News

Over the past six weeks, scientists aboard the research vessel "Polarstern" of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research have been investigating changes in ocean temperature and sea ice cover in the area of Fram Strait between Spitsbergen and Greenland.
In this area significant exchange of water masses between the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean takes place. The ongoing process of global warming throughout the past years has also altered conditions in Fram Strait and the North Polar Sea.

On August 16, 2004 early in the morning the German research vessel RV Polarstern discovered the remains of the abandoned Russian drifting ice camp North Pole-32 on an ice floe. The position of the floe was 82°16`N – 004°21`W. Three more or less intact barracks (one with antenna), one tent, two damaged barracks, two tractors, three larger fuel depots with about 300 drums, sleeping bags, nets and other material were found. In one of the barracks a calendar was found with the last entry date March 6, 2004. Two thirds of the drums were empty. Ninety percent…

Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) convenes July 25 through July 31 2004
The 28th International Antarctic conference of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) will take place in the Congress Centre in Bremen July 25 through July 31 2004. About 850 scientists from 39 countries are expected to attend this most important Antarctic research meeting. All disciplines of Antarctic research will be represented. Hence, the SCAR conference will provide a good opportunity to find out about the current status of and perspectives for…

For his work on interactions between climate change and the ozone layer, Dr Markus Rex of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (Research branch Potsdam) received the ‘Dobson-Award’ on May 31, 2004. The Quadrennial Ozone Symposium in Greece was chosen to present the award for the first time.

On June 16, 2004, the German research icebreaker "Polarstern" is scheduled to leave Bremerhaven for her 20th arctic expedition. During the first leg of the expedition, the main emphasis is on measurements of selected pollutants of air, water and snow, as well as on the hydrographic conditions in the Greenland Sea. In addition, any changes in the so-called "AWI-Hausgarten” (“Back Yard"), a long-term monitoring station in the arctic deep sea, will also be of great interest.

On June 11th, Prof Dr Victor Smetacek, scientist at the 'Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research' (AWI) will be presented with the Manley-Bendall medal for his "work in the field of marine biology, as an expert on plankton and for his worldwide reputation" by the Oceanographic Institute in Paris

Secrets of the Earth’s past climate locked in a three-kilometre long Antarctic ice core are revealed this week in the journal Nature. The core from Dome C, high on East Antarctica’s plateau, contains snowfall from the last 740,000 years and is by far the oldest continuous climate record obtained from ice cores so far.

Biologists investigated ecosystem and its changes
After more than seven months, the German research vessel "Polarstern" returned to Bremerhaven on June 2nd from its 21st Antarctic expedition.

An international team of scientists is currently investigating a haze layer that spreads over the Arctic each spring. This layer of air contains aerosols whose expansion in the otherwise clean Arctic atmosphere leads to a level of pollution that usually occurs only over industrial areas. One of the most important questions arising is whether or not this might have direct or indirect effects on the climate.
Aerosols are air-suspended particles that directly influence climate through absorption or reflection of solar radiation. In addition, they can act…

For his scientific contributions to polar research and his commitment towards cooperation with Russia, Professor Jörn Thiede, director of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Saint-Petersburg State University on May 12, 2004.