The Arctic Floating University expedition members aboard the Professor Molchanov research vessel have started fieldwork in the Franz Josef Land archipelago. According to TASS, they made their first stop on Alger Island.

The Arctic Floating University expedition is taking place on July 8-28 on Franz Josef Land and in the northern part of Novaya Zemlya.

"The weather has allowed us to commence full-fledged fieldwork on Alger Island. All the research groups have started their exploration. We are working closely with the Russian Arctic National Park, and we delivered and unloaded the equipment necessary for the archeological excavations that will be conducted on the island in August," said expedition head Konstantin Zaikov.

According to TASS, the expedition's biologists have already taken samples for research, and the soil group has begun measuring carbon dioxide emissions. According to Sergei Goryachkin, Head of the Geography and Soil Evolution Department, Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the permafrost layer in the examined plot can be found at a depth of around 40 centimeters.

On July 14, Professor Molchanov approached Hooker Island, but the crew was forced to abort the landing due to bad weather and sea disturbance. According to Zaikov, the research groups are eager to explore Hooker Island and will certainly make another attempt to land there.