A team of young researchers and students at the Lomonosov Moscow State University's Geography Department are planning to launch an expedition called Arctic Odyssey 2017 to study heat islands around Russian Arctic cities, whether they are due to climate conditions and what this might mean for the energy industry. Scientists have been looking into this phenomenon for years.

A statement on the project's Facebook page points out that public and scientific interest toward the climatic peculiarities of cities has increased sharply over the past two decades, especially toward the so-called urban heat island effect when temperatures within city boundaries are warmer than in surrounding natural zones. This climatic phenomenon could help reduce city spending on heating during the winter season.

So far, little is known about the microclimatic peculiarities of cities located beyond the Arctic Circle. Participants in the Arctic Odyssey 2017 expedition will use their own innovative methods to find out how the urban heat island phenomenon manifests itself in Russian Arctic cities.

"More research that we intend to do could greatly help to solve many energy problems facing Arctic cities and organize proper planning for future populated centers that will inevitably emerge in that climatic zone due both to regional warming and the development of new combustible mineral deposits on the Arctic shelf," the statement says.

The project is financed from the funds raised through crowdfunding.