Research aircraft from the Alfred Wegener Institute have been surveying the ice-covered ArcticOcean for 30 years. The immense effort of the past 52 expeditions has paid off: 40,000 km of measurement data [...] aeroplane- and helicopter-based measurement series in the world that has been carried out in the Arctic over such a long period. Currently, two Basler BT-67 aircraft are in operation: the Polar 5 and Polar
AWI researcher Melanie Bergmann has now analysed in detail the level of pollution on the ocean floor of the Arctic. The results are disquieting. When AWI marine biologist Melanie Bergmann is out at sea, [...] displays a new photo, a snapshot from the depths, a new glimpse of the Arctic seafloor. The photos are produced by the OFOS (Ocean Floor Observation System) – a heavy steel frame that the ship slowly tows [...] It may be transported to the Arctic from the more populated North Atlantic; or it could be from the ships that are now venturing farther and farther northwards as the Arctic’s sea-ice cover recedes. “Unlike
ArcticOcean This September, the Arctic sea ice extent has shrunk to 4.1 million square kilometres (sq km)-the second lowest in the history of satellite measurements. It is exceeded only by the all-time [...] all-time record low of 3.4 million sq km in 2012. "Once again, a massive loss of sea ice in the Arctic," says Prof. Lars Kaleschke from Universität Hamburg's Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability
the ice of the Arctic, unknown habitats conceal an unexpected variety of living beings. On October 23rd, 46 scientists are expected to return to the home port in Bremerhaven from an Arctic expedition with [...] with the research vessel Polarstern. Over the past six weeks, they had explored life in ice, ocean and seabed with new robots and camera systems.
, e.g. in water bodies, the soil and the air. Via ocean currents and rivers, the tiny plastic particles can even reach the Arctic, Antarctic or ocean depths. A new overview study has now shown that wind [...] the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies in Potsdam, and the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel – describes how microplastic finds its way into the atmosphere and how it is subsequently
Arctic cod is the most abundant fish in the ArcticOcean. It is an important food source for Arctic marine mammals and plays an important role in the self-sufficiency of the Inuit. An international study [...] now evaluated the most important scientific work on Arctic cod of the past decades. The conclusion: Above all, the already advanced decline in arctic sea ice cover as a result of man-made climate change
of plastic has reached all spheres of the Arctic: large quantities of plastic - transported by rivers, the air and shipping- can now be found in the ArcticOcean. High concentrations of microplastic can
Biodiversity Massive sponge gardens thrive on top of seamounts in the Central ArcticOcean, one of the most oligotrophic seas on Earth. They appear to feed on the remnants of an extinct fauna. Micr [...] Communications . They stress the need for a better understanding of the diversity and uniqueness of Arctic ecosystems in the light of global and local change.
have now analysed. Their most important finding: even a short-term influx of warm water into the ArcticOcean would suffice to fundamentally impact the local symbiotic communities, from the water’s surface [...] Climate Change The warming of arctic waters in the wake of climate change is likely to produce radical changes in the marine habitats of the High North. This is indicated by data from long-term observations
been studying how ocean acidification impacts fish and other ocean dwellers. Ocean Collection Climate Change and the Ocean Special reprint collection, which contains the major ocean chapters of the 5th [...] Ocean Acidification Ocean acidification - The evil twin of global warming The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the air alters the chemistry of the ocean. That has consequences for ocean dwellers [...] ("Year of Science") Seas and Oceans, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research has published a brochure on ocean acidification, which can be downloaded as pdf. Facts Ocean Acidification at a Glance The