According to a new study, the Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than anywhere else on Earth. In some areas of the Arctic Ocean, the warming rate is even up to seven times as fast.

Study: Arctic heating up 4 times faster than rest of Earth

In a recent study it has been found that the Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet. Researchers said that the situation in the arctic is actually alarming.

WION Climate Tracker| Study: Arctic heating up 4 times faster than rest of earth

In pics: Study reveals Arctic warming four times and Svalbard seven times faster than rest of planet

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday signed a new naval doctrine which cast the United States as Russia's main rival and set out Russia's global maritime ambitions for crucial areas such as the Arctic and in the Black Sea.

On Navy Day, Russia outlines maritime ambitions for Arctic, Black Sea

Larger and more intense wildfires have a massive impact on the environment as it deteriorates the air quality and leads to pollution in the surrounding regions.&nbsp;

A recent study can explain to what extent the impact of wildfires can be seen. In a study, published in Science Advances, researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) found that soot and other burned biomass from wildfires are impacting the Arctic.&nbsp;

Researchers discovered that the wildfires in Colorado and elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere can eventually make their way to the Arctic. If this becomes prominent, it can lead to ripple effects on climatic patterns for the rest of the globe - a matter of major concern.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/millions-develop-long-lasting-problems-with-sense-of-smell-or-taste-after-covid-19-study-501475">Millions develop long-lasting problems with sense of smell or taste after COVID-19: Study</a>&nbsp;

Patricia DeRepentigny, the lead author on the paper and a postdoctoral fellow at NCAR, said: "This research found that particles emitted from wildfires where people live can really impact what happens in the Arctic thousands of miles away."&nbsp;

"Sometimes the Arctic can be seen as this region that we shouldn't care about because it's so far away from where we live … but the fact that there's this back-and-forth of what happens here with the wildfires can affect the sea ice, and a diminishing sea ice can then lead to more wildfires here, connects us with the Arctic a little bit more," DeRepentigny added.&nbsp;

DeRepentigny and her team studied a recent model - the NCAR-based Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2). They noticed that the Arctic sea lost ice drastically towards the end of the 20th century. The previous models didn't highlight it, hence, the researchers decided to probe it further.&nbsp;

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After the due analysis, they found that the biomass burning emissions had the biggest effect on Arctic sea ice loss when simulated. They compared the forcings between the new and previous generations of climate models. Forcings are the different ways a climate model can be influenced, such as carbon dioxide or methane emissions or solar radiation.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
As mentioned in the study, the researchers found that the main difference is due to the non-linear cloud effects that can emerge when aerosols, small particles or liquid droplets, released by fires interact with Arctic clouds.&nbsp;

Wildfires impact on health

Wildfires also lead to several health issues such as exposure to smoke for a prolonged period of time can cause eye and respiratory tract irritation. There's a risk of serious disorders, such as reduced lung function, bronchitis, exacerbation of asthma and heart failure.&nbsp;

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Larger and more intense wildfires have a massive impact on the environment as it deteriorates the air quality and leads to pollution in the surrounding regions. A recent study can explain to what extent the impact of wildfires can be seen.

Larger and more intense wildfires have a massive impact on the environment as it deteriorates the air quality and leads to pollution in the surrounding regions. A recent study can explain to what extent the impact of wildfires can be seen. In a study, published in Science Advances, researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) found that soot and other burned biomass from wildfires are impacting the Arctic. Researchers discovered that the wildfires in Colorado and elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere can eventually make their way to the Arctic. If this becomes prominent, it can lead to ripple effects on climatic patterns for the rest of the globe - a matter of major concern. ALSO READ | Millions develop long-lasting problems with sense of smell or taste after COVID-19: Study Patricia DeRepentigny, the lead author on the paper and a postdoctoral fellow at NCAR, said: "This research found that particles emitted from wildfires where people live can really impact what happens in the Arctic thousands of miles away." "Sometimes the Arctic can be seen as this region that we shouldn't care about because it's so far away from where we live … but the fact that there's this back-and-forth of what happens here with the wildfires can affect the sea ice, and a diminishing sea ice can then lead to more wildfires here, connects us with the Arctic a little bit more," DeRepentigny added. DeRepentigny and her team studied a recent model - the NCAR-based Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2). They noticed that the Arctic sea lost ice drastically towards the end of the 20th century. The previous models didn't highlight it, hence, the researchers decided to probe it further. ALSO READ | Wuhan puts one district under lockdown after detecting four COVID-19 cases After the due analysis, they found that the biomass burning emissions had the biggest effect on Arctic sea ice loss when simulated. They compared the forcings between the new and previous generations of climate models. Forcings are the different ways a climate model can be influenced, such as carbon dioxide or methane emissions or solar radiation. As mentioned in the study, the researchers found that the main difference is due to the non-linear cloud effects that can emerge when aerosols, small particles or liquid droplets, released by fires interact with Arctic clouds. Wildfires impact on health Wildfires also lead to several health issues such as exposure to smoke for a prolonged period of time can cause eye and respiratory tract irritation. There's a risk of serious disorders, such as reduced lung function, bronchitis, exacerbation of asthma and heart failure. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Soot and other burned biomass from Western wildfires can influence Arctic sea ice

As record-breaking summer temperatures scorched Europe, parts of Greenland have seen their own heatwave. Scientists working at a remote Arctic research base encounter temperatures close to melting point hampering field work and disrupting flights.

WION Climate Tracker: Greenland's huge ice sheet is melting; Arctic is heating faster than ever

In Russia’s remote Dikson settlement in the Arctic region, veterinarians have rescued a young female polar bear after the animal got a condensed milk can stuck in its mouth.

Before removing the sharp metal from its mouth, the Russian Natural Resources watchdog tranquillised the animal with a dart.

With a supply of fish left for the animal to eat as it would not be able to hunt on its own for some time, the bear named Monetochka was transported from Dikson to its natural environment.

Highlighting that the can had damaged the animal's tongue, a veterinarian from Moscow Zoo, Mikhail Alshinetsky said "It will most likely recover because the underlying muscles are not affected, the skin on the surface is damaged."

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The bear will be taken to its natural habitat with a supply of fish after being kept under observation for a few days.

Polar bears, which are dependent on sea ice, are increasingly hungry and at risk of disappearing as the Arctic region is warming about three times faster than the global average.

With images of groups of animals gorging on rubbish in an open garbage dump, the invasion of a remote Russian village by dozens of ravenous polar bears three years ago captured headlines around the world.

Food discarded into garbage dumps is drawing polar bears toward human communities and into danger.&nbsp;

Often referred to as “the canary in the cryosphere,” polar bears have been marked as “threatened” on the endangered species list.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In Russia’s remote Dikson settlement in the Arctic region, veterinarians have rescued a young female polar bear after the animal got a condensed milk can stuck in its mouth.

In Russia’s remote Dikson settlement in the Arctic region, veterinarians have rescued a young female polar bear after the animal got a condensed milk can stuck in its mouth. Before removing the sharp metal from its mouth, the Russian Natural Resources watchdog tranquillised the animal with a dart. With a supply of fish left for the animal to eat as it would not be able to hunt on its own for some time, the bear named Monetochka was transported from Dikson to its natural environment. Highlighting that the can had damaged the animal's tongue, a veterinarian from Moscow Zoo, Mikhail Alshinetsky said "It will most likely recover because the underlying muscles are not affected, the skin on the surface is damaged." × The bear will be taken to its natural habitat with a supply of fish after being kept under observation for a few days. Polar bears, which are dependent on sea ice, are increasingly hungry and at risk of disappearing as the Arctic region is warming about three times faster than the global average. With images of groups of animals gorging on rubbish in an open garbage dump, the invasion of a remote Russian village by dozens of ravenous polar bears three years ago captured headlines around the world. Food discarded into garbage dumps is drawing polar bears toward human communities and into danger. Often referred to as “the canary in the cryosphere,” polar bears have been marked as “threatened” on the endangered species list. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Russia: After polar bear gets milk can stuck in its mouth, veterinarians rescue it

Longyearbyen is a small coal-mining town on Spitsbergen Island, in Norway's Svalbard archipelago. This Arctic town is known for its views of Northern Lights. But it's also the place where global warming is at its fastest pace.

This arctic community is at the forefront of global warming

The Arctic's ice sheets are melting. 8 countries are racing to take control. They're eyeing new sea routes & resources worth trillions. The scramble may be good for business, but it also poses grave risks to humanity. On Gravitas Plus, Palki Sharma deconstructs the consequences.

Gravitas Plus: The deadly quest for Arctic dominance

Conceived in almost hysterical circumstances in Paris in 1920, the Spitsbergen treaty gives the citizens of 46 countries the right to exploit the Arctic archipelago which is now officially known by its Norwegian name of Svalbard. Before then it was regarded as "terra nullus", meaning owned by nobody.

It was possibly the only international treaty ever conceived in bed by two gay men. The two key diplomats who drew up the treaty in Paris in the aftermath of World War I were having an adulterous affair at the time.

As reported by AFP, &nbsp;the influential former Norwegian diplomat Sverre Jervell said, "It's an epic tale."&nbsp;

"The Norwegian ambassador Fritz Wedel Jarlsberg was having a homosexual relationship with the French foreign ministry's legal advisor, Henri Fromageot.

"The treaty was drafted in bed," he added.

Jarlsberg wrote the first article giving Norway sovereignty over Svalbard and Fromageot added the following ones "saying Norway didn't have complete responsibility.

"When the text was sent to Oslo, the foreign minister was really worried. He was against it because he was afraid of the Russians," who had been major players in the region until the Russian Revolution and civil war that followed threw the country into chaos.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/37-year-old-brazilian-woman-married-to-homemade-rag-doll-now-has-a-baby-too-read-details-here-490938">37-year-old Brazilian woman 'married' to homemade rag doll now has a baby too.</a>&nbsp;

But the treaty was signed anyway, pushed through by Norway's diplomats, and came into force in 1925.

The treaty gives the citizens of the countries who have signed the treaty an equal right to exploit Svalbard's rich resources through any kind of maritime, industrial, mining or trade activity. In reality, however, only two nations Norway and Russia have made much use of their rights, as reported by AFP.

The European Union of which Norway is not a member but is associated through the European Economic Area has unilaterally given permits to its fleets to fish for cod and snow crab within the 200-mile zone.

(with inputs from agencies)

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Conceived in almost hysterical circumstances in Paris in 1920, the Spitsbergen treaty gives the citizens of 46 countries the right to exploit the Arctic archipelago which is now officially known by its Norwegian name of Svalbard.

Conceived in almost hysterical circumstances in Paris in 1920, the Spitsbergen treaty gives the citizens of 46 countries the right to exploit the Arctic archipelago which is now officially known by its Norwegian name of Svalbard. Before then it was regarded as "terra nullus", meaning owned by nobody. It was possibly the only international treaty ever conceived in bed by two gay men. The two key diplomats who drew up the treaty in Paris in the aftermath of World War I were having an adulterous affair at the time. As reported by AFP, the influential former Norwegian diplomat Sverre Jervell said, "It's an epic tale." "The Norwegian ambassador Fritz Wedel Jarlsberg was having a homosexual relationship with the French foreign ministry's legal advisor, Henri Fromageot. "The treaty was drafted in bed," he added. Jarlsberg wrote the first article giving Norway sovereignty over Svalbard and Fromageot added the following ones "saying Norway didn't have complete responsibility. "When the text was sent to Oslo, the foreign minister was really worried. He was against it because he was afraid of the Russians," who had been major players in the region until the Russian Revolution and civil war that followed threw the country into chaos. Also Read: 37-year-old Brazilian woman 'married' to homemade rag doll now has a baby too. But the treaty was signed anyway, pushed through by Norway's diplomats, and came into force in 1925. The treaty gives the citizens of the countries who have signed the treaty an equal right to exploit Svalbard's rich resources through any kind of maritime, industrial, mining or trade activity. In reality, however, only two nations Norway and Russia have made much use of their rights, as reported by AFP. The European Union of which Norway is not a member but is associated through the European Economic Area has unilaterally given permits to its fleets to fish for cod and snow crab within the 200-mile zone. (with inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Spitsbergen treaty: Arctic treaty conceived in bed by two gay men

A study on ‘Exceptional warming over the Barents area’ studying surface air temperature (SAT) data from Global reanalyses points towards maximum warming over the northern Barents area.&nbsp;

Researchers studied the warming over the past 20–40 years based on new available SAT observations and a quality-controlled comprehensive SAT dataset from the northern archipelagos in the Barents Sea.

They identified a statistically significant record-high annual warming of up to 2.7 °C per decade, with a maximum in autumn of up to 4.0 °C per decade. The researchers said the heating in this region was an “early warning” of what could happen across the rest of the Arctic.

As quoted by The Guardian, Prof Michael Mann, from Pennsylvania State University, US, says, “Sea ice loss and warming in the Barents Sea, in particular, have been isolated in previous work as being especially relevant to changes in winter-time atmospheric circulation that are tied to extreme winter weather events.”&nbsp;

“If this mechanism is valid, and there’s some debate over that, then this is yet another way climate change could be increasing certain types of extreme weather events [and which] isn’t well captured by current models,” he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-ukraine-bids-farewell-to-its-war-heroes-488400">In pics: Ukraine bids farewell to its war heroes</a>

Changes in surface air temperature (SAT) and sea ice are the main drivers of the ongoing environmental transformation of the Arctic1 and have emerged as a leading signal of global warming2,3.&nbsp;

For more than four decades, the Arctic sea ice extent has declined almost continuously, with the largest trends in September and the smallest on March 3. Between 1979 and 2021, the September trend was − 13.4% per decade, while the March trend was − 2.6% per decade.&nbsp;

(with inputs from agencies)

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A study on ‘Exceptional warming over the Barents area’ studying surface air temperature (SAT) data from Global reanalyses points towards maximum warming over the northern Barents area.

A study on ‘Exceptional warming over the Barents area’ studying surface air temperature (SAT) data from Global reanalyses points towards maximum warming over the northern Barents area. Researchers studied the warming over the past 20–40 years based on new available SAT observations and a quality-controlled comprehensive SAT dataset from the northern archipelagos in the Barents Sea. They identified a statistically significant record-high annual warming of up to 2.7 °C per decade, with a maximum in autumn of up to 4.0 °C per decade. The researchers said the heating in this region was an “early warning” of what could happen across the rest of the Arctic. As quoted by The Guardian, Prof Michael Mann, from Pennsylvania State University, US, says, “Sea ice loss and warming in the Barents Sea, in particular, have been isolated in previous work as being especially relevant to changes in winter-time atmospheric circulation that are tied to extreme winter weather events.” “If this mechanism is valid, and there’s some debate over that, then this is yet another way climate change could be increasing certain types of extreme weather events [and which] isn’t well captured by current models,” he added. Also Read: In pics: Ukraine bids farewell to its war heroes Changes in surface air temperature (SAT) and sea ice are the main drivers of the ongoing environmental transformation of the Arctic1 and have emerged as a leading signal of global warming2,3. For more than four decades, the Arctic sea ice extent has declined almost continuously, with the largest trends in September and the smallest on March 3. Between 1979 and 2021, the September trend was − 13.4% per decade, while the March trend was − 2.6% per decade. (with inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Research points toward exceptional heating in Arctic area

Svalbard Archipelago which is perched high in the Arctic is trying to find a way to profit from its pristine wilderness in a sustainable manner

Arctic seeks to adopt Green tourism

Arctic melting is currently four times the world average and the black carbon threat to the Arctic is speeding up the melting of ice.

The black carbon threat to the Arctic is speeding up the melting of ice

The world powers are competing to dominate the Arctic region. Russia's Arctic gas ambitions are at risk. New orders for special vessels to ship fuel are in doubt.

World powers compete to dominate the Arctic

After parachuting into the frigid Alaska interior, Capt. Weston Iannone and his soldiers navigated miles through deep snow, finally setting up a temporary outpost on a ridgeline next to a grove of lanky spruce trees that were also struggling to survive.

Darkness was setting in, the temperature had fallen below zero, and the 120 men and women who had gathered as part of a major combat training exercise in subarctic Alaska had not yet erected tents. The supply line for fuel, essential to keep warm through the long night ahead, was lagging behind.

“Everything is a challenge, from water, fuel, food, moving people, keeping them comfortable,” said Iannone, the 27-year-old company commander, as his soldiers shoveled deeper into the snow in search of a solid foundation to put up their sleeping quarters. “This is inherent training — understanding how far we can push physically and mentally.”

The first-of-its-kind exercise this month, involving some 8,000 troops outside of Fairbanks, was planned long before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but was driven in part by Russia’s aggressive moves in recent years to militarize the Arctic — a part of the world where the United States and Russia share a lengthy maritime boundary.

Tensions have been growing in the region for years, as nations stake claims to shipping routes and energy reserves that are opening up as a result of climate change. Now, with the geopolitical order shifting after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the competition over sovereignty and resources in the Arctic could intensify.

On the west coast of Alaska, the federal government is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to expand the port at Nome, which could transform into a deepwater hub servicing Coast Guard and Navy vessels navigating into the Arctic Circle. The Coast Guard expects to deploy three new icebreakers — although Russia already has more than 50 in operation.

And while the United States has denounced Russia’s aggressive military expansion in the Arctic, the Pentagon has its own plans to increase its presence and capabilities, working to rebuild cold-weather skills neglected during two decades of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Air Force has transferred dozens of F-35 fighter jets to Alaska, announcing that the state will host “more advanced fighters than any other location in the world.” The Army last year released its first strategic plan for “Regaining Arctic Dominance.”

The Navy, which this month conducted exercises above and below the sea ice inside the Arctic Circle, also has developed a plan for protecting U.S. interests in the region, warning that weakness there would mean that “peace and prosperity will be increasingly challenged by Russia and China, whose interests and values differ dramatically from ours.”

The preparations are costly in both resources and personnel. While Iannone’s company was able to finish setting up tents before midnight and survived the night without incident, other companies did not fare so well: Eight soldiers suffered cold-weather injuries, and four soldiers were taken to a hospital after a fire inside a personnel carrier.

Meanwhile, at another recent cold-weather exercise, in Norway, four U.S. Marines died when their aircraft crashed.

Russia, whose eastern mainland lies just 55 miles across the Bering Strait from the coast of Alaska, for years has prioritized an expanded Arctic presence by refurbishing airfields, adding bases, training troops and developing a network of military defense systems on the northern frontier.

With a warming climate shrinking sea ice in the region, valuable fish stocks are moving northward, while rare minerals and the Arctic’s substantial reserves of fossil fuels are becoming a growing target for exploration. Boat traffic is poised to increase from both trade and tourism.

Two years ago, Moscow brought its own war games barreling through the Bering Sea, with Russian commanders testing weapons and demanding that American fishing boats operating in U.S. fishing waters get out of the way — an order the U.S. Coast Guard advised them to comply with. Russia has repeatedly sent military aircraft to the edge of U.S. airspace, leading U.S. jets to scramble to intercept them and warn them away.

This month, in response to escalating international sanctions against Russia, a member of the Russian parliament demanded that Alaska, purchased by the United States from Russia in 1867, be returned to Russian control — a possibly rhetorical gesture that nonetheless reflected the deteriorating relationship between the two world powers.

For centuries, the vast waters of the offshore Arctic were largely a no man’s land locked in by ice whose exact territorial boundaries — claimed by the United States, Russia, Canada, Norway, Denmark and Iceland — remained unsettled. But as melting sea ice has opened new shipping pathways and as nations have eyed the vast hydrocarbon and mineral reserves below the Arctic sea floor, the complicated treaties, claims and boundary zones that govern the region have been opened to fresh disputes.

Canada and the United States have never reached agreement on the status of the Northwest Passage between the North Atlantic and the Beaufort Sea. China, too, has been working to establish a foothold, declaring itself a “near-Arctic state” and partnering with Russia to promote “sustainable” development and expanded use of Arctic trade routes.

Russia has made it clear it intends to control the Northern Sea Route off its northern shore, a route that significantly shortens the shipping distance between China and northern Europe. U.S. officials have complained that Russia is illegally demanding that other nations seek permission to pass and threatening to use military force to sink vessels that do not comply.

“We are stuck with a pretty tense situation there,” said Troy Bouffard, director of the Center of Arctic Security and Resilience at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “Either we acquiesce to Russia, to their extreme control of surface waters, or we elevate or escalate the issue.”

The focus in recent years had been to expand diplomatic channels, collaborating on a range of regional challenges through the Arctic Council. That work was put on pause, however, after Russia invaded Ukraine.

In Nome, which hopes to position itself as a maritime gateway to the Far North, there has long been evidence that a new era for the Arctic was arriving. Mayor John Handeland said winter sea ice that once persisted until mid-June may now be gone by early May and does not reappear before Thanksgiving.

A record 12 cruise ships docked in Nome’s existing port in 2019. That number was poised to double this year, although some cruises that had expected to sail along Russia’s northern coast have canceled plans. For Handeland, the time is right to strengthen U.S. capabilities.

“As things escalate, I think the need for expansion of our military is now,” Handeland said. “I think we kind of had a period of time where we thought everything was cool, that we can let our guard down, so to speak. And now we’re seeing that that maybe was not a wise idea.”

But there are multiple local constituencies to navigate as development moves farther into the Arctic. Alaska Natives are wary about effects to the region’s fragile environment, on which many depend for hunting and fishing, said Julie Kitka, president of the Alaska Federation of Natives.

“I think that our people realize that our military needs to protect our country and our military does need to invest in a presence in the Arctic,” Kitka said. “But it has got to be done smart.”

Dan Sullivan, Alaska’s junior Republican U.S. senator, said that while there may be little threat of a Russian invasion of Alaska, there is concern about Russia’s military buildup in the region.

“Ukraine just demonstrates even more, what matters to these guys is presence and power,” Sullivan said. “And when you start to build ports, when you start to bring up icebreakers, when you start to bring up Navy shipping, when you have over 100 fifth-gen fighters in the Arctic in Alaska, we’re starting to now talk Putin’s language.”

Alaska is already one of the nation’s most militarized states, with more than 20,000 active-duty personnel assigned to places such as Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright in the Fairbanks area, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, and Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak. The Army’s large training exercise — the first Combat Training Center rotation to be held in Alaska — took place around Fort Greely, about 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks. Alaska is also home to critical parts of the nation’s missile-defense system.

Bouffard said the fracture in relations caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could open the door to a variety of future problems that can only be guessed at right now. While there is no imminent conflict in the Arctic, there could well be friction over how Russia manages offshore waters or disputes over undersea exploration. The United States also needs to be prepared to aid northern European allies that share an uncertain future with Russia in Arctic waterways, he said.

That will mean being prepared for a range of potential problems. In a separate Alaska military exercise in recent weeks, teams from the Marines and Army practiced cold-weather strategies for containing chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear contamination.

At the large Army war games exercise near Fort Greely, the soldiers rehearsed a scenario in which paratroopers seized control of an airfield and established operations to hold the new territory. An opposing force then mobilized to try to reclaim the area.

Portable heating elements were used to keep engines running, along with lubricants that work in subzero temperatures. Some soldiers used skis and snowshoes to get around, as well as snowmobiles and small-unit support vehicles light enough to traverse deep snow.

For many of the soldiers under Iannone’s command, defending the airfield meant establishing positions in remote areas with more rudimentary means. One heavy weapons group chopped down trees by hand and used a sled to pull a bulky Improved Target Acquisition System to a vantage point from which the soldiers could scan miles of landscape below.

They erected a tent with a small stove heater, shielded with a wall of snow on all sides. They rotated in hourly shifts outside the tents — every half-hour at night — in order to keep warm.

Even then, 21-year-old Spc. Owen Prescott said he had struggled with the bite of nighttime cold and was figuring out the appropriate layers to wear to stay warm as temperatures neared minus 20. As he spooned some steaming food from a freeze-dried Army ration, he said he and his colleagues were focusing much of their attention on making sure they did not become a cold-weather casualty before engaging on their hypothetical combat mission.

“It’s just dealing with the cold, sustaining in the cold,” said Prescott, who is from Southern California. “I’m used to wearing shorts and flip-flops my entire life.”

After parachuting into the frigid Alaska interior, Capt. Weston Iannone and his soldiers navigated miles through deep snow, finally setting up a temporary outpost on a ridgeline next to a grove of lanky spruce trees that were also struggling to survive.

After parachuting into the frigid Alaska interior, Capt. Weston Iannone and his soldiers navigated miles through deep snow, finally setting up a temporary outpost on a ridgeline next to a grove of lanky spruce trees that were also struggling to survive. Darkness was setting in, the temperature had fallen below zero, and the 120 men and women who had gathered as part of a major combat training exercise in subarctic Alaska had not yet erected tents. The supply line for fuel, essential to keep warm through the long night ahead, was lagging behind. “Everything is a challenge, from water, fuel, food, moving people, keeping them comfortable,” said Iannone, the 27-year-old company commander, as his soldiers shoveled deeper into the snow in search of a solid foundation to put up their sleeping quarters. “This is inherent training — understanding how far we can push physically and mentally.” The first-of-its-kind exercise this month, involving some 8,000 troops outside of Fairbanks, was planned long before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but was driven in part by Russia’s aggressive moves in recent years to militarize the Arctic — a part of the world where the United States and Russia share a lengthy maritime boundary. Tensions have been growing in the region for years, as nations stake claims to shipping routes and energy reserves that are opening up as a result of climate change. Now, with the geopolitical order shifting after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the competition over sovereignty and resources in the Arctic could intensify. On the west coast of Alaska, the federal government is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to expand the port at Nome, which could transform into a deepwater hub servicing Coast Guard and Navy vessels navigating into the Arctic Circle. The Coast Guard expects to deploy three new icebreakers — although Russia already has more than 50 in operation. And while the United States has denounced Russia’s aggressive military expansion in the Arctic, the Pentagon has its own plans to increase its presence and capabilities, working to rebuild cold-weather skills neglected during two decades of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Air Force has transferred dozens of F-35 fighter jets to Alaska, announcing that the state will host “more advanced fighters than any other location in the world.” The Army last year released its first strategic plan for “Regaining Arctic Dominance.” The Navy, which this month conducted exercises above and below the sea ice inside the Arctic Circle, also has developed a plan for protecting U.S. interests in the region, warning that weakness there would mean that “peace and prosperity will be increasingly challenged by Russia and China, whose interests and values differ dramatically from ours.” The preparations are costly in both resources and personnel. While Iannone’s company was able to finish setting up tents before midnight and survived the night without incident, other companies did not fare so well: Eight soldiers suffered cold-weather injuries, and four soldiers were taken to a hospital after a fire inside a personnel carrier. Meanwhile, at another recent cold-weather exercise, in Norway, four U.S. Marines died when their aircraft crashed. Russia, whose eastern mainland lies just 55 miles across the Bering Strait from the coast of Alaska, for years has prioritized an expanded Arctic presence by refurbishing airfields, adding bases, training troops and developing a network of military defense systems on the northern frontier. With a warming climate shrinking sea ice in the region, valuable fish stocks are moving northward, while rare minerals and the Arctic’s substantial reserves of fossil fuels are becoming a growing target for exploration. Boat traffic is poised to increase from both trade and tourism. Two years ago, Moscow brought its own war games barreling through the Bering Sea, with Russian commanders testing weapons and demanding that American fishing boats operating in U.S. fishing waters get out of the way — an order the U.S. Coast Guard advised them to comply with. Russia has repeatedly sent military aircraft to the edge of U.S. airspace, leading U.S. jets to scramble to intercept them and warn them away. This month, in response to escalating international sanctions against Russia, a member of the Russian parliament demanded that Alaska, purchased by the United States from Russia in 1867, be returned to Russian control — a possibly rhetorical gesture that nonetheless reflected the deteriorating relationship between the two world powers. For centuries, the vast waters of the offshore Arctic were largely a no man’s land locked in by ice whose exact territorial boundaries — claimed by the United States, Russia, Canada, Norway, Denmark and Iceland — remained unsettled. But as melting sea ice has opened new shipping pathways and as nations have eyed the vast hydrocarbon and mineral reserves below the Arctic sea floor, the complicated treaties, claims and boundary zones that govern the region have been opened to fresh disputes. Canada and the United States have never reached agreement on the status of the Northwest Passage between the North Atlantic and the Beaufort Sea. China, too, has been working to establish a foothold, declaring itself a “near-Arctic state” and partnering with Russia to promote “sustainable” development and expanded use of Arctic trade routes. Russia has made it clear it intends to control the Northern Sea Route off its northern shore, a route that significantly shortens the shipping distance between China and northern Europe. U.S. officials have complained that Russia is illegally demanding that other nations seek permission to pass and threatening to use military force to sink vessels that do not comply. “We are stuck with a pretty tense situation there,” said Troy Bouffard, director of the Center of Arctic Security and Resilience at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “Either we acquiesce to Russia, to their extreme control of surface waters, or we elevate or escalate the issue.” The focus in recent years had been to expand diplomatic channels, collaborating on a range of regional challenges through the Arctic Council. That work was put on pause, however, after Russia invaded Ukraine. In Nome, which hopes to position itself as a maritime gateway to the Far North, there has long been evidence that a new era for the Arctic was arriving. Mayor John Handeland said winter sea ice that once persisted until mid-June may now be gone by early May and does not reappear before Thanksgiving. A record 12 cruise ships docked in Nome’s existing port in 2019. That number was poised to double this year, although some cruises that had expected to sail along Russia’s northern coast have canceled plans. For Handeland, the time is right to strengthen U.S. capabilities. “As things escalate, I think the need for expansion of our military is now,” Handeland said. “I think we kind of had a period of time where we thought everything was cool, that we can let our guard down, so to speak. And now we’re seeing that that maybe was not a wise idea.” But there are multiple local constituencies to navigate as development moves farther into the Arctic. Alaska Natives are wary about effects to the region’s fragile environment, on which many depend for hunting and fishing, said Julie Kitka, president of the Alaska Federation of Natives. “I think that our people realize that our military needs to protect our country and our military does need to invest in a presence in the Arctic,” Kitka said. “But it has got to be done smart.” Dan Sullivan, Alaska’s junior Republican U.S. senator, said that while there may be little threat of a Russian invasion of Alaska, there is concern about Russia’s military buildup in the region. “Ukraine just demonstrates even more, what matters to these guys is presence and power,” Sullivan said. “And when you start to build ports, when you start to bring up icebreakers, when you start to bring up Navy shipping, when you have over 100 fifth-gen fighters in the Arctic in Alaska, we’re starting to now talk Putin’s language.” Alaska is already one of the nation’s most militarized states, with more than 20,000 active-duty personnel assigned to places such as Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright in the Fairbanks area, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, and Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak. The Army’s large training exercise — the first Combat Training Center rotation to be held in Alaska — took place around Fort Greely, about 100 miles southeast of Fairbanks. Alaska is also home to critical parts of the nation’s missile-defense system. Bouffard said the fracture in relations caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could open the door to a variety of future problems that can only be guessed at right now. While there is no imminent conflict in the Arctic, there could well be friction over how Russia manages offshore waters or disputes over undersea exploration. The United States also needs to be prepared to aid northern European allies that share an uncertain future with Russia in Arctic waterways, he said. That will mean being prepared for a range of potential problems. In a separate Alaska military exercise in recent weeks, teams from the Marines and Army practiced cold-weather strategies for containing chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear contamination. At the large Army war games exercise near Fort Greely, the soldiers rehearsed a scenario in which paratroopers seized control of an airfield and established operations to hold the new territory. An opposing force then mobilized to try to reclaim the area. Portable heating elements were used to keep engines running, along with lubricants that work in subzero temperatures. Some soldiers used skis and snowshoes to get around, as well as snowmobiles and small-unit support vehicles light enough to traverse deep snow. For many of the soldiers under Iannone’s command, defending the airfield meant establishing positions in remote areas with more rudimentary means. One heavy weapons group chopped down trees by hand and used a sled to pull a bulky Improved Target Acquisition System to a vantage point from which the soldiers could scan miles of landscape below. They erected a tent with a small stove heater, shielded with a wall of snow on all sides. They rotated in hourly shifts outside the tents — every half-hour at night — in order to keep warm. Even then, 21-year-old Spc. Owen Prescott said he had struggled with the bite of nighttime cold and was figuring out the appropriate layers to wear to stay warm as temperatures neared minus 20. As he spooned some steaming food from a freeze-dried Army ration, he said he and his colleagues were focusing much of their attention on making sure they did not become a cold-weather casualty before engaging on their hypothetical combat mission. “It’s just dealing with the cold, sustaining in the cold,” said Prescott, who is from Southern California. “I’m used to wearing shorts and flip-flops my entire life.”

With eyes on Russia, US military prepares for an Arctic future

Behind the high-stakes talks with the US, Russia has flown two nuke-capable strategic bombers over Arctic. These Tu-160 aircrafts can carry up to 12 short-range nuclear missile.

Russia flies nuke-capable strategic bombers over Arctic

The hunt for the Spectacular display of Northern Lights has begun in the Arctic. They are largely witnessed in the winter months.

Spectacular display of northern lights at the Arctic

According to a new scientific data, thawing permafrost could put as much as 50 percent of Arctic infrastructure at high risk of damage by 2050.

Report: Permafrost thaw threatening homes, infrastructure in Arctic

It has been well established through various studies that the Arctic permafrost has been warming and, in many areas, thawing since the 1980s due to climate change.

But a new research has claimed that continuous warming could pose danger to pose humans who have established settlements in the Arctic areas.

According to a journal published in Nature Reviews Earth &amp; Environment on Tuesday, the scientists have said that buckling roads, cracks appearing in building foundations and ruptured pipelines are likely to become a common sight in and around the Arctic as warming temperatures cause the frozen ground to thaw.

They have warned that by 2050, as much as 50 per cent of Arctic infrastructure could be at high risk of damage, requiring at least US $15.5 billion dollars in maintenance and repairs.

It is already being witnessed in the permafrost areas of northern Russia, Alaska and Canada—where around five million people live.

By analysing the satellite imagery, they estimate that at least 120,000 buildings, 40,000 km of roads, and 9,500 km of pipelines could be at risk, highlighting threats to some Canadian highways, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, and the Russian cities of Vorkuta, Yakutsk, and Norilsk.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/arctic-region-recorded-highest-temperature-ever-in-2020-says-world-meteorological-organization-436887">Arctic region recorded highest temperature ever in 2020, says World Meteorological Organization</a>

“Infrastructure is in trouble,” said report co-author Dmitry Streletskiy, a geographer at George Washington University.

“But it's not like an earthquake. It’s a relatively slow process, which gives us enough time” to prevent some damage.

Permafrost or tundra is a climatic condition where the land is frozen continuously for more than two years.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unprecedented-speed-of-global-warming-at-its-fastest-pace-since-ice-age-428615">'Unprecedented': Speed of&nbsp;global warming at its fastest pace since ice age</a>

The Arctic permafrost covers around one-quarter of the northern hemisphere’s land surface, including half of Canada's land and 80 per cent of Alaska.

However, the pace of infrastructure is still ramping up.

According to another study published last year in the journal Environmental Research Letters, researchers by going through the satellite images found that coastal infrastructure increased by 15 per cent, since 2000,

About 70 per cent of that growth is linked to the oil and gas industry, especially on Russia's Yamal Peninsula and near the Yamburg gas field, according to that study's lead author, Annett Bartsch, a polar researcher with the Austrian-based b.geos research and consultancy group.

(With inputs from agencies)

It has been well established through various studies that the Arctic permafrost has been warming and, in many areas, thawing since the 1980s due to climate change.

It has been well established through various studies that the Arctic permafrost has been warming and, in many areas, thawing since the 1980s due to climate change. But a new research has claimed that continuous warming could pose danger to pose humans who have established settlements in the Arctic areas. According to a journal published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment on Tuesday, the scientists have said that buckling roads, cracks appearing in building foundations and ruptured pipelines are likely to become a common sight in and around the Arctic as warming temperatures cause the frozen ground to thaw. They have warned that by 2050, as much as 50 per cent of Arctic infrastructure could be at high risk of damage, requiring at least US $15.5 billion dollars in maintenance and repairs. It is already being witnessed in the permafrost areas of northern Russia, Alaska and Canada—where around five million people live. By analysing the satellite imagery, they estimate that at least 120,000 buildings, 40,000 km of roads, and 9,500 km of pipelines could be at risk, highlighting threats to some Canadian highways, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, and the Russian cities of Vorkuta, Yakutsk, and Norilsk. Also read | Arctic region recorded highest temperature ever in 2020, says World Meteorological Organization “Infrastructure is in trouble,” said report co-author Dmitry Streletskiy, a geographer at George Washington University. “But it's not like an earthquake. It’s a relatively slow process, which gives us enough time” to prevent some damage. Permafrost or tundra is a climatic condition where the land is frozen continuously for more than two years. Also read | 'Unprecedented': Speed of global warming at its fastest pace since ice age The Arctic permafrost covers around one-quarter of the northern hemisphere’s land surface, including half of Canada's land and 80 per cent of Alaska. However, the pace of infrastructure is still ramping up. According to another study published last year in the journal Environmental Research Letters, researchers by going through the satellite images found that coastal infrastructure increased by 15 per cent, since 2000, About 70 per cent of that growth is linked to the oil and gas industry, especially on Russia's Yamal Peninsula and near the Yamburg gas field, according to that study's lead author, Annett Bartsch, a polar researcher with the Austrian-based b.geos research and consultancy group. (With inputs from agencies)

Climate change-induced permafrost thaw threatening homes, infrastructure in Arctic: Report

In what can be called an effect of the climate crisis, the Arctic region seems to have been witnessing an unprecedented spike in lightning in 2021.&nbsp;Earlier, lightnings used to be rare in the region. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2021, Arctic region, which is the Earth’s northernmost, saw 7,278 lightning strikes. This count is nearly double of what had been witnessed in the last nine years combined. &nbsp;

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These latest findings were published in the Finnish firm Vaisala’s annual lightning report. &nbsp;

This phenomenon is worrying scientists as the region’s air typically lacks the convective heat required to create lightning. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Vaisala’s meteorologist and lightning applications manager, Chris Vagasky, said, “Over the last 10 years, overall lightning counts north of the Arctic Circle have been fairly consistent. But at the highest latitudes of the planet – north of 80° – the increase has been drastic. Such a significant shift certainly causes you to raise your eyebrows.” &nbsp;

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The temperatures have been consistently rising in the Arctic at a rate of at least three times the global average. So, tracking the lightning in the region seems to have become an important indicator of the climate crisis. &nbsp;

“Changes in the Arctic can mean changes in the weather at home. All weather is local, but what happens at your house depends on how the atmosphere is behaving elsewhere throughout the world. Changes to conditions in the Arctic could cause more extreme cold outbreaks, more heatwaves, or extreme changes in precipitation to Europe,” Vagasky said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In what can be called an effect of the climate crisis, the Arctic region seems to have been witnessing an unprecedented spike in lightning in 2021. Earlier, lightnings used to be rare in the region.

In what can be called an effect of the climate crisis, the Arctic region seems to have been witnessing an unprecedented spike in lightning in 2021. Earlier, lightnings used to be rare in the region. In 2021, Arctic region, which is the Earth’s northernmost, saw 7,278 lightning strikes. This count is nearly double of what had been witnessed in the last nine years combined. Also Read: To provide comfort, US President visits wildfire-ravaged Colorado These latest findings were published in the Finnish firm Vaisala’s annual lightning report. This phenomenon is worrying scientists as the region’s air typically lacks the convective heat required to create lightning. Vaisala’s meteorologist and lightning applications manager, Chris Vagasky, said, “Over the last 10 years, overall lightning counts north of the Arctic Circle have been fairly consistent. But at the highest latitudes of the planet – north of 80° – the increase has been drastic. Such a significant shift certainly causes you to raise your eyebrows.” Also Read | Global food prices rose ‘sharply’ during 2021, hitting a 10-year high: UN The temperatures have been consistently rising in the Arctic at a rate of at least three times the global average. So, tracking the lightning in the region seems to have become an important indicator of the climate crisis. “Changes in the Arctic can mean changes in the weather at home. All weather is local, but what happens at your house depends on how the atmosphere is behaving elsewhere throughout the world. Changes to conditions in the Arctic could cause more extreme cold outbreaks, more heatwaves, or extreme changes in precipitation to Europe,” Vagasky said. (With inputs from agencies)

Climate crisis effect? Arctic region witnesses massive 7,278 lightning strikes in 2021

Arctic's Reindeers are going to become a thing of the past as climate change is resulting in a rapid decline of their population.

Climate change is killing the Arctic's Reindeers

A UN agency has confirmed an Arctic temperature record of over 38 degree Celsius in a Siberian town last year during the prolonged heat wave there.

New record high temperature set in the Arctic last year

According to a UN agency, an Arctic temperature record of more than 38 Celsius was reached in a Siberian town last year during a prolonged heatwave that caused widespread alarm about the intensity of global warming.

UN agency confirms 2020 arctic heat record in Siberian town

Brynn Kimber, a research scientist at the University of Washington who works in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Mammal Laboratory, has spent a lot of time analysing audio data recorded in the icy waters north of Alaska, Canada and Russia. Typically, Kimber hears the chatter of bowhead whales, belugas, narwhals and other cetaceans native to that part of the Arctic.

A few years ago, they started hearing a distinctive cry acousticians describe as similar to that of a disgruntled house cat: The piercing call of a killer whale. Kimber wondered at first if their ears were deceiving them.

“When I started the job, my mentor told me, ‘You won’t see killer whales this far north,’ ” Kimber said. But as years of data accumulated, along with more orca calls in areas where they’d never been recorded, it appeared that was no longer true.

“Where I would see absolutely none in previous years, in later years I was seeing more and more,” Kimber said. “That was pretty unusual.”

The orca calls are further evidence of a rapidly changing Arctic. As sea ice has receded, killer whales — which are actually dolphins — are now venturing to parts of the sea that were once inaccessible, and spending more time in places they were once seen only sporadically, according to data Kimber presented Thursday at the annual meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in Seattle.

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As a result, some of nature’s most effective predators have vastly broadened the scope of their hunt. The change has potentially significant consequences for animals up and down the food chain — including humans.

Arctic sea ice has declined significantly in the four decades since satellite monitoring began. Roughly 75% of ice volume disappeared in the past 15 years alone, and the remaining ice is thinner and of poorer quality, said Amy Willoughby, a marine mammal biologist with NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center.

The loss of ice coupled with warming waters and atmospheric temperatures has affected every level of the Arctic ecosystem. Large mammals like polar bears have struggled to navigate shrinking habitats, while the marine algae at the base of the Arctic food chain blooms sooner and more abundantly than ever before.

In recent years, scientists have noticed similar upheaval in the behavior of the region’s marine mammals. Orca are feasting more often on bowhead whales. Scientists and Indigenous Arctic communities have noted a growing number of bowhead whale carcasses in the northeastern Chukchi and western Beaufort seas with signs of orca attack.

Even if the orca don’t take a single bite, the predators’ mere presence can have far-reaching consequences. Bowhead whales typically retreat into protective patches of dense ice when threatened by orcas, which lack the giant-skulled bowheads’ ability to break through frozen waters for air. An Inuit word, “aarlirijuk,” describes this bowhead fear response evolved specifically to evade killer whales.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-scientists-discover-new-plant-species-in-antarctica-396722">Also read |&nbsp;Indian scientists discover new plant species in Antarctica</a>

But as the ice recedes, these defense mechanisms can prove a liability. Bowheads must spend more time than ever before hiding in thick ice where feeding opportunities are scarce. Calves that aren’t yet strong enough to crack through the ice can suffocate.

Any decline in bowhead numbers could have consequences up the food chain, too: The baleen whales are a significant food source for subsistence hunters in Indigenous Arctic communities, Kimber said.

“Killer whales are really intelligent,” said Cory Matthews, a research scientist with the Arctic region of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. “They consume really fast. If a new area opens up, they can get in there maybe within the next year and exploit a prey population that could be perhaps really slow to respond to those changes.”

It could take years, he added, before scientists fully understand the long-term consequences of how these extremely lethal and newly emboldened hunters are expanding their reach in the Arctic.

Brynn Kimber, a research scientist at the University of Washington who works in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Mammal Laboratory, has spent a lot of time analysing audio data recorded in the icy waters north of Alaska, Canada and Russia.

Brynn Kimber, a research scientist at the University of Washington who works in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Mammal Laboratory, has spent a lot of time analysing audio data recorded in the icy waters north of Alaska, Canada and Russia. Typically, Kimber hears the chatter of bowhead whales, belugas, narwhals and other cetaceans native to that part of the Arctic. A few years ago, they started hearing a distinctive cry acousticians describe as similar to that of a disgruntled house cat: The piercing call of a killer whale. Kimber wondered at first if their ears were deceiving them. “When I started the job, my mentor told me, ‘You won’t see killer whales this far north,’ ” Kimber said. But as years of data accumulated, along with more orca calls in areas where they’d never been recorded, it appeared that was no longer true. “Where I would see absolutely none in previous years, in later years I was seeing more and more,” Kimber said. “That was pretty unusual.” The orca calls are further evidence of a rapidly changing Arctic. As sea ice has receded, killer whales — which are actually dolphins — are now venturing to parts of the sea that were once inaccessible, and spending more time in places they were once seen only sporadically, according to data Kimber presented Thursday at the annual meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in Seattle. Also read | Antarctica burned with forest fires when dinosaurs roamed Earth, says study As a result, some of nature’s most effective predators have vastly broadened the scope of their hunt. The change has potentially significant consequences for animals up and down the food chain — including humans. Arctic sea ice has declined significantly in the four decades since satellite monitoring began. Roughly 75% of ice volume disappeared in the past 15 years alone, and the remaining ice is thinner and of poorer quality, said Amy Willoughby, a marine mammal biologist with NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center. The loss of ice coupled with warming waters and atmospheric temperatures has affected every level of the Arctic ecosystem. Large mammals like polar bears have struggled to navigate shrinking habitats, while the marine algae at the base of the Arctic food chain blooms sooner and more abundantly than ever before. In recent years, scientists have noticed similar upheaval in the behavior of the region’s marine mammals. Orca are feasting more often on bowhead whales. Scientists and Indigenous Arctic communities have noted a growing number of bowhead whale carcasses in the northeastern Chukchi and western Beaufort seas with signs of orca attack. Even if the orca don’t take a single bite, the predators’ mere presence can have far-reaching consequences. Bowhead whales typically retreat into protective patches of dense ice when threatened by orcas, which lack the giant-skulled bowheads’ ability to break through frozen waters for air. An Inuit word, “aarlirijuk,” describes this bowhead fear response evolved specifically to evade killer whales. Also read | Indian scientists discover new plant species in Antarctica But as the ice recedes, these defense mechanisms can prove a liability. Bowheads must spend more time than ever before hiding in thick ice where feeding opportunities are scarce. Calves that aren’t yet strong enough to crack through the ice can suffocate. Any decline in bowhead numbers could have consequences up the food chain, too: The baleen whales are a significant food source for subsistence hunters in Indigenous Arctic communities, Kimber said. “Killer whales are really intelligent,” said Cory Matthews, a research scientist with the Arctic region of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. “They consume really fast. If a new area opens up, they can get in there maybe within the next year and exploit a prey population that could be perhaps really slow to respond to those changes.” It could take years, he added, before scientists fully understand the long-term consequences of how these extremely lethal and newly emboldened hunters are expanding their reach in the Arctic.

Melting Arctic is a bonanza for the ocean’s natural born killers

A new study revealed that as the climate crisis has been warming up the planet's northern ice cover, rainfall could replace snow in the Arctic region. WION tells you more.

New study reveals Arctic could get more rain than snowfall by 2060

We are bombarded with news of global warming each day. We know how the ice caps are melting thereby raising sea levels and affecting local habitat. But a positive news has come from the Pacific Arctic. Scientists have reported cooling for the first time in this region.

This has translated to more retention of ice and return of polar bears.

The merry news has been reported by Sputnik that has quoted a scientist.

"Primarily, we can talk about temperature drop in Chukotka and Alaska, because there, no walruses were this year on the spots [at the shore] that they were occupying for the past 20 years… This is not anomaly, but a return to normalcy. The anomaly was during the past 20 years, during the warming. Now the ice is not that heavy as it was 40 years ago, for example, but close to it. I am happy for walruses and bears, as all of them got a respite," said Anatoly Kochnev as quoted by Sputnik. Kochnev is a researcher at Beringia national park and an expert in sea mammals.

He said that the ice in coastal waters did not melt even in summer. This led to return of walruses.

When there is no ice, polar bears cannot hunt for seals. Retention of ice has meant that seals reappeared and polar bear got their preferred food, Polar bears prefer to hunt seals than walruses. However, if ice recedes, polar bears are forced to hunt for seals.

Polar bear is an endangered animal and cooling of Pacific Arctic region is surely is good sign.

We are bombarded with news of global warming each day. We know how the ice caps are melting thereby raising sea levels and affecting local habitat. But a positive news has come from the Pacific Arctic.

We are bombarded with news of global warming each day. We know how the ice caps are melting thereby raising sea levels and affecting local habitat. But a positive news has come from the Pacific Arctic. Scientists have reported cooling for the first time in this region. This has translated to more retention of ice and return of polar bears. The merry news has been reported by Sputnik that has quoted a scientist. "Primarily, we can talk about temperature drop in Chukotka and Alaska, because there, no walruses were this year on the spots [at the shore] that they were occupying for the past 20 years… This is not anomaly, but a return to normalcy. The anomaly was during the past 20 years, during the warming. Now the ice is not that heavy as it was 40 years ago, for example, but close to it. I am happy for walruses and bears, as all of them got a respite," said Anatoly Kochnev as quoted by Sputnik. Kochnev is a researcher at Beringia national park and an expert in sea mammals. He said that the ice in coastal waters did not melt even in summer. This led to return of walruses. When there is no ice, polar bears cannot hunt for seals. Retention of ice has meant that seals reappeared and polar bear got their preferred food, Polar bears prefer to hunt seals than walruses. However, if ice recedes, polar bears are forced to hunt for seals. Polar bear is an endangered animal and cooling of Pacific Arctic region is surely is good sign.

Polar bears return to Pacific Arctic for first time in 20 years

In 2020, a new and rather unusually large hole in the ozone layer was formed over the Arctic now, scientists have finally established the possible reason behind it. The analysis proposed that the large hole in the ozone layer was likely caused by the record-high sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the North Pacific.&nbsp;

Scientists from the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics at Peking University, led by Prof. Yongyun Hu plugged satellite data into a series of simulations and found that the record Arctic ozone loss was associated with the extremely cold and persistent stratospheric polar vortex over February to April.&nbsp;

The extremely cold vortex was a result of "anomalously weak planetary wave activity" as the analysis, which is published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, revealed that the weak wave activity can be traced to anomalously warm SSTs in the North Pacific.&nbsp;

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It is known that the Arctic stratospheric vortex is typically too warm for polar stratospheric clouds to form, which are a key ingredient in severe ozone depletion processes but still polar meteorologists reported a record-breaking Arctic "ozone hole" during spring 2020 that piqued researchers to investigate about it.&nbsp;

"The record-high North Pacific sea surface temperatures during February and March 2020 led to a large reduction of wavenumber-1 wave activity by modifying the Aleutian low," Prof. Hu explained.&nbsp;

"The reduction of planetary wave activity caused the extremely cold and persistent stratospheric polar vortex between February and April 2020 which provided the necessary conditions for severe ozone loss," Hu added.&nbsp;

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"The formation of the record Arctic ozone loss in spring 2020 indicates that present-day ozone depleting substances are still sufficient to cause severe springtime ozone depletion in the Arctic stratosphere," said Prof. Hu.&nbsp;

"These results suggest that severe ozone loss is likely to occur in the near future as long as North Pacific warm SST anomalies or other dynamical processes are sufficiently strong," Prof. Hu added.&nbsp;

In 2020, a new and rather unusually large hole in the ozone layer was formed over the Arctic now, scientists have finally established the possible reason behind it.

In 2020, a new and rather unusually large hole in the ozone layer was formed over the Arctic now, scientists have finally established the possible reason behind it. The analysis proposed that the large hole in the ozone layer was likely caused by the record-high sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the North Pacific. Scientists from the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics at Peking University, led by Prof. Yongyun Hu plugged satellite data into a series of simulations and found that the record Arctic ozone loss was associated with the extremely cold and persistent stratospheric polar vortex over February to April. The extremely cold vortex was a result of "anomalously weak planetary wave activity" as the analysis, which is published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, revealed that the weak wave activity can be traced to anomalously warm SSTs in the North Pacific. ALSO READ | Cracks on ISS a 'serious issue', says former NASA astronaut It is known that the Arctic stratospheric vortex is typically too warm for polar stratospheric clouds to form, which are a key ingredient in severe ozone depletion processes but still polar meteorologists reported a record-breaking Arctic "ozone hole" during spring 2020 that piqued researchers to investigate about it. "The record-high North Pacific sea surface temperatures during February and March 2020 led to a large reduction of wavenumber-1 wave activity by modifying the Aleutian low," Prof. Hu explained. "The reduction of planetary wave activity caused the extremely cold and persistent stratospheric polar vortex between February and April 2020 which provided the necessary conditions for severe ozone loss," Hu added. ALSO READ | At ISS, Sun rises and sets every 45 minutes, NASA tells why "The formation of the record Arctic ozone loss in spring 2020 indicates that present-day ozone depleting substances are still sufficient to cause severe springtime ozone depletion in the Arctic stratosphere," said Prof. Hu. "These results suggest that severe ozone loss is likely to occur in the near future as long as North Pacific warm SST anomalies or other dynamical processes are sufficiently strong," Prof. Hu added.

What caused massive Arctic ozone hole in 2020? This study has some answers

Russia is preparing for supremacy in Arctic region where melting ice and receding ice cover are creating new waterways. Russia is pinning its ambition on a fleet of giant nuclear-powered icebreakers.

Russia sees development of the Arctic as a historic mission. It already has huge projects to exploit its natural resources.

Its next big plan is for year-round use of the Northern Sea Route, a shipping lane through Arctic waters Russia hopes could rival the Suez Canal.

This summer an icebreaker called fleet of giant nuclear-powered icebreakers. Its captain told AFP that Russia had special role to play in the Arctic.

"A third of our territory lies above the Arctic Circle. Our ancestors have long mastered frozen waters. We are continuing this successfully," Dmitry Lobusov said.

President Vladimir Putin has made the development of the Arctic a strategic priority and state companies such as Gazprom Neft, Norilsk Nickel and Rosneft already have major projects in the Arctic to extract oil, gas and minerals.

"The Arctic region has enormous potential," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said earlier this month.

"In terms of resources, we're talking about 15 billion tonnes of oil and 100 trillion cubic metres of gas. Enough for tens if not hundreds of years," he said.

The Northern Sea Route links the Pacific to the Atlantic through Russian Arctic waters.

It is not currently navigable year-round without the help of icebreakers, though in summer some specialised classes of ships can pass through.&nbsp;

With the ice cover receding, Moscow is aiming for year-round navigation by 2030. &nbsp;

The route between east Asia and Europe is considerably shorter than through the Suez Canal.&nbsp;

When a huge container ship blocked the busy Suez shipping lane in March, Moscow touted the Northern Sea passage as a "viable alternative".

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia is preparing for supremacy in Arctic region where melting ice and receding ice cover are creating new waterways. Russia is pinning its ambition on a fleet of giant nuclear-powered icebreakers.

Russia is preparing for supremacy in Arctic region where melting ice and receding ice cover are creating new waterways. Russia is pinning its ambition on a fleet of giant nuclear-powered icebreakers. Russia sees development of the Arctic as a historic mission. It already has huge projects to exploit its natural resources. Its next big plan is for year-round use of the Northern Sea Route, a shipping lane through Arctic waters Russia hopes could rival the Suez Canal. This summer an icebreaker called fleet of giant nuclear-powered icebreakers. Its captain told AFP that Russia had special role to play in the Arctic. "A third of our territory lies above the Arctic Circle. Our ancestors have long mastered frozen waters. We are continuing this successfully," Dmitry Lobusov said. President Vladimir Putin has made the development of the Arctic a strategic priority and state companies such as Gazprom Neft, Norilsk Nickel and Rosneft already have major projects in the Arctic to extract oil, gas and minerals. "The Arctic region has enormous potential," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said earlier this month. "In terms of resources, we're talking about 15 billion tonnes of oil and 100 trillion cubic metres of gas. Enough for tens if not hundreds of years," he said. The Northern Sea Route links the Pacific to the Atlantic through Russian Arctic waters. It is not currently navigable year-round without the help of icebreakers, though in summer some specialised classes of ships can pass through. With the ice cover receding, Moscow is aiming for year-round navigation by 2030. The route between east Asia and Europe is considerably shorter than through the Suez Canal. When a huge container ship blocked the busy Suez shipping lane in March, Moscow touted the Northern Sea passage as a "viable alternative". (With inputs from agencies)

Moscow flexes muscle in Arctic region with nuclear icebreaker fleet

Russia’s Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev died while trying to save a cameraman's life during a civil defence exercise in the Arctic city of Norilsk, the ministry said on Wednesday.

Zinichev, 55, had died in Norilsk while trying to save someone's life. A cameraman had fallen off a cliff during an interview, Margarita Simonyan, the head of Russian broadcaster RT, said.

“He and the cameraman were on the edge of a cliff. The cameraman slipped and fell into the water. Zinichev rushed after the fallen man and died after hitting a protruding rock,” she said.

The cameraman, who was later identified as 63-year-old film director Alexander Melnik, also died.

The two-day drills he was participating in across several Arctic cities including Norilsk, kicked off on Tuesday and involved over 6,000 people.

Zinichev had been the Emergencies Minister since 2018 and for years was reportedly a key member of President Vladimir Putin's security detail.

Zinichev was a member of the KGB security service in the last years of the USSR and his career took off after he served in Putin's security detail between 2006 and 2015.

He held a number of high-profile jobs, briefly serving as acting governor of Russia's exclave region of Kaliningrad and then as deputy head of the Federal Security Service (FSB).

He was appointed head of the emergencies ministry in May, 2018. He was also a member of Russia's Security Council.

As head of the emergencies ministry, he held one of the highest-profile cabinet jobs, dealing with natural and man-made disasters and other rapid-response situations across the vast country.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia’s Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev died while trying to save a cameraman's life during a civil defence exercise in the Arctic city of Norilsk, the ministry said on Wednesday.

Russia’s Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev died while trying to save a cameraman's life during a civil defence exercise in the Arctic city of Norilsk, the ministry said on Wednesday. Zinichev, 55, had died in Norilsk while trying to save someone's life. A cameraman had fallen off a cliff during an interview, Margarita Simonyan, the head of Russian broadcaster RT, said. “He and the cameraman were on the edge of a cliff. The cameraman slipped and fell into the water. Zinichev rushed after the fallen man and died after hitting a protruding rock,” she said. The cameraman, who was later identified as 63-year-old film director Alexander Melnik, also died. The two-day drills he was participating in across several Arctic cities including Norilsk, kicked off on Tuesday and involved over 6,000 people. Zinichev had been the Emergencies Minister since 2018 and for years was reportedly a key member of President Vladimir Putin's security detail. Zinichev was a member of the KGB security service in the last years of the USSR and his career took off after he served in Putin's security detail between 2006 and 2015. He held a number of high-profile jobs, briefly serving as acting governor of Russia's exclave region of Kaliningrad and then as deputy head of the Federal Security Service (FSB). He was appointed head of the emergencies ministry in May, 2018. He was also a member of Russia's Security Council. As head of the emergencies ministry, he held one of the highest-profile cabinet jobs, dealing with natural and man-made disasters and other rapid-response situations across the vast country. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian Emergency Minister dies while trying to save cameraman during Arctic exercise

Thunderstorms in Northern&nbsp;Alaska&nbsp;over sea ice on Monday&nbsp;sparked rare lightning strikes.

The Washington Post reported lightning strikes occurred north of Prudhoe Bay, directly over sea ice, a phenomenon that occurs once or twice a decade.

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A rare Arctic thunderstorm this week saw lightning strike over sea ice off Northern Alaska:<a href="https://t.co/I9KsMpSKRK">https://t.co/I9KsMpSKRK</a> <a href="https://t.co/6TPk7nxE3N">pic.twitter.com/6TPk7nxE3N</a>
— Arctic Today (@arctic_today) <a href="https://twitter.com/arctic_today/status/1416170084935012352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Scientists have warned that&nbsp;Alaska&nbsp;could see an increase of thunderstorms, floods, landslides and wildfires if current climate trends continue.

Two studies suggest the rapidly warming U.S. state could see triple the number of thunderstorms by the end of this century.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/patients-taking-statin-are-at-41-lower-risk-of-an-in-hospital-death-due-to-covid-19-398625">Also read |&nbsp;Patients taking statin are at 41% lower risk of an in-hospital death due to COVID-19</a>

As air temperatures rise, the atmosphere holds more moisture and can also cause more rapid updrafts - two key factors in lightning.

Alaska&nbsp;is also affected by the rapid retreat of Arctic sea ice, which is exposing more open water nearby, allowing more water vapour to enter the air, the scientists explain in the two related papers published in the journal Climate Dynamics.

The link between climate change and lightning is still being investigated. Research published a study in 2014 in the Journal Science suggests there is roughly 12% more lightning for every 1 degree Celsius of atmospheric warming above preindustrial temperatures.

With increased thunderstorms, the new research projects an increase in extreme rainfall by 37% by 2100.

Thunderstorms in Northern Alaska over sea ice on Monday sparked rare lightning strikes. The Washington Post reported lightning strikes occurred north of Prudhoe Bay, directly over sea ice, a phenomenon that occurs once or twice a decade.

Thunderstorms in Northern Alaska over sea ice on Monday sparked rare lightning strikes. The Washington Post reported lightning strikes occurred north of Prudhoe Bay, directly over sea ice, a phenomenon that occurs once or twice a decade. A rare Arctic thunderstorm this week saw lightning strike over sea ice off Northern Alaska:https://t.co/I9KsMpSKRK pic.twitter.com/6TPk7nxE3N — Arctic Today (@arctic_today) July 16, 2021 × Scientists have warned that Alaska could see an increase of thunderstorms, floods, landslides and wildfires if current climate trends continue. Two studies suggest the rapidly warming U.S. state could see triple the number of thunderstorms by the end of this century. Also read | Patients taking statin are at 41% lower risk of an in-hospital death due to COVID-19 As air temperatures rise, the atmosphere holds more moisture and can also cause more rapid updrafts - two key factors in lightning. Alaska is also affected by the rapid retreat of Arctic sea ice, which is exposing more open water nearby, allowing more water vapour to enter the air, the scientists explain in the two related papers published in the journal Climate Dynamics. The link between climate change and lightning is still being investigated. Research published a study in 2014 in the Journal Science suggests there is roughly 12% more lightning for every 1 degree Celsius of atmospheric warming above preindustrial temperatures. With increased thunderstorms, the new research projects an increase in extreme rainfall by 37% by 2100.

Unusual Arctic thunderstorms spark rare lightning strikes in Northern Alaska

Russia, China and US are all eyeing the Arctic. They are making investments, striking alliances & deploying military personnel. Palki Sharma tells you how the Arctic is becoming the new battleground for super-powers.

Gravitas: The Arctic: A new battleground?

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