China's seventh Arctic expedition using the Chinese icebreaker Xuelong returned to its research base in Shanghai on Monday after a 78-day mission.
 

本周一，中国第七支北极科考队在结束为数78天的科研考查任务后，乘坐中国雪龙号破冰船回到位于上海的研究基地。
 

Xuelong set out from Shanghai on July 11 and has since traveled 13,000 nautical¹ miles to explore marine² areas such as the Bering Sea, the Chukchi Sea and the Canada Basin.

 

The team traveled as far as 82.53 degrees north latitude³, and for the first time explored the Mendeleev Ridge⁴ in the Arctic Ocean.

 

Scientists studied marine meteorology, geology and chemistry, and surveyed seven ice stations, while the expedition smoothly⁵ completed all its scheduled tasks, said Li Yuansheng, chief scientist on the expedition.

 

The expedition team laid several observation buoys⁶ in various seas and explored deep stratums by creating an artificial seismic⁷ wave.

 

Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, was equipped with two helicopters, research support and emergency equipment during the expedition. The Ukraine-built ship was first put into use in 1994 and can break ice that is 1.2 meters thick.

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