Turkey expands Arctic research
The 6th National Arctic Scientific Research Expedition (TASE-VI) has successfully completed its work in the Far North. Twelve Turkish scientists and three international researchers from Argentina, Bulgaria and Uruguay carried out twelve research projects on climate change, marine ecosystems, space technologies and satellite navigation.
Organised by the KARE Polar Research Institute of the TÜBİTAK Research Council, the expedition took the team as far as 82° North latitude. The focus was on the effects of climate change on glaciers, oceans and sensitive Arctic ecosystems, as well as the collection of valuable long-term data.
A key focus of the mission was the study of marine ecosystems. Using underwater robots, drones and cameras, the researchers documented the colonisation of the seabed at 28 sites, as well as changes in the vicinity of glacier fronts. The repeated surveys of the same measurement areas around Spitsbergen provide important insights into glacier melt and the mixing of fresh and seawater.
Other projects focused on testing newly developed nanomaterials under extreme Arctic conditions, as well as investigating exosomes from Arctic fish species that could be of interest for future biotechnological applications. In addition, a research team tested various high-precision GNSS positioning systems to improve the reliability of satellite navigation under the challenging conditions of the Arctic.
The data collected during the expedition is intended to help refine climate models and improve our understanding of the impacts of climate change on the Arctic’s sensitive ecosystems. With the successful TASE-VI expedition, Turkey is also underlining its growing ambition to establish itself as an active partner in international polar and climate research.
Heiner Kubny, PolarJournal
