Under water to the Pole

February 9, 1960

The USS Sargo, a Skate-Class submarine, was designated for an Arctic cruise. She received alterations to strengthen her sail before she left the building yard.

Passing through the Bering Strait, by the Diomede Islands, and crossing the Arctic Circle, the Sargo arrived at the North Pole at February 9, 1960 ; she began searching for thin ice, and surfaced 25 feet from the pole, through 36 inches of ice.

The following morning, USS Sargo submerged and departed the pole. The expedition proved the following points:

1. The submarine guidance system could be rated at pinpoint accuracy.

2. The submarine can travel submerged through the ice-locked Bering Straits in midwinter.

3. The submarine can reach the North Pole from east or west at any time of the year.

http://www.ssn583.com/

Artcic Ice melting

Very good video from NASA: Sea Ice 2008

Rarely seen icebergs in Antarctica

Icebergs in the Antarctic area sometimes have stripes, formed by layers of snow that react to different conditions.

Most icebergs are white due to tiny bubbles trapped inside, which scatter the light in every direction.
Blue stripes are formed when a crevice in the ice sheet fills up with meltwater and freezes so quickly that no bubbles form.
Green stripes are created by the freezing of algae-rich sea water


Photographs taken north of Antartica by Norwegian sailor Oyvind Tangen from a research vessel, and published in March 2008.

Nadir Afonso, a painter for Thule

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