News

New findings on pockmarks in the North Sea

[21. December 2023]  A new study from the Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU) investigates crater-like depressions on the seabed, so-called pockmarks. Previous research has been assuming that they are caused by rising gases and liquids. However, the study published in Communications Earth & Environment proposes an alternative assumption: Instead of gases and liquids, vertebrates may be the key to explaining pockmarks. Dr. Jasper Hoffmann from the Alfred Wegener institute, Helmholtz centre for polar and marine research (AWI), was part of this project. The University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover and the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde were also involved.

Ice core processing at the AWI ice laboratories

[06. December 2023]  At the AWI ice laboratories, part of an ice core from the North Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS) is currently being tested. The core was collected during “EastGRIP”, a joint project involving several international partners. Working together, they drilled to a depth of 2,668 metres, allowing them to penetrate the entire ice stream and reach the rocky substrate below. The analysis of the ice core is to yield new insights into the behaviour of ice streams and improve our grasp of how they could contribute to future sea-level rise. Another goal is to record past climatic conditions beneath the northeast section of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Numerous laboratories around the globe plan to analyse the data.

Climate research

Fossil CO2 emissions reach record high

If emissions remain this high, the remaining carbon budget to keep to the 1.5°C target will be used up in seven years

[05. December 2023]  The time left to reach the climate goals of the Paris Agreement is running out fast. This is the conclusion of the latest Global Carbon Budget, which is published annually by the Global Carbon Project (GCP). The GCP is an association of international scientists with a large German contingent, including amongst others LMU geographers Julia Pongratz and Clemens Schwingshackl, who are part of the core writing team, and AWI scientist Judith Hauck. According to the report, global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use will amount to 36.8 billion metric tons in 2023, a record high that exceeds the 2022 level by 1.1%.

Research to continue on Arctic amplification and its global impacts

Collaborative Research Centre / Transregio 172 “Arctic Amplification (AC)³” renewed again

[27. November 2023]  The Collaborative Research Centre “Arctic Amplification: Climate Relevant Atmospheric and Surface Processes and Feedback Mechanism (AC)³” is to enter its third funding phase. From January 2024, the research network, which also includes the AWI will continue its ground-breaking work for another four years.

Coastal Research

German-Tunisian project to preserve the coastline

From the sunny south into the stormy North Sea weather

[14. November 2023]  Dwindling beaches on the Tunisian island of Djerba are the focus of a week-long workshop taking place at the Alfred Wegener Institute on Helgoland from 14 November. As part of the ORIENTATE project, 15 students and representatives of youth and tourism organisations from Tunisia will meet with their German colleagues.

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