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the operation icebridge 2010 arctic

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since arriving in greenland on march

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22nd the mission scientists engineers

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and crew have already taken off on

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several science flights over the

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region's glaciers and sea ice

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flying aboard nasa's dc-8 aircraft

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outfitted with an array of science

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instruments

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scientists are monitoring changes to the

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region's ice even peering below the

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surface of some glaciers an observation

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not currently possible from satellites

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the first priority of this campaign is

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to survey arctic sea ice which reaches

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its maximum extent just as spring begins

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the amount of sea ice covering the

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arctic at the end of each winter is an

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important indication of the health of

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the arctic and earth's climate system

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greenland because of its presence and

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antarctica all the ice masses together

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act as acts as buffer and climate and so

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if if they were to start to melt which

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which many people believe that they are

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then the eventual effect will be a

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warmer climate overall

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over the course of this spring's

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five-week campaign researchers will make

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a total of 10-12 science flights

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continuing to monitor the most sensitive