A planned eight-month scientific expedition will depart from Norway to investigate life in the Arctic Ocean as changing climate and pollution alter northern waters. Six scientists and six crew members will travel to Kirkenes, a remote town in northern Norway near the Russian border, in order to begin work aboard the French-built Tara polar research station. The vessel is designed to operate in extreme conditions, including prolonged darkness during the polar night and temperatures that can fall as low as about -50°C (-58°F). After arriving in Norway on 14 August, the team will wait for suitable conditions and for an icebreaker to create a path before departure. The expedition then proceeds as the station enters the pack ice and is effectively frozen in, with the ship drifting slowly across the Arctic region toward Greenland. The voyage includes overwintering onboard the vessel during the long polar night period, with the aim of collecting observations and sampling to look for new species and better understand Arctic ecosystems and microbial life in an environment that is difficult to access and has been comparatively less studied.