An entire year trapped in the Arctic ice
MOSAiC - Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate
It could be the largest-scale Arctic research expedition of all time: In September 2019, the German research icebreaker Polarstern departed from Tromsø (Norway) and, once it had reached its destination, will spend the next year drifting through the Arctic Ocean, trapped in the ice. A total of 600 people, who will be supplied by other icebreakers and aircraft, will participate in the expedition – and several times that number of researchers will subsequently use the data gathered to take climate and ecosystem research to the next level. More than 70 research institutions from 20 countries are involved in the expedition. The mission is spearheaded by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI).
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Photosynthesis in near darkness
Photosynthesis can take place in nature even at extremely low light levels. This is the result of an international study that investigated the development of Arctic microalgae at the end of the polar night. The measurements were carried out as part of the MOSAiC expedition at 88° northern latitude and revealed that even this far north, microalgae can build up biomass through photosynthesis as early as the end of March. At this time, the sun is barely above the horizon, so that it is still almost completely dark in the microalgae's habitat under the snow and ice cover of the Arctic Ocean. The results of the study now published in the
"Arctic Drift" awarded
Honored again: "A Year in the Ice: The Arctic Drift," the documentary on the MOSAiC expedition has won the British Grierson Award in the category "Best Science Documentary." The jury's decision read, "We were genuinely blown away by the ambition, expertise and logistical undertaking of this epic production."
New dataset reveals biological “treasure trove” of Arctic Ocean
A major new project will help benchmark biodiversity change in the Arctic Ocean and guide conservation efforts by identifying unique species and assessing their extinction risk. The research led by scientists from the Alfred Wegener Institute and the University of East Anglia is now published in PLOS Biology, futher informations can be found in this UAE's press release.