News
PS116 - Weekly Report No. 3 | 26 November - 7 December 2018
Satellite orbits and laser beams
On our way further south, we sailed on various courses and with different speeds.
PS116 - Weekly Report No. 2 | 19 - 25 November 2018
Polarstern in 3D
The arrival of Polarstern in the port of Las Palmas took a little longer, because the dedicated berth was occupied by another vessel. She drifted some miles away from the breakwater to wait for the pilot to come on board and the required permission to go alongside.
PS116 - Weekly Report No. 1 | 11 - 18 November 2018
Begin of the Antartic Season
RV Polarstern left Bremerhaven on 11th November with the high tide around noon. Due to extensive necessary amendments in the shipyard, the departure had been postponed by one day in comparison to the original time planning. This gave all participants the opportunity of a first quiet day on board to get familiar with the ship.
Blog
Polarstern blog
Measuring ice and snow thickness : Poke it with a stick
By Damien Ringeisen | (Last blogpost from PS115.2 expedition to the Arctic after Polarstern’s arrival in Bremerhaven) Is there a more iconic picture than a polar bear stranded on a piece of ice to illustrate climate change? As everybody surely knows, the artic sea ice is melting away. Recent studies show that an ice-free summer in […]
Author: Polarstern Fahrtleiter
Polarstern blog
Some words about geology and the Polarstern…
By Myriam Caron | 81°N 128°E. As an ArcTrain PhD Student studying geology in the polar regions, it is with great excitement that I came on board the R/V Polarstern, with the Arctic Ocean as a destination. After several years spent studying the Arctic, what a joy to finally be able to go there! The first […]
Author: Polarstern Fahrtleiter
Polarstern blog
A visit to the crow’s nest
By Charles Bruntte | 82N, 143E. We wake up to a radiant Sun and a calm sea. This is a very pleasant surprise after a few days of high waves that challenged everyone’s tolerance to motion sickness. Today the wind is low and the air is not too cold. Samira and I take this opportunity […]
Author: Polarstern Fahrtleiter
Where is polarstern?
Figures and facts
| Port of registry | Bremerhaven |
|---|---|
| Length | 118 metres |
| Width | 25 metres |
| Max. draught | 11.20 metres |
| Max. displacement | 17,277 tons |
| Empty weight | 12,012 tons |
| Commissioning AWI | 1982 |
| Engine | 4 x KHD RBV 8M540 |
| Engine power | 19,198 PS (four engines) |
| Range | 19,000 nautical miles / 80 days |
| Max. speed | 16 knots |
| Operation area | Everywhere including pack ice zone |
| Crew | 44 |
| Days on sea per year (2013) | 310 |
| Shipyard | Nobiskrug, Rendsburg and Howaldswerke - Deutsche Werft Kiel AG, Germany |
| Scientists per day / long term sailing | none / 53 |
More Information
Polarstern is not only a research vessel but also a gigantic measuring instrument. Data are constantly collected aboard, some of them are also sent consecutively to different receivers. Further information about Polarstern can be found on the following pages:
AWI
Cruise Reports (data overview)
Extern