The expedition to the Arctic 2019/2020
Markus Rex (AWI Potsdam)

Frozen at the North Pole - Expedition to the Epicenter of Climate Change
It was the largest expedition to the Arctic ever. In October 2019, the research icebreaker “Polarstern” allowed itself to be frozen solid in the Arctic sea ice in order to drift through the central Arctic for an entire year powered only by the natural flow of the arctic ice. Supported by six other ships as well as airplanes and helicopters, this is the first time that a modern research icebreaker vessel has reached the immediate vicinity of the North Pole in winter. Following in the footsteps of Fridtjof Nansen's historic research expedition from 1893-1896, the scientists explored the North Pole in greater detail than ever before, despite extreme cold, Arctic storms, an ever-changing ice landscape and the unprecedented challenges posed by the Corona pandemic. They achieved groundbreaking observations of climate processes in the central Arctic. This will enable them to better understand and predict the climate system. Project and expedition leader Markus Rex reports on the dramatic climate change in the Arctic and gives an insight into the process and the first results of this unique expedition.