Tara Polaris I 2026-2027
Understanding the state of the Arctic and its unique biodiversity
Overview
Launching a 20-year Arctic research programme
Tara Polaris I (2026–2027), the first expedition of the Tara Polaris (2026–2046) programme, is essential for providing an initial assessment of the impacts of global change on the Arctic and the wider Earth system, while advancing knowledge on the Central Arctic Ocean ecosystems.
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18months
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220scientific protocols
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12people onboard in winter
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18people onboard in spring and summer
Marcel Babin, Polar Oceanographer, CNRS/Laval University/Sorbonne, Co-Scientific Director of the Tara Polaris programme, Scientific Director of the Tara Polaris I (2026-2027) expedition
“We urgently need observations to better understand the nature of the changes happening in the Arctic, particularly to capture the full annual cycle and track interannual variability. The Tara Polaris (2026–2046) programme will bear witness to the history of the Arctic.”
Tara Polar Station, will be deployed in the Central Arctic Ocean for 10 consecutive expeditions (Tara Polaris I, II, III, etc.) until 2046. A true drifting scientific hub, this laboratory-observatory hosts researchers from all over the world.
The Arctic, the sentinel of climate change
In recent decades, the Central Arctic Ocean has been increasingly threatened by global warming and human-induced pollution. The rapid pace of change and the fact that what happens in the Arctic has an impact on the entire planet make the Arctic our sentinel of global changes. It is essential to understand this unique ecosystem in order to inform climate models and policies in this region, which faces multiple pressures (environmental, geopolitical and economic).
Tara Polaris I (2026–2027) is organized in three scientific legs (winter, spring and summer) during which scientists from around the world have access to 6 laboratories and a scientific base camp that is set up around Tara Polar Station. A full set of instruments is deployed to study the atmosphere, the surface layer of sea ice and snow, and the underlying Ocean, as well as their interactions.
Assessing the Central Arctic Ocean health
Tara Polaris (2026-2046) programme is essential to understand the state of the Arctic and inform decision-makers through scientific evidence. The key scientific outcomes are :
Push the boundaries of knowledge on biodiversity by exploring regions that are difficult to access
Discover the unique adaptations that have evolved to enable life in this extreme environment
Analyze the consequences of sea ice melt and pollution on these fragile ecosystems
Identify new molecules, species and processes with potential new applications
Monitor Arctic fish stocks and the impact of the arrival of more temperate species
Provide new data to refine climate models and improve forecasts of future weather conditions
Team
Scientific consortium
Marcel Babin
Co-Scientific Director of the Tara Polaris programme and Scientific Director of Tara Polaris I
Polar Oceanographer
CNRS/Laval University/Sorbonne
Lee Karp-Boss
Co-Scientific Director of the Tara Polaris programme
Marine Biologist
University of Maine
Chris Bowler
Co-Scientific Director of the Tara Polaris programme
Phytoplankton Biologist
ENS/CNRS
Scientific publications
