"The first leg of an ambitious, yearlong Arctic science expedition just ended, and scientists say they’ve already gained new insight into the rapidly changing Arctic—the fastest warming region on Earth," according to a Scientific American article about the MOSAiC Expedition—short for Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate. ...

"...Ian Raphael, a master’s [engineering] student at Dartmouth, was on board the Polarstern when he decided to stay on for the mission’s second leg. It was partly a practical choice, he told E&E News via a WhatsApp message from the ship. The research project he’s involved with didn’t have any scientists signed up for Leg Two, and staying over felt like 'a fantastic opportunity for the continuity of our work,' he said.

"Through the rest of the polar winter, Raphael will continue monitoring the fluxes of energy between the sea ice and its surroundings, and observing the way that snow cover affects the growth of the ice.

"But there was another reason, he acknowledged.

"'On a personal note, I couldn’t imagine walking away from this place so soon,' he said. 'The ice and the light and the people change every day, and I want to see as much of that evolution as I can. It really feels like a home.'"