In summer 2009, the MY Arctic Sunrise sails to the Arctic to document the dire effects climate change has on one of the most fragile environments in the world. During the tour, independent scientists from 6 separate universities/institutes use the ship, helicopter, boats and assistance of the crew, to collect data and research the impacts of climate change on the region. The team conducts important glaciology research, in some of Greenland's key outlet glaciers, including Petermann, Humboldt, Helheim and Kangerdlugsuaq. Valuable data that scientists collected from these areas was later processed by the scientists towards papers released during 2010, concerning the action of subtropical currents on Greenland's glaciers, some of which have been found to be accelerating. Later, the ship travels to Fram Strait and seas to the east of Greenland and north-west of Svalbard to research the effects of climate change on fast depleting sea ice. The depletion of Arctic sea ice has serious implications for many reasons, including threats to vulnerable species likes polar bears.