The Russian drifting station "North Pole-42", organized by specialists from the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI), began its work in the Arctic Ocean on September 30. This was announced by the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia.
"The scientific program of the 'North Pole-42' expedition includes over 50 various research projects aimed at studying changes in the Arctic environment and assessing the vulnerability of ecosystems. Research will continue on the geological structure of the Arctic Ocean floor, necessary to refine the outer boundary of the continental shelf of the Russian Federation and other scientific tasks," the statement on the ministry's website reads.
Scientists also intend to determine whether there are prerequisites for a further reduction in the summer ice cover in the Arctic Ocean. This could be important for plans to develop navigation on the Northern Sea Route. Modern equipment, including drones, will be used for these tasks.
The first to start work in the ice scientific camp was the meteorological laboratory, from where, according to a long-standing tradition, the first weather report was sent to "the mainland". Immediately after that, the opening of the drifting station "North Pole-42" took place - the polar explorers raised the Russian tricolor on the ice in the Arctic Ocean.
Under the influence of currents and winds, the ice-bound scientific expedition vessel and the scientific ice camp will move to the polar region and then towards the Greenland Sea. After exiting into open water in the Fram Strait, presumably in the spring of 2026, the vessel will return to Murmansk under its own power, the Ministry of Natural Resources noted.
The program of the drifting expeditions "North Pole" began in 1937 with the expedition led by Ivan Papanin. Over 75 years, 40 drifting stations have successfully operated in the high-latitude Arctic. In 2013, the program had to be curtailed due to melting ice. However, AARI specialists found the optimal option for long-term basing of research laboratories - the ice self-propelled platform "North Pole".
This vessel has no analogues in the world, was built in St. Petersburg and launched in 2022.
"It has become for polar explorers both a transport, a home, and a research center, allowing for a comprehensive study of the Arctic environment from the bottom of the Arctic Ocean to near space," the message says.
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