Naval Academy, University of Delaware to study Arctic ice

The U.S. Naval Academy and the University of Delaware are teaming up to study Arctic ice, according to a release. The study will gauge changes in the ice while also serving as a learning opportunity for Naval Academy students.

The groups will drill into the ice to calibrate a new 3-D method that measures ice thickness through electromagnetic induction. Using a transmitter and a device sensitive to electrical current, the device will measure distance to the water beneath the ice, allowing its thickness to be estimated. The measures will then be cross-referenced with satellite images of the area.

The U.S. Naval Academy is expanding its polar curriculum through the expedition, while researchers from the University of Delaware are making the trip after receiving a grant from the National Science Foundation.

Image: UD’s Cathleen Geiger measures sea ice. (Credit: University of Delaware)