After the summer minimum in the Antarctic, sea-ice growth rebounding sluggishly On 31 March 2024, the Antarctic sea-ice extent, at 4.52 million square kilometres, reached its maximum for the month of
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
The annual development of the sea-ice extent is one of the most important parameters for describing the seasonal progression of sea-ice development. It is particularly relevant when combined and compa
Visualising scientific data is no mean feat and certain technical requirements must be met. At the same time, when the goal is to convey information to a given target group in a clear and appealing wa
This year, the minimum Arctic sea-ice extent, at 4.33 million km², was most probably reached on 15 September (Figure 1), putting it at 7 th place in the sequence of minima since 1979. The sea ice had
The sea ice in the polar regions is an important indicator for global climate change, as the two regions are essentially our planet’s early warning system. The loss of sea ice is a direct effect of gl
The Arctic sea ice is currently below the levels seen in 2022 but clearly above the record minimum from 2012. Every September, the Arctic sea-ice extent reaches its annual minimum. On 7 September the
This year, sea-ice development in the Antarctic is progressing extremely slowly and, after May, once again reached a record-low monthly sea-ice extent in June. At 11.23 million km², the monthly mean s
Research aircraft from the Alfred Wegener Institute have been surveying the ice-covered Arctic Ocean for 30 years. The immense effort of the past 52 expeditions has paid off: 40,000 km of measurement
Relevance of melt ponds In the Arctic summer, the sea ice melts due to rising temperatures and constant sunlight. When it does, meltwater can gather in pools on the surface, known as melt ponds. These
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.