• Development and dynamics of ice sheets

    Extent of the Arctic ice sheets during the last glacial (Graphic: Catalina Gebhardt) In contrast to the continent Antarctica, the Arctic region consists of a large marine basin. Therefore, Arctic ice sheets [...] Siberia-Chukchi Ice Sheet. During their maximum extent, these ice sheets reached far into the Arctic Ocean, and signs of glacial overprint can be found as far north as at the North Pole. Many studies have [...] sheet is found on Greenland, but in the past, several other ice sheets covered large areas of the Arctic realm. The most important ones were the Laurentide Ice Sheet on North America, the Svalbard-Barents

  • Formation of the Arctic Basin

    role in Arctic Ocean geophysical research for many years and in various projects. Projects Formation of new seafloor at the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean (Photo: [...] Formation of the Arctic Basin The Arctic Ocean is of particular geological interest. It hosts a wealth of different geological provinces ranging from deep ocean basins over prominent ridges to vast shallow [...] perennial sea ice-cover, information on the geological history of the Arctic Ocean is still sparse. As the sea-ice recedes, the Arctic Ocean will see an explosion of research activities. With RV Polarstern

  • Oceanic microseisms

    layers of the ground, oceanic microseisms can spread over many hundreds of kilometres. It is now well researched how strong storms not only generate large waves, but also increased oceanic microseisms activity [...] other way round: what does oceanic microseisms tell us about the nature of the ice over the course of the seasons? To answer these questions, we use data from our ice-going ocean-bottom seismometers (OBS) [...] microseismics were also recorded, which we are currently analysing. Map of the Arctic and Antarctic. The red stars mark the oceanic microseisms research projects. (Graphic: Alfred-Wegener-Institut) Contact

  • Projects

    diversity of the entire plankton community of the Fram Strait (Arctic) is assessed. This data is then applied to forecast future scenarios of Arctic planktonic biodiversity. Recommendations to policy and indicator [...] labs located along the German Baltic Sea. The overall objective is to develop a smart and flexible ocean observation strategy tailored to the specific observation needs of individual stakeholder groups.

  • Geophysics

    Research focuses on areas in the Arctic and sub-Arctic, the Arctic Ocean, the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. The studies include reconstructions of ice sheet dynamics, oceanic circulation and tectonic processes

  • Bathymetry

    provide information on past ice sheet dynamics. Ice sheet scours on the Lomonossov Ridge in the Arctic Ocean Madiba Sea Mount, south of South Africa, discovered 2013 with RV Polarstern Current-induced seabed

  • Research Focus

    IODP/ICDP drill proposals. Formation of the Arctic Basin Polarstern for geophysics in the Arctic Ocean Research projects on the formation of the Arctic Ocean Development of the North Atlantic Deepwater [...] modification of oceanic crust, and modification of regional palaeo-circulation. Palaeo-topography and dynamic modifications of the seafloor strongly affect the pathways of the oceanic circulation and the [...] and its precursors? Follow this link Gateways of the Southern Ocean What was the effect of the opening of the gateways of the Southern Ocean? Lakes as climate archives Old lake-level terraces at the current

  • Bathymetric compilations

    Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) , the International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean (IBCAO) ,the International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean (IBCSO) , and the Southwest Indian Ocean Bathymetric [...] world’s oceans by 2030, and hosts the Seabed 2030 Southern Ocean Regional Center (SORC) . SORC’s and IBCSO’ s responsibility is to produce the best possible authoritative map of the Southern Ocean, the South [...] Global and regional bathymetric models IBSCO (International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean) (Graphic: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / IBSCO v2, Dorschel et al., 2022) IBSCO v2 Datenabdeckung (Graphic:

  • Climate modelling

    reflect in detail processes in the ocean, which have a major influence on the climate. In response, the AWI has developed a special ocean model (FESOM), which simulates e.g. ocean currents and sea ice. For their [...] All around the world, there are natural climate archives – the sediments on the ocean floor, ancient ice in the Arctic and Antarctic, wood for tree-ring analyses, and more. These archives contain what [...] computer programmes used to simulate reality: the motion of air masses, radiation from the sun, and ocean currents – they’re all climate-relevant processes that, with the aid of mathematical formulas, can

  • Aerosols & Clouds

    station. Antarctic To be filled! Text is missing Arctic Ocean (Central Arctic) FS Polarstern MOSAiC (Photo: M. Gutsche) The polar oceans in the Arctic and around Antarctica, characterized by their seasonal [...] expedition The Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) was a major year-long campaign in the Central Arctic Sea ice, using the research icebreaker Polarstern . MOSAiC was [...] 400 scientists and experts from 20 nations, who studied a full annual cycle of the Arctic Atmosphere, Sea ice, Ocean, Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem. Further information and scientific publications can