International Polar Year (IPY) has launched a new website in association with the Arctic Portal. The IPY is a huge exciting scientific campaign focusing on the Polar Regions. It is also an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate, follow, and get involved with, cutting edge science in real-time.
The IPY is a collaborative, international effort researching the Polar Regions. The polar areas have many unique phenomena. Circulatory systems for air and water reach the surface, as do the majority of the Earth's magnetic field lines. Thick glaciers have trapped air and water from ancient times. It is easiest to observe these phenomena near the poles.
Unfortunately, the poles are expensive places to visit, because they are distant, cold and deserted; infrastructure is sparse and the terrain is rough in polar regions (often consisting of ice blocks with crevasses between them). International cooperative programs share the costs and maximize the number of coordinated scientific observations. The IPY is the most famous example of such a cooperative program.
On the IPY website it is possible to follow various IPY projects through blogs from the projects. In the news section it is also possible to read news from various projects within the IPY. There is also a comprehensive list of links and other resources regarding IPY issues.