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Annette-Barthelt-Preis würdigt herausragende Abschlussarbeiten

[Translate to English:] Annette-Barthelt-Preis 2024: Preisträgerin Dr. Jenna Balaguer
[25. March 2024]  Dr Jenna Balaguer with her dissertation on the role of micronutrients for phytoplankton growth in the Antarctic and Dr Jonas Preine with his dissertation on the development of the marine volcanic field in the southern Aegean have been awarded the Annette Barthelt Prize 2024. The award is associated with a research grant of 6000 euros funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and was presented on Friday at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel.


There are large accumulations of plastics in the ocean, even outside so-called garbage patch

A UFZ and AWI study reveals microplastics in remote marine protected area

[19. March 2024]  When plastic ends up in the ocean, it gradually weathers and disintegrates into small particles. In a recent study, a research team from the Helmholtz Centres UFZ and AWI, has found large quantities of plastic waste and microplastics in a remote marine protected area in the Pacific Ocean. These quantities were similar to those found in one of the world’s largest known garbage patches. The researchers highlight that plastics are distributed much more widely than expected, threatening the entire ocean ecosystem . 


Working together to systematically improve our understanding of marine ecosystems

The AWI is involved in the new international research centre AIMEC, which celebrates its kick-off in Japan today

Müll im Meer
[08. March 2024]  Marine ecosystems are an important part of our earth and climate system. However, their structures and functions are changing under the influence of human activities and climate change. In order to better understand how they react to the dynamics of the Earth-human system and how they adapt, leading international research institutions have founded the Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC). The Alfred Wegener Institute is part of the new institute.


Sediment core shows climate changes in the Patagonian ice sheet

[Translate to English:] Patagonien
[06. March 2024]  Continental glaciers and ice sheets are excellent indicators of current and past climate changes. The Patagonian ice sheet was the largest ice sheet in the Southern Hemisphere apart from the Antarctic in the Earth's history. Researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute have now used a sediment core to demonstrate the climate sensitivity of this ice sheet over the last 140,000 years and published their findings in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academie of Sciences.


Antarctica

Breaching 2 °C warming could lead to significant melting of the Filchner Ronne Ice Shelf

Info graph Filchner
[28. February 2024]  Exceeding 2 °C of global warming compared to the pre-industrial period is likely to result in significantly increased deep water temperatures in the Filchner Trough in the Weddell Sea in Antarctica, reports a modelling study lead by researchers of the Alfred Wegener Institute and published in Communications Earth & Environment. This warmer water could lead to a significantly increased melting rate of the Filchner Ronne Antarctic ice shelf, resulting in a substantial rise in global sea levels.


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