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The research icebreaker Polarstern ploughing through up to 2-metre-thick pack ice in the northwest Weddell Sea.
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Christian Haas
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Christian Haas

When sea ice turns into snow

February held no surprises in terms of sea-ice development in the Arctic – but plenty when it came to ocean research.

View of the ice-covered Greifswald Bodden near Hof Gronow.
© Bärbel Weidig
© Bärbel Weidig

Up to 65-centimetre-thick sea ice on the Baltic Sea

In January, frigid winter temperatures froze the coastal waters of the Baltic. The perfect occasion for us to present the work done by the Baltic Sea Ice Service (BSIS).

Aerial photo far above Atka Bay
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Daria Paul
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Daria Paul

A new record low to round out the year

In December 2025, the mean monthly sea-ice extent in the Arctic was the lowest December value since the beginning of satellite observation.

Drone image of the icebreaker Polarstern, moored at Floe 3
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Sandro Dahlke
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Sandro Dahlke

Arctic sea ice: Negative November record nearly broken

Unusually high air and water temperatures in the Atlantic marginal zone of the Arctic Ocean delay the formation of new sea ice in four different regions

Blick von der Polarstern-Brücke auf die unzähligen Bruchstücke der Eisschollen in der Eisrandzone.
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Marcel Nicolaus
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Marcel Nicolaus

Extensive ice-free zones northeast of Svalbard

In October, mild air and sea-surface temperatures slowed the formation of new ice in the northern Barents and Kara Seas.

Photo taken by the above-ice camera at ice station 1 in the Atlantic sector of the northern Fram Strait.
© Alfred Wegener Institute / panomax
© Alfred Wegener Institute / panomax

The influence of natural climate variability

The sea-ice minimum in the Arctic wasn’t as low as expected. The explanation: natural fluctuations in the climate system, which are becoming increasingly important.

Polar 6 flies over Regime 3 during work on the ice, 22 July 2025
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Stefanie Brechtelsbauer
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Stefanie Brechtelsbauer

How the Arctic Sea Ice Melted in Summer 2025

CONTRASTS expedition has successfully observed the summer 2025 sea-ice melting in detail; now the analysis of the data and samples begins.

A Wake-Up Call from Antarctica

A new study presents evidence of an abrupt shift in the Antarctic climate system. The dramatic decline in sea ice plays a key role.

Screenshot of the MapViewer on board the Polarstern.
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Thomas Krumpen
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Thomas Krumpen

Satellites as Guides for RV Polarstern

The digital map system “Mapviewer” is essential for route planning and navigation through sea ice and is evaluated during the CONTRASTS expedition.

A hyperspectral camera (black box on tripod) measuring the reflectivity of a meltpond.
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Johannes Gerstein
© Alfred Wegener Institute / Johannes Gerstein

Midsummer in the Arctic

Most of this year’s young sea ice has now melted.