An Arctic emergency is unfolding at an alarming rate, with sea ice cover plummeting by 40% over the past four and a half decades. But a bold experiment backed by the UK government may be on the cusp of changing the game – literally refreezing parts of the Arctic.
Scientists from Real Ice have been drilling through existing sea ice near Cambridge Bay, northern Canada, and pumping 50,000 tonnes of ocean water onto its surface. The result is a frozen slab that's gained up to 50cm in just days, significantly thickening the ice to approximately 1.5 metres. According to lead scientist Andrea Ceccolini, it was once considered a 'wild dream' to see such results.
The treated area now stands out like an 'island of white' amidst a sea of melting blue water, satellite imagery shows. Meanwhile, temperatures in the region have soared above 5C, far higher than the expected -6C to 1C at this time of year. This is a stark illustration of the urgent need for innovative solutions to combat climate change.
The process relies on pumping ocean water onto the existing ice, which then freezes almost instantly. The pumped seawater also turns the insulating snow layer into slush and ice, allowing colder air to penetrate deeper and stimulate further ice growth from below. Real Ice scientists endured extreme conditions during their work, including temperatures as low as -63C with wind chill.
This pioneering research holds promise for mitigating some of climate change's most severe impacts – if it can be scaled up effectively. The initial success is a glimmer of hope that direct intervention might play a role in preserving vital polar ice, alongside global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.