MOSAiC (Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate)
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| Name | MOSAiC (Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate) |
| Country | International |
| Period | 2019–2020 |
| Organizers | Alfred Wegener Institute, European Union, National Science Foundation (United States), German Aerospace Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
| Vessels | RV Polarstern, Icebreaker |
| Location | Arctic Ocean, near North Pole |
MOSAiC (Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate) was a year‑long international Arctic research expedition centered on a drifting research platform embedded in sea ice to study climate processes. The project aimed to resolve uncertainties in Arctic climate feedbacks by combining shipborne, airborne, and land‑based observations with modeling efforts from major research institutions. Led by the Alfred Wegener Institute and involving agencies such as the National Science Foundation (United States), the expedition produced datasets intended to improve global climate models and inform policy discussions at venues like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Background and Objectives
The initiative originated from longstanding concerns about Arctic amplification documented by groups including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and motivated by prior campaigns such as International Arctic Buoy Programme efforts and the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean study. Objectives included quantifying snow and sea‑ice energy budgets, characterizing atmospheric boundary layer processes studied by teams from Max Planck Society and University of Washington, and constraining coupled models developed at centers like National Center for Atmospheric Research and Met Office. MOSAiC sought to reduce uncertainties that affect projections used by policymakers in forums like the Arctic Council and assessments by the World Meteorological Organization.
Expedition Planning and Logistics
Planning involved coordination among national programs including the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Natural Environment Research Council, and the European Research Council, plus logistical partners such as the Alfred Wegener Institute's icebreaker RV Polarstern. Route selection considered historical ice charts from National Ice Center and satellite products from European Space Agency and NASA missions like ICESat-2 and Sentinel-1. Logistics teams from Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and military entities including the Norwegian Armed Forces and United States Coast Guard provided helicopter support, ice‑camp construction, and emergency response planning. Supply chains involved ports such as Tromsø and Murmansk, and legal clearances required engagement with regulators including the International Maritime Organization.
Scientific Research Themes and Methods
Research themes spanned cryosphere, atmosphere, oceanography, biogeochemistry, and ecology with contributions from institutions including Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and University of Cambridge. Methods combined in situ observations using autonomous platforms like Argo (oceanography), flux towers used by teams from University of Alaska Fairbanks, and remote sensing validated with instruments similar to those on MODIS and GRACE missions. Atmospheric work employed radiosondes and lidar systems developed at National Institute of Standards and Technology and German Aerospace Center, while oceanographers deployed CTDs and current profilers used by researchers at Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory. Biogeochemical sampling linked to laboratories at Max Planck Institute for Meteorology and ETH Zurich examined carbon and nutrient cycles relevant to studies by International Geosphere‑Biosphere Programme affiliates.
Key Findings and Publications
Findings informed revisions to model parameterizations cited by teams at European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and Princeton University and appeared in journals such as Nature, Science, Geophysical Research Letters, and The Cryosphere. Results highlighted underestimated sea‑ice melt processes and boundary layer heat exchanges corroborated by analyses from University of Colorado Boulder and Yale University, and influenced projections used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Publications documented novel observations of albedo dynamics, snow redistribution, and mixed‑layer ocean responses that researchers at University of Oslo and Shanghai Jiao Tong University integrated into coupled models. Data releases were curated by repositories associated with PANGAEA and World Data System.
International Collaboration and Participants
MOSAiC assembled scientists and logistical staff from over 20 countries, including teams from Germany, United States, China, Russia, Norway, Japan, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Spain, Poland, Austria, India, and South Korea. Collaborative governance involved lead institutions such as Alfred Wegener Institute, coordination with funding agencies like German Research Foundation and European Commission, and integration with programs including International Arctic Science Committee and Global Climate Observing System. The multinational crew included experts affiliated with universities like McGill University and institutes such as Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Environmental Impact and Safety Measures
Environmental assessments followed protocols from the International Maritime Organization Polar Code and engaged environmental review frameworks used by Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North‑East Atlantic. Waste management and fuel handling were designed to minimize pollution risks in accordance with guidance from United Nations Environment Programme and scientific standards from International Arctic Science Committee. Safety measures included search‑and‑rescue plans coordinated with Coast Guard (United States) and Norwegian Joint Rescue Coordination Centres, medical support from Red Cross affiliates, and contingency protocols modeled after prior expeditions like FRAM Strait missions.
Legacy and Continuing Research =
MOSAiC established a legacy of open datasets and methodological advances used by modeling centers such as NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory and educational programs at institutions like Columbia University. Ongoing research continues through follow‑on projects funded by entities including the European Research Council and national agencies, and through integration into long‑term observing networks such as Arctic Observing Network and Sustained Arctic Observing Networks. The expedition’s multidisciplinary datasets support policy assessments at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and inform adaptation planning by regional bodies like the Arctic Council and municipal authorities in Arctic communities such as Longyearbyen.
Category:Arctic expeditions Category:Climate research projects