China's 16th Arctic expedition has expanded the country's ability to observe the region year-round. The data is expected to feed into global climate research and sharpen forecasting.

Expedition vessels Xuelong and Xuelong 2 have now docked in Shanghai, while the Jidi and Tansuo 3 are due back mid-October.

The mission focused on climate change and its global impacts, surveying sea ice, hydrology, biology, ecosystems and atmospheric conditions in key areas of the Arctic Ocean.

Work was carried out at 19 ice stations, marking a new stage in China's Arctic research. Ship-based surveys have expanded what can be covered, while ice-based observations have extended monitoring from short-term summer sampling to continuous, year-round watch.

Today, most monitoring of Arctic sea ice and ocean change relies on satellites. Satellites give broad coverage, but they miss small-scale changes, and optical sensors are affected by clouds and weather. On-site observations help improve forecast accuracy.

"By conducting observations of sea ice along our voyage and comparing them with satellite remote sensing data, we can better assess the reliability of satellite data. Such observations are indispensable for improving satellite monitoring of sea ice, particularly for predicting changes in sea ice," said He Jianfeng, chief scientist of China's 16th Arctic expedition.

"If we can build a relatively large-scale observation network, it will provide strong support for improving the accuracy of Arctic climate change forecasts and enable Chinese scientists to make greater contributions to climate modeling," He said.

The Arctic's influence on China's climate remains an area of ongoing research. First-hand data from the expedition will help advance understanding of these links, improve sea ice and weather forecasts along the Northern Sea Route, and support the optimization of China's climate models and disaster prevention efforts.