Russia vs. America vs. China: Who Will get the Arctic’s Sources?

The polar bears, seals and sea lions collect more water to swim, but in circumstances that could adversely affect their natural habitat in the long term. The arctic ice is melting and is fast. The pace at which the ice is warming and dissolving in the ocean continues to create an increasing sense of alarm for a wide variety of countries, businesses, and adventure seekers.

Less ice the arctic means more open water, waterways and shipping lanes in the region. More open water naturally leads to more sea transport and greater competition for natural resources such as oil and gas extraction.

As a result, Navy scientists are using unmanned autonomous underwater robots, or drones, to study what is known as the marginal ice zone – the portion of the frozen ocean’s packed ice that meets open water. Martin Jeffries, a former scientific advisor to the Office of Naval Research (ONR), told The National Interest several years ago. (Jeffries retired in 2020.)

During that discussion a few years ago, Jeffries said ONR scientists studied the salinity of the water, the temperatures of the water column, and the impact of waves on the ice sheet, water temperature, and the surrounding atmosphere.

“Waves can damage the ice cover when they hit the ice. It can speed up the melting, ”Jeffries said in the previous interview.

The idea behind the research is to assess the pace of change in the arctic environment to better predict the tempo of the melting ice. Faster ice melting means the development of new strategic waterways, passageways and overall activities in the region between nations.

The just published strategy of the US Navy for the Arctic is called “a blue arctic, ”Identifies the unfolding phenomenon. “In the coming decades, rapidly melting sea ice and increasingly navigable arctic waters – a blue Arctic – will create new challenges and opportunities off our northern shores,” the strategy writes.

Jeffries explained that by absorbing more sunlight or solar radiation, the surface of the ocean becomes much warmer and the ice melts faster. It means that “Albedo feedback mechanism, ”A term related to the reflectivity of surface ice. Surface ice has a much higher “albedo” which allows it to reflect sunlight and solar radiation back into the atmosphere.

Jeffries explained that water is much darker and has a low “albedo” – it absorbs much more solar radiation, which heats the water and thus increases the rate at which the ice melts. Hence this becomes what is called a self-continuing cycle. Increased solar heat affects the water column when the water temperature is then increased again to dissolve large ice segments. Less ice in summer means Arctic waters are more exposed to wind and sunlight. These factors can further increase the rate of acceleration of the melting ice, Jeffries said.

Kris Osborn is the Defense Editor for the National Interest. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified professional in the Army’s Deputy Secretary’s Office for Acquisitions, Logistics and Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist on national television networks. He has appeared as a visiting military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also holds a Masters degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

Image: Reuters.