In this paper we perform laboratory tests and investigate the feasibility to use existing subsea intervention technology, such as manipulator arms to retrieve short solid ice samples during under-ice dives of robotic vehicles. This investigation shows, that with minor modifications existing ice coring technology can be combined with existing subsea technology to provide novel sampling opportunities for submarine ice.

We developed a new method to study how light interacts with sea ice using a compact 360° camera. By lowering this camera into drilled holes in ice, we captured detailed light patterns inside different ice layers. Our research revealed how light is absorbed and scattered in both Arctic multi-year ice and thinner, seasonal ice in Quebec. These findings improve our understanding of sea ice structure and its role in the climate system, helping in the representation of sea ice in models.

The Arctic Ocean is covered by a layer of sea ice that can break up, forming ice ridges. Here we measure ice thickness using an underwater sonar and compare ice thickness reduction for different ice types. We also study how the shape of ridged ice influences how it melts, showing that deeper, steeper, and narrower ridged ice melts the fastest. We show that deformed ice melts 3.8 times faster than undeformed ice at the bottom ice--ocean boundary, while at the surface they melt at a similar rate.

Characterizing the evolution of inherent optical properties (IOPs) of sea ice in situ is necessary to improve climate and arctic ecosystem models. Here we present the development of an optical probe, based on the spatially resolved diffuse reflectance method, to measure IOPs of a small volume of sea ice (dm³) in situ and non-destructively. For the first time, in situ vertically resolved profiles of the dominant IOP, the reduced scattering coefficient, were obtained for interior sea ice.

We use satellite data records collected along the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) drift to categorize ice conditions that shaped and characterized the floe and surroundings during the expedition. A comparison with previous years is made whenever possible. The aim of this analysis is to provide a basis and reference for subsequent research in the six main research areas of atmosphere, ocean, sea ice, biogeochemistry, remote sensing and ecology.