Polar explorers to undertake expedition to measure thickness of Arctic ice next month

London, Jan.20 (ANI): A team of scientists and Polar explorers will undertake an expedition to ascertain the thickness of the Arctic ice in February.

The Catlin Arctic Survey, a major scientific expedition is to measure the thickness of the remaining permanent Arctic ice cap.

The team will be travelling on foot, hauling sledges from 80degreeN 140 degree W, across 1200-km of disintegrating and shifting sea ice, for around 100 days, in temperatures from 0 degree C down to -50 degree C.

The team, led by one of Britain's leading explorers Pen Hadow, will set off from Northern Canada next month and head for the North Pole.

The Catlin Arctic Survey has developed and tested a portable, ice-penetrating radar. This will take continuous and detailed measurements of both the snow and ice layers along the 1200 km route.

During the course of their three-month trek to the Pole, team members will use a specially-designed, ice-penetrating radar, which will take millions of readings of the depth of the Arctic ice and snow.

The ground-breaking satellite communications equipment, developed specifically for this project, will allow the survey team to transmit their unfolding story directly from the ice to a global audience.

Data gathered during this survey will be analysed by the world's leading scientists to help them more accurately assess the state of the rapidly-receding sea ice.

The team, which includes polar photographer Martin Hartley and female explorer Ann Daniels, is due to reach the North Pole at the end of May or early-June.

The Catlin Arctic Survey is an international collaboration between polar explorers and some of the world's foremost scientific bodies. It seeks to resolve one of the most important environmental questions of our time. (ANI)