The International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean Version 5.0
Knowledge about seafloor depth, or bathymetry, is crucial for various marine activities, including scientific research, offshore industry, safety of navigation, and ocean exploration. Mapping the central Arctic Ocean is challenging due to the presence of perennial sea ice, which limits data collection to icebreakers, submarines, and drifting ice stations. The International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean (IBCAO) was initiated in 1997 with the goal of updating the Arctic Ocean bathymetric portrayal. The project team has since released four versions, each improving resolution and accuracy. Here, we present IBCAO Version 5.0, which offers a resolution four times as high as Version 4.0, with 100 × 100 m grid cells compared to 200 × 200 m. Over 25% of the Arctic Ocean is now mapped with individual depth soundings, based on a criterion that considers water depth. Version 5.0 also represents significant advancements in data compilation and computing techniques. Despite these improvements, challenges such as sea-ice cover and political dynamics still hinder comprehensive mapping.
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Authors: Jakobsson, Martin ORCID record for Martin Jakobsson, Mohammad, Rezwan, Karlsson, Marcus, Salas-Romero, Silvia ORCID record for Silvia Salas-Romero, Vacek, Florian ORCID record for Florian Vacek, Heinze, Florian ORCID record for Florian Heinze, Bringensparr, Caroline, Castro, Carlos F., Johnson, Paul, Kinney, Juliet ORCID record for Juliet Kinney, Cardigos, Sara, Bogonko, Michael, Accettella, Daniela, Amblas, David ORCID record for David Amblas, An, Lu, Bohan, Aileen, Brandt, Angelika, Bünz, Stefan, Canals, Miquel ORCID record for Miquel Canals, Casamor, José Luis, Coakley, Bernard, Cornish, Natalie, Danielson, Seth ORCID record for Seth Danielson, Demarte, Maurizio, Di Franco, Davide, Dickson, Mary-Lynn, Dorschel, Boris ORCID record for Boris Dorschel, Dowdeswell, Julian A. ORCID record for Julian A. Dowdeswell, Dreutter, Simon, Fremand, Alice C. ORCID record for Alice C. Fremand, Hall, John K., Hally, Bryan, Holland, David, Hong, Jon Kuk, Ivaldi, Roberta, Knutz, Paul C., Krawczyk, Diana W., Kristofferson, Yngve, Lastras, Galderic, Leck, Caroline, Lucchi, Renata G., Masetti, Giuseppe ORCID record for Giuseppe Masetti, Morlighem, Mathieu ORCID record for Mathieu Morlighem, Muchowski, Julia, Nielsen, Tove, Noormets, Riko, Plaza-Faverola, Andreia ORCID record for Andreia Plaza-Faverola, Prescott, Megan M., Purser, Autun ORCID record for Autun Purser, Rasmussen, Tine L., Rebesco, Michele, Rignot, Eric ORCID record for Eric Rignot, Rysgaard, Søren ORCID record for Søren Rysgaard, Silyakova, Anna, Snoeijs-Leijonmalm, Pauline, Sørensen, Aqqaluk, Straneo, Fiammetta, Sutherland, David A. ORCID record for David A. Sutherland, Tate, Alex J. ORCID record for Alex J. Tate, Travaglini, Paola, Trenholm, Nicole, van Wijk, Esmee, Wallace, Luke, Willis, Josh K. ORCID record for Josh K. Willis, Wood, Michael ORCID record for Michael Wood, Zimmermann, Mark ORCID record for Mark Zimmermann, Zinglersen, Karl B., Mayer, Larry