Ice Samples Research Articles

Investigating Ice Loads on Subsea Pipelines with Cohesive Zone Model in Abaqus

Subsea pipelines and cables placed in ice-prone regions may be at risk of iceberg damage. In particular, pipes that are not buried may come in direct contact with iceberg keels. Knowing the range of interaction forces helps to assess the types and magnitudes of potential damage. Experimental studies provide the most valuable data about the interaction forces, while numerical modeling may give insight into configurations that are difficult to study experimentally. This work applies the cohesive zone model to investigate the fracture behavior of ice samples. Simulations are performed in 2D with Abaqus explicit solver. Modeled interaction forces from multiple simulations are recorded and compared to understand how the geometry of the samples affects the fracture. Repeat interactions with different grain configurations are conducted to investigate associated variance in fracture patterns and loads. t-tests show that the force application angle and the indenter’s position significantly affect the fracture force.

Grain growth of natural and synthetic ice at 0 °C

Abstract. Grain growth can modify the microstructure of natural ice, including the grain size and crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO). To better understand grain-growth processes and kinetics, we compared microstructural data from synthetic and natural ice samples of similar starting grain sizes that were annealed at the solidus temperature (0 ∘C) for durations of a few hours to 33 d. The synthetic ice has a homogeneous initial microstructure characterized by polygonal grains, little intragranular distortion, few bubbles, and a near-random CPO. The natural ice samples were subsampled from ice cores acquired from the Priestley Glacier, Antarctica. This natural ice has a heterogeneous microstructure characterized by a considerable number of air bubbles, widespread intragranular distortion, and a CPO. During annealing, the average grain size of the natural ice barely changes, whereas the average grain size of the synthetic ice gradually increases. These observations demonstrate that grain growth in natural ice can be much slower than in synthetic ice and therefore that the grain-growth law derived from synthetic ice cannot be directly applied to estimate the grain-size evolution in natural ice with a different microstructure. The microstructure of natural ice is characterized by many bubbles that pin grain boundaries. Previous studies suggest that bubble pinning provides a resisting force that reduces the effective driving force of grain-boundary migration and is therefore linked to the inhibition of grain growth observed in natural ice. As annealing progresses, the number density (number per unit area) of bubbles on grain boundaries in the natural ice decreases, whilst the number density of bubbles in the grain interiors increases. This observation indicates that some grain boundaries sweep through bubbles, which should weaken the pinning effect and thus reduce the resisting force for grain-boundary migration. Some of the Priestley ice grains become abnormally large during annealing. We speculate that the contrast of dislocation density amongst neighbouring grains, which favours the selected growth of grains with low dislocation densities, and bubble pinning, which inhibits grain growth, are tightly associated with abnormal grain growth. The upper 10 m of the Priestley ice core has a weaker CPO and better-developed second maximum than deeper samples. The similarity of this difference to the changes observed in annealing experiments suggests that abnormal grain growth may have occurred in the upper 10 m of the Priestley Glacier during summer warming.

Ice-core data used for the construction of the Greenland Ice-Core Chronology 2005 and 2021 (GICC05 and GICC21)

Abstract. We here describe, document, and make available a wide range of data sets used for annual-layer identification in ice cores from DYE-3, GRIP, NGRIP, NEEM, and EGRIP. The data stem from detailed measurements performed both on the main deep cores and shallow cores over more than 40 years using many different setups developed by research groups in several countries and comprise both discrete measurements from cut ice samples and continuous-flow analysis data. The data series were used for counting annual layers 60 000 years back in time during the construction of the Greenland Ice-Core Chronology 2005 (GICC05) and/or the revised GICC21, which currently only reaches 3800 years back. Now that the underlying data are made available (listed in Table 1) we also release the individual annual-layer positions of the GICC05 timescale which are based on these data sets. We hope that the release of the data sets will stimulate further studies of the past climate taking advantage of these highly resolved data series covering a large part of the interior of the Greenland ice sheet.

Experimental and numerical investigation of cylinder rising in co-current turbulent air pipe flow: Application in pneumatic ice drilling

Air-reverse-circulation drilling into ice sheets is a promising clean technology for fast and safe ice sample recovery in the polar regions. However, a few studies in the literature explore an ice cylinder's rising from rest in tubing filled by co-current air flow. This study builds an experimental setup as well as uses the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method to characterize the process of ice cylinder rising from being seated at bottom. Variations of the drag coefficient when a cylinder starts to rise and the critical velocity, i.e., the minimum air injection velocity to raise a cylinder, are investigated with the experiments and simulations. Reynolds number is found to have a marginal effect on the drag coefficient and critical velocity while ice-cylinder-pipe geometry can influence the two factors. Wall effect resulting from the existence of pipe lateral wall can enhance the drag coefficient and accordingly, reduce critical velocity. Decreasing the clearance between cylinder and pipe or increasing cylinder length is observed to strengthen the wall effect, but enlarging the cylinder diameter surprisingly weakens the wall effect. A mathematical correlation is developed to quantify the interplay between cylinder-pipe geometry and critical velocity by using parameters like sphericities and diameter ratio. When a cylinder continues to rise off bottom, its drag coefficient would first increase quickly and then decrease gradually to a value where terminal velocity is achieved.

Wind Turbine Blade Icing Prediction Using Focal Loss Function and CNN-Attention-GRU Algorithm

Blade icing seriously affects wind turbines’ aerodynamic performance and output power. Timely and accurately predicting blade icing status is crucial to improving the economy and safety of wind farms. However, existing blade icing prediction methods cannot effectively solve the problems of unbalanced icing/non-icing data and low prediction accuracy. In order to solve the above problems, this paper proposes a wind turbine blade icing prediction method based on the focal loss function and CNN-Attention-GRU. First, the recursive feature elimination method combined with the physical mechanism of icing is used to extract features highly correlated with blade icing, and a new feature subset is formed through a sliding window algorithm. Then, the focal loss function is utilized to assign more weight to the ice samples with a lower proportion, addressing the significant class imbalance between the ice and non-ice categories. Finally, based on the CNN-Attention-GRU algorithm, a blade icing prediction model is established using continuous 24-h historical data as the input and the icing status of the next 24 h as the output. The model is compared with advanced neural network models. The results show that the proposed method improves the prediction accuracy and F1 score by an average of 6.41% and 4.27%, respectively, demonstrating the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method.

Estimation of the Snow Water Equivalent Using Muon Scattering Radiography

AbstractDespite the important hydrological and ecological implications of the snowpack, its real time monitoring remains challenging. This is particularly relevant in relation to the Snow Water Equivalent (SWE), as the available technologies which measure it, exhibit a number of limitations that hinder their operational implementation. In this work, we explore the potential of a new technology, Muon Scattering Radiography, to infer the SWE. We coupled snowpack simulations generated by the SNOWPACK model, with a muon scattering simulation program based on GEANT4. The SWE is modeled as a function of the muon scattering distributions. Predictions of the SWE along the year are provided showing a root‐mean‐square error of 12 mm for 5 hr continuous measurements. We also performed laboratory measurements using ice samples, confirming the SWE estimation capabilities and the potential of the technique to operate as a SWE monitoring tool.

Hybrid Targeted/Untargeted Screening Method for the Determination of Wildfire and Water-Soluble Organic Tracers in Ice Cores and Snow.

Wildfires can influence the earth's radiative forcing through the emission of biomass-burning aerosols. To better constrain the impacts of wildfires on climate and understand their evolution under future climate scenarios, reconstructing their chemical nature, assessing their past variability, and evaluating their influence on the atmospheric composition are essential. Ice cores are unique to perform such reconstructions representing archives not only of past biomass-burning events but also of concurrent climate and environmental changes. Here, we present a novel methodology for the quantification of five biomass-burning proxies (syringic acid, vanillic acid, vanillin, syringaldehyde, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid) and one biogenic emission proxy (pinic acid) using solid phase extraction (SPE) and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. This method was also optimized for untargeted screening analysis to gain a broader knowledge about the chemical composition of organic aerosols in ice and snow samples. The method provides low detection limits (0.003-0.012 ng g-1), high recoveries (74 ± 10%), and excellent reproducibility, allowing the quantification of the six proxies and the identification of 313 different molecules, mainly constituted by carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The effectiveness of two different sample storage strategies, i.e., re-freezing of previously molten ice samples and freezing of previously loaded SPE cartridges, was also assessed, showing that the latter approach provides more reproducible results.

Experimental Study on the Water Content Distribution of Profile Samples and the Improvement of Sampling Detection Methods

To provide reliable input information for the load design and extraction of lunar soil water ice samples, it is necessary to study the water content distribution and water migration of simulated lunar soil water ice samples. On this basis, the temperature field model and the hydrothermal coupling relationship are proposed. The temperature field model was constructed by combining energy conservation and Fourier’s heat transfer law. The coupling relationship was established, and the hydrothermal coupling model was obtained by testing the unfrozen water content using the nuclear magnetic resonance method. Finite element software was used to solve the model numerically, and the water migration rule of the soil water ice samples at different ambient temperatures were analyzed. Thin-wall drilling tests were carried out on the simulated lunar soil water ice samples to obtain water content data for different locations, and the simulation results were verified. Due to the migration effect of the cold end of the water, the closer we tested to the edge of the sample, the higher the water content was. The higher the ambient temperature was, the more pronounced the water migration phenomenon of the whole sample was. These research results provide a basis for sampling scheme design.

New technologies of ice roads construction to maintain the sustainable cold chain of supply in the northern regions of Russia

The article reviews the current state of winter ice roads (winter glacial roads) and presents data that confirm the necessity of their service life extension in order to maintain the uninterrupted cold chain of supply in the northern regions of Russia. The regulatory documents that regulate the design engineering and construction of winter ice roads are analyzed. The existing methods and technologies of winter roads construction have been analyzed. The possibility of using the geosynthetic materials for ice roads reinforcement is considered, as well as possible challenges arising from their use are exposed for consideration. The use of chemical modifiers for the creation of structural materials based on water ice is shown to be prospective and promising, especially in combination with the reinforcement of ice blocks. Modern approaches to choice of ice modifying compounds and materials for ice reinforcing are described, as well as criteria achieved on the basis of their application. The scientific studies confirming the possibility of a significant increase in the bearing capacity of glacial coverage and, as a result, an earlier start of their operation is carried out. It is shown that the combined use of reinforcement and ice modifiers allowed the ice sample to maintain its integrity even under exposure to significant deformation loads. The technical possibility of additional reinforcement of ice transport routes as a result of optimizing the modal parameters of their formation, depending on weather conditions, is also described.

Prevalence, isolation and identification of histamine forming bacteria in selected stages of supply chain of Yellowfin tuna export industry in Sri Lanka

This study aimed to identify histamine-forming bacteria (HFB) and the sources of introduction of such bacteria to recommend control measures to mitigate histamine formation in yellowfin tuna (YFT). Field samples were collected from multi-day boats that landed at Dikkowita, Negombo, Trincomalee and Dondra fishery harbours. Ice from the fish holds (n=63) and chill transport vehicles (n=63), and swabs from the fish holds (n=63), the boat decks (n=63) and the skin of YFT (n=63) were collected. Fish loin samples (n=15), ice samples (n=36) and swabs from the skin of YFT (n=18), floor (n=18) and chill transport vehicles (n=18) were collected from fish processing plants. Presumptive HFB isolated from Nivens medium and Violet Red Bile Glucose (VRBG) agar were screened for histamine forming ability in Tripticase soy broth (TSB) supplemented with 1.0% L-histidine. HFB isolates were characterized by sequencing approximately 1400 bp of the 16S rDNA. Seven isolates that produced histamine in the range of 3000–4000 ppm in TSB isolated from ice samples, and a swab sample collected from the boat deck, were confirmed as Klebsiella aerogens (n=6) and Morganella morganii (n=1) respectively. Hafnia alvei (n=1), Serratia sp. (n=2), Citrobacter freundii (n=1), Rahnella sp. (n=1) and Aeromonas salmonicida (n=8) were also among the isolated histamine forming bacteria. Pseudomonas sp. (n=24) and Shewanella baltica (n=7), which are known as spoilage bacteria were also isolated and showed weak histamine formation. Hence, it is evident that histamineforming bacteria could be introduced into the fish from ice and contacting surfaces. This necessitates the practice of rigorous cleaning procedures and adaptation of proper postharvest handling procedures to minimize contamination of the fish.

Characterization of nitrogen and phosphorus at the ice-water-sediment interface and the effect of their migration on overlying water quality in Daihai Lake (China) during the freezing period

Approximately one-third of the year, Daihai Lake experiences freezing conditions. During this period, the primary mechanisms that impact the quality of the lake water quality include the freezing of nutrients by the ice sheet and the migration of nutrients between the ice, water, and sediment. The present investigation involved the collection of samples of ice, water, and sediment, followed by the utilization of the thin film gradient diffusion (DGT) technique to and explore the distribution and migration of diverse nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) forms at the interface of ice, water and sediment. The findings indicate that the freezing process led to the precipitation of ice crystals, which in turn caused the migration of a significant proportion (28–64 %) of nutrients to the subglacial water. The predominant constituents of N and P in subglacial water, were NO3−-N and PO43−-P, which constituted 62.5–72.5 % of total N (TN) and 53.7–69.4 % of total P(TP). Respectively, with increasing depth, the TN and TP of sediment interstitial water increased. The sediment in the lake acted as a source of PO43−-P and NO3−-N while acting as a sink or NH4+-N. Soluble reactive P (SRP) flux and NO3−-N flux were responsible for 76.5 % and 2.5 % of the P and N present in the overlying water. Additionally, it was observed that 60.5 % of the NH4+-N flux in the overlying water was absorbed and subsequently deposited in the sediment. The presence of soluble and active P in the ice sheet could play a crucial role in the regulation of sediment release of both SRP and NH4+-N. Additionally, the presence of high nutritional salts and the concentration of nitrate nitrogen in the overlying water would certainly increase the pressure of the water environment. Endogenous contamination must be urgently controlled.

Methane, ethane, and propane production in Greenland ice core samples and a first isotopic characterization of excess methane

Abstract. Air trapped in polar ice provides unique records of the past atmospheric composition ranging from key greenhouse gases such as methane (CH4) to short-lived trace gases like ethane (C2H6) and propane (C3H8). Recently, the comparison of CH4 records obtained using different extraction methods revealed disagreements in the CH4 concentration for the last glacial in Greenland ice. Elevated methane levels were detected in dust-rich ice core sections measured discretely, pointing to a process sensitive to the melt extraction technique. To shed light on the underlying mechanism, we performed targeted experiments and analyzed samples for methane and the short-chain alkanes ethane and propane covering the time interval from 12 to 42 kyr. Here, we report our findings of these elevated alkane concentrations, which scale linearly with the amount of mineral dust within the ice samples. The alkane production happens during the melt extraction step of the classic wet-extraction technique and reaches 14 to 91 ppb of CH4 excess in dusty ice samples. We document for the first time a co-production of excess methane, ethane, and propane, with the observed concentrations for ethane and propane exceeding their past atmospheric background at least by a factor of 10. Independent of the produced amounts, excess alkanes were produced in a fixed molar ratio of approximately 14:2:1, indicating a shared origin. The measured carbon isotopic signature of excess methane is (-47.0±2.9) ‰ and its deuterium isotopic signature is (-326±57) ‰. With the co-production ratios of excess alkanes and the isotopic composition of excess methane we established a fingerprint that allows us to constrain potential formation processes. This fingerprint is not in line with a microbial origin. Moreover, an adsorption–desorption process of thermogenic gas on dust particles transported to Greenland does not appear very likely. Instead, the alkane pattern appears to be indicative of abiotic decomposition of organic matter as found in soils and plant leaves.

Evaluation of Microbial Quality of Fishes and Sanitary Condition of Wholesale and Retail Fish Markets in Peri-urban Area of Kolkata, India

The present study conducted during October, 2019 to January, 2020 was aimed to assess the microbial quality of selected fish species viz., Labeo rohita, Lates calcarifer and Johnius belangeri and check the sanitary condition of two selected fish markets i.e., Baghajatin wholesale fish market and Garia retail fish market in Kolkata, India. The results of TPC of fish muscle never crossed the limit of 4.70 log cfu g-1 as specified by ICMSF. Total plate count (TPC) of fish muscle were well within the limit of acceptability suggesting to be fit for consumption. The Total plate count value of water, ice, and swab samples were found higher in the month of October and lower in the month of January. The high values of TPC were recorded in water, ice and swab samples suggesting poor sanitation, improper handling and use of contaminated water in ice production. All the three species collected from two different selected fish markets were detected to contain the pathogenic microorganisms like Salmonella sp., Clostridium sp., Listeria sp. and Staphylococcus aureus. The results also indicated the presence of faecal coliform in water, ice and swab samples. It is recommended that potable water must be used for manufacturing of ice and handling should be done under good hygiene and sanitary conditions.

Experimental measurement and expression of atmospheric ice Young's modulus according to its density

Ice properties are hard to define and vary significantly in literature. While some of this variation can be attributed to different testing methods, the authors believe that most of this variation comes from the nature of the ice accretion itself. To address the problematic of scattering in mechanical properties values, a new approach is proposed which consists of expressing the behavior of atmospheric ice according to its density. Thanks to a hybrid experimental/numerical approach, the accurate measurement of the Young's modulus of atmospheric ice can be done. Ice samples are generated in both cold room and wind tunnel and at many different test conditions. The results obtained in this study confirm the validity of this new approach and gives a concrete relationship between the Young's modulus and the ice density. Finally, the relevance of using porous material hypothesis to explain the relation and the results domain of validity are discussed.

The microbiome of the ice-capped Cayambe Volcanic Complex in Ecuador.

A major challenge in microbial ecology is to understand the principles and processes by which microbes associate and interact in community assemblages. Microbial communities in mountain glaciers are unique as first colonizers and nutrient enrichment drivers for downstream ecosystems. However, mountain glaciers have been distinctively sensitive to climate perturbations and have suffered a severe retreat over the past 40 years, compelling us to understand glacier ecosystems before their disappearance. This is the first study in an Andean glacier in Ecuador offering insights into the relationship of physicochemical variables and altitude on the diversity and structure of bacterial communities. Our study covered extreme Andean altitudes at the Cayambe Volcanic Complex, from 4,783 to 5,583 masl. Glacier soil and ice samples were used as the source for 16S rRNA gene amplicon libraries. We found (1) effects of altitude on diversity and community structure, (2) the presence of few significantly correlated nutrients to community structure, (3) sharp differences between glacier soil and glacier ice in diversity and community structure, where, as quantified by the Shannon γ-diversity distribution, the meta-community in glacier soil showed more diversity than in glacier ice; this pattern was related to the higher variability of the physicochemical distribution of variables in the former substrate, and (4) significantly abundant genera associated with either high or low altitudes that could serve as biomarkers for studies on climate change. Our results provide the first assessment of these unexplored communities, before their potential disappearance due to glacier retreat and climate change.

Potential Effects of Methane Metabolic Microbial Communities on the Glacial Methane Budget in the Northwestern Tibetan Plateau

With global warming, the dramatic retreat of glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) might accelerate release of stored methane (CH4) into the atmosphere; thus, this region might become a new source of CH4. CH4-metabolic microbial communities can produce or consume CH4 in the environment, which is critical for evaluating the CH4 budget of glaciers. However, studies on the influence of CH4-metabolic microbial communities on the CH4 budget during glacier retreat in the TP remain scarce. In this work, ice samples were collected at the terminus of the Guliya Ice Cap in the northwestern TP. The community composition of CH4-metabolic microorganisms, including methanogens and methanotrophs, was determined using genomic analysis, and the metabolic rates of the two microorganisms were further estimated. The abundance of methanotrophs in Guliya was one order of magnitude higher than that of methanogens. The CH4 consumption flux by the combined action of the two microorganisms was ca. 1.42 × 103 pmol·mL−1·d−1, suggesting that CH4 metabolic microbial communities in the glacier might be an important CH4 sink, and can reduce subglacial CH4 emission during glacier retreat. This is important for predicting the CH4 budget in glaciers on the TP and corresponding climate impacts during glacier retreat.

Physical and morphological properties of first-year Antarctic sea ice in the spring marginal ice zone of the Atlantic-Indian sector

AbstractThis study presents the first dataset of physical and textural properties of sea ice collected in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean sector of the Antarctic marginal ice zone (MIZ). Observations of sea ice from this region in the austral spring 2019, including sea-ice core temperature, salinity, crystal size, texture, oxygen isotopes and stratigraphy, were used in conjunction with a Lagrangian back-tracking algorithm and atmospheric reanalyses. This method relates the reconstructed synoptic conditions to sea-ice growth along the transect. A significant difference was found between the stratigraphy of consolidated pack ice samples collected at the same latitude and spanning over 550 km eastwards. The eastward group was found to have more disturbances in their stratigraphy which is attributed to the highly variable atmospheric and sea-ice conditions together with varying wave penetration through the sea-ice pack, notably during the passage of an intense polar cyclone, while the westward group showed no signs of disturbance or deformation. These results indicate that consolidated Antarctic sea-ice floes of similar thickness and from the same latitude in the MIZ have distinct stratigraphic properties, which will influence their physical and biogeochemical features.

Biogeochemical characteristics of brash sea ice and icebergs during summer and autumn in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean

We analyzed biogeochemical components of brash ice, originating from sea ice and icebergs, collected in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean during the summer and autumn of 2018–2020. Ice samples, collected from seawater by net or cage methods, were melted in the dark under cool conditions to measure physical and biogeochemical components such as salinity, stable oxygen isotopes, nutrients, and chlorophyll-a. We compared brash ice parameters with those of seawater samples from the temperature minimum layer, corresponding to the water in which the sea ice originated, to examine the effects of processes such as brine drainage, snow-ice formation, and biological activities on the biogeochemical components in sea ice. Samples from icebergs (ice formed on land) had salinity of zero and low concentrations of all other components, suggesting that the atmospheric deposition of nutrients is minimal in this clean environment. However, sea ice samples had a wide range of values for each parameter. Our results show that meteoric water makes a smaller contribution to sea ice than it typically does to multi-year landfast ice, and there is no correlation between this meteoric water contribution and nutrient concentrations, which suggests that the contribution of snow-ice formation to nutrients within sea ice is subordinate to the role of biological processes. Nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentrations in our brash ice samples are of similar magnitude to those in sea ice samples collected in the same area by coring of thick pack ice. Our data represent end-member values that may be useful to estimate the respective contributions of snow, sea ice, and seawater to surface water samples.

Contribution of the cryosphere to runoff in “Chinese water tower” based on environmental isotopes

Cryospheric meltwater is an important runoff component and it profoundly influences changes in water resources in the Tibetan Plateau. Significant changes in runoff components occur in the three-river headwater region (TRHR), which is an important part of “Chinese Water Tower” due to climate warming. However, these effects remain unclear owing to the sparse and uneven distribution of monitoring sites and limited field investigations. Quantifying the contribution of cryospheric meltwater to outlet runoff is a key scientific question that needs to be addressed. In this study, we analyzed 907 precipitation, river water, ground ice, supra-permafrost water, and glacier snow meltwater samples collected from October 2019 to September 2020 in the TRHR. The following results were obtained: (1) There was significant spatio-temporal variation in stable isotopes in different waters; (2) The seasonal trends of stable isotopes for different waters, the relationship between each water body and the local meteoric water line (LWML) confirmed that river water was mainly recharged by precipitation, supra-permafrost water, and glacier snow meltwater; (3) Precipitation, supra-permafrost water, and glacier snow meltwater accounted for 52%, 39%, and 9% of river water, respectively, during the ablation period according to the end-member mixing analysis (EMMA); (4) In terms of future runoff components, there will be many challenges due to increasing precipitation and evaporation, decreasing snow cover, glacier retreat, and permafrost degradation. Therefore, it is crucial to establish the “star-machine-ground” observation networks, forecast extreme precipitation and hydrological events, build the “TRHE on the Cloud” platform, and implement systematic hydraulic engineering projects to support the management and utilization of water resources in the TRHR. The findings of environmental isotope analysis provide insights into water resources as well as scientific basis for rational use of water resources in the TRHR.

ТЯЖЕЛЫЕ МЕТАЛЛЫ В ГРУНТАХ И НЕКОТОРЫХ КОМПОНЕНТАХ ПРИРОДНОЙ СРЕДЫ ОСТРОВА ЗЕМЛЯ АЛЕКСАНДРЫ (АРХИПЕЛАГ ЗЕМЛЯ ФРАНЦА-ИОСИФА)

The concentrations and accumulation of heavy metals in Arctic permafrost soil, as well as snow, ice, riverine, and sea water of Alexandra Land Island (the Franz Josef Land Archipelago) were studied in the framework of the UMKA-2021 integrated Arctic expedition of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Russian Geographic Society. The content of heavy metals in Arctic soils on Alexandra Land, including the most hazardous ones, such as cadmium and lead, was low, no MPC exceeding was found. At the same time, increased concentrations of manganese were detected. The concentrations of heavy metals in water, snow, and ice samples corresponded to the natural background for tundra and the Arctic zone.