Alfred-Wegener-Institut - Seaiceportal

Sea ice in the polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctic covers approximately seven percent of our planet, which is bigger than the total area of Europe. These seven percent have a relatively large impact on global climate. Sea ice is particularly driving heat and freshwater exchange of the polar oceans and therefore plays a key role in the earth's climate system. Structure, volume and spatial extent of sea ice are highly differentiated and variable. As a result of these physical characteristics, sea ice has great effects on the energy budget of the earth's surface. Sea ice is highly complex, but at the same time it is certainly one of the most interesting and influential materials on our planet. Additionally, sea ice is an especially fascinating habitat that is essential for the ecosystem of the polar regions.

Seaiceportel is an initiative of the Helmholtz Climate Initiative (REKLIM), the Alfred Wegener Institut, Helmholtz Centre for polar and marine research, in cooperation with the University of Bremen (Institute for environmental physics). Its aim is to gather all important and up-to-date information connected to the subject of sea ice. The portal is offering comprehensive background information, processed data and direct access to the data base.

Seaiceportal was laid out as an open portal and shall serve scientific groups performing research on sea ice as a platform for communicating the results of their research.