This article was taken from the June 2011 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
The Catlin Arctic Survey sends international teams of explorers and scientists to some of the world's harshest conditions. At the Ice Base off the western coast of Ellef Ringnes Island, their mission is to gather scientific data on environmental change in the Arctic, particularly of the sort that satellites or submarines can't access or accurately measure. Previous surveys measured ice thickness and ocean acidification -- this year's will examine freshwater currents beneath the surface of Arctic Ocean ice to help understand their effect on bottom-up ice melting, which is disrupting global ocean circulation.
The team's equipment needs to be tough enough to withstand temperatures as low as -45°C. Wired unpacks the scientist's sled.
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This article was originally published by WIRED UK
