FAIRBANKS — The United States Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus met with University of Alaska Fairbanks officials and scientists Friday to discuss how they could work together to meet the challenges of a changing Arctic.
“You’re already seeing loss of ice, you’re already forecasting — through this great university — at least a partially ice-free Arctic during summer months,” Secretary Mabus said. “As sea levels rise, as ice melts, our responsibilities in terms of freedom of navigation, in terms of search and rescue, in terms of scientific exploration, all increase pretty dramatically.”
The Navy brings a presence and the “ability to be where we are needed, when we’re needed,” Secretary Mabus said. “To have that presence, you cannot surge it, you cannot wait until there is an emergency. That’s one of the reasons we are increasing exercises in the Arctic.”
The Arctic Ocean saw an “unprecedented warming” in the 2000s, according to Larry Hinzman, director of the International Arctic Research Center.
Hajo Eicken, the deputy director at IARC, presented data on sea ice concentration trends. Changing freeze and thaw seasons “can be quite challenging from a maritime perspective,” and the ability to accurately predict these cycles is vital for the safe oil and gas exploration.
Robert McCoy, the director of the Geophysical Institute, summed up UAF’s unique capabilities to help the Navy meet its goals in the Arctic.
Situated as it is in the “natural laboratory” that is Alaska, UAF can provide experts in ice, tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes and arctic weather, as well as the ability to “measure, map and model the Arctic,” McCoy said.
“One of the main reasons I came is to hear about this flagship university and the experts that you have here and how we might partner,” Secretary Mabus said. “The Arctic is only going to gain importance, it will, regardless of administrations, have to have a very important place, particularly for the United States Navy.”
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