LEADING RESEARCH CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF THE POLAR REGIONS

AARI has been operating on a regular basis in the Arctic since 1920, and in the Antarctic since 1956. In 1994, the Institute has been given the status of Russian Federation State Scientific Center.
AARI celebrated its 100th Anniversary on March 4, 2020.

OUR ACTIVITIES

The Institute carries out an entire cycle of work in the high latitudes: from field research and data processing to mapping and forecasting. Scientific subdivisions of AARI are engaged in fundamental and applied research of the climate, the atmospheric processes, the near space, the marine environment and the ice cover. We organize comprehensive monitoring of the natural environment in observatories and by annual expeditions to high latitudes. We conduct experiments in the ice basin to determine the ice loads on structures and ships.

AARI is constantly creating and updating systems and methods for calculating and predicting natural processes. Particular attention is paid to the research of the ice physical and mechanical properties and its interaction with the marine vessel hulls and offshore facilities. For that purpose, an ice pool operates on the Institute basis.

For almost 40 years, the automated "Sever" ice-information system has been successfully used at AARI. The service is based on hydrometeorological information satellite monitoring and assists in conducting maritime operations in the Arctic safely and efficiently.

EXPEDITIONS

AARI regularly launches sea expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. The fleet of the Institute includes two research expedition vessels – “Akademik Fedorov” and “Akademik Treshnikov”. In 2022, the ice-resistant platform “North Pole” (LSP “Severny Polyus”) joined the scientific fleet.

In the Arctic, AARI scientists carry out research at three scientific observatories: at the Cape Baranov Ice Base Research Station, the Tiksi Hydrometeorological Observatory and at the Russian Scientific Center in Spitsbergen (Slavbard).

AARI is entrusted with organizing and conducting a comprehensive scientific Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE). In Antarctica, the Institute staff constantly monitors the natural environment changes at five year-round stations: Novolazarevskaya, Bellingshausen, Mirny, Progress and Vostok. During the antarctic summer period, they are also working at the seasonal field bases Molodyozhnaya, Druzhnaya-4, Banger Oasis, Russkaya and Leningradskaya. One of the most important discoveries of the 21st century has been made in the Vostok station area: the discovery of the subglacial Vostok Lake, which had been isolated from the environment for several million years.

YOUNG SCIENTIST SUPPORT

Supporting young scientists is one of the most important AARI goals. The Institute has been running a targeted training program for young professionals since 2008, which enables students to gain unique experience. In 2018, AARI launched the 66°33' Competition of Scientific and Creative Projects to identify young and enthusiastic researchers.

Our employees publish their articles in leading scientific journals and take part in the world's major polar conferences. We have a very friendly and close-knit team of people in love with the polar science.

PHOTOS

AARI Archives, by Mikhail Karandeev, Sergey Nikolaev, Nikita Kuznetsov, Ivan Svistunov, Maxim Kurapov, Ksenia Poleshchuk