Int’l cps- brag lab- wave 1 Theory

Russia has mining claims in many parts of the World Ocean—the UN approved and Russia is getting ready to develop its area

The International Seabed Authority, a U.N. body that oversees mining in international waters, has approved Russia’s request to explore one of the world's largest untapped copper and gold deposits on the Atlantic Ocean bed.¶ The International Seabed Authority, a U.N. body that oversees mining in international waters, has approved Russia’s request to explore one of the world's largest untapped copper and gold deposits on the Atlantic Ocean bed.¶ This is the first time when the UN’s Seabed authority allows explorations in the area of the World Ocean which does not belong to any state’s economic zone. Earlier the UN approved China’s request to explore the western part of the Indian Ocean in search for polymetallic sulphides, which contain base metals that include copper, lead and zinc, as well as gold and silver. Together with the Russian request the agency granted licenses for explorations to two island states in the Pacific Ocean - Nauru and Nonga.¶ Russia began to show interest in the mineral deposits of the Atlantic Ocean 20 years ago. Scientific expeditions had worked there for many years taking samples of water and sea-bed ground. But the international rights of sea-bed explorations changed and it became obligatory for a country to file a request to the UN’s authority. Russia also had to go through this procedure and finally the permission has been received. ¶ The license is valid for 15 years and can be prolonged for five more years. After that the development stage should begin. Now it is already known that the concentration of gold and copper underwater is 5-10 times higher than onshore, Georgy Cherksahov, the Deputy director of the Institute of the World Ocean’s geological and mineral recourses, says.¶ "Our data show that underwater ground contains high concentrations of zinc, lead, cooper, gold and other metals. Their concentration on the sea-bed is much higher than on the continent. Moreover they can be found in the upper layers of the sea-bed and it is not necessary to remove layers above them."¶ Of course, everything is not that simple. Firstly, it will be necessary to develop special equipment for such a production. At present neither Russia nor any other country has it. It will be also necessary to work out an environmental program and to prepare specialists who will work in the ocean in 15 years.¶ By the way, experts in higher education are confident that the preparation of sea geologists and engineers is one of the most promising directions in modern higher education. Considering Russia’s claims on the deposits of the Arctic region and Pacific Ocean such specialists won’t stay unemployed in the coming decades.

Russian Icebreakers

Russia is the only country with nuclear icebreaker experience—new icebreakers on the way—Arctic exploration now

RT 13 [RT is an international multilingual Russian-based television network, “Russia lays down world’s largest icebreaker”, 11/5/13, http://rt.com/news/world-biggest-icebreaker-russia-275/] alla

Russia has started building the world’s largest universal nuclear-powered icebreaker capable of navigating in the Arctic and in the shallow waters of Siberian rivers. The unique vessel will further increase Russia’s dominance in the region.¶ The 173m ship is being built by the Baltiysky Zavod shipyard in St Petersburg, and is planned to be completed by 2017. Once finished the ship will be 14 meters longer and 4 meters wider than the current record holder, “50 year Victory” that is 159 meters long and 30 meters wide. ¶ "There is no doubt that this work will be completed on time and in good quality," said the head of "United Shipbuilding Corporation" Vladimir Shmakov. ¶ In August 2012 Atomflot – a sister company of Rosatom signed a 37 billion ruble ($1.2 billion) contract to begin construction of a "universal" vessel. According to the general director of Atomflot Vyacheslav Ruksha, the Icebreaker LK-60 Project 22220 vessel is likely to be called the "Arctic". ¶ Powered by two “RITM-200” pressurized water reactors the “Arctic” is being built to generate 175MWe. Its efficiency and power allows the new model to crack ice fields 3 meters thick. ¶ The Arctic will be granted the highest ice class – 9, meaning the ship will be able to break ice in the Arctic area all year round. ¶ The new design will allow the icebreaker to alter its draught, or the depth of the loaded vessel in the water between 8.5 to 10.8 meters. This will enable the ship to navigate the shallow waters of Siberian rivers as well as the Arctic and tow ships of up to 70,000 tons. ¶ Atomflot has also announced an 80 million ruble ($2.5 billion) tender for the construction of two similar class icebreakers which will be announced in the near future, and their delivery to the Navy is expected sometime between 2018 and 2020. The main objectives of these new icebreakers would be servicing the Northern Sea Route and carrying out various expeditions to the Arctic. ¶ Constructions of new icebreakers are important for Moscow as Russia is continuing to collect data to expand its continental shelf borders in the Arctic. The US, Canada, Norway, and Denmark and Iceland have also announced claims to exclusive economic rights on the Arctic shelf. Russia argues that “Lomonosov Ridge” is an extension of Siberia’s shelf, and therefore belongs to Russia exclusively. ¶ ¶ Russia, the only country with nuclear powered icebreakers, currently has 5 vessels cruising the Arctic, built between 1985 and 2007. ¶ Russian companies also use "Vaygach" and "Taymyr", two shallow-draft nuclear-powered icebreakers to navigate Siberia’s frozen rivers.

Arctic Exploration

Russian companies like Rosneft have the most data on the Arctic—new sensors solve Arctic mapping

PortNews 14 [PortNews is a leading and widely read source of maritime and river transport news, and a channel of interactions of businesses, government and the media, “The Kara-Winter-2014 Ice Expedition completed”, 6/11/14, http://en.portnews.ru/news/181929/] alla

The Kara-Winter-2014 Ice Expedition organized by the Arctic Research and Design Center (a joint venture of Rosneft and ExxonMobil) with expert support from the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute Federal State Budget Institution was successfully finished, Rosneft said in a press release. ¶ It has become the largest expedition in the Arctic Ocean since the USSR collapse. Within 63 days scientists have been studying least developed areas of three northern seas: the Laptev, Kara, and East-Siberian Seas on board the Yamal Ice-Breaker. The works have been also carried out off the coast of Novaya Zemlya, Severnaya Zemlya archipelagoes, and De Long Islands.¶ There have been carried out ice and meteorological measurements at 35 stations. 40 drifting buoys have been installed at ice fields and icebergs, the westernmost buoy has been installed off the coast of Novaya Zemlya, and the easternmost along Bennett Island in the East Siberian Sea. These buoys allow constant monitoring of ice features coordinates and to determine driftage of their trajectory.¶ There have been never carried out so large-scale studies in the arctic seas before. This was the first time, when physical and chemical properties and morphometric parameters of icebergs and hummocks of the Laptev Sea were studied, as well as water mass distribution, stream, and variability of temperature. Iceberg drift along Severnaya Zemlya archipelago was studied for the first time. Most of the icebergs (about two thousand) have been recorded along the eastern coast of the archipelago. Along Matusevich inlet there has been discovered a giant iceberg of 3x1 km of linear dimensions.¶ Remote-piloted vehicles and helicopter KA-32 were involved in the exploration of ice cover, and unique remotely operated vehicles Gnom with depth of submersion of up to 100 meters for the exploration of sea floor. The participants of Ice Expedition studied the gouging traces at the bottom of the sea, which can show drift directions and maximum keels of hummocks.¶ During the Ice Expedition, scientists were observing oceanic mammals and birds in order to evaluate potential impact of oil production to arctic nature, and to develop environmental regulations for shelf development.¶ On the basis of the received data there will be constructed 3D models of ice features. This will allow Rosneft to determine safe points for exploration works, to design drilling platforms and other constructions for oil production, to choose routes for transportation of hydrocarbons and possible routes of offshore pipelines. The expedition is not only about pragmatic interests of the Company. In the scientific community, data received in the course of this expedition are considered as a breakthrough in studying the Arctic.¶ Rosneft holds 46 licenses for offshore oil and gas exploration and production in the Russian Federation and is the largest Russian offshore subsoil user, its resources amounting to 318 boe. The Russian Arctic sedimentation basins are comparable with the world’s largest oil and gas regions in their total oil and gas potential.

Ocean Satellites

Russia solves ocean satellites

RIA 11 [RIA Novosti is one of the largest news agencies in Russia, “Russia to launch ocean satellite in March”, 1/12/11, http://en.ria.ru/science/20110112/162115755.html] alla

Russia will launch an oceanography satellite in March to keep track of a vast amount of data that will help improve weather, climate and ocean forecasts, a Russian scientist said on Wednesday.¶ "It will be a kind of an orbital 'radio receiver' listening to Earth," said Viktor Savorsky, acting laboratory head at the Institute of Radio and Electronic Technology affiliated with the Russian Academy of Sciences, which developed the satellite equipment.¶ It will provide data, among other things, about oceanic temperature and salinity, as well as moisture levels and temperature on land, which are essential to meteorologists, climatologists and oceanographers, he added.¶ The satellite will use a frequency of 21 centimeters, which ensures the complete "transparency" of the earth's atmosphere, enabling the probe to receive data around the clock regardless of weather conditions.¶ Information from the mission will improve knowledge of changes on the global and regional level and ensure more accurate weather, ocean and climate forecasts.

Russia solves weather satellites—gathers oceanic data

Clark 14 [Stephen, Journalist for Space Flight Now, Space Flight Now is a source of current space news, “Soyuz rocket sends up Russian weather satellite”, 7/8/14, http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1407/08soyuz/#.U79A-_ldWSo] alla

A new Russian weather satellite lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, riding a Soyuz launcher into space with six small piggyback satellites from Britain, the United States and Norway. The polar-orbiting Meteor M2 satellite will track cloud cover, storm systems, temperature and humidity, and polar ice for weather forecasters.¶ The 6,124-pound Meteor M2 satellite launched at 1558:28 GMT (11:58:28 a.m. EDT) from Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, where it was 9:58 p.m. local time.¶ A Soyuz 2-1b rocket -- a modernized version of the venerable Russian launcher -- and a Fregat upper stage were programmed to reach a temporary parking orbit about 11 minutes after liftoff. The hydrazine-fueled Fregat engine fired two times before deploying the Meteor M2 weather observatory about an hour after launch in a sun-synchronous orbit more than 500 miles above Earth at an inclination of 98.8 degrees.¶ The Fregat upper stage reduced its altitude before releasing a small Russian space weather research satellite. A fourth ignition of the Fregat engine set up for separation of five other satellites in a circular orbit with an altitude of about 390 miles.¶ Russian planned a live video stream of the launch on the Internet, but officials announced less than an hour before liftoff there would be no webcast.¶ Designed for a five-year mission, the Meteor M2 weather satellite is the second in a series of upgraded observatories owned by the Russian government. Its launch Tuesday came nearly five years after the launch of the Meteor M1 satellite, which is still operational, according to Roscosmos, the Russian Federal Space Agency.¶ Meteor M2 will collect timely global information for weather forecasting, monitor the ozone layer and the radiation environment in near-Earth space, measure sea surface temperatures, and track ice in the polar regions to aid navigation.¶ The spacecraft's six instruments include multi-channel cameras, a microwave radiometer and infrared sounder to measure temperature and moisture in the atmosphere, an X-band radar payload to detect ice, snow and vegetation, and a radiation detector to probe the environment around the satellite.¶ Meteor M2 also carries a radio system to relay data from remote weather stations and ocean buoys on the ground, according to NPO VNIIEM, the satellite's manufacturer.¶ The satellite will supply data on global weather systems, helping meteorologists craft forecasts.

Russia SMR

Russia is developing the most advanced SMR tech—new commercialization projects and 10 times more funding than the US

Deign 13 [Jason, writer at Nuclear Energy Insider, which is a leading provider of business intelligence to the nuclear energy community, “Floating SMR: Russia’s answer to flexible low maintenance nuclear power?”, 12/4/13, http://analysis.nuclearenergyinsider.com/small-modular-reactors/floating-smr-russia%E2%80%99s-answer-flexible-low-maintenance-nuclear-power] alla

While the US remains the most promising market for SMR development and installation, Russia is making waves with its barge-based technology. It might just be the added-value proposition of low maintenance and no decommissioning that is the clincher.¶ Russia is quite literally pushing the boat out with small modular reactor (SMR) technology. Earlier this year, World Nuclear News reported on how Rosenergoatom, Russia’s state-owned manufacturer, had put two reactors onto a barge in Saint Petersburg after four years of testing.¶ The barge-based plant is intended to set sail for northeast Russia’s Chukotka Peninsula, in the East Siberian Sea, to serve mining interests close to the Arctic, according to reports.¶ But Russia, which is working on a number of SMR variants, clearly expects to be able to commercialise its floating designs abroad, too.¶ “The Russian business model, as I understand it, is that they will simply tow in a 40MWe unit, connect it to your drop line, and provide you with power for up to three years,” says Jay Harris, an SMR consultant based in Canada.¶ “They will either charge you a flat rate to provide the capacity and availability for the power, or use a per-kilowatt-hour fixed price model. When the unit requires service or refuelling, they tow in a new unit and disconnect the old one.”¶ Old reactors will return to a centralised service yard in Russia, he adds, so as well as having no upfront cost the electricity customer does not have to deal with spent fuel issues or even outages.¶ No decommissioning¶ “Costs are fixed and availability is known,” says Harris. “You don’t have to worry about finding financing, cost overruns, delays or finding labour. They do everything. You just pay them for the power you use, or the power available. Also, no decommissioning. They just tow the unit back.”¶ This plug-and-play, pay-as-you-go simplicity contrasts sharply with the situation in the world’s biggest SMR development market, the USA. There, plenty of companies are working on SMR technologies, but few are finding the path towards commercialisation easy.¶ In September, for example, General Atomics presented plans for a so-called Energy Multiplier Module the size of a school bus, using depleted uranium with helium cooling to operate for 30 years without refuelling.¶ General Atomics claims the module, which is designed to be placed underground in sealed containment, has a 53% efficiency, twice that of current light water SMR designs.¶ SMR development in the US took a step forward in 2012 when the Department of Energy (DoE) agreed to pick up half the five-year cost of designing, licensing and commercialising a design.¶ Babcock & Wilcox won the race to pick up the DoE’s Licensing Technical Support Program, to the chagrin of competitors such as Westinghouse, NuScale Power, Gen4 Energy and SMR.¶ Funding opportunity¶ However, all these developers will get another bite of the cherry with a second, USD$452m DoE funding opportunity that is due to close by year-end.¶ While such moves would appear to put the US in good stead as far as SMR development is concerned, US vendors face a challenge because they are essentially trying to commercialise new technologies.¶ In contrast, the Russians are hawking a tried-and-tested technology, according to Harris. “These units are based on existing naval reactors, and have many millions of hours of operating experience between their navy and their icebreaking vessels. It is an existing reactor, not a paper one.”¶ That said, there are also a number of drawbacks with the Russian design. One is its size. The Russian KLT-40S product currently being commercialised, for example, yields 35MWe, making it primarily suitable for off-grid applications.¶ The mPower reactor being designed by Babcock & Wilcox in association with Bechtel and Tennessee Valley Authority, meanwhile, weighs in at between 125 and 180MWe, giving it major grid potential. Westinghouse is looking at a 225MWe design.¶ Another challenge for Russia’s SMRs is that they are water-cooled reactors and so require active cooling, potentially increasing the chances of a failure.¶ In a post-Fukushima world, it is also uncertain how barge-mounted reactors could cope with beyond design-basis accidents such as aircraft crashes.¶ Radiation releases¶ Theoretically, if a barge sinks the reactor would be passively cooled by the surrounding water, although this is unlikely to be of much comfort to communities that might be affected by water-borne radiation releases.¶ “I think some of the old Soviet-influenced zones might be interested for installations on their sea coasts,” says Harris. “I highly doubt any mainland European nations would tolerate such a unit just because of it being a Russian reactor.”¶ This is an opinion and does not necessarily portray what could someday form into an internationally regarded and regulated product in emerging markets. Notably, nothing has yet to prevent US SMR advocates from being frustrated by Russia’s carefree progress towards commercialisation. ¶ Mark Lewis, an energy consultant for the state administration in Arizona, says: “It is annoying to me that the Russians are pouring major research and development into this non-carbon power source and the US is spending one tenth of others’ research and development budgets.¶

Russia is developing floating nuclear power now—past experience with nuclear tech in oceanic conditions

RT 13 [RT is an international multilingual Russian-based television network, “World’s first floating nuclear power plant to begin operating in Russia in 2016”, 7/9/13, http://rt.com/news/floating-nuclear-plant-russia-759/] alla

In three years, Russia will have the world’s first floating nuclear power plant, capable of providing energy and heat to hard-to-get areas as well as drinking water to arid regions.¶ The unique vessel should be operational by 2016, the general director of Russia’s biggest shipbuilders, the Baltic Plant, Aleksandr Voznesensky told reporters at the 6th International Naval Show in St. Petersburg. ¶ The Akademik Lomonosov is to become the spearhead of a series of floating nuclear power plants, which Russia plans to put into mass-production. ¶ The floating power-generating unit, aimed at providing energy to large industrial enterprises, port cities and offshore gas and oil-extracting platforms, was designed on the basis of nuclear reactors which are equipped on the icebreakers ships. The technology has proved itself for over 50 years of successful operation in extreme Arctic conditions. ¶ The floating power plant is a vessel with a displacement of 21,500 tons and a crew of 69 people. It’s non-self-propelled and therefore has to be towed to the desired destination. ¶ Each ship will have two modified KLT-40 naval propulsion reactors together providing up to 70 MW of electricity or 300 MW of heat, which is enough for a city with a population of 200,000 people. ¶ The floating nuclear power plants are expected to be used in remote regions of Russia’s high north and Far East, which currently see economic growth suffering from a lack of energy. ¶ For export purposes, the floating power plant can also be modified as a desalination plant able to produce 240,000 cubic meters of fresh water on a daily basis. ¶ 15 countries, including China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Algeria, Namibia, Cape Verde and Argentina, have previously expressed interest in acquiring such power stations.¶ The manufacturer stresses that the process of fuel enrichment on the vessels complies with the regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) dealing with nonproliferation of nuclear arms. ¶ Like every atomic station the floating power plant is designed with a safety margin, exceeding any possible threats, which makes the reactors invulnerable to tsunami waves or crashes with other ships or on-land structures. ¶ The power-generating unit is to be replaced by a new one after 40 years, with the used reactor returned to a specialized facility for re-utilization. ¶ The vessels are said to be safe for the environment as they don’t release any hazardous substances during operation. ¶ The construction of the maiden floating nuclear power station, Akademik Lomonosov, began in 2007 at the Sevmash Submarine-Building Plant in Severodvinsk. ¶ A year later it was transferred to the Baltic Plant, but was stalled for the last two years due to a lack of financing. ¶ The new deal to finalize the construction of a floating power unit for the floating nuclear power plant was signed between the Baltic plant and the Russiam state Rosenergoatom company in December 2012.

Russia solves floating nuclear power plants—conforms to international safety regulations

Singh 13 [Timon, is a graduate of Liverpool University where he received a degree in Social and Economic History, “Russia Develops World's First Floating Nuclear Power Plant, The Akademik Lomonosov”, 11/4/13, http://inhabitat.com/russia-develops-worlds-first-floating-nuclear-power-plant-the-akademik-lomonosov/] alla

Russia has announced that the world’s first floating nuclear plant will be online by 2019. Shipping corporation LLC Baltiysky Zavod Shipbuilding and the state nuclear power company Rosenergoatom have joined forces to construct the Akademik Lomonosov despite ongoing struggles at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant in Japan.¶ The first-of-its-kind ship will contain a pair of small nuclear KLT-40 naval propulsion reactors that will be capable of generating up to 70 megawatts (MW) of electricity. This is enough to provide electricity, heat and desalinated water to a city of 200,000 people.¶ Construction on the Akademik Lomonosov began on 15 April 2007 at the Sevmash Submarine-Building Plant in Severodvinsk. The ship is estimated to cost $232 million and when it becomes operational will supply power to Severodvinsk town and Sevmash itself.¶ In 2019, when it launches, the 472ft long ship will be crewed by 69 people, who will monitor the on-board reactors.¶ Of course, there are certain safety concerns about what is essentially a mobile nuclear device, but instead of using highly enriched uranium like traditional Russian icebreakers’ reactors, the Akademic Lomonosov’s units will be modified to run on lightly enriched uranium that conform to the International Atomic Energy Commission rules aimed at preventing fuel from being stolen and diverted for use in nuclear weapons.¶ The ship’s owner has also said that the reactors would be “resilient in a disaster,” though they don’t cite what these disasters would be.¶ The floating power station would provide power and heat to isolated consumers in remote areas that do not have centralized power supply. In Russia, there are many large population centers and ports in the Arctic and the Far East coast, not to mention mineral deposits and military bases that would benefit from the energy.¶

Russian Deep Ocean Exploration

Russian deep ocean submersibles solve ocean exploration—98% of the ocean is observable

NOAA 13 [The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere, “The Marvelous Mirs”, 4/16/13, http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/subs/mir/mir.html] alla

The Mir I and Mir II are battery-powered, three-person submersibles with a maximum operating depth of 6,000 m (20,000 ft). This deep-diving capability ranks the Mir vehicles among the deepest diving submersibles ever built, and gives them the capability to reach approximately 98% of the ocean floor.¶ The Mirs allow scientists to observe the deep sea through multiple view ports, video records, instrument placement, sample collecting, and environmental monitoring. The submersibles are launched and recovered with a specialized crane from the starboard side of their primary support vessel the Research Vessel Akademik Mstislav Keldysh.¶ The Keldysh has the advantage of having access to two deep-diving submersibles at the same time. This allows one submersible to conduct science dives while the other remains in "ready" status in case of an emergency. For example, if the working sub were to get stuck at the bottom of the ocean or trapped in abandoned fishing nets, the second sub could be launched and rushed to the site, where it could work to free the first sub. Then too, some research projects benefit from the concurrent use of both submersibles. Indirect lighting of subjects, such as shipwrecks, is a special task best completed by the Mirs in tandem.¶ Each submersible is 7.8 m long and weighs 18.6 tons. The personnel sphere of each sub is just over 2 m in diameter and is made of a 5-cm-thick combination of nickel and steel. The pilot and crew spend a long time in that small sphere, as the Mirs descend and ascend at the rather slow rate of 35-40 m/min. Reaching the full depth of 6,000 m can take more than 2 hrs! Once on the bottom, the Mirs can travel at up to 5 knots thanks to their large maneuverable propellers. Smaller steering propellers are located on each side. An adjustable ballast system allows the pilot to control the submersible’s buoyancy and hover over the bottom like an underwater helicopter.¶ To observe the ocean, the crew can peer out of a huge viewing port. While looking out the window is great, the primary data that come from submersible dives are videos. Six 5,000-watt lights allow for excellent filmmaking. Scientists are not the only ones to employ the Mirs in underwater filming. Director James Cameron used them to make his blockbuster Titanic, and they have also been used for IMAX films.¶ In addition to video capabilities, both submersibles have versatile manipulator arms. A skilled pilot can use the arms to collect biological and geological samples. The arms are also used for many other tasks. They include placing small temperature recorders into hydrothermal vents, and gently pushing the sub backward when the pilot wants to avoid stirring up sediments with the thrusters.¶ In recent years, the Mir submersibles have continually been at the forefront of deep-ocean exploration. They have been used to survey and document submerged World War II vessels such as the German battleship Bismarck and Japanese submarine I-52, and the Russian nuclear submarines Kursk and Komsomolets. In 2007, the Mirs were part of an international expedition to reach the North Pole seafloor, and in 2008-2009 they were used extensively to study Lake Baikal, the world’s oldest and deepest body of fresh water.¶ Just like the Russian space station with which they share their name, the marvelous Mir submersibles are valuable tools for exploring the unknown.

The Mir submersibles can withstand the depth and cold of the North Pole’s waters—Russian tech solves deep ocean observation

Broad 8 [William J., is a science journalist and senior writer at The New York Times. He shared two Pulitzer Prizes with his colleagues, as well as an Emmy Award and a DuPont Award, “Russian Scientists Honored for Exploration of Arctic Seabed”, 3/18/08, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/18/science/18pola.html?_r=0’] alla

Move over, polar bears. The standard view of Arctic life is changing after a team led by Russian scientists plunged through pack ice around the North Pole last August and descended more than two miles through pitch darkness to the ocean bottom. They accomplished the historic first in twin submersibles. Hovering above the ooze, lights blazing, the explorers found a previously hidden world of Arctic life, including wiggling fish with long tails, fields of burrowing sea anemones and shrimp-like crustaceans that danced beneath the bright lights.¶ “A world that had forever lain in complete darkness” is how the team described the eerie panorama.¶ The team recently submitted an 18-page report on the dive to the Explorers Club, which honored the expedition’s chief scientist on Saturday night in New York.¶ The findings help discredit the old view of the deep ocean as a biological desert. Instead, though dark and frigid, it turns out to seethe with life, even miles beneath the pole’s frozen wastelands.¶ The team dived in Moscow’s twin submersibles. The size of small trucks, both are named Mir, Russian for peace.¶ Each Mir has a superstrong personnel sphere that protects a pilot and two observers, and each sphere has tiny portholes designed to withstand the crushing pressures of the deep sea so occupants can peer out. Typically, a dive into the abyss is an all-day affair, requiring hours to and from the bottom.

AT: RT=Biased

AT : RT=Biased

Abbruzzese 14 [Jason, is a Business Reporter at Mashable, Mashable is a British-American news website, technology and social media blog, “Russia's English-Language TV Channel: We're Biased and So Are You”, 3/5/14, http://mashable.com/2014/03/05/rt-russian-english-tv/] alla

RT, the Russian government-funded English-language television channel, presents its country’s view of the world.¶ So, it claims, does every other broadcaster. RT is just honest enough to admit it.¶ “Media outlets do not exist in a vacuum. Can you really expect any American corporate-owned news network to report a story in a way that goes against the U.S. national interest? Or Euronews to not advocate [European Commission] positions?” said Margarita Simonyan, who has led the editorial side of RT since its inception in 2004 as Russia Today. The Ukranian conflict has put RT in the spotlight like never before in its nine-year history. RT portrays its coverage as reflective of the Russian perspective on this topic. Some U.S. news media outlets charge RT is merely disseminating propaganda and oddball stories like action star Steven Seagal’s recent media critique.¶ BuzzFeed noted other examples including a report that labeled Russian military a “stabilizing force for Ukraine" and supposed Ukranian appeals to a Chechen terrorist.¶ The attention was compounded earlier this week when Abby Martin, an RT anchor, delivered a Network-like rant against Russia's role in the conflict. “Russia was wrong,” said Martin, from RT's Washington bureau headquarters. Martin's tirade was followed by an emotional on-air resignation by another RT anchor, Liz Wahl. Wahl said she couldn't stand "whitewashing" Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions anymore.¶ RT issued a statement about Wahl's resignation to Mashable, published below, that read in part: "When a journalist disagrees with the editorial position of his or her organization, the usual course of action is to address those grievances with the editor, and, if they cannot be resolved, to quit like a professional. But when someone makes a big public show of a personal decision, it is nothing more than a self-promotional stunt."¶ Though there are rare parallels in U.S. journalism of high-profile journalists questioning their government — like Walter Cronkite's 1968 advocacy of a Vietnam pullout — such sentiment is highly unusual for any anchor, much less one from a state-owned media company.¶ George Galloway, a British minister of parliament who also hosts a show on RT, said media watchers shouldn't be shocked that RT has a different way of looking at the world than most Americans — and even its own American anchors.¶ “Every television station has its own bias. You are talking to me from the land of Fox News, so most of this kind of criticism is completely hollow as far as I’m concerned,” said Galloway. “Every state broadcaster like the BBC supports the prevailing view, the prevailing orthodoxy of its state. RT is no different in that regard.”¶ If RT's goal is to disperse propaganda, it's doing so under the pretext of a mainstream news outlet. Even amidst the latest sturm and drang over Ukraine, RT comes across in most ways like a straightforward news outlet, albeit one that leans more to the left than most when it comes to U.S. topics.¶ Originally called Russia Today, the company rebranded to RT in 2009. Simoyan said the move was an attempt to broaden the channel's audience and not meant to hide its Russian origins.¶ While the homepage is particularly heavy on Ukraine news right now, it also features stories on Facebook’s drone efforts, an air race world championship and Brazil celebrating the first day of Carnival in Brazil.¶ Unlike stereotypical Soviet-era media like TASS or Pravda, RT coverage has earned somewhat of a reputation for journalistic integrity. It's been nominated for various awards including an International Emmy for its Occupy Wall Street Coverage. The channel also recently inked a deal to feature Larry King’s online talk shows.¶ In addition, RT has massive reach, beaming to some 644 million people in more than 100 countries. It has also found some success with its YouTube channel, which hit 1 billion views in June. In comparison, CNN’s channel sits just below 350 million. It has a headcount of around 2,000 globally with about 100 in its Washington D.C. bureau.¶ Funding for the channel comes from the Russian government. That's a fairly unusual arrangement in the U.S., but not abroad, where other outlets, including the BBC, have been government funded and editorially independent, Simonyan said.

Russia DA Link

Plan encroaches on Russia’s Influence in the Arctic—increased competition over resources and military buildup

Mitchell 14 [Jon, is an independent writer working to cultivate experience in foreign policy and political-military analysis. He is pursuing his Master’s degree in public policy, with a concentration in international affairs, “Russia’s Territorial Ambition and Increased Military Presence in the Arctic” 4/23/14, http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2014/04/23/russias-territorial-ambition-and-increased-military-presence-in-the-arctic/] alla

As the U.S. and E.U. keep a very close eye on the situation with Russia and Ukraine, Russia is also increasing its presence and influence elsewhere: the Arctic – a melting region that is opening up prime shipping lanes and real estate with an estimated $1 trillion in hydrocarbons.[1] With the opening of two major shipping routes, the North Sea route and the Northwest Passage, the potential for economic competition is fierce, especially among the eight members of the Arctic council: Canada, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Russia, and the United States.[2]¶ President Putin made statements this week concerning Russia’s national interests in the Arctic region: chiefly, militarization and the preparation of support elements for commercial shipping routes.[3] The Russian President called for full government funding for “socio-economic development” from 2017-2020, including a system of Russian naval bases that would be home to ships and submarines allocated specifically for the defense of national interests that involve the protection of Russian oil and gas facilities in the Arctic.[4] Russia is also attempting to accelerate the construction of more icebreakers to take part in its Arctic strategy.[5]¶ The Russian Federation recently staked a territorial claim in the Sea of Okhotsk for 52,000 square kilometers,[6] and is currently preparing an Arctic water claim for 1.2 million square kilometers.[7] The energy giant owns 43 of the approximate 60 hydrocarbon deposits in the Arctic Circle.[8] With Russian energy companies already developing hydrocarbon deposits and expanding border patrols on its Arctic sea shelf (in place by July 1, 2014),[9] Putin is actively pursuing a strong approach to the Arctic region. Russian oil fields, which significantly contribute to the country’s revenue, are in decline – forcing Russian oil companies to actively explore the Arctic region.[10] While the U.S. Defense Secretary called for a peaceful and stable Arctic region with international cooperation, the Arctic has created increased militarization efforts, particularly by Russia.¶ Already the Arctic has seen powerful warships of Russia’s Northern Fleet, strategic bomber patrols, and airborne troop exercises.[11] In fact, Russian military forces have been permanently stationed in the Arctic since summer 2013.[12] According to a source in the Russian General Staff, a new military command titled Northern Fleet – Joint Strategic Command, will be created and tasked to protect Russian interests in its Arctic territories; a strategy that was approved in 2009.[13] Furthermore, weapons developers are being tasked with creating products that can face the harsh Arctic environment. According to an RT report, “Putin ordered the head of the Russian arms industry, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, to concentrate the efforts on creation of Arctic infrastructure for the soonest deployment of troops. Rogozin reported that all Russian weapons systems can be produced with special features needed in the extreme North and the weapons companies were ready to supply such arms to the Defense Ministry.”[14]¶ The “Arctic infrastructure” that Rogozin refers to will include Navy and Border Guard Service bases.[15] These bases are part of Putin’s aim to strengthen Russian energy companies and military positions in the Arctic region. In 2013, a formerly closed down base was reopened in the Novosibirsk Islands and is now home to 10 military ships and four icebreakers – a move that Reuters called “a demonstration of force.”[16] The Defense Ministry is also planning on bringing seven airstrips in the Arctic back to life.[17]¶ Russia’s militarization in the Arctic region is only a part of its increasing activity throughout the globe. Vice Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said, “It’s crucially important for us to set goals for our national interests in this region. If we don’t do that, we will lose the battle for resources which means we’ll also lose in a big battle for the right to have sovereignty and independence.”[18] On the contrary, Aleksandr Gorban, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry is quoted saying that a “war for resources”[19] in the Arctic will never happen.¶ But what was once a more hands-off region of the world that provided international cooperation and stability is now turning into a race for sovereignty and resources claims – as evidenced not only by Russia’s increasing military presence, but also Canada and the United States. Canada is now allocating part of its defense budget towards armed ships that will patrol its part of the Arctic Circle,[20] while the United States has planned a strategy of its own. In addition to conducting military exercises with other Arctic nation members, the U.S. Navy has proposed a strategy titled The United States Navy Arctic Roadmap for 2014 to 2030 that was released in February 2014. The 2013 National Strategy for the Arctic Region, cited in the Arctic Roadmap, provides the Navy’s two specific objectives for the Arctic: 1) advance United States’ security interests; and 2) strengthen international cooperation.[21] According to the strategy, the Navy’s role will primarily be in support of search and rescue, law enforcement, and civil support operations.[22] However, this may grow to a more militarized strategy depending on the U.S. government’s view of Russia’s increased military activity in the Arctic region over the next few years. In either case, the U.S. is falling behind in Arctic preparation. It has very few operational icebreakers for the Arctic region where its only primary presence is seen through nuclear submarines and unmanned aerial vehicles, according to an RT article.[23] Until 2020, the Navy will primarily use its submarines and limited air assets in the Arctic, while its mid-term and far-term strategy emphasizes personnel, surface ships, submarines, and air assets that will be prepared for Arctic conditions and operations.[24] Despite its mid and long-term strategy, the U.S. will already be lagging in establishing a military presence to compete with Russia’s, who already has strategies in motion until 2020 and later.¶ Last month, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for a united Canadian-U.S. counterbalance to Russia’s Arctic presence, pointing out “they have been aggressively reopening military bases.”[25] While the U.S. cannot legitimately criticize Putin for opening military bases and simultaneously avoid blatant hypocrisy, it is worth noting that Russia is developing a strong military presence in a potentially competitive region. Russia’s plans to reopen bases and create an Arctic military command fosters the conclusion that Russia wants to be the first established dominant force in a new region that will host economic competition and primary shipping lanes, albeit in a harsh environment that makes it difficult to extract resources. Nicholas Cunningham aptly stated “both Russia and the West fear losing out to the other in the far north, despite what appears to be a small prize.”[26]¶ Although the Arctic holds a mass of the world’s oil and gas deposits, the extreme environment and remote location makes it difficult to produce energy quickly and efficiently. Despite this, the Russian Federation is focused on developing disputed hydrocarbon areas that it claims are part of the country’s continental shelf. In addition, Russia is allocating funds and forces to the Arctic to protect its interests. While the U.S. is currently lacking in natural resource development and exploitation in the Arctic Circle, it desires to display a show of strength in the cold region to compete with potential Russian domination and influence. But because the Defense Department faces constant budget cuts, preparing an Arctic naval force will be slow and difficult. For now, the United States can only show strength through nuclear submarines and drone technology.¶ Putin and the Russian Federation are laying disputed claims to territories both inside and outside the Arctic while creating the foundation for a potential military buildup in the Arctic – provided that the U.S. and Canada can even allocate sufficient budgets for Arctic military expansion. One thing is sure: if the Arctic region continues to melt and open up vital shipping lanes, there must be international cooperation to provide security and rescue elements for commercial shipping. Since Russia has significant territorial claims and the most coastlines in the Arctic Circle, it would be natural for the Russian Federation to have a wide security presence in the region, but this must be coupled with international cooperation in commercial shipping lanes and by providing support elements, such as search and rescue. The United States will not be able to fully compete with a country that is heavily investing in the Arctic region – particularly due to budget constraints and lack of Arctic-prepared vessels. If the U.S. desires to limit Russian influence and territorial claims, it must do so by partnering with other members of the Arctic council – not by entering into a military buildup simply to dominate Russia in the Arctic.

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