The research team will be based in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, the northernmost city in the United States. They will be studying a variety of topics, including how sea ice is melting, how the permafrost is thawing, and how these changes are affecting the local ecosystem.
The team will also be working with local communities to learn how they are experiencing climate change and to help them adapt to the changing environment. This research is critical to understanding how climate change is affecting the Arctic and to developing strategies to mitigate its impacts.
Here are some of the reasons why NASA Langley researchers are heading to the Arctic:
* The Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the planet. This is due to a combination of factors, including the loss of sea ice, which reflects sunlight back into space, and the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which trap heat.
* The melting of sea ice is having a significant impact on the Arctic ecosystem. Sea ice provides a habitat for a variety of animals, including polar bears, seals, and walruses. The loss of sea ice is making it difficult for these animals to survive.
* The thawing of the permafrost is also having a significant impact on the Arctic ecosystem. Permafrost is soil that has been frozen for at least two years. As the permafrost thaws, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. This can contribute to climate change.
* Climate change is also having a significant impact on the people who live in the Arctic. Many indigenous communities rely on the Arctic environment for their food, shelter, and transportation. Climate change is making it difficult for these communities to survive.
The research that NASA Langley researchers are conducting in the Arctic is critical to understanding how climate change is affecting the region and to developing strategies to mitigate its impacts. This research will help to protect the Arctic environment and the people who live there.
