Japan's Arctic Research Vessel Mirai Reaches Sea Ice Area

Aboard Research Vessel Mirai, Sept. 16 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese oceanographic research vessel Mirai conducted observations in an Arctic Ocean area with sea ice for the first time this voyage on Monday local time.

The ship has arrived at what is known as the ice edge, or the boundary between open water and the sea ice area, where countless pieces of ice stretching across the horizon bobbed with the waves.

The Mirai was traveling at a speed of 3 knots, or about 5.6 kilometers per hour, when it passed several chunks of ice about a meter wide on Monday morning. About 15 minutes later, the amount of ice increased rapidly and a white plain appeared in the distance.

Duke Snider, an "ice navigator" specialist in sea-ice navigation who is aboard the Mirai, announced that this is the ice edge.

From afar, the white plain looks like one large piece of ice, but it is actually a collection of highly concentrated ice, Snider said. The ice edge reflected light to create an iceblink, or a white shimmer on clouds above.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]