NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineers are gearing up for a groundbreaking mission to study Arctic sea ice. This month, they're testing a spacecraft sensor that will measure the rapid disappearance of Arctic sea ice. While the instrument won't launch until next year, scientists are already preparing for its use during a recent field campaign in the Canadian wilderness.
In April 2026, a team of researchers spent two weeks flying above the Arctic Ocean, capturing stunning views of the ice from a World War II-era aircraft. Their mission was to study the thickness of sea ice and snow using cutting-edge sensors, including a microwave radiometer. Measuring sea ice thickness is a complex task, requiring precise data on the ice's height above water, snow depth, and microwave emissions.
The flights were carefully timed to coincide with satellite passes overhead, allowing for coordinated observations. By combining airborne and satellite data, scientists can improve their understanding of sea ice changes and the evolving Arctic climate. This is crucial as the Arctic's shipping activity increases, making the region strategically and economically significant.
According to Sahra Kacimi, the field campaign's science lead, the ongoing warming in the Arctic could have significant impacts on public safety and economic interests. Kacimi, who has studied sea ice using satellite data for years, emphasizes the importance of a top-down view from space and a ground-level perspective.
The diversity of sea ice creates otherworldly landscapes, with ice attached to land or adrift in the ocean, and varying textures. Driven by winds and ocean currents, the ice constantly shifts, breaks apart, and deforms. This dynamic nature of sea ice affects entire ecosystems, including arctic foxes and hares spotted during the campaign.
Improving sea ice thickness estimates is vital for understanding the region's changes and supporting long-term Arctic environment observations. The NASA team logged approximately 50 hours in the air during the two-week campaign, studying drifting ice near Inuvik and ice fixed to the shore of Cambridge Bay.
In Inuvik, the team collaborated with the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, a NASA-CNES satellite designed to map sea and fresh water. SWOT can also measure sea ice above the waterline. In Cambridge Bay, NASA researchers joined forces with ESA, Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute, and Canada's University of Calgary.
ESA is developing the Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter (CRISTAL) mission, which will improve sea ice thickness estimates. During the campaign, scientists flew instruments similar to CRISTAL, including the microwave radiometer being tested at JPL. Kacimi highlights the importance of combining observations from space, air, and ground surface instruments for algorithm development and validation.
Beyond scientific research, the campaign offered a unique opportunity to engage with local communities. Kacimi shared her insights with community leaders and students at a STEM camp, emphasizing the personal impact of disappearing ice on Arctic residents.
This mission underscores the critical role of NASA in studying Arctic sea ice, combining cutting-edge technology with a deep understanding of the region's challenges and the profound implications for both the environment and local communities.
