The Arctic This Week Take Five: Week of June 15, 2020
Satellites Over the Arctic
On June 16, China announced that its first polar-observing satellite, Ice Pathfinder (code: BNU-1) started its Arctic observation mission after orbiting the Earth and has already completed an Antarctic observation mission. Data are now being collected from the Arctic, and the first batch of data has already been processed. It is expected that the satellite will achieve full coverage of the Arctic in seven days. The goal is to “rectify China’s lack of polar observation data and reduce the country’s dependence on imports of the technology.” (Shine, Xinhuanet)
Take 1: The new satellite definitely helps to improve China’s polar observation capability. It also serves as a reminder of China’s increased interest in the polar regions. In the past, China usually collected polar data by vessels, research stations, or relied on other countries for data. Now the new use of remote sensing satellite technology will make the country more independent and enable it to monitor and obtain imagery and data of difficult to access areas. The fact that China’s new polar-observing satellite is designed to cover areas between 85 degrees north and south latitudes, but other countries’ satellite systems like the U.S. Landsat series only can cover areas between 82.5 degrees north and south latitudes, means that China now can have an advantage when studying the polar regions. While some of the data might be shared with the rest of the world and can be considered helpful in different areas, it should also be a wake-up call to the rest of the world of a country that wants more dominance in the polar regions and at the world stage.
A New Arctic Review Aims to Increase U.S. Presence in the Region
On June 9, President Trump issued a memorandum on “Safeguarding US national interests in the Arctic and Antarctica.” The memorandum orders a review of the United States’ requirements for icebreaking capabilities in the polar regions, with the goal of getting a fleet in place by 2029. The Office of Management and Budget, and the Defense, State, Commerce and Homeland Security departments have 60 days to conduct a review and come up with a plan that includes at least three heavy icebreakers to be built, and recommendations for locations to build two domestic and two international support bases. The administration also has to look at the potential for a nuclear-powered icebreaker, and “defensive armament adequate to defend against threats by near-peer competitors.” (The Guardian, White House)
Take 2: The new memorandum indicates that the U.S. understands the need for a stronger presence in the Arctic region. It sends a message to countries like Russia and China that their expansionist behavior into the area won’t go unchallenged. The 60-day review process will better confirm or maybe even expand the list of infrastructure and military capabilities that need increased investment. For example, the U.S. only has one operational heavy icebreaker and one medium one. Russia in comparison has more than 40. Until the U.S. begins to increase investment in icebreakers, infrastructure, and military capabilities it will continue to lag behind other countries that are actively interested in the region.
Fish Farms in the Arctic
On June 13, Havfarm 1, a giant offshore salmon farming platform, arrived in northern Norway (Hadsel) after leaving the Yantai Raffles yard in eastern China almost two months ago. Now the ocean farm is being set up. It will take about two weeks to anchor the ocean farm and connect it to shore power. During the late summer when the weather is the best, Norwegian salmon farming company Nordlaks will release 1 to 1.5-kilogram fish into the farm cages to let them acclimatize before the fall storms. The 385-meter-long fish farm will be able to hold up to 10,000 tonnes of salmon and is the first of two such operations (E24).
Take 3: It is no surprise that the new fish farm will be located in Norwegian Arctic waters as this is where most of Norway’s oceans are found. 70% of Norway’s export earnings comes from ocean industries, and just like oil and gas, fish and seafood are important export products. The new fish farm is said to revolutionize salmon fishing in Norway. Besides the size of the fish farm, it is being placed further away and in more open waters than conventional fish farms. Because of its smart design it can withstand even tougher weather conditions with waves up to 10 meters. The farm also features propellers that will allow it to rotate around a mooring point in its bow and let it move depending on the direction of the wind and current. This will increase the area to disperse waste products. In addition, the farm is more resistant to sea lice than conventional fish farms. It is clear that the list of new developments is long, and it is definitely possible that this can be a game-changer for Norway’s salmon fishing industry.
Russia’s New Arctic Tourism Plan
On June 15, the Barents Observer reported on Russia’s tourism plans in the Arctic. During an online conference on June 4, the Russian Ministry of the Far East emphasized that tourism in the Arctic is a top priority for the country, and that a new Arctic Tourism Strategy is in the making. The strategy is to come into force by late July or early August, and it aims to give companies that invest in the region significant tax breaks. During the first five years of new projects, companies will see no income tax. After five years, the taxes will be low and favorable. Measures aimed at facilitating foreign visitors to the remote north are also included. By 2035 the goal is to have three million visitors in the region annually, a three-times increase (Ministry for the Development of the Far East, The Barents Observer).
Take 4: Coronavirus has paralyzed Arctic tourism, and companies not only in Russia, but also across the Arctic region are struggling to make a profit. These companies hope that the tide will turn, and Arctic tourism will bounce back. There is definitely reason to believe that if things return to “normal,” or a situation where coronavirus is better managed, Russia will indeed be able to reach its goal of three million visitors in 2035 as Russia has made it perfectly clear that the Arctic is its top priority. It is great that more people will get to see the natural beauty of the Arctic region and all it has to offer, but the concern is that such an increase in tourism will have negative impacts on what was once pristine Arctic wilderness and increase the need for emergency response services.
New Permafrost Study Reveals the Role of Iron
On June 9 a groundbreaking study was released in Geophysical Research Letters. Researchers at the University of Michigan studied sunlight oxidation of permafrost carbon to carbon dioxide in the Arctic. By using a newly developed instrument that uses LED lights to mimic different wavelengths of the sun and using soil samples from six Arctic locations, the researchers determined that an additional 15% of carbon dioxide can be released into the atmosphere when the organic carbon in thawing permafrost is exposed to sunlight (a process called photomineralization.) In addition to the wavelength of sunlight impacting the amount of carbon dioxide released, the amount of iron in the permafrost was a determining factor. Iron acts as a catalyst in the sunlight-driven process (Geophysical Research Letters, Phys.org).
Take 5: The new study is of huge importance because it is the first to look at how the photomineralization process can oxidize permafrost carbon to carbon dioxide and lead to additional global warming. It makes it perfectly clear that not just microbial activity needs to be taken into consideration when estimating the amount of carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere from thawing permafrost. Previous estimates may be too low.