International Polar Year

The International Polar Year (IPY) is an international scientific program focused on examining a wide range of research (physical, biological and social) at both the Arctic and Antarctic regions (beginning March 2007 and concluding March 2009) and will involve more than 200 projects encompassing thousands of scientists and researchers from more than 60 countries.  This program comes at a time of increased social awareness concerning global warming intersecting the changing landscapes of the Polar Regions.

The current IPY is only the fourth of its kind.  As a general rule, each IPY is held every fifty years, the last being 1957-58.  IPY covers two successive seasons as means to provide full and equal coverage of both Polar Regions.

The Canadian-led Circumpolar Flaw Lead System Study (CFL) is the largest of Canada’s IPY projects.  The CFL is a perennial characteristic of the central Arctic region.  The CFL system forms when pack-ice moves away from the coastline and opens a flaw lead which occurs throughout the winter season.  In short, this unique phenomenon is conducive to studying the varying effects of the changing landscape.  The multi-million dollar research study began in October, 2007 and will be completed in August, 2008.  A cornerstone to this project is the usage of the Canadian research icebreaker Amundsen, which is currently wintering off the coast of Banks Island in the western Canadian Arctic.