Berlin (d.de) – The Polarstern research icebreaker operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute’s Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Bremerhaven has embarked on a new voyage to the Arctic. It set sail from Tromsø in Norway on a two-month journey that will see the 50 scientists on board and the 30-member crew pass to the west of Spitsbergen on their way to the North Pole. During the voyage, the researchers hope to learn more about the consequences of climate change. The expedition is headed by AWI Director Antje Boetius.
Most of the 50 scientists work at the AWI, one of the world’s leading institutes in the area of marine and polar research. International and other German research institutions are also taking part, however; they include for example Germany’s National Meteorological Service. The main research focus of the expedition is the sea ice and its thickness during the summer melt season. It is hoped that this will allow conclusions to be drawn about the speed of climate change.
The Arctic is considered to be the place where climate change is progressing most rapidly. According to one study, the area surrounding the North Pole has warmed up nearly four times faster than the world as a whole over the past 40 years, and the sea ice is melting steadily. The AWI had undertaken an almost identical Arctic expedition back in 2012.
Discussion about this post