Arctic Pulse 2027

A Joint Research Campaign in the Beaufort Sea Region

Arctic Pulse 2027 represents a major international research effort in the Canadian Beaufort Sea region, bringing together an interdisciplinary international team of scientists to investigate how rapid environmental change in the Mackenzie–Beaufort system is reshaping Arctic land–ocean linkages, terrestrial landscapes, and marine ecosystems.

The campaign integrates ship-based observations from the German research icebreaker RV Polarstern (Expedition BeauPAIR) and the Canadian icebreaker CCGS Amundsen, complemented by airborne surveys using AWI’s Polar 5 and Polar 6 aircraft to observe sea-ice conditions and permafrost disturbances. These efforts are combined with coordinated terrestrial and coastal activities within a tightly aligned observational framework. Arctic Pulse 2027 represents a key phase of intensified Canadian–German collaboration, building momentum toward sustained long-term coordination and the International Polar Year 2032–33.

The Beaufort Sea region and its adjacent terrestrial Arctic are among the areas experiencing the fastest climate-driven changes worldwide. Thawing permafrost, accelerating coastal erosion, retreating glaciers, and increasing discharge from the Mackenzie River are fundamentally altering the transport of freshwater, sediments, carbon, nutrients, and contaminants from land to ocean. These changes directly affect the Arctic ocean’s freshwater balance and circulation, marine food webs, greenhouse-gas exchange, and seafloor processes, with consequences for ecosystems, global climate feedbacks, and the livelihoods and food security of Inuvialuit communities.

RV Polarstern seen from the helicopter.
RV Polarstern in the Arctic Ocean (Photo: Esther Horvath)

From the deep basin to the tundra, Arctic Pulse 2027 follows the journey of water, carbon, and sediments across the entire land–ocean system. Ship-based teams will track ocean structure and ecosystem dynamics from the continental shelf into the deep Arctic, while seafloor surveys and sediment coring reveal how carbon and greenhouse gases are processed beneath the ocean.

At the coast, research teams will investigate how a warming climate is reshaping landscapes, as changing river discharge and permafrost thaw alter the transfer of freshwater, nutrients, organic matter, sediments, and contaminants across the delta and nearshore zone. These processes not only transform Arctic ecosystems but also have direct implications for coastal stability, food security, and environmental risks faced by Inuvialuit communities, linking marine processes to rapidly changing Arctic landscapes.

Airborne observations tie these perspectives together, providing a regional view of sea-ice conditions and permafrost degradation and connecting processes across the land–sea interface.

Arctic Pulse 2027 is embedded in a broader international research landscape. The campaign is closely coordinated with major U.S. initiatives pursuing complementary objectives, including NASA FORTE and Arctic PISCES, maximising scientific impact through shared observations, harmonised methods, and joint data synthesis.

Partnership with Inuvialuit organizations is a central pillar of the campaign. Research priorities and logistics have been co-developed from the outset through close collaboration with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, the Fisheries Joint Management Committee, and local Hunters and Trappers Committees. Inuvialuit partners will actively participate in the research through dedicated berths on the vessels, hands-on training, and joint knowledge production, supported by nearshore and helicopter-based activities and community-focused sharing of results.