Taming the Arctic

From rt.com

In the latest in a series of trips to study the Arctic, Russian scientists will spend a year drifting on an ice floe.

The Arctic is one of the planet's most inhospitable places, but it is still a major draw for those keen to tap its treasures. Russia is among five nations staking a claim over part of the region, which is thought to contain a quarter of the world's oil and natural gas reserves. The epic expedition will be tough.

After an aggressive march through the Arctic, the Rossiya ice-breaker slows down to a crawl. The explorers are on a delicate mission – to find a suitable ice field for the Arctic 2010 station and, most importantly, avoid damaging it.

A helicopter is deployed into action. Five potential ice fields were spotted by a satellite long before the mission started. Now it is time to probe for the best spot.

The scientists are looking for an ice field that is at least 20 square kilometers. It is essential the sheet is thick and robust enough to sustain a group of 15 people, two dogs and several tons of equipment for as long as a year.

The first stop is west of the Island of Vrangel. The ice is tested but the floe is rejected – the ice is too thin. Another attempt is made further north. The drill plunges down three meters, which is good. However, the field is too rocky for the camp. The disappointed explorers try to cheer each other up.

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