Operators of Amundsen Science managing the corer while it's taking out of the water - © Amundsen Science

HOW DO WE STUDY THE ARCTIC?

The CASCADES expedition will study the Arctic through four lenses: ice, water, air, and land. Each offers a unique window into how glaciers, oceans, atmosphere and landscapes connect. Together, they reveal the processes driving change and shaping the future of Greenland and Baffin Bay.

The icebreaker CCGS Amundsen partially entered the ice for scientists to deploy instruments on the ice sheet - © Amundsen Science — © Amundsen Science

Ice

Ice is central to Arctic change. Researchers will collect samples of sea ice, marine snow and glacial ice to study how they form, melt and interact with the ocean. These samples reveal how freshwater, sediments and nutrients are released, reshaping circulation patterns and ecosystems. By linking ice processes to climate change, the expedition will show how Greenland’s glaciers and sea ice influence both local environments and the global climate system.

The famous rosette, that allows sampling of water at different depths, from above - © Amundsen Science — © Amundsen Science

Water

Arctic waters carry freshwater, carbon and nutrients from glaciers into fjords and the open sea. Researchers will collect seawater, fjord water, meltwater and suspended particles to trace how these elements mix, transform and move through the region. Sampling from the surface down to the seafloor will help uncover how nutrients fuel life, how carbon is stored or released and how circulation is shifting under climate change. Water provides one of the clearest connections between melting ice, ocean health and global impacts.

Sometimes the sky is heavy in these Arctic regions, on this picture it's very grey - © Amundsen Science — © Amundsen Science

Air

The Arctic atmosphere links land, ice and sea. Researchers will sample air masses, aerosols and airborne microbes, while measuring the exchange of gases and heat between the ocean and the sky. Using drones and sensors, they will capture how winds and storms shape sea-ice formation and microbial transport. These air samples reveal invisible exchanges that connect climate, weather and ecosystems. Understanding the atmosphere’s role is essential to grasping how Arctic change reverberates far beyond Greenland.

Arctic landscape sometimes shows vegetations as well, here a little bit of grass - © Lucie Malard — © Lucie Malard

Land

The Arctic landscape is a source of freshwater, sediments and nutrients that flow into fjords and coastal waters. Researchers will sample soils, glacial outwash, river waters and eroded sediments to trace how carbon, trace metals and organic matter move from land to ocean. These materials shape fjord ecosystems and influence how much carbon becomes buried on the seafloor. By studying land–sea connections, the expedition will reveal how Greenland’s changing landscapes contribute to wider Arctic and climate transformations.