China conducts first survey of Bohai Sea ice, boosts global climate change research

The icebreaker, Zhongshan Daxue Jidi (Sun Yat-sen University Polar) departs from Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 4, 2024. (Photo provided to China News Service)

(ECNS) -- The icebreaker Zhongshan Daxue Jidi (Sun Yat-sen University Polar) left Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province on Saturday to survey the sea-ice on sea-ice and maritime ecology of Bohai Sea in winter for the first time, according to Zhongshan University (Sun Yat-sen University).

A team of 45 researchers from 12 Chinese universities and research institutes participated in the 44-day survey mission covering the formation, peak, and retreat periods of sea ice in the Bohai Sea.

"The expedition team will establish two longitudinal and two transverse observation sections in the Liaodong Bay and the central Bohai Sea. Our research will focus on the processes of sea ice formation and decay, the thermodynamic and dynamic effects of the atmosphere and ocean on sea ice, and the impact of ice generation and dissipation on the water environment,” said Cheng Xiao, the project leader and dean of the School of Geospatial Engineering and Science at Sun Yat-sen University.

The team aims to develop an eco-dynamic model of Bohai Sea ice to reveal the potential impacts of sea ice on the seasonal changes in the Bohai Sea ecosystem, the project leader added.

Cheng also noted that through integrated observations of the air, space, ice, and sea, the team will explore the impact of rapid Arctic changes on China's weather and climate. The expedition will carry out sea trials of research equipment in quasi-polar environments to support ecological and environmental development in Liaodong Bay and contribute to global climate change research.