Real Ice Thickens Arctic Sea Ice by 50cm in 450m Test, Eyeing $10 Billion Scale-Up
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 19
Real Ice Thickens Arctic Sea Ice by 50cm in 450m Test, Eyeing $10 Billion Scale-Up
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 19
Summary
Real Ice researchers pumped seawater onto sea ice near Cambridge Bay, Canada, thickening a 450m-by-450m test area by about 50cm and leaving it melting more slowly than surrounding ice.
5-10C above-normal temperatures had triggered a rapid melt season, and the brighter, thicker patch reflected more sunlight back to space than the darker open water around it.
£3.5 million in UK funding is backing the project as researchers study longer-term effects on temperature and wildlife, with local Inuit helping run the experiment.
Next year the team plans to use underwater drones with heated probes to make holes in the ice, part of a bid to test whether the method could scale.
Arctic summer sea ice has shrunk about 40% in 45 years and still loses roughly 80,000 sq km annually, while critics warn refreezing schemes could be unfeasible, environmentally risky and distract from emissions cuts.
Scientists are refreezing the Arctic. What unintended consequences could this experiment unleash on the rest of the planet?
With the Arctic past a chemical tipping point, can refreezing ice reverse the damage or is it too late?
Arctic Geoengineering Under Scrutiny: The Real Ice Project’s £3.5 Million Experiment and the Debate Over Climate Fixes
Overview
The Real Ice project is a leading geoengineering effort focused on slowing the loss of Arctic sea ice. Supported by a £3.5 million grant from the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency, the project is running important trials near Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada. Its main method involves pumping seawater onto existing ice during winter to create thicker, more resilient ice. Before starting, Real Ice worked closely with local communities and gained approval from local authorities and the Ekaluktutiak Hunters and Trappers Organization, showing a strong commitment to ethical and collaborative research.