Tara Polar Station
The Tara Polar Station drift program aims to better understand the impact of climate change in the Arctic and the rest of the planet. Improving the knowledge of biodiversity by exploring regions that are still hardy accessible today is a key element of the series of drift expeditions between 2025 and 2045. During these 20 years, 10 year-long drift studies in the Arctic Ocean are planned. The work is based on the collaboration of an international and interdisciplinary consortium of more than 30 partners. The work will analyze the consequences of melting sea ice and pollution on the unique and fragile ecosystems, observe Arctic fish stocks and aims to discover new molecules, species, and processes.
The platform was build and is mainly financed by the Tara Foundation (France) and is coordinated though an international consortium. Tara Polar Station was baptized in Lorient, France, in April 2025 and will realize the first drift in the Arctic Ocean starting in summer 2026. Before this, different test campaigns are planned, including a shorter drift in Fram Strait in summer 2025 and winter experiments in Svalbard.
Contact:
Associated AWI science partners:
Physical oceanography: Benjamin Rabe
Atmospheric physics: Sandro Dahlke
Polar biological oceanography: Katja Metfies
Marine biogeosciences: Clara Hoppe
Science Program
- Essential Arctic Observatory – baseline measurements and montoring
M. Nicolaus, M. Ardyna, M.-N. Houssais, J.-C. Raut - Atmosphere-Biosphere interactions
J. Schmale, M. Flores, K. Law et al. - Microbial life in Arctic sea ice
M. Vancoppenolle, J. Deming, S. Rysgaard et al. - Epi/meso-pelagic life in an ice covered ocean
M. Geoffroy, I. Polyakov, M. Reigstad et al. - Contaminant monitoring and ecotoxicological risks
J-F. Ghiglione, L-E. Heimbürger-Boavida
In addition, the operational overview and overall coordination is lead by R. Troublé, C. Bowler, M. Babin, L. Karp-Boss
- Better understand impacts of climate change in the Arctic and on the rest of the planet
- Improve knowledge of biodiversity on Earth by exploring regions inaccessible today
- Analyze consequences of melting sea ice and pollution on unique and fragile ecosystems
- Observe Arctic fish stocks and the impact of the arrival of more temperate species
- Life in a frozen ocean: analogues to other ocean planets and bioprospecting with new potential applications
- What are long-term responses of the central Arctic ecosystem?
- How is biology constrained by- and modifies sea ice ?
- How do oceanographic, biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles work in the CAO?
- What are the dominant microbial and climate feedbacks in the Arctic atmosphere?
- What contaminants / pollutants are in the CAO and how are they changing?
AWI sea ice physics is a key partner of the observational program at Tara Polar Station. The main contribution is the under-ice ROV system 'Ann', which is permanently installed on the station. It will be used for regular (e.g., weekly) surveys of the under-ice environment around the station. The operational range is up to 300m and the deployment is realized through the moon-pool of the station.
Another contribution is the conceptual design of all sea ice-related work during the drift stations and the planning of the scientific program: instruments, measurement setup, training of personnel, supervision of the measurements during the drift, data processing and publication.
Our direct contributions are:
- ROV Ann operations: optical properties, sea ice mass balance, surface oceanography
- Autonomous systems on the ice: sea ice mass balance, radiation stations, cameras (see also meereisportal.de)
- Sea ice coring
- Sea ice transects for sea ice thickness and snow depth
- Provision of sea ice tools and gear
