UK-funded drones pump 50,000 tons of seawater onto Arctic ice near Cambridge Bay, adding about 50 cm thickness

Real Ice, a UK government-funded project, sent hydrogen-powered underwater drones into the waters off Cambridge Bay in northern Canada to pump seawater onto the surface of Arctic ice during winter. The operation moved 50,000 tons of ocean water, which froze and added roughly 50 centimeters to the thickness of the ice layer, according to Real Ice scientists.

Satellite images captured after the work showed a distinct patch of bright white ice in the treated area.

The project took place at average temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Andrea Ceccolini, Head of Institution at Real Ice, said the outcome would have been considered a wild dream a year ago. The organization’s co-founder, Cían Sherwin, said researchers want the work to continue so an informed view can be formed on whether the approach can operate at larger scale.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has stated that Arctic ice is shrinking and becoming thinner and more fragile. Real Ice scientists told The Guardian that the Cambridge Bay results raised hopes the method could be applied more widely.

Real Ice has described the loss of summer sea ice as a potential trigger for a Blue Ocean Event, which it said could lead to rapid warming, changes in ocean currents, acidification, and increased coastal flooding.