Please find further information on the scientific background in this PDF and the mentioned appendixes 1 to 4.

The risk assessment conducted by the National Institute of Oceanography and the Alfred Wegener Institute can be found here, the mentioned appendixes here: Annex 1, Annex 2, Annex 3, Annex 4

On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Science independent international institutes assesed the risk analysis from Alfred Wegener Institute and the National Institute of Oceanography. Here are their results:

British Antarctic Survey (22 January 2009)

IFM GEOMAR (January 2009)

University of Heidelberg (25 January 2009)

University of Kiel (22 January 2009)