Canadian Arctic Experiment Tests Sea Ice Stabilization Method
In Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, researchers have conducted a field experiment to address the rapid thinning of Arctic sea ice through artificial winter-time flooding. This initiative, part of the UK-funded 'Re-thickening Arctic Sea Ice' (RASI) project, aims to enhance ice thickness by pumping seawater onto existing ice during the winter months.
The experiment, carried out by Real Ice and the Centre for Climate Repair, involved multiple 1 km² test and control areas. Results from the 2024–2025 campaign indicated that the flooded regions grew up to 32 cm thicker than untreated ice. This increase is significant, matching the local ice thinning observed over the past 50 years.
The treated ice patches also maintained a brighter appearance into the melt season and melted more slowly compared to the control areas. This method, which utilizes a technique similar to those used in ice-road and rink construction, marks the first full-season field test of artificial sea ice thickening in the Arctic.
A complementary study in Svalbard, conducted in spring 2024, tested artificial flooding over approximately 1,500 m² of first-year sea ice. This resulted in an average thickness increase of 26 cm and delayed the onset of 'rotten ice' by six days, though it did not extend the overall ice survival through summer melt.
While these findings suggest that winter flooding could enhance ice thickness and short-term melt resistance, the broader effectiveness, scalability, environmental impacts, and long-term outcomes remain uncertain.