Arctic scientists race to preserve ‘ice memory’

Source: The post is based on the article “Arctic scientists race to preserve ‘ice memory” published in The Hindu on 3rd April 2023

What is the News?

Arctic scientists are set to start drilling to save samples of ancient ice for analysis before the frozen layers melt away due to climate change.

What is the project Arctic scientists are planning to launch?

Italian, French and Norwegian researchers have set up camp in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago to preserve crucial ice records for analyzing past environmental conditions.

They will extract ice in a series of tubes from as far as 125 meters below the surface, containing frozen geochemical traces dating back three centuries.

One set of ice tubes will be used for immediate analysis while a second set will be sent to Antarctica for storage in an “ice memory sanctuary” under the snow. Here the samples will be preserved for future generations of scientists.

About the melting of Arctic Ice

Human-caused carbon emissions have warmed the planet by 1.1 degrees Celsius since the 19th century.

Studies indicate that the Arctic is warming between two and four times faster than the global average.

The Arctic amplification phenomenon is responsible for warming the Arctic region much faster than the rest of the planet.

What is Arctic Amplification?

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