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Christoph Ploß and Uwe Schmidt visit the AWI
Christoph Ploß, the German Federal Government’s Coordinator for the Maritime Economy and Tourism, and Uwe Schmidt, Member of the Bundestag, visited the AWI in Bremerhaven. After meeting AWI Director Hajo Eicken and Administrative Director Karsten Wurr, they toured the research icebreaker Polarstern at the Lloyd shipyard. Also present on behalf of the AWI were Uwe Nixdorf, Deputy Director and Head of the Logistics and Research Platforms Department, and Detlef Wilde, Project Manager for POLARSTERN II. The discussions focused on the importance of maritime…
Using AI to close a data gap in in the Arctic
The sea ice in the Arctic has several key functions in the Earth's climate system: it reflects large parts of the solar radiation, thus slowing down global warming and it drives global ocean and air currents, which has a direct impact on the weather outside our window. How the sea ice retreats or expands depends largely on the energy balance of the Arctic Ocean surface. However, there is a lack of data from direct observations, meaning that studies have to rely on modelling with reanalysis data from the past in order to make predictions for the future.…
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What we know about marine heatwaves in the Arctic
In recent years, marine heatwaves have been taking an ever-greater toll on the world’s oceans and their ecosystems. Amplified by increasing global warming, these events are occurring more frequently and lasting longer. The Arctic is not spared from this trend either, as it is warming faster than any other region on our planet. However, due to local processes and conditions, marine heatwaves in the Arctic differ fundamentally from those in non-polar oceans. A recent study, led by the Alfred Wegener Institute, in the journal Communications Earth &…
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Work on the Bluehouse Helgoland is progressing
Following the demolition of the old aquarium and extensive preparatory work, an important first milestone has now been reached for the new Bluehouse as a place where science and public can come together, featuring a unique interactive permanent exhibition on marine research. The pouring of the concrete foundation slab for the building began on 16 June. Located at a depth of almost nine metres, it forms the base of the building's second basement level, which is being constructed next to the AWI on Helgoland. In the future, the AWI's OPENSEA school…
AWI Team at the Bremerhaven Dragon Boat Race
Thanks to a fantastic team effort, an AWI team, the Arctic Dragons, successfully competed in this year’s dragon boat race in Bremerhaven, exceeding their own expectations. In the “FUN Gold” category, the team achieved an outstanding 4th place out of a total of 16 teams in the 250-meter sprint event. In addition to their athletic success, the focus was above all on team spirit, a great atmosphere, and plenty of fun on the water.
10 Years of the Palau Observatory: Why polar researchers are working on a small Pacific island
In 2016, the Alfred Wegener Institute, together with the University of Bremen, the Palau Community College, and the Coral Reef Research Foundation, opened a research station at what is probably its warmest location: Palau. The archipelago lies in the heart of an area that is characterised by the cleanest air in the world. Moreover, this region is where the composition of the stratosphere - the layer of the atmosphere that contains the ozone layer - is determined for the whole planet. This makes the location ideal for studying the distribution of trace…
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Marine biology course on Helgoland
From 5 to 12 June, a marine biology course was held at the Biological Station Helgoland, welcoming students, teachers, media professionals and other interested participants. Throughout the course, attendees gained insights into current topics in marine biology. The programme included lectures, practical sessions, as well as botanical and zoological field excursions. In addition, the participants had the opportunity to learn about the research conducted by the various working groups at the marine station and to exchange ideas with scientists on site.
200 years of Heligoland as a seaside resort
To mark the 200th anniversary of Heligoland’s history as a seaside resort, more than 3000 visitors were welcomed to the island on 6 June with a celebratory programme. As part of the festivities, alongside musical entertainment and a wide range of hands-on activities, a historical parade featuring Heligoland’s traditional associations took place at 5:30 pm. The AWI site on Heligoland also participated in the event with an information stand, where visitors of all ages had the opportunity to find out about the institute’s research and work on site.
![[Translate to English:] Eisberg](/fileadmin/_processed_/9/7/csm_20220806_Eisberg_ChristianRRohleder_001_256f00a973.jpg "Iceberg")
Nature study: More icebergs in the Arctic
The number of icebergs in the Arctic has increased sharply since the 2000s. This is due to the destabilisation of large glaciers in north-east Greenland and parts of the Russian Arctic as well as the increasing mobility of sea ice. The result: Stones rain down from the melting icebergs, forming new hard-substrate habitats for marine life on the soft seafloor. This gradually alters the existing communities in the deep sea. At the same time, the increasing presence of icebergs also poses greater risks to shipping and fisheries. These findings were reported…
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Visit to the AWI facility on Helgoland
Seven researchers from the University of Tokyo and TU Dortmund University visited the AWI research station on Helgoland. Maarten Boersma, director of the Helgoland Biological Station, welcomed the guests and invited them to take part in a professional exchange programme. The programme for the three-day visit included field trips and discussion sessions, one of which was with Antje Wichels from the OPENSEA student laboratory. The joint project focuses on developing an innovative concept for climate education, particularly the “climate museum” concept.