Physical Oceanography of the Polar Seas

Polar regions import heat from the mid-latitudes via ocean currents, which have a negative influence on the sea ice cover. Around Antarctica and Greenland, ocean currents interact with the continental ice sheets.

The polar oceans play a vital role for the global large-scale flow field by ventilating the deep oceans.

We explore the importance of physical processes in the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans for a changing climate and the polar ecosystems.

Polarstern in der Arktis / Polarstern in the Arctic

Contact

Prof. Dr. Torsten Kanzow

+49(471)4831-2913
Torsten.Kanzow@awi.de

Assistant:
Lilian.Schubert@awi.de

Website:
Lilian.Schubert@awi.de
Mario.Hoppmann@awi.de

Gruppenfoto, aufgenommen auf dem OZE Retreat 2024

Our Team

Main research topics of our group

Physical Oceanography of the Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean and the Nordic Seas are integral parts of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, and hence key regions for the global climate. The perennial sea ice cover makes the Arctic Ocean distinct from subarctic oceans – the presence of…

Ocean Optics

Analytical bio-optical techniques are applied to extract unique long-term information on phytoplankton and other water constituents with high temporal and spatial coverage which contribute significantly to a better understanding for the attribution of…

Long-term Observations in the Arctic Ocean

The Arctic is an environment where global climate change is strongly manifested. The Arctic Amplification, represented by the atmospheric warming trend in the Arctic being about three times that of the global average, is also manifested in sea-ice and…

Southern Ocean Circulation

The Southern Ocean forms a continuous ring of water around Antarctica, which connects all other oceans. It thus allows water masses and the heat and dissolved substance contained therein to circulate globally. Processes at work in the Southern Ocean…

Ocean Acoustics

We explore the distribution and behavior of whales and seals and their underwater acoustic environment in the polar oceans, the Weddell Sea and Fram Strait in particular.
To do so, we use long-term (multi-year) visual observations and passive acoustic…

Long-term Observations in the Southern Ocean

The oceans are key elements of the global climate system, not at last due to their ability to extract and store heat and CO2 from the atmosphere. Polar oceans are of particular

Ocean-Ice Shelf Interaction

The accelerating rate of mass loss of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, responsible for global sea level rise, is closely linked to warming of the polar oceans. Driven by gravity, ice streams transport inland (meteoric) ice towards the ocean. As…

Southern Ocean - Climate Interactions

Our group aims to raise awareness for the important role of the ocean in the Earth’s system and how it is changing to strengthen efforts to limit human influences on the ocean and climate. In particular, with our work, we want to understand the essential…

Publications

Here you can find all our publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals.