We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
R/V Mirai MR21-05C Cruise Report
AI summary Read the abstract
This Arctic cruise report describes environmental research conducted aboard R/V Mirai in 2021, including quantification of microplastic inventory in western Arctic Ocean waters and assessment of microplastic influx from the Pacific Ocean. The expedition also investigated Arctic biogeochemistry, sea ice changes, phytoplankton dynamics, and atmospheric greenhouse gases.
Arctic Expedition for Environmental Studies ; Observational study of the Arctic environmental changes: Pacific-Arctic interaction, biogeochemical transport, mixing and marine ecosystem ; Research and development of under-ice observation technology ; Quantification of the microplastic inventory in the waters of the western Arctic Ocean and microplastic influx from the Pacific Ocean ; Changes in clouds and aerosols over the ice-free Arctic Ocean ; Possibility of the expanding distribution in plankton and fishes associated with sea ice reduction in the Pacific sector of the Arctic Ocean ; Observation of air-sea-wave-ice interaction over the Pacific Arctic region ; Investigating the physical and ecophysiological basis of fall phytoplankton blooms in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas ; Nitrogen Fixation in a Changing Arctic Ocean An Overlooked Source of Nitrogen ; Exploring microplankton interactions and their functional roles in a changing Arctic ; Determining the contribution of siphonophores to mesopelagic backscatter in the Arctic ; Better understanding of climate-driven changes of biogeochemical dynamics in the western Arctic Ocean via R/V Mirai 2023 Cruise A perspective of stable carbon isotope ; Temporal variations of the carbonate chemical components the Arctic Ocean within summertime ; Observation of water vapor isotopic ratios ; Observation of atmospheric greenhouse gases and related species in the North Pacific region
More Papers Like This
Importance of seasonal sea ice in the western Arctic ocean to the Arctic and global microplastic budgets
AI summary Read the abstract
This study quantified the role of western Arctic sea ice as a seasonal sink and transport vector for microplastics, finding that atmospheric deposition and sea ice dynamics contribute significantly to the regional and global microplastic budget.
Microplastics: we’ve found startling quantities in the ice algae that are essential for all Arctic marine life
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found startling quantities of microplastics contaminating Arctic sea ice algae, the foundational food source for the entire Arctic marine ecosystem, raising concerns about ecosystem-wide contamination and climate feedback effects. Because sea ice algae are consumed by zooplankton, fish, and marine mammals, this contamination creates a pathway for microplastics to enter the Arctic food web and eventually reach human consumers of Arctic seafood.
Microplastics in Arctic sea ice: a prime temporary sink for (micro-)plastics and a medium of transport
AI summary Read the abstract
This study found that Arctic sea ice contains high concentrations of microplastics, acting as a temporary sink that accumulates plastic from the water column — with concern that rapid sea ice loss due to climate change will release these stored particles back into the ocean.
Investigating the sources, transfer, and fate of microplastics in the Arctic marine environment
AI summary Read the abstract
This review synthesizes current knowledge on microplastic sources, transport pathways, and fate in Arctic marine environments, examining how MPs present in sea ice, water columns, and marine biota reflect both local and long-range transport from lower latitudes.
Microplastics in the Eurasian Arctic surface water: main sources and drivers of spatiotemporal variability
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers conducted the most extensive survey to date of floating microplastics in the Eurasian Arctic Ocean, collecting 220 surface and 180 subsurface water samples across six research cruises from 2019 to 2022 in the Barents, Kara, Laptev, and East-Siberian Seas using Neuston nets. The study characterised the main sources and spatiotemporal drivers of microplastic distribution in this sensitive polar region, with findings relevant to understanding the Arctic as a sink for global plastic pollution.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.