The expedition in numbers
Facts and figures about the largest Arctic research expedition in history:
The factsheet on MOSAiC sustainability is available as PDF here.
The MOSAiC factsheet "The expedition in numbers" is also available for download.
![calendar](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/calendar.png)
The expedition‘s duration was 389 days.
![icebreaker-02](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/icebreaker-02.png)
During the expedition, RV Polarstern was resupplied by 6 additional icebreakers and research ships from Russia and Germany.
![expert-09](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/expert-09.png)
Thoughout the year, a total of 442 experts travelled to the Arctic, and were exchanged in phases.
![nation-04-04](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/nation-04-04.png)
The following 20 nations are involved in the expedition:
See 20 nations
![MOSAiC in numbers](https://www.mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/nation-04-04.png)
During her first drift Polarstern reaches 88°36’ North, just 156 kilometres from the North Pole.
![schipp-02](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/schipp-02.png)
The Polarstern spent more than 10 months of the expedition frozen solid in the ice.
![timepassage-07](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/timepassage-07.png)
The MOSAiC team conducted research on the first MOSAiC floe for 300 days.
![timepassage-07](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/timepassage-07.png)
For a further 30 days, the team conducted research on the floe 2.0.
![ruler-15](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ruler-15.png)
Polarstern was up to 1500 km from the nearest human settlement.
![map-10](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/map-10.png)
Polarstern drifted a 3400 km on a zigzagging course.
![ice-21](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ice-21-1.png)
The MOSAiC floe was only 30 cm thick beneath former melt ponds, but its solid core was up to several metres thick.
![monitor-20](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/monitor-20.png)
247 monitoring stations drifted as far as 50 km from Polarstern.
![bear-12](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bear-12.png)
More than 60 polar bears were sighted near the Polarstern.
![thermo-16](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thermo-16.png)
-42.3 °C, the lowest temperature encountered on the expedition, was reached on 10 March 2020.
![iceberg-17](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/iceberg-17.png)
36,278 m: the altitude of the highest measurements taken in the atmosphere.
![iceberg-17](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/iceberg-17.png)
4,297 m: the deepest point in the ocean at which the expedition took measurements.
![people-05](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/people-05.png)
More than 300 people worked in the background to make the expedition possible.
![expert-09](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/expert-09.png)
The average age of participating researchers was 39 years.
![money-18](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/money-18.png)
The expedition's operating costs alone were roughly 200000 Euro per day (not including the costs for the instruments or researchers).
![tent](https://mosaic-expedition.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/tent.png)
To date, there has never been a comparable expedition in the central Arctic.