The Arctic is warming faster than any other part of the planet, and sea ice continues to shrink. In response, scientists are increasingly exploring ways to not only slow climate change but also whether it’s possible to artificially preserve ice.
For the first time, an international team of researchers has successfully tested a technology that increases the thickness of sea ice using ordinary seawater. The experiment was conducted near Cambridge Bay in Canada’s Nunavut region. Using pumps to lift seawater onto existing ice, the water froze rapidly at subzero temperatures, forming a new layer of ice.
Published in the journal Earth’s Future, the study found that treated ice was on average 32 centimeters thicker by winter’s end. The artificial ice also melted more slowly in the spring and retained a lighter surface—a critical feature because white ice reflects solar radiation back into space while dark water absorbs heat.
The researchers explain that the technology works through several processes: seawater seeps into snow, freezes rapidly, and reduces the insulating layer of loose snow. This allows cold air to cool the ice more effectively, promoting natural growth from both above and below.
However, the authors caution that the results are limited. The experiment was conducted on small plots and for a single season. Future work must assess impacts on marine ecosystems and test the method in varied climatic conditions.
Nathan Kurtz, head of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory, noted that satellite data shows much of the Arctic ice has thinned significantly this year—particularly in the Barents Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk. He stated that in March 2026, winter sea ice reached one of its lowest recorded areas.
The study’s authors emphasize that while artificial ice thickening is a potential tool to temporarily slow Arctic warming, it does not replace efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Experts caution that such technologies remain experimental and could have unintended consequences for marine ecosystems.
The scale challenge is immense: the Arctic spans millions of square kilometers. To significantly impact ice cover, the technology would require vast equipment deployment—likely millions of pumps operating in extreme conditions—and massive energy resources.
Despite these hurdles, the experiment marks a significant step in understanding how to influence Arctic sea ice. Yet scientists stress that addressing climate change ultimately depends on reducing emissions—not engineered fixes.
