State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

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Switchyard Project: Rescue Operation

4 skiers rescued

May 4, 2011: Today we have realized again how dangerous life can be in the high arctic. We assisted in a little rescue operation of four people who tried to ski from the North Pole to Greenland. They got stuck on the ice and ran out of food. Since our team was out on the ice for sampling close to their location, we stopped sampling and picked them up.

Sea ice on the Arctic Ocean moves around: Huge sections of ice can drift a few miles a day, up to 15 miles a day or even more depending on the wind conditions. Apparently the unfortunate skiers had to fight against the drift that moved the ice away from Greenland, and 15 miles a day is a long distance to travel, especially in areas where the ice is cracked and open water is present. Everybody is safe and healthy.

Number of sampled stations overall:

LDEO: 6

UW: 13

Colorful banner image over Earth with text "Open House Discover Science, October 19, 2024, 10am to 4pm

Join us on Saturday, October 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Open House! Celebrate 75 years of science with us at our beautiful Palisades, NY campus. The event is free and open to everyone, with a suggested $5 donation. Learn More and RSVP

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Ronny Friedrich
Ronny Friedrich
13 years ago