News

New Rhizo­bia-di­atom sym­bi­osis solves long-stand­ing mar­ine mys­tery

[10. May 2024]  Forschende des Max-Planck-Instituts für Marine Mikrobiologie unter Beteiligung des Alfred-Wegener-Institut haben im Meer eine bisher unbekannte Partnerschaft zwischen einer Kieselalge und einem Bakterium gefunden, die für große Teile der Stickstofffixierung in weiten Ozeanregionen verantwortlich sein kann. Der neu beschriebene, bakterielle Symbiont ist eng verwandt mit stickstofffixierenden Rhizobien, die mit vielen Kulturpflanzen zusammenleben. Diese jetzt in der Fachzeitschrift Nature beschriebene Entdeckung könnte neue Wege für die Entwicklung von stickstofffixierenden Pflanzen eröffnen.

Cruise Ship as Data Collector

Helmholtz Innovation Platform and HX Hurtigruten Expeditions Try New Approaches in Ocean Observation

[07. May 2024]  Scientific research - not only confined to dedicated research vessels but also from non-scientific vessels and marine infrastructures. This is one of the ideas promoted by the Helmholtz Innovation Platform SOOP. SOOP aims to develop new technologies and structures for ocean observation and has recently initiated a cooperation with HX Hurtigruten Expeditions. During cruise voyages to remote regions, ocean data will be collected for scientific purposes.

Weakening of Antarctic bottom water circulation is noticeable in the North Atlantic

A recent study with AWI participation indicates that the deep-sea current in the North Atlantic has weakened by around twelve per cent in the last two decades, presumably due to a reduced formation of Antarctic water masses

[19. April 2024]  At depths of more than 4,000 meters, cold, dense water masses from the Southern Ocean flow northwards into the large ocean basins, such as the Atlantic. This Antarctic bottom water drives deep-sea currents all over the world and circulates water masses to transport oxygen far down into the depths. An international research team, including the Alfred Wegener Institute, has now discovered that ocean currents have weakened by around twelve per cent due to the Antarctic bottom water. 

AWI Potsdam coordinates new project

Helmholtz invests 23 million in research on AI foundation models

[18. April 2024]  In climate research, medicine, or the exploration of new materials for the energy transition, huge amounts of data are being generated. However, their full potential can only be realized if scientists can analyze ever-larger amounts of data. A new generation of AI foundation models is now poised to tackle a range of major challenges in science. The Alfred Wegener Institute is involved in two of the four pilot projects funded by the Helmholtz Association, one in a leading role. Helmholtz is funding the projects and the necessary infrastructure with around 23 million euros.

Ice sheets

Rapid growth of land ice due to summer snowfall

[12. April 2024]  During the Last Glacial Maximum, the Laurentide ice sheet covered large parts of North America, before it finally melted at the end of the ice age. In a new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience, researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) have used a newly developed climate-ice model to draw conclusions about its spatial expansion. They discovered that in particular the snowfall in summer favoured the growth of the ice sheet.

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