
On the ice: live from our Arctic research

Arctic sea ice is key to global climate stability, but it is melting rapidly in the face of climate change.
What if we could make more sea ice? That’s one of the big questions Jacob Pantling, PhD researcher at the Centre for Climate Repair with the Department of Engineering at Cambridge University, and the team at Real Ice are seeking to answer in Cambridge Bay this month. Working with the local community, they hope to find scalable solutions to protect and restore Arctic sea ice.
After some promising trials last winter, the team is back in the Arctic to conduct further tests; follow along to see their visual diaries.

Andrea Ceccolini, along with Cían Sherwin, is Co-CEO of Real Ice, a UK-based company founded in 2019.
Jacob's journey
15/01/2025









Cool ideas
Sea ice grows naturally when water in the ocean freezes on the bottom of the existing ice on its surface. The ice must thicken sufficiently in the winter to survive the summer melt. However, with global warming reducing the rate of freezing in the winter, more and more Arctic sea ice is being lost in the summer months.
The loss of this sea ice is a big issue for the Arctic, but it is also a global issue. The bright white ice reflects solar radiation into space, cooling the planet. As it melts, the reflective ice is replaced by dark ocean water that absorbs the sun’s rays. It’s a doom loop: global warming accelerates melting, and the melting accelerates global warming.
Over the past few decades, the Arctic has experienced unprecedented rates of warming, nearly three times the global average - a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification. This rapid warming has led to significant reductions in sea ice extent and thickness, with dire consequences not only for the Arctic ecosystem but for global climate stability.
The team is exploring two ways to increase ice thickness in winter. The first, Surface Thickening, involves pumping seawater on top of the ice. Directly exposed to the cool Arctic air, the water freezes and thickens the ice from above.
The second idea seeks to temporarily minimise the insulating effect that a surface layer of snow adds. By filling its air voids with seawater, the snow becomes solid ice. This ice is less insulating than snow, so there is more natural freezing at the ice’s base. At the end of the winter, they will recreate the reflective snow layer to protect the ice from solar radiation, helping it last longer through the summer months.
Visit Real Ice's website to read more about the science and mission behind the research, and to see more videos from last year's trips.
It's snow joke
19/01/2025




20/01/2025



27/01/2025





Teamwork makes the dream work







This article will continue to grow as we receive more updates. Thanks to Jacob Pantling and the Real Ice team for sharing their photos from Cambridge Bay; visit their LinkedIn pages to follow along.
Join the conversation
There’ll be more opportunity to discuss this research and other big ideas at our conference in June. Hosted in Cambridge (the UK one!) from 26th-28th June, Arctic Repair 2025 is an important opportunity to consider potential solutions for a warming world, like sea ice thickening.