Reynisfjara beach,
Reynisfjall mountain, Reynisdrangar
sea stacks Og Hálsanefshellir,
Vík í Mýrdal, Suðurland
#landscapephotograpy #naturephoto
#Reynisfjara #Reynisdrangar #Ísland
#photometge #Photographicpanorama
@photoshop.adobe.com
www.whatson.is
some Puffins, Puffins in
Borgarnes, Vesturland, on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Ísland
#naturephotography #birdsphotogaphy
#Vesturland #Puffins #icelandphoto
@lightroom.adobe.com
www.inspiredbyiceland.com
On the western half of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Norway is famed for its pristine fjords. In this image, these long narrow marine inlets are visible as deeply indented dark lines stretching inland from the coastline. The fjords, bordered by steep cliffs, were created by glacial erosion during previous ice ages, when ice and rivers carved deep valleys in the mountains. As the climate changed, most of the ice melted and the valleys were gradually filled with sea water. After the last ice age, not all the ice melted and parts of the mountains maintained their ice coverage, creating glaciers. The large white expanse visible on the right side of the image is the Jostedalsbreen National Park, one of the largest in Norway. Approximately half of the national park’s area consists of glaciers and Jostedalsbreen is the largest, spanning between 450 and 480 sq km. Jostedalsbreen is a plateau glacier, or an ice cap, that sits on top of a high-altitude plateau and covers a series of mountain peaks, the highest of which is the Lodalskåpa at an elevation of 2083 m above sea level. Jostedalsbreen feeds numerous outlet glaciers in all directions that then flow down into the valleys. Glaciers and ice caps are essential to Earth’s ecosystem, providing freshwater resources and supporting agriculture, industry and biodiversity. Climate change is causing glaciers and ice sheets around the world to melt and shrink. As temperatures rise, melting depletes regional freshwater supplies and drives global sea levels to rise at ever-faster rates, with potentially devastating consequences in the long CREDIT contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2025), processed by ESA LICENCE CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO or ESA Standard Licence.
Jostedalsbreen, Norway
Ahead of the World Day for Glaciers, Copernicus #Sentinel-2 captures the diverse landscape of western Norway with its jagged fjords, fertile valleys, mountain plateaus and Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier in continental Europe. @esa.int @esaearth.esa.int
Skaftafell,
Skaftafell National Park,
Austurland.
#landscape-photography
#naturephoto
#icelandicphoto
#Skaftafell #Austurland
@lightroom.adobe.com @photoshop.adobe.com
www.vatnajokulsthjodgardur.is/en/areas/ska...
The study on the decline of Antarctica is indicated on the loss of ice in the future @esa.int @esaearth.esa.int
Ice along the "landlines" of Antarctica has remained largely stable in the last 30 years, but in some territories it has withdrawn more than 40 km, as shown…
www.esa.int/Space_in_Mem...
Mýrdalsjökull, Icelandic for "(the) mire dale glacier" or "(the) mire valley glacier") is an ice cap on the top of the Katla Volcano in the south of Iceland. It is to the north of the town of Vík í Mýrdal and to the east of the smaller ice cap Eyjafjallajökull. Between these two glaciers is the Fimmvörðuháls pass. The glacier contributes to the most serious natural hazard area of Iceland.
Mýrdalsjökull Glacier, Suðurland, Ísland
#Landscapephotography #Naturephotography #Icelandphotography #Mýrdalsjökull #Glacier
#Suðurland #Iceland
Scientists studying Antarctica have gained new insights into how the world’s biggest ice sheet is reacting to warming sea temperatures. While the Antarctic Ice Sheet remained stable along more than three-quarters of its coastline over the past three decades, there are areas of significant ice retreat, sending a warning of future ice loss, according to the study based on data from several missions including Copernicus Sentinel-1. The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), provides the most comprehensive record to date of changes in Antarctica’s ‘grounding lines’, the critical boundaries between ice resting on land and ice floating in the ocean. Grounding lines are highly sensitive to sea-level rise and are a key indicator of ice-sheet stability and ice mass loss. Scientists found that ice retreats to a greater extent where warm ocean currents, known as Circumpolar Deep Water, reach deep glacier beds through underwater channels. These regions are especially sensitive because the bedrock slopes downward inland, making glaciers more vulnerable to continued retreat. The results also show that the grounding line is not a fixed boundary but part of a wider ‘grounding zone’ that shifts over time due to ocean tides and subglacial water processes. The research therefore maps not just grounding lines, but grounding zones to account for variations during tidal and seasonal cycles. The study’s lead author, Eric Rignot, of the University of California, Irvine, said, “This work would not have been possible without the unconditional support of international agencies to make observations of the polar regions available to us. As satellite observation capabilities continue to expand, we are looking forward to learning more about the dynamics of these systems so we can better project how they influence sea-level rise in the future.”
The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), provides the most comprehensive record to date of changes in Antarctica’s ‘grounding lines’, the critical boundaries between ice resting on land and ice floating in the ocean. Grounding lines are highly sensitive to sea-level rise and are a key indicator of ice-sheet stability and ice mass loss.The study uses three decades of radar satellite observations to map changes in grounding lines around the Antarctic continent from 1992 to 2025. It found that grounding lines were stable along more than 77% of Antarctica’s coastline, including major ice shelves such as Ross, Filchner-Ronne and Amery. While this does not sound like bad news, the research also detected significant retreat in vulnerable regions, particularly in West Antarctica, parts of East Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula. The largest detected grounding line retreat was observed along the coast of the Amundsen Sea, in West Antarctica, where the ice withdrew in some places by up to 42 km over the study’s period. The most affected regions were near the East Getz, Smith, Thwaites and Pine Island ice sheets. Overall, Antarctica lost approximately 12 800 sq km of grounded ice between 1996 and 2025, which is an area equivalent to almost half the size of Belgium.
Detecting grounding line migration from space The research demonstrates how long-term Earth observation from space is essential for monitoring the stability of the Antarctic Ice Sheet and understanding its response to climate change. Satellites such as those in the Sentinel-1 constellation carry synthetic aperture radar, or SAR, instruments. By using differential interferometry – a technique that calculates the difference in two or more radar signals taken over the same point on Earth at different times – small differences in ground movement can be calculated, even down to a few millimetres. These small changes in ground elevation can be measured across wide areas. In the study of Antarctica’s grounding lines, the researchers measured precise vertical movements of the floating ice shelves around the continent. They were able to measure small rises and falls of ice elevation due to tides – while the grounded ice, resting on bedrock, remained fixed. These measurements over three decades enabled the team to ascertain fluctuations in grounding lines at an unprecedented level of precision. As well as measurements from Sentinel-1, data was also analysed from ESA’s European Remote-Sensing (ERS) satellites, as well as from the Canadian RADARSAT, Japan’s ALOS PALSAR, together with the Italian Cosmo-SkyMed, DLR’s TerraSAR-X, Argentina’s SAOCOM, and the ICEYE constellation. The aggregation of legacy missions, public data such as Sentinel-1, and commercial radar datasets demonstrates the strength of a coordinated Earth observation system.
Radar instruments can image Earth’s surface through clouds and in darkness, making them particularly useful for monitoring areas prone to long periods without sunlight, such as polar regions. “By combining multiple satellite missions into a consistent long-term dataset, researchers have established a benchmark for future modelling efforts,” noted ESA’s Sentinel-1 Mission Manager, Nuno Miranda. He added, “This study sets a cornerstone for our understanding of grounding line dynamics. It provides a robust reference record that enables the scientific community to test predictions and improve ice sheet models, which directly inform sea-level rise scenarios and their implications for society. Continuous Earth observation remains essential to refine projections and monitor how Antarctica responds to a warming climate. ESA is proud that several European missions have played a central role in this achievement and confirms Sentinel-1 as a pillar of polar science.”
Antarctica retreat study signals future ice loss.
The ice along Antarctica’s ‘grounding lines’ has been largely stable over the past 30 years, but ice has retreated by more than 40 km in some areas, a new study based on satellite data finds.
@esaearth.esa.int @copernicusecmwf.bsky.social
De syv søstrene
(The Seven Sisters)
Geirangerfjord, Møre og Romsdal, western Norway.
@visitnorway.bsky.social
@lightroom.adobe.com
www.visitnorway.com/en/
www.fjordnorway.com/en/
#Geirangerfjord #sevensisters #fjordnorway #landscapephotography
#naturephotography #Norway #UNESCOWorldHeritageSite
Die Flugkampagne SANAT untersuchte den Ursprung und Transport von Aerosolen in der antarktischen Atmosphäre, an denen sich Wolken bilden – Das erste Mal auch weit im Landesinneren. (Photo: Alfred Wegener Institute / Philipp Joppe, MPI für Chemie) Antarctica plays a crucial role in the Earth’s climate system by reflecting solar radiation back into space. The large white ice surfaces and clouds play a decisive role in this process. However, how clouds actually form in Antarctica, how they interact with the atmosphere and what role aerosols play in this process has not been sufficiently researched to date. Engaging in the SANAT flight campaign, the Alfred Wegener Institute, the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry aim to help close this knowledge gap. The flight-based aerosol measurements conducted in Antarctica are the first of their kind in 20 years and also the first to extend deep into the interior. Gemeinsame Pressemitteilung vom Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Troposphärenforschung und Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie
Schleppsonde T-Bird des AWI mit Instrumenten vom TROPOS (Photo: Alfred Wegener Institute / Prof. Dr. Stephan Borrmann, MPI für Chemie) Wolken entstehen, wenn Wasserdampf an winzigen Partikeln in der Atmosphäre kondensiert, den sogenannten Aerosolen. Das können Teilchen aus Meersalz, Staub, Ruß oder anderen Materialien sein, an denen sich Wassertröpfchen oder Eiskristalle bilden. In der Atmosphäre über der Antarktis gibt es allerdings deutlich weniger Aerosole als in den meisten anderen Regionen der Erde. Wenn sich ihre Häufigkeit und Zusammensetzung verändert, kann das dementsprechend großen Einfluss auf die Wolkenbildung haben und damit auch auf die Fähigkeit des Planeten, Sonnenstrahlen in den Weltraum zu reflektieren. Wie genau Aerosole und Wolken in der Antarktis miteinander wechselwirken, ist bisher jedoch noch nicht vollständig verstanden. „Um diese Wissenslücke zu schließen, untersuchen wir, aus welchen natürlichen und anthropogenen Quellen Aerosole stammen, unter welchen Bedingungen sich neue Partikel bilden und wie sich ihre Eigenschaften verändern, wenn sie in unterschiedlichen Höhen der Atmosphäre schweben oder über Ozeanen, Schelfeis und dem antarktischen Kontinent transportiert werden“, sagt Dr. Zsófia Jurányi vom Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI).
Die Schleppsonde "T-Bird“ wird an einem 60 Meter langen Kabel hinter dem Flugzeug hergezogen und sammelt eigenständig Daten. (Photo: Alfred Wegener Institute / Philipp Joppe, MPI für Chemie)Gemeinsam mit Dr. Frank Stratmann vom Leibniz-Institut für Troposphärenforschung (TROPOS) und Prof. Stephan Borrmann vom Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie (MPIC) leitet die AWI-Physikerin die Flugkampagne SANAT (Spatial distribution of ANtarctic Aerosol and Trace gases), mit der das Konsortium die wichtigsten Quellen und Transportwege von Aerosolen in der antarktischen Atmosphäre untersucht. „Vor allem geht es uns um die Partikel, die als Kondensationskerne oder Eiskeime wirken, da diese letztendlich dazu führen, dass und wie sich Flüssigphasen-, Mischphasen- oder Eiswolken bilden.“
Erste Messungen über dem antarktischen Plateau mit neusten Geräten Hierfür hat das SANAT-Team mit dem AWI-Forschungsflugzeug Polar 6 im Januar und Februar umfangreiche Daten gesammelt. Unter den herausfordernden antarktischen Bedingungen sind Forschenden zehn Messflüge geflogen, von der deutschen Neumayer-Station III bis zum südlichen 80. Breitengrad. „Die letzten vergleichbaren Messungen fanden vor 20 Jahren statt und die Kampagne damals konzentrierte sich nur auf die räumliche Verteilung von Aerosolen im antarktischen Küstenbereich“, sagt Dr. Frank Stratmann vom TROPOS. „Wir haben nun erstmalig Aerosole weit im Süden über dem antarktischen Plateau vermessen und dies mit in Teilen neu entwickelten Techniken und Methoden.“ Start der Polar 6 zum ersten Messflug am 21. Januar 2026 (Photo: Alfred Wegener Institute / Prof. Dr. Stephan Borrmann, MPI für Chemie) „Die Antarktis und ihre Umgebung sind entscheidende Komponenten des globalen Erd- und Klimasystems, die zum einen auf den Klimawandel und seine Auswirkungen reagieren und sie gleichzeitig beeinflussen“, sagt Zsófia Jurányi. „Mit diesen einzigartigen Daten hilft unsere Kampagne nicht nur, Wettervorhersagen und Klimasimulationen zu verbessern. Wir tragen auch dazu bei, die Wechselwirkung von Wolken mit Aerosolen besser zu verstehen und ihren Einfluss auf das zukünftige Klima abzuschätzen.“
How do clouds form in Antarctica?
The first flight-based aerosol measurements in 20 years
The #SANAT flight campaign investigated the origin and transport of aerosols in the Antarctic atmosph that cause the formation of clouds for the first time also far inland
@awi.de @maxplanck.de @igb-berlin.de
Arnardrangur í Reynisdröngum,
Vík í Mýrdal, Suðurlandi, Íslandi
#lanscapephotography #nightphoto
#naturephotography #Suðurlandi
#Arnardrangur #icelandphotography
@lightroom.adobe.com @photoshop.adobe.com
@cameraraw.bsky.social
Polarstern in the western Weddell Sea (Photo: Ilka Peeken) With the departure of the research vessel Polarstern from Punta Arenas (Chile) scheduled for this weekend, the "Summer Weddell Sea Outflow Study" (SWOS) international expedition will commence. Up to early April, a multidisciplinary international research team will investigate the northwestern region of the Weddell Sea – an area of central importance for the global climate and ocean system, but one that can only be explored on site by research icebreakers such as the Polarstern due to challenging sea ice conditions.
Polarstern in western Weddell Sea (Photo: Ilka Peeken) For a long time, the sea ice extent in Antarctica was observed to be relatively stable – unlike in the Arctic, where the summer ice extent has shrunk by around 12 per cent per decade since satellite records began in 1979. As from around 2017, however, significant changes have been observed in the north-western Weddell Sea: the summer sea ice extent has declined sharply, presumably as a result of warmer surface water. “The aim of SWOS is to investigate why sea ice in Antarctica has declined so sharply in recent years and how this is impacting the ecosystem,” as Prof. Dr Christian Haas from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) stated, who is leading the current Polarstern expedition. At the same time, the sea ice physicist reports that an unexpected situation has arisen this year: “Ironically, there is currently an unusually large amount of ice in the western Weddell Sea, which may be a normal fluctuation without contradicting the trend. Consequently, it remains to be seen whether we will be able to penetrate deep into the south as planned – meaning that we will adapt our questions to the prevailing conditions en route and develop them accordingly.”
Polarstern in western Weddell Sea (Photo: Ilka Peeken) The SWOS expedition aims to collect comprehensive observations for the first time from the seabed to the atmosphere along the northwestern Weddell Sea continental slope, on the shelf and in the vicinity of the Larsen C Ice Shelf. The focus is on the interactions between sea ice, ice shelves and the ocean, as well as their impacts on hydrography, nutrient balance and carbon fluxes. The research team is recording ecological processes in the ice and on the seabed, as well as ecological gradients depending on sea ice conditions. In addition, the regional sea ice thickness distribution and snow properties will be measured, water masses characterised and exchange processes between the shallow shelf and deep-sea basins investigated. “It is not possible to answer many of our questions by satellites alone,” explains Christian Haas. We need in-situ observations to understand the state of the sea ice, the currents and the biological communities in the water and on the seabed – as well as to be able to assess whether the sea ice could possibly disappear entirely in the near future.” The collected data will also be used to improve satellite-based sea ice observations.
(Photo: Ilka Peeken) The research is taking place at a critical time, when the Antarctic climate system may be entering a phase of accelerated sea ice loss and increasing ocean warming. “We are operating in a region that has been shaped by the earlier ice shelf collapses of Larsen A and B, as well as recent changes to Larsen C,” says Ilka Peeken. “It is precisely under these conditions that we have the opportunity to obtain key data on biodiversity changes, ocean currents and sea ice conditions in the Weddell Sea.” The results will be incorporated into ongoing long-term studies, while serving as future projections of the Antarctic system and thereby contributing to the further development of Earth System Models A wide range of modern and conventional measurement systems are being deployed, including helicopters to measure sea ice thickness, microstructure probes, CTD rosettes, various trawls and bottom sampling and observation devices, as well as autonomous platforms. “I am very much looking forward to investigating the extent to which the ice in the north-western Weddell Sea has changed. I first visited the region over 30 years ago, and seven years ago I was there for the last time with the Polarstern when the sea ice began to change,” as Christian Haas relates. For Ilka Peeken, the close interconnection between the disciplines is the most exciting aspect of the expedition: “Although this region is one of the most inhospitable on Earth, it is teeming with life. Investigating the contribution of the sea ice ecosystem to the carbon cycle is a particular highlight for me.” The SWOS expedition is intended to make decisive contributions to understanding a key area of the Antarctic ice-ocean system – at a time of profound change whose effects extend far beyond Antarctica. On concluding the expedition, the Polarstern will embark on its return journey across the Atlantic. The voyage will be used for student training and is scheduled to wind up in Bremerhaven in mid-May.
Setting sail to a region in rapid transition.
The SWOS #Polarstern expedition launches investigations into the rapid changes of sea ice and ecosystems in the Antarctic Weddell Sea.
@awi.de @helmholtz.de
follow-polarstern.awi.de?lang=en
Hverfjall Volcano Crater
Northern Iceland, near Lake Mývatn.
#landscapephotography #icelandphoto
#naturephotography #travelphotos
@icelandgeology.bsky.social
@lightroom.adobe.com @cameraraw.bsky.social
Meteorologisches Observatorium Ozonsonde. Meteorological Observatory Ozonde Sonde. (Photo: Thomas Steuer) The Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) and the University of Bremen had already secured extensive data sets from the USA in 2025. The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation, DFG) has now approved around 860,000 euros in funding to systematically identify, secure and store endangered data over the long term, based on the PANGAEA data platform. PANGAEA ranks as a globally recognised data publisher that publishes and archives scientific data from the fields of geo and environmental sciences. PANGAEA is operated jointly by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) and the MARUM – Centre for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen. The platform ensures that high-quality, well-structured and interoperable datasets are obtained and made available under open access conditions.
Meereis (Photo: Esther Horvath) "PANGAEA enjoys the utmost recognition and appreciation in climate and environmental research," as Henrike Müller, Senator for Environment, Climate and Science of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen underlined. "I am delighted that the DFG has approved funding for this project. Particularly in view of current global political developments, these data are both vulnerable and precious treasures for international science. The fact that we can secure and store them here in Germany benefits us all."
Meereis (Photo: Esther Horvath) Thanks to the DFG funding, three scientists at PANGAEA will now be able to continue supporting data rescue in the areas data scouting, data curation and software development this year and the next, as well as working on sustainable national and international strategies. The aim is to identify datasets of high scientific value through international exchange that could be jeopardised by political developments, for example, and to proactively secure them in PANGAEA. "This means that climate and environmental data will be available to the scientific community over the long term," as Frank Oliver Glöckner, head of Data at AWI’s Computing Center as well as Professor of Earth System Data Science at University of Bremen stated: "Thanks to the intelligent redundancy of data infrastructures, the project will strengthen resilience and data sovereignty in Europe." The data experts were already able to gain their initial experience with these tasks in 2025. Last year, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had explicitly pointed out the risks to data sets, which were transferred to PANGAEA and thereby saved. "The particular value of this data lies in the fact that it comprises long time series," adds Dr Janine Felden, co-applicant and head of PANGAEA at the AWI and MARUM. "Their loss would lead to significant gaps in these areas that are so essential for humanity." Part of the DFG funding will also be approved retroactively for the year 2025. According to the reviewers’ statement, the AWI has rendered considerable services to data protection with the data backup, for which it has provided advance personnel and financial support.
Welcome to PANGAEA® Data Publisher. Our services are open for archiving, publishing, and distributing georeferenced data from earth system research. The World Data Center PANGAEA is a member of the World Data System.
Alfred Wegener Institute and University of Bremen now able to continue securing endangered climate and environmental data
The German Research Foundation is funding projects securing and storing endangered scientific datasets on the PANGAEA platform. @awi.de @marumunibremen.bsky.social
Vestrahorn mountain and Stokksnes
Black Sand Beach peninsula, Suðausturland.
#landscapephotography #naturephotography #travelphoto
#icelandphoto #Stokksnes
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@photoshop.adobe.com
www.inspiredbyiceland.com
Pyrenees of Huesca,
Aragón, Spain
#landscapephotography #black&white
#NikCollectionSilverEfex
#Naturephotography #stormyday
@pyreneesorientales.bsky.social
@photoshop.adobe.com
2025 represented an unprecedented year for the EU Space Programme, particularly regarding the expansion of the Copernicus Sentinel family. Europe achieved a notable pace of satellite deployments, with the successful launches of Sentinel-4A, Sentinel-5A, Sentinel-1D, and Sentinel-6B. In parallel with these milestones, the Copernicus Image of the Day series continued to illustrate the practical and visual value of Copernicus data. Throughout the year, 334 Images of the Day were published, showcasing how Copernicus free and open data supports a wide range of applications, from monitoring extreme weather events, heatwaves, sea ice dynamics, and volcanic eruptions, to providing insights into renewable energy, land use, and the striking beauty of cloud-free landscapes. This image shows five of the most successful images published during the year.
Top 5 Images of The Day in 2025
2025 represented an unprecedented year for the EU Space Programme, particularly regarding the expansion of the Copernicus Sentinel family.
@copernicusecmwf.bsky.social @ec.europa.eu #Sentinel-A5
Spitsbergen, Svalbard
Longyearbyen, Nord Norge
#seascapephotography #sailing
#foggyday #Frozensea
@visitnorway.bsky.social @photoshop.adobe.com
After reaching the second-lowest extent on record in November 2025, sea ice extent in the Arctic remained unusually low into December. Data from the EUMETSAT Ocean and Sea Ice Satellite Application Facility (OSI SAF) show that, at the beginning of December 2025, Arctic sea ice extent was the lowest observed for this time of year. On 17 December, the extent was estimated at around 11.4 million square kilometres, still significantly below the long-term average. This image, produced with data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), shows the Arctic sea ice extent on 17 December 2025 in light blue. The red line indicates the average sea ice extent in December for 1991–2020, clearly illustrating the current lack of sea ice in the areas around eastern Svalbard and in the north-eastern Canadian sector, including Baffin Bay and northern Hudson Bay. Reliable satellite monitoring is essential for tracking sea ice on a global scale. The long-term data records delivered by C3S allow scientists to identify trends, calculate anomalies, and assess the impacts of climate change on polar environments, providing a robust scientific basis for climate research and informed decision-making.
Arctic sea ice extent at record low levels.
After reaching the second-lowest extent on record in November 2025, sea ice extent in the Arctic remained unusually low into December.
@copernicusecmwf.bsky.social
@eumetsat.int @ec.europa.eu
Vatnajökull,
Vatnajökull National Park, Austurland
#landscapephotography #naturephotography
#SkaftafellNationalPark #HighwayN1 #picoftheday
www.vatnajokulsthjodgardur.is/en/areas/ska...
The C3S Atlas has come a long way since its launch in February 2024. Users from across the world have already experienced the powerful and intuitive features of the viewer (application) and its associated dataset, providing fast access not only to some of the most representative climate projections, but also to observations and reanalyses. The latest addition to the C3S Atlas family is the User Tools. This resource is a Jupyter Book with a set of notebooks. These tools enhance transparency and make it easier to reuse the data and visual products in the C3S Atlas. The new addition helps bring the Atlas even closer to the FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability).The C3S Atlas has come a long way since its launch in February 2024. Users from across the world have already experienced the powerful and intuitive features of the viewer (application) and its associated dataset, providing fast access not only to some of the most representative climate projections, but also to observations and reanalyses. The latest addition to the C3S Atlas family is the User Tools. This resource is a Jupyter Book with a set of notebooks. These tools enhance transparency and make it easier to reuse the data and visual products in the C3S Atlas. The new addition helps bring the Atlas even closer to the FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability).
The Copernicus Interactive Climate Atlas
(C3S Atlas) keeps growing.
@copernicusecmwf.bsky.social @ec.europa.eu
Mean of daily mean temperature (°C) -
CMIP6 - Change - rel. to 1850-1900 - Warming 2°C - Annual
atlas.climate.copernicus.eu/atlas
Fjaðrárgljúfur,
Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Suðurland, Ísland
@visiticeland.bsky.social @photoshop.adobe.com
#landscapephotography #icelandwaterfalls #Suðurland
www.visiticeland.com
Marine benthos in the Eastern Weddell Sea (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Tomas Lundalv) The aim of the expedition is to lay the foundation for long-term observations of biodiversity in a possible future marine protected area. The research voyage will take place from December 15, 2025, to February 2, 2026, and marks the fieldwork phase of the EU joint project “Weddell Sea Observatory of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Change” (WOBEC), which is supported by eleven partner institutions and national funders from Europe and the USA under the umbrella of the European Partnership for Biodiversity Biodiversa+. The expedition will also supply the German Antarctic station Neumayer III, which is maintained by the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI).
Marine Benthos in eastern Weddell Sea (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Tomas Lundalv) The EU project WOBEC is coordinated by the AWI and investigates how biodiversity and ecosystem functions are changing in this ice-rich region. The Weddell Sea is a biodiversity hotspot: it is home to sponge and coral gardens, as well as huge swarms of krill. The area is also a habitat for bottom-dwelling fish, whales, and ice-dependent organisms, including Weddell seals and emperor penguins. “The Weddell Sea is one of the last largely untouched marine areas on our planet. It serves as a refuge for many cold-loving species in times of man-made climate change,” explains Dr. Hauke Flores, marine biologist at the AWI and coordinator of WOBEC. “With WOBEC, we are laying the foundation for early detection of changes and the development of effective protection strategies for a potential marine protected area.”
Crabeater Seal (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Tim Kalvelage) Setting off for one of the last largely untouched ecosystems on Eart. Under the scientific direction of Dr. Heike Link from the University of Rostock, the 46-member team will carry out research along the Prime Meridian and in the eastern Weddell Sea over the coming weeks. On board the research vessel operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), the researchers plan to conduct investigations around the seamount Maud Rise where unique current conditions result in a highly productive and biodiverse community, and continue earlier work on the species-rich communities on the shelf region off Kapp Norvegia, west of the German Antarctic station Neumayer III. Both modern autonomous observation systems and classic oceanographic measurement methods will be used. “We want to understand how this unique ecosystem is developing and what effects the decline in Antarctic sea ice is having on the communities,” says expedition leader and marine ecologist at the University of Rostock, Heike Link. “The expedition is a crucial test for our joint observation concept, which we are setting up for the coming years.”
Emperor penguins on the sea ice of the Weddell Sea (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Mario Hoppmann) Data for tomorrow – knowledge for protecting the Southern Ocean During the expedition, scientists will collect new biological, chemical, and physical data and also make historical data sets available to the general public. This is based on close cooperation with international partners and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). With the Polarstern setting sail today, WOBEC's fieldwork begins – an important step towards a better understanding of one of the most sensitive and valuable ecosystems on Earth. This news item was first published by the University of Rostock.
Research icebreaker Polarstern sets sail for the Antarctic Weddell Sea.
An international research team led by the University of Rostock is investigating the impact of climate change on biodiversity in Antarctica. @awi.de @helmholtz.de
www.uni-rostock.de/en/
Goðafoss,
Norðurland Eystra Region, Ísland
#landscapephotography #icelandicphotos
@visiticeland.bsky.social @icelandgeology.bsky.social
www.inspiredbyiceland.com/visit
Brygen Bergen, Norway
#landscapephotography #streetphotography
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September 2025 was the third-warmest September on record globally. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) has published its latest monthly Climate Bulletin, focused on key climate trends in September 2025. The bulletin reports that September 2025 was the third-warmest September ever globally, with an average ERA5 surface air temperature of 16.11°C, which is 0.66°C above the 1991–2020 average for the month. This data visualisation, based on C3S data, shows the surface air temperature anomaly over parts of the northern hemisphere, Africa, and Asia. The average land temperature across Europe in September 2025 was 15.95°C, 1.23°C above the 1991-2020 average for the month, and ranking as the fifth warmest September on record.
September 2025 was the third-warmest on record globally.
The bulletin reports that September 2025 was the third-warmest September ever globally, with an average #ERA5 surface air temperature of 16.11°C, which is 0.66°C above the 1991–2020 average for the month.
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Dettifoss, Jökulsárgljúfur
National Park, Austurland
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Spitsbergen,
Svalbard, Nord Norge
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Credits: Evgenii Salganik ROV Deployment:Der Unterwasserroboter (ROV) misst unter anderem, wie viel Licht durchd as Meereis dringt. Außerde The Polarstern recently ended a two-month expedition in the Central Arctic in Longyearbyen, Svalbard. The international and interdisciplinary research team, led by the Alfred Wegener Institute, focused on the summer melting of Arctic sea ice in three different regimes. The comprehensive inventory revealed major differences between the various sea ice regimes and a low sea ice concentration in the study area. In addition, bacteria and zooplankton dominated the biological communities, while the expected ice algae could hardly be found.
Credits: Evgenii Salganik CONTRASTS XCTD The CONTRASTS expedition was the first to focus on the parallel comparison of different Arctic sea ice regimes during the main melt season. The research team on board, led by Dr Marcel Nicolaus, sea ice physicist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), successfully detected three different sea ice regimes and set up measuring stations to investigate them further. Marcel Nicolaus explains: "We were able to visit one ice floe in each of the three ice regimes four times over the past two months. Between our station work, autonomous measuring stations and cameras continuously collected data. The observations thus covered six weeks of the most intensive summer melting period."Surprisingly, hardly any ice algae were found in or under the ice floes during the entire expedition, even in Regime 3, where little ice melt had taken place. A similar absence was observed two years earlier during the expedition ArcWatch 1, while previous expeditions consistently reported a dominance of ice algae. Whether this reflects a drastic decline of ice algae or their early melting before the CONTRASTS expedition is still unclear. However, analysis of the collected sediment samples from 4000 m depth could provide answers. With the help of microscopy and the new planktoscope system, Alexandra Kraberg (AWI) was only able to detect a few isolated ice algae cells among millions of phytoplankton. Instead, the observed high biomass was dominated by the microbial recycling of organic matter and abundant zooplankton, which transported carbon into the deep sea via fecal balls. During the study, the ecosystem dynamics depended little on light but were strongly characterized by microbial processes and trophic associations that allowed copepods and other zooplankton to feed on bacteria.
Credits: Marcel Nicolaus Ongoing analyses are now investigating how the ice regime, atmosphere and marine conditions interact and influence ecology and the carbon cycle. "This year, the ice concentration in the study region was unusually low in July and August, presumably due to the prevailing winds in spring, which dispersed the ice," reports Dr Marcel Nicolaus from the Arctic. "As a result, the Polarstern was often able to travel through the ice at up to 5 knots - significantly faster than the expected 2.5-3 knots. Despite its advanced age, the measured ice was relatively thin, averaging 1.5 meters, and only showed a few ridges." The sea ice extent, which will reach its annual minimum in the Arctic in September, is currently around the same level as last year and is therefore expected to be above the all-time minimum in 2012. By definition, an area is considered to be covered by sea ice if it has an ice concentration of at least 15 per cent. When calculating the extent of sea ice, it is irrelevant whether 100 % is ice-covered or up to 85 % of the water is open.
Credits: Evgenii Salganik Parallel sea ice measurements, coordinated with the Polarstern expedition, were carried out as part of the IceBird campaign with the AWI research aircraft Polar 6, lead by Gerit Birnbaum (AWI). In addition to the ice thickness and distribution of melt ponds, their depth was also recorded from the air for the first time using a special laser. The distribution and depth of melt ponds have a decisive influence on the energy balance of the Arctic ice: the dark areas of water on light-colored ice reduce the albedo, i.e., the reflection of solar energy. This is why the development of melt ponds was also the focus of the work on the ice floes, with surprising results: even minimal temperature decreases of less than 0.5 °C could trigger short-term freezing processes on the surface. Dr Marcel Nicolaus describes what the research team was able to observe in July and August: “Initially, the surface melting was dominated by warm air temperatures. Then the ice increasingly melted on the underside due to oceanic heat. Rain additionally accelerated the melting and changed the surface properties, such as albedo, roughness, thermal conductivity, water content and, above all, the way the ice appears in satellite images, in a very short time. It was particularly impressive to see how melt ponds disappeared within a short period of time because they suddenly drained. This led to an increase in albedo, just like snowfall.” On board, a total of 57 scientific participants from 13 different countries worked together along with 43 crew members. They will now continue to analyze the recorded data and collected samples at their home institutes. The Polarstern is now undertaking another Arctic expedition to the sea area north-east of Greenland under the leadership of physical oceanographer Prof. Dr Torsten Kanzow from the AWI. The ship is expected to return to its home port of Bremerhaven at the end of October.
CONTRASTS expedition with the research icebreaker Polarstern, explored different types of sea ice in parallel
The international and interdisciplinary research team, led by the Alfred Wegener Institute, focused on the summer melting of Arctic sea ice in three different regimes.
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