The effects of climate change appear in the Arctic before becoming apparent in other regions. But scientists know more about the nature and origins of the surface of the moon than they do about the make up of the Arctic sea floor.
Scientists with the Healy-Oden Trans-Arctic Expedition (HOTRAX) are exploring how the Arctic Ocean basin was formed, the nature and physical characteristics of the ocean itself and the Arctic's role in climate change, through field research conducted in the Arctic region.
The collaborative project among several international and U.S. institutions, including Kent State University, Ohio State University, Old Dominion University and Montclair State University, is funded by the National Science Foundation. Members of the research group recently presented results at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.
Photos from the inaugural HOTRAX cruise to the Arctic are available upon request.