This proposal is part of an integrated scientific investigation to study the properties of the Arctic ocean, atmosphere, and sea- ice on a transect between Murmansk, USSR and Nome, Alaska. It will assess the quantity and character of sediments contained in the ice canopy of the Arctic Basin. This investigation will evaluate the effects of sediment on the reflectivity, thermal balance, transmissivity, and sub-ice biology. The presence and nature of sediments on sea ice may also shed light on the dynamics of ice movement and the relationships between sea-ice cover and sediment accumulations on the ocean floor.
