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IMAQA Research Ice Ship

Current polar research often rely on fixed stations, aircraft support, or heavy traverses, which can limit access to remote areas and require significant logistical resources and fuel.

IRIS (IMAQA Research Ice Ship) is a concept being explored by IMAQA: a low-emission mobile platform designed to support scientific operations on ice sheets and polar environments.

The objective is to investigate whether such a platform could complement existing infrastructures by enabling specific activities such as long-distance transects, distributed observations, autonomous measurements, field power supply, or low-contamination environmental monitoring.

At this early stage, our objective is to collaborate with the scientific community to evaluate:

Whether IRIS addresses real unmet scientific needs

Which potential applications would provide the greatest value

Which technical and operational requirements should be prioritized

Your feedback will help determine whether this concept should move forward and, if so, which capabilities deserve further development.

Thank you for your time and expertise in shaping the future of polar research

Your Profile & Polar Expertise

Name

Organisation

Main Field of Expertise

Cryosphere & Glaciology

Atmosphere & Climatology

Solid Earth Geophysics & Geodesy

Biology & Ecosystems

Instrumentation, Remote Sensing & Data Systems

Polar Logistics, Field Operations & Safety

Polar terrain experience level

Zero

1 - 2 campaigns

3 - 5 campaigns

> 5 campaigns

Scientific Applications & Field Operations

Which of the following research activities would be relevant to your work?

	Non Applicable	Low Interest	High Interest
Conducting long continuous transects
Towing a ground-penetrating radar over a long period
Deploying drones from a mobile base
Collecting surface snow or air samples with zero risk of contamination from vehicle exhaust
Measuring vertical atmospheric gradients and boundary layers
Carrying passive autonomous instrumentation arrays (i.e. AWS)
Mapping surface for satellite calibration / validation
Integrating sediment/ice drilling and coring systems

For each capability of IRIS listed below, what potential impact would it have on your research or field operations?

	Non Applicable	Low Interest	High Interest
Transporting heavy payload or towing rigs
Moving long distances free from fuel logistics
Having a safe living workspace for field teams
Accessing a clean high-voltage electricity on the field to power instruments
Injecting renewable energy into a polar station's microgrid
Replacing airborne flights or tractor campaigns with a low-emission ground platform

Overall assessment

Overall, do you think a platform like IRIS addresses a real unmet need in polar science?

Yes, clearly

Possibly, depending on technical maturity

The need exists but traditional solutions remain preferable

No, I don't see a gap this would fill.

Please rank these advantages based on their value to your discipline (1 = highest priority, 5 = lowest priority):

Use the up and down arrow keys to change the rank.

Absence of local emissions: Measuring environments free from vehicle exhaust

Eliminating Fossil Fuel Dependencies: Removing the high costs, environmental risks, and logistical limits of hauling diesel fuel

Hauling Heavy Payloads with Integrated Power: Transporting or towing heavy payloads while providing a mobile, high-capacity green electric grid

Maximizing Spatial Scale: Mapping continuous transects across thousands of kilometers

Optimizing Human Safety & Logistics: Minimizing camp logistics and personnel risks by using a secure mobile workspace

Future Viability & Funding Realities

If such a platform existed today...

If IRIS meets your needs, how likely are you to include it as a primary logistical asset in your next grant proposal?

Highly Likely: I would actively add this platform into our next funding application.

Moderately Likely: I would consider it, provided the operational costs are lower than traditional means.

Unlikely: I would wait until the platform has a proven, multi-year track record on the ice before putting it in a proposal.

I do not manage or submit funding proposals.

What is the realistic timeline for your research group to integrate a platform like IRIS into a funded field campaign?

Immediate (Next 1–2 years): We have active, funded projects that would utilize this platform today if it were operational.

Mid-term (Next 3–5 years): We would actively write IRIS into our upcoming major grant/proposal cycles.

Long-term (5+ years): We are interested, but our current funding cycles and project roadmaps are locked in for the foreseeable future.

Unlikely / Not Applicable: We do not foresee a scenario where we would integrate this platform into our funded projects.

In your opinion, what would be the non-negotiables criteria for a platform like IRIS to be genuinely useful for your field operations?

Shape the Future of IRIS

How would you like to stay involved with the development of the IRIS platform?

Contribute to development: I would like to contribute to the technical specifications or follow-up design phases.

Keep me updated: I would like to receive occasional updates about the project's progress.

No contact: I do not wish to receive follow-up communications.