The Arctic Floating University completed the expedition around Novaya Zemlya

Abstract

The article presents a review of the expedition “Arctic Floating University — 2018”, the thematic name of which was “Terrae Novae”. The expedition passed through 3,800 nautical miles along the White, Barents, Kara and Pechora Seas. Its participants completed landings on two arctic archipelagoes: Solovetsky Islands and Novaya Zemlya. The expedition had three stages. At the first stage, marine research was made in the White and Barents seas. In total, 48 stops were made, and deep sounding was carried out at each hydrological station. At the second stage, marine and ground research was made in the Barents Sea. The third stage included work on hydrological sections in the Kara Sea and ice condition monitoring along the area. The expedition research team made seven landings on the Arctic archipelagos of Novaya Zemlya and Solovetsky. Samples of soil were taken, and specific studies of the atmosphere, water, marine biology, flora and fauna of the area were carried out. The obtained materials contain new data on the development of a monitoring methodology, assessment of forecasting and prevention of risks associated with biological transport of highly toxic pollutants that can accumulate in food chains and spread to Arctic ecosystems; the study of endoliths; paleomagnetic studies; microplastic studies; marine microfauna for investigating the settling history of the Barents Sea, etc.

Keywords

• The “Arctic floating university”
• Novaya Zemlya
• marine research
• paleomagnetic studies
• ecosystem monitoring
• microplastic
• soil-ecological studies
• marine microfauna
• anthropogenic impact