches. These arches already act as natural barriers against ice export, and bolstering them could have a significant impact on keeping the sea ice in the Arctic.
Working with local Indigenous communities
Indigenous communities have lived alongside the Arctic sea ice for generations, and their long-standing knowledge of its behaviour, seasonal patterns, and ecological significance is invaluable to our research. They are also among those most affected by its loss. By partnering with the local communities we can integrate their invaluable expertise into research and planning, ensuring their rights, interests and knowledge play a central role in our research.
