Changes in the winter wind field broke up floating sea ice to create cracks that suggest the "opening of a Venetian blind, " said Dr Serreze.

BBC: Record ice loss in Arctic

But the appointment of Harris, who started his coaching career at Featherstone Rovers in 2009 before joining Noble at Crusaders last winter, now has responsibility for on-field affairs in his first top job.

BBC: Iestyn Harris replaces Brian Noble as Crusaders coach

Though the field sits in shallow water, this part of the Caspian freezes over in winter and fierce winds blow chunks of ice into the islands that the consortium has built to develop the field.

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One afternoon last winter, two ships lined up side by side in a field of pack ice at the mouth of the Ross Sea, off the coast of Antarctica.

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