A team of international researchers is planning to start a year-long expedition in the Arctic. The ambitious project will allow scientists to learn more about the controversial phenomenon.
The researchers will travel with the help of Polastern, an icebreaker which will start its journey from Tromsoe, Norway. During the period a large number of rotating researchers will spend time aboard the ship as it travels towards the North Pole.
According to the lead researchers, the Arctic has been deemed to be the heart of climate change. The expedition will allow the researchers to explore the Arctic during the winter season, a feat which wasn’t possible in the past due to the lack of appropriate equipment.
There are many questions related to the climate system of the Arctic since the amount of data connected to the winter season is limited. By observing the Arctic for a year the researchers hope to be able to offer accurate weather predictions in the future.
In recent years climate change and global warming have become important topics among many countries. It is well-known that the climate of our planet has changed through history as there have been seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat in the last 650,000 years.
The sudden end of the last age, approximately 7,000 years ago, started the current climate era and the and the spread of the human civilization. Most of the climate changes were linked to small variations of the orbit followed by our planet, changing the amount of solar heat which is received.
Many scientists believe that the current trend of global warming is caused by human activity. With the help of high-power satellites and other scientific instruments, some researchers have collected data about the climate and evolution of our planet on a global level.
Some countries have agreed to work together to reduce pollution, but more needs to be done in the future.
