Scientists have successfully tested a method that could help slow the melting of Arctic sea ice by pumping seawater onto existing ice during winter and allowing it to freeze into an additional layer. The field experiment, conducted in Cambridge Bay in Nunavut, Canada, during the winter of 2024-25, found that the treated ice became thicker and more reflective than untreated ice, making it more resistant to summer melting.
The findings, published on May 22 in the journal Earth's Future, suggest the technique could eventually help Arctic communities cope with shrinking sea ice. However, researchers cautioned that significantly more research is needed before the method can be considered for large-scale deployment.
