Goals and tasks of work of the drifting research station “North Pole-39”

Main goals and tasks of work of the drifting station “North Pole-38” are the following:

• To continue and develop the hydrometeorological and ecological monitoring of the central area of the Arctic basin, which is of interest of World Meteorological Organization;
• To carry out a complex of field research, which are necessary to improve the methods of hydrometeorological support of economic and research activity in the Arctic region;
• To investigate the features of environment processes caused by global and regional climate change or influencing the global and regional climate change.

Main work tasks of the drifting station “North Pole-38” are the following:

• to implement a program of standard meteorological, solar radiation observations and atmosphere sounding;
• to investigate the thermodynamic processes and evolution of morphometric characteristics of sea ice cover;
• to define thermohaline and hydrochemical properties of water mass in the region of station drift, to measure current speed at different horizons;
• to estimate the seasonal variability of carbonate system components in surface mixed ocean layer and near surface atmosphere layer;
• to carry out the hydrobiological research;
• to carry out the hydrographic research including profiling of sediment layer in the region of station drift;
• experimental use of unmanned aircraft for:
- aero-meteorological research,
- estimation of mesoscale dynamics and mophometric characteristics of ice cover,
- ice reconnaissance during air-transport operations.

Icebreaker picks up scientists after eleven months on ice floe

A Russian nuclear powered icebreaker sets out from Murmansk later this week to pick up scientists and equipment from a floating research station in the Arctic.
The floating research station “North Pole 38” has been drifting eastwards from the Wrangel Island area since October 2010, and is now about to be replaced. The icebreaker “Rossiya” sets out from Murmansk on Friday to pick up the 16 scientists and all their equipment and gear.
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Russian icebreaker helps set up new drifting polar station

A Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker has arrived in the Arctic to help Russian polar explorers set up a new drifting station, RIA Novosti correspondent reported.
The Rossiya icebreaker arrived on Saturday at the location of the current SP-38 polar station, where the scientists are dismantling equipment and preparing their mobile polar huts for a transfer to a new drifting station.
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Russia's new floating station starts work in Arctic

A new Russian manned drifting weather station started operating in the Arctic Ocean on Saturday.
The Severny Polyus-39 (SP-39) floating station officially began its work after a ceremony to hoist the Russian flag on Saturday afternoon. The station has already sent its first weather report.
SP-39 has a crew of 16 specialists, including marine and ice scientists, hydrologists and meteorologists.
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16 persons are involved in the station:

1. Ipatov Alexander - head
2. Kuz'min Sergei - oceanographer,
3. Zimichev Vladimir - oceanographer,
4. Gustchin Sergei - meterologist,
5. Razinkov Ivan - meterologist,
6. Semenov Sergei - aerologist,
7. Kovalev Sergei - glaciologist,
8. Tuzlukov Dmitriy - glaciologist,
9. Baiduk Sergei - hydrochemist,
10. Voloshko Dmitriy - hydrographer,
11. Vorontsov Mikhail - doctor,
12. Spirin Alexei - radio-operator,
13. Makarov Sergei - mechanical engineer,
14. Murashkin Sergei - mechanical engineer,
15. Kondrat'ev Pavel - mechanical engineer,
16. Kurov Maxim - cook.

Map of expedition "Arktika-2011" (by AARI)

Map of NP-36, NP-37, NP-38, NP-39