Researchers conducted the first experiment on thickening Arctic ice
The Arctic is warming faster than any other part of the planet, and the area of sea ice continues to shrink. Against this background, scientists are increasingly thinking not only about how to slow down climate change, but also whether it is possible to at least partially preserve ice artificially. Recently, for the first time, an international group of researchers successfully tested a technology that makes it possible to increase the thickness of sea ice using ordinary seawater. Although the results were encouraging, the authors themselves emphasize that the practical application of the method is still far away. About how the unusual technology works, why the disappearance of Arctic ice is considered a global problem, and whether such projects can change the future of the climate, see the Izvestia article.
Is it possible to "freeze" the Arctic anew
For a long time, the idea of artificially increasing the thickness of sea ice seemed more like science fiction, but recently it has received experimental confirmation for the first time. An international team of researchers conducted field tests near the Canadian village of Cambridge Bay in the Nunavut region. The scientists used pumps that lifted seawater to the surface of the existing ice. At temperatures well below zero, the water quickly froze, forming a new ice layer. The results of the experiment were published in the journal Earth's Future and became the first proof that the technology can work not only in theory, but also in real Arctic conditions.
During the study, the specialists prepared several experimental plots. Some were flooded with seawater once, others — twice, after which they were compared with control sites. By the end of winter, the treated ice was on average about 32 cm thicker. In addition, it melted more slowly in the spring and retained a lighter surface. This is especially important because it is white ice that reflects most of the solar radiation back into space, while dark water, on the contrary, actively absorbs heat.
The authors explain that the technology works through several processes at once. Seawater permeates the snow lying on top and quickly turns into ice. At the same time, the layer of loose snow is reduced, which usually acts as thermal insulation. Due to this, the cold winter air cools the ice cover more efficiently, and new ice begins to form more actively not only from above, but also from below, from the ocean. In other words, artificial flooding not only adds an additional layer of ice, but also creates conditions for its natural growth.
At the same time, the researchers themselves urge not to overestimate the results. The experiment was conducted on small sites and was designed for only one observation season. The next stage will be to test the technology in other climatic conditions, as well as to assess its possible impact on marine ecosystems. So far, the work shows only that artificial thickening of ice is fundamentally possible, but the question of its practical application remains open.
Why is the whole world worried about the disappearance of sea ice
Although the experiment was conducted in a relatively small area of the Arctic, the interest in it is explained by the scale of the problem itself. Sea ice plays a key role in the Earth's climate system. Unlike the glaciers of Greenland and Antarctica, it is already located on the ocean surface, so its melting practically does not raise the level of the world ocean. More importantly, ice serves as a natural reflector of solar energy and helps to contain further warming of the planet.
This property is called albedo. The white surface of the ice reflects much of the sunlight back into space, while the dark seawater absorbs heat. When the area of the ice cover decreases, the ocean begins to heat up faster, which melts even more ice. This creates a kind of vicious circle, which scientists call positive feedback. This mechanism is considered to be one of the reasons that climate change in the Arctic is occurring much faster than the average on Earth.
The results of one study show that the Arctic is warming at about three to four times the global average rate. This phenomenon is known as Arctic intensification. Higher temperatures accelerate the melting of sea ice, contribute to the destruction of permafrost and change the processes of heat exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere. As a result, changes occurring far beyond the Arctic Circle are gradually beginning to affect the climate of other regions of the planet.
Observations of the National Aeronautics and Research Agency. The United States Space Agency (NASA) and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) confirm that the long-term trend towards reducing sea ice persists. In March 2026, the area of the winter ice cover again reached one of the lowest values in the history of satellite observations, and scientists note not only a decrease in the area, but also a gradual thinning of the ice itself. The amount of long-term ice, which is considered the most durable and resistant to summer melting, is decreasing especially rapidly.
Nathan Kurtz, Head of the Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland
According to NASA's ICESat-2 satellite, most of the ice in the Arctic is thinner this year, especially in the Barents Sea northeast of Greenland. The Sea of Okhotsk, bordering northern Japan and Russia, also saw relatively low ice thickness this year, in a region that naturally experiences significant variability from year to year.
That is why researchers are increasingly discussing not only ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also the possibility of temporarily supporting the most vulnerable elements of the climate system. However, even supporters of such projects emphasize that artificial thickening of sea ice is not considered as an alternative to combating climate change. Rather, we are talking about a potential additional tool that could buy time for the Arctic in the future, if its effectiveness and safety can be confirmed in larger-scale studies.
Why did scientists even start talking about climate engineering?
The experiment with artificial ice thickening belongs to a field called climate engineering, or geoengineering. This is how it is customary to designate technologies that can purposefully affect the Earth's climate system. As global warming accelerates, such projects are increasingly becoming the subject of scientific research: experts are trying to understand whether they can help reduce the effects of climate change or at least gain time for the most vulnerable ecosystems. However, most of these technologies still exist only in the form of calculations, computer models, or small experimental projects.
Experts usually distinguish two main areas of climate engineering. The first is related to the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, for example, through technologies for direct carbon dioxide capture or the restoration of natural ecosystems that can absorb carbon. The second direction involves a temporary increase in the amount of solar energy reflected back into space. These include projects to spray aerosols in the upper atmosphere, lighten sea clouds, and preserve Arctic sea ice. All these methods are still at the research stage and require a thorough assessment of the possible consequences.
Compared to some other projects, artificial ice thickening is considered one of the most "local" technologies. If aerosol spraying has the potential to change the climate on the entire planet at once, then the impact on sea ice is limited to specific areas of the Arctic. That is why some experts consider this approach to be less risky. Nevertheless, the authors of the study emphasize that it is too early to talk about its safety: it is necessary to study how constant pumping of seawater can affect the salinity of surface layers, ice formation processes and Arctic ecosystems.
Even proponents of climate engineering emphasize that such technologies are not able to replace the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Most of the proposed methods are aimed at mitigating individual effects of climate change, but do not eliminate its main cause — the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. That is why international organizations and the scientific community consider geoengineering only as a potential auxiliary tool that can complement climate policy, but cannot replace measures to reduce emissions.
Why a good idea might be impractical
Despite the successful results of the first tests, the authors of the study themselves admit that it will be extremely difficult to turn the technology into a tool for saving the entire Arctic. The experiment was conducted on small sites, whereas the area of sea ice is measured in millions of square kilometers. In order for the technology to really affect the state of the ice cover, it would have to be applied in incomparably large areas, which would require a huge amount of equipment, energy and constant maintenance.
A few years ago, researchers developing similar concepts estimated that millions of autonomous pumps operating in the extreme conditions of the polar winter could be required to significantly increase the thickness of ice in a significant part of the Arctic. Each such device must withstand severe frosts, storms, ice movement and prolonged operation without the constant presence of a person. Even if such engineering solutions turn out to be technically possible, their mass implementation will require enormous costs and complex logistics.
The possible impact of such projects on the environment is no less questionable. Artificial changes in the thickness of the ice can affect the heat exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere, the distribution of salt in the surface layers of water and the living conditions of marine organisms. So far, scientists do not have enough data to assess all the possible consequences of such interventions, so even proponents of the technology recognize the need for further research.
Nevertheless, the experiment already has great scientific significance. For the first time, researchers have been able to show that it is indeed possible to artificially increase the thickness of sea ice in real conditions. But at the same time, the work also reminded us of another feature of the climate crisis: even the most promising engineering ideas rarely become a universal solution. Most climate scientists agree that the future of the Arctic still depends primarily on whether humanity succeeds in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. If this does not happen, even the most advanced technologies will only be able to slow down the disappearance of sea ice for a short time, but not stop this process completely.
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