Arctic
Arctic sea ice continues to track far below average
Sea ice-extent shrinks to a yearly minimum of 4.4 million square kilometres, the sixth lowest value since observations began in 1979
When the summer melting of the Arctic sea ice ends in the middle of September, the minimum ice extent is likely to have decreased to an area of 4.4 (+/- 0.1) million square kilometres.
New Construction
Site preparation for AWI's Technical Centre gets underway
Information at the “Geestemünde geht zum Wasser” event on Klußmannstraße
The site preparation for the Technical Centre starts in mid-September. The new building on Klußmannstraße is part of the AWI campus in the 'Handelshafen' area. Anyone interested can find out more on-site on Sunday, 16 September.
Nature Communications Study
Coastal erosion in the Arctic intensifies global warming
Sea level rise in the past led to the release of greenhouse gases from permafrost
The loss of arctic permafrost deposits by coastal erosion could amplify climate warming via the greenhouse effect. A study using sediment samples from the Sea of Okhotsk on the eastern coast of Russia led by AWI researchers revealed that the loss of Arctic permafrost at the end of the last glacial period led to repeated sudden increases in the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere.
New Study
Kidnapping in the Antarctic animal world?
A puzzling relationship between amphipods and pteropods
Pteropods or sea snails, also called sea angels, produce chemical deterrents to ward off predators, and some species of amphipods take advantage of this by carrying pteropods piggyback to gain protection from their voracious predators. There is no recognisable benefit for the pteropod. On the contrary they starve: captured between the amphipod’s legs they are unable to feed.
Highest-valued European environmental award
Prof. Antje Boetius receives the 2018 German Environmental Award
Federal President Steinmeier to honour the deep-sea and polar researcher at the end of October
The 2018 German Environmental Award goes to Antje Boetius and a team of wastewater experts from Leipzig. The Director of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) is glad to see the deep seas and polar regions, the last great expanses of unspoiled nature, attracting more attention. Helmholtz President Prof. Otmar D. Wiestler has praised Boetius as a strong advocate for preserving our oceans.
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