May 29, 2015
Polar View services, including daily forecasts and ice charts, prove valuable to safe operations in ice north of Nordaustlandet (Svalbard).
In late December 2014, the Norwegian Polar Institute launched its Norwegian Young Sea ICE Cruise (N-ICE2015) project to better understand the energy flux and dynamics of thin, first-year ice in the Arctic. After months of preparation, the RV Lance was allowed to freeze into the ice north of Nordaustlandet. It then drifted with the ice until it was freed, after which it was returned to the project’s starting coordinates and set to drift again. During each leg of this cruise, the science team has used its position to collect data on oceanographic properties, the marine ecosystem, radiation, meteorological parameters, and ice dynamics and mechanics in an area and time of year that has seldom been studied.
Throughout the Lance‘s cruise, Polar View provided daily forecasts for the wind, precipitation, and temperature of the ship’s precise location in the ice. Using this information in combination with Polar View ice charts the Lance‘s crew took timely precautions before forecasted storms, avoiding injury to personnel and damage to ship equipment. Both the cruise manager and Lance captain praised the services provided by Polar View as very valuable to the expedition’s safe operations.
Click here for project updates from the N-ICE2015 blog.