“We are approaching this year’s minimum sea-ice extent in the Arctic, and this summer the ice concentration has descreased to its lowest value since observations started, in 1979,” according to Profes
However, the vast area and the extreme weather conditions make it difficult to monitor the snow during Arctic winter. In situ measurements of snow depth on sea ice are rare and mostly obtained in spri
The thickness of sea ice determines the heat exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere as well as the resistance against the deforming forces of wind and ocean currents. Already a thin layer of se
After the sea-ice extent in the Artic reached its winter maximum on 12 March 2019, the melting season in the North Pole region began and soon reached an all-time low for the time of year (23 April 201
During the MOSAiC expedition, researchers from 19 countries will study the Arctic throughout an entire year, spending the winter in a region that is virtually inaccessible in the polar night. Alone th
After the sea-ice extent in the Arctic showed a moderate loss, hovering in the lower portion of the double standard deviation range from the long-term average with ca. 92,000 km² / day in the first ha
In recent days, the development of the ice cover north of Greenland has attracted considerable attention: within a few weeks, an ice-free strip up to 100 km wide has formed along the coast (Fig.1). Th
65Focus snow DriftStory 07
DriftStory 07
On 30 June 2020, meltwater ponds nearly as long as the
research vessel Polarstern covered the MOSAiC ice floe – though
the snow began melting weeks
4342 Focus iceDriftStories 01 DriftStory 04
DriftStory 04
Glittering clouds
below the ice
Generally speaking, it’s very easy to explain how Arctic sea ice becomes thicker. You
take an ocean, a
Development in the Arctic The slight upward trend following the Arctic minimum continued in early 2024; although the sea-ice extent was below the mean value for the years 1981 – 2010 at the beginning
This website uses cookies, which are necessary for its basic functions. You can revoke your consent to using these cookies at any time. For more information on cookies, please consult our Data protection declaration and our Imprint.