He went on to say that 'Last year, the sea ice was at its thinnest since records began, but where we were up in the north-west corner of the Arctic, we found more ice than we actually thought we might. However, this comes down to a local weather systems pushing it over, the big picture is one of less ice and thinner ice.'

The planet's climate is changing rapidly and it seems that the Arctic is warming faster than anywhere else on earth, so part of the Ice Chaser expedition's multidisciplinary focus was on how carbon, a major player controlling global climate, is recycled and stored in the Arctic.

Clever sediment traps placed in the water column captured descending material to be analysed for changes in the ratio of naturally occurring radio-isotopes, revealing both the origin of the material (terrestrial or marine) and the time since it left surface waters. Using a mega-corer and benthic landers, the team further examined the balance between long term carbon storage and recycling.

The team also began an investigation into Arctic life and how it flourishes in that extreme climate, something that, as yet, we know very little about. The results of the survey's measurements will be examined fully over the coming months.

But, on the subject of conditions during the recent exploration, Dr Leaky explained that the team of scientists were grateful for the skills of the officers on board the ship. The ice was 'quite variable' and not easy to get through: 'You have to get the speed right, enough to get across the thicker bits, but not so fast that you pick up too much speed when you hit the thinner ice. Quite a challenge', he said.

Although Dr Leaky had some idea of how the ship performed in Arctic conditions, he concluded, 'When you are actually up on the bridge it really is a revelation, even if you know the mechanics beforehand.The JCR really is an ideal platform for science of this type, a rare privilege for our team of scientists.'