In recent years, sea-ice freeze-up has been delayed over both the northern Bering Sea and the Chukchi Sea during autumn, causing decline in Arctic sea-ice extent in autumn and winter. The decreased sea-ice extent leads to changes in the atmosphere, ocean and ecosystem of the Arctic region that affect not only the regional but also the global climate. The objectives of this cruise were as follows: (1) To quantify ongoing changes in the atmosphere, sea ice, ocean and ecosystem, including wave characteristics and the environmental chemical cycle during autumn (2) To understand the processes of and interactions between the atmosphere, sea ice, ocean and ecosystem (3) To investigate the influence of Arctic Ocean change on global climate during autumn In addition to the above, the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition commenced in September 2019, during which year-round measurements will be obtained by the German icebreaker Polarstern. The combination of MOSAiC and our cruise provides a great opportunity to investigate differences in atmospheric and oceanographic structures between areas of sea ice and open water.

06:01 on Mon February 10, 2020