People have many questions about the Central Arctic Ocean because it is a remote and mysterious place. There have been several expeditions and field experiments to the Arctic Ocean, but most have only gone for a couple of months during the spring, summer and fall--when there are daylight hours. I really wanted to participate in Leg II of the MOSAiC Expedition because it took place during the winter. There's so much to learn about life in the Central Arctic during the coldest, darkenest months. Twenty-two years ago, there was another large, year-long expedition to the Arctic Ocean called SHEBA. I started my Arctic work with SHEBA, and now, more than two decades later, it's been incredible to go on MOSAiC and compare observations. This opportunity helps us learn all about the changes taking place in the Arctic.
The community I know the most about is the science community. Many people live in the Arctic regions of the world, but nobody lives in the Central Arctic. It's highly unusual for humans to be in the Central Arctic during the harsh winter months. With my second expedition to this region, I'm attempting to meet an important need within the science community. We need more data about the changes taking place in the Central Arctic, especially during the months when it's the least pleasant to be there.
