iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 29/09/2026

Permafrost is changing: A new AWI study analysed active layer thickness at 156 sites worldwide (2000–2024). Most sites show a significant increase, with particularly strong changes in European mountain regions. Read More: www.nature.com/articles/s43... Photos: Susann Henkel, Anna Irrgang

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 17/09/2026

As part of the preparations for a major international research project in the Beaufort Sea in 2027, AWI researchers traveled to Inuvik, Canada, to meet with Canadian and Swiss researchers, as well as Inuvialuit representatives. While there, they spotted and captured on camera Arctic wildlife.

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 11/09/2026

Permafrost is a vital part of the Arctic ecosystem. It stores carbon and provides stable, firm ground. When the ice melts, thermokarst lakes form. AWI researchers have now created the 'Lost Lakes' database, which contains information about the state of thermokarst lakes. www.awi.de/en/about-us/...

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 10/09/2026

A Year in the Ice: The Tara Polar Station has begun its drift through the central Arctic!🧊🐻‍❄️On 9 September, the Tara Polar Station, reached its ice floe. From there, it will drift with the sea ice across the Arctic Ocean for a year. AWI scientist Julia Regnery is on board. www.awi.de/en/about-us/...

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 08/09/2026

Greetings from the North Pole! Last Friday, the Polarstern reached the North Pole for the ninth time. The crew moored to an ice floe, enabling expedition participants to enjoy a few hours on the ice in beautiful weather, while the scientific work continued on board.

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 02/09/2026

New study by the SCAR-Action Group “Rings” with AWI participation warns: Major gaps in knowledge along Antarctica’s coasts – where the ice sheet and the Southern Ocean interact – are now one of the biggest obstacles to reliably projecting future global sea level rise. Photo: Thomas Ronge

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 30/07/2026

The Ararat Glacier has been surveyed geophysically for the first time. As part of a project led by the University of Münster, AWI and its partners mapped its ice cap, laying the groundwork for an ice core drilling campaign in 2027. www.awi.de/en/about-us/...

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 20/07/2026

Tara Polar Station set off from the port of Lorient on 19 July. The mobile, international research station run by the Tara Ocean Fondation is now on its way to the Arctic, where it will drift across the ocean. Among the participants will be AWI researchers. 📸 François Dourlens/Fondation Tara Océan

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 25/06/2026

Need to cool off? ❄️Our wintering team celebrated 'Midwinter' at Neumayer Station III over the weekend. This means that, from now on, the days in Antarctica will become longer and brighter once again. The first half of the polar night is over!

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 23/06/2026

Congratulations to AWI researcher Ulrike Herzschuh! The geographer has been endowed with three million euros by the European Research Council for her ‘plantExtinct’ project. She will be able to focus more on the extinction of plant species and develop new methods and models for this purpose.

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 22/06/2026

Arctic sea ice reflects solar radiation, slows global warming and influences global ocean and atmospheric circulation. Due to limited observations, reanalysis data is used, which can be biased. A research team led by AWI researcher Akil Hossain has developed an AI model to correct these biases.

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 19/06/2026

Marine heatwaves in the Arctic are now more frequent, longer-lasting and more intense than in the past. A recent AWI study led by Marylou Athanase shows how these extreme events have changed significantly and where gaps in our knowledge still exist. www.awi.de/en/about-us/...

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 11/06/2026

What happens on the deep Arctic seafloor when glaciers retreat and sea ice disappears? A new AWI study reveals: As Arctic glaciers become increasingly unstable, more icebergs break off and drift through the ocean. Carrying rocks and sediment, these icebergs create new seafloor habitats as they melt.

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 03/06/2026

Thawing permafrost, erosion and rising sea levels are causing permanent changes to Arctic river deltas. This puts important carbon sinks and unique ecosystems under increasing pressure. In a study, AWI researchers are investigating the impact of these changes on the Arctic and the global climate. 🌍

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 18/05/2026

Distinguished visitor aboard the Polarstern: Federal Minister of Research Dorothee Bär was welcomed at an official reception on the bridge of the Polarstern in Bremerhaven. 🚢🤗 Representatives from politics, science, and business also attended, including Bremen Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte.

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 15/05/2026

German Research Minister, Dorothee Bär, visited the research icebreaker Polarstern upon its return from Antarctica. She boarded the ship in Amsterdam, where she was welcomed by Captain Felix Kentges, Expedition Leader Björn Fiedler, and AWI Director Hajo Eicken. Photos: Barbara Dombrowski

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 29/04/2026

In Tromsø, Research Minister Dorothee Bär @dorobaer.bsky.social Bär and AWI Director Hajo Eicken met with representatives of the Norwegian Polar Institute. “Germany and Norway are connected by many years of close and trusted cooperation in polar research,” said AWI Director Hajo Eicken. 📸 NPI

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 28/04/2026

New study by AWI scientist Ole Zeising @olezsng.bsky.social: The bed beneath the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica is characterized by a complex subglacial environment with hard, steep basal slopes and extensive water-bearing sediments.

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 22/04/2026

Apply for a visiting research stay (> 15 working days) at the AWIs marine stations on Heligoland or Sylt and take advantage of the institutes’ close proximity to the rocky intertidal zone and mudflats. The application deadline is July 31, 2026: 👉https://accessinfra.awi.de/#/

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 08/04/2026

AWI researchers discover a new island during a Polarstern expedition in Antarctica. 🏝️ The team was surprised by the sudden appearance of an island that had previously only been marked as a danger zone on the available nautical charts. The island is about 130 metres long. www.awi.de/en/about-us/...

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 07/04/2026

New AWI study shows that the combination of heat and drought events will further increase and affect especially those countries that contribute less to climate change. www.awi.de/en/about-us/...

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 31/03/2026

Last week, 66 international researchers gathered in Potsdam for the Arctic System Science Conference. The conference covered the latest insights into polar research, including the findings of the MOSAiC expedition as well as future initiatives such as the TARA Polar station. @iasc-arctic.bsky.social

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 26/03/2026

Since February, the GTNP-P has been an official part of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS). This is operated by the WMO, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, the United Nations Environment Programme and the International Council for Science. 📸 A. Bombelli

Tim Oaklay (left) presents Philippe Schoeneich (right) with the membership certificate during the joint GCOS meeting in Harwell, UK, on 13 February 2026.

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 26/03/2026

Construction of the new Polarstern is gathering pace: A 5.66-metre-long model has successfully demonstrated the capabilities of the future research icebreaker in the HSVA ice channel. 🧊🚢 Construction of the ship is scheduled to begin in spring 2027. www.awi.de/ueber-uns/se... 📹AWI/Ocean Architects

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 20/03/2026

Welcome back to Bremerhaven, Hajo! 👏👏👏 Glaciologist Hajo Eicken is taking over as AWI Director today, returning after nearly three decades at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, where he most recently led the nternational Arctic Research Center. Photos: Kerstin Rolfes

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 27/02/2026

The wintering team at Neumayer Station III is now taking you along on their daily adventures in Antarctica! Regular posts are available in the new On Expedition app. 🐧❄️ onexpedition.awi.de?lang=en

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 20/02/2026

How do clouds form in Antarctica? ☁️ AWI researchers have conducted flight-based aerosol measurements in Antarctica for the first time in around 20 years. The aim of the campaign was to investigate the processes of cloud formation in Antarctica. 📸 P.Joppe @mpic.de @tropos-de.bsky.social

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 18/02/2026

Stay tuned for our surprise! 🎁❄️

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 17/02/2026

An international Antarctic research drilling project in which the AWI is also involved, has achieved a major success: The team succeeded in drilling the longest sediment core to date under a section of the Ross Ice Shelf in West Antarctica. www.awi.de/en/about-us/... @uni-kiel.de 📸 ATovey SWAIS2C

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 10/02/2026

Prof. Dr Hajo Eicken is the new director of the Alfred Wegener Institute! Born in Bremerhaven, the glaciologist will relocate from Alaska to take up his position as scientific director on 20 March. 🎉⚓ www.awi.de/en/about-us/... @helmholtz.de 📸: University of Alaska Fairbanks

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 06/02/2026

Polarstern will be departing Punta Arenas for the Weddell Sea🚢 Until April, an AWI-led team will study sea ice, ice shelves, and ocean interactions in this key climate region, where summer sea ice has declined since 2017, presumably as a result of warmer surface water. www.awi.de/en/about-us/...

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 05/02/2026

AWI researchers have found evidence suggesting that humans may have influenced fire activity in eastern Siberia more than 5,000 years ago — earlier than previously assumed. 🔥 By analyzing charcoal particles from sediment cores, they were able to reconstruct a 10,000-year history of wildfires.

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 02/02/2026

A new study by the AWI, the University of Oldenburg and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory shows that changes in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet could influence algae growth, which could affect the ability of the Southern Ocean to store CO₂. www.awi.de/en/about-us/...

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 29/01/2026

Final reminder for the Arctic System Science Conference 2026: Abstracts are due January 31 at 11:59 p.m.UTC. Registration closes mid-February. The conference will take place from March 23-27 in Potsdam, Germany. Join the international Arctic science community! polarsystemscience.org/arcticsystem...

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 28/01/2026

Glacier ice supplies the ocean with key nutrients. In experiments, researchers at the AWI have shown for the first time that Antarctic phytoplankton can use iron from glacier meltwater, but not iron released from groundwater. 👉 www.awi.de/en/about-us/... Photo: Berenice Ebner

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 19/01/2026

AWI researchers have reorganized the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN-P) database and made it publicly accessible. Since the 1990s, the GTN-P has collected high-quality data to monitor global permafrost changes and its role in the climate system. www.gtn-p.org

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 16/01/2026

In 2025, the AWI and University of Bremen secured extensive data sets from the USA. Now, the @dfg.de has approved around €860,000 in funding to systematically identify endangered data and secure it for the long term with the help of the PANGAEA data platform. ☁️📊 www.awi.de/en/about-us/...

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 12/01/2026

Join the Arctic System Science Conference 2026 in Potsdam from March 23 to 27.🧊 Abstract submissions are open until January 31. Registration opens today and travel funding is available. For more Information, visit: polarsystemscience.org/arcticsystem...

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 19/12/2025

During the return journey of an Antarctic expedition in the Bellingshausen Sea geoscientist Johann Klages threw a message in a bottle into the water. He has now received an email from Tasmania: Toby Ray found the bottle on the west coast of Tasmania - it has travelled around two-thirds of Antarctica

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 15/12/2025

Our icebreaker Polarstern sets off today from Namibia toward Antarctica. The research expedition to the Antarctic Weddell Sea will conduct long-term studies of Antarctic biodiversity. www.awi.de/en/about-us/... Photo: Tim Kalvelage

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 10/12/2025

AWI researchers are studying whale songs with the help of AI. The result: bowhead whales appear to reproduce under the sea ice northwest of Spitsbergen, while using the open water in the eastern Fram Strait as a migration route. 🐋 Photo: Ocean Acoustics Group - AWI OZA

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 26/11/2025

The Beyond EPICA project begins the fifth and final drilling campaign in Antarctica. AWI researchers are part of the international research team that will drill into the bedrock beneath the Antarctic ice sheet – at an altitude of 3,200 meters above sea level and temperatures around -35°C.

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 20/11/2025

AWI biologist Simeon Lisovski is currently travelling to the Danger Islands in Antarctica with the Team Malizia sailing crew. There, he will study a colony of over 750,000 Adélie penguins. 🐧🇦🇶

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 19/11/2025

Looking back on yesterday's wonderful #PolarPrideDay at our AWIPEV station in the Arctic on Spitsbergen. 🐻‍❄️🏳️‍🌈 #PolarPride2025 🎥Wenceslas Marie-Sainte

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 14/11/2025

AWI scientists around the world took part in today's global climate strike. They included those at the AWIPEV station in the Arctic, expedition participants aboard the Polarstern and employees at Neumayer Station III in Antarctica. 🐻‍❄️🐧🌡 📸 L.Weis, A.Herbaut, A.Seidenstuecker.

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 13/11/2025

Former AWI director and marine biologist Antje Boetius was awarded a place in the prestigious Order Pour le Mérite for her contributions to ocean research. Boetius led the AWI from 2017 to 2025, after which she became president of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. 💐 📷 E. Horvath

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 11/11/2025

Our research vessel Polarstern will set sail on a new expedition at the end of the week: an international group of young scientists will immerse themselves in the fascinating world of marine research. @pogo-ocean.bsky.social 📸 J.Lemburg

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 24/10/2025

Our research vessel Polarstern is back in Bremerhaven after a long journey. ⚓️❤️ During the expedition, researchers took measurements in the seawater north of Greenland. Initial results show that there is a current band that transports warm Atlantic water from the Arctic Ocean southward. 🌊 📸Nicolaus

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 23/10/2025

AWI climate researcher Markus Rex receives the NOMIS Award 2025. 🏆👏 The award recognizes his leadership of the MOSAiC expedition, in which scientists from 20 countries researched the interaction between ice, ocean, atmosphere, and ecosystem in the Arctic. Photo: NOMIS Foundation / David Biedert

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Alfred Wegener Institute @awi.de · 20/10/2025

New #AWI study shows how sustainable management of #krill in the Southern Ocean can work. The concept for managing krill stocks involves close cooperation with fisheries. #Antarctica #CCAMLR www.awi.de/en/about-us/... Photo: Carsten Pape

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