As part of the International Polar Year 2007-2008, the Total Pole airship expedition aims to measure the thickness of the pack ice that covers the Arctic Ocean. For this we will fly over the frozen ocean through the North Pole using an airship under which will be fixed a device (EM bird) that instantly records the thickness of the sea ice.

In April 2007, our calibration campaign will refine the accuracy of the EM-Bird. In the North Pole region, we will select a pack of ice (200m x 60m) crossed by a compression ridge. Overflight with the instrument hung under a helicopter will give the “EM-Bird Thickness”. The verification of this measurement will be done by comparison with the actual thickness of this sample of ice which we will make the topography in 3D.

This expedition ended on January 22, with the destruction by a storm of our airship.