MOSAiC - Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate

It was the largest-scale Arctic research expedition of all time: in September 2019 the German research icebreaker Polarstern departed from Tromsø, Norway and, once it had reached its destination, has spend a year drifting through the Arctic Ocean, trapped in the ice. A total of 600 people from 19 countries, who were supplied by other icebreakers and aircraft, participated in the expedition – and several times that number of researchers will subsequently use the data gathered to take climate and ecosystem research to the next level. The mission was spearheaded by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). More information about the expedtion here. Further map and data products around sea ice come up it soon.

arctic map of the sea ice concentration and cruise track of Polarstern during the MOSAiC expedition

Method

Satellite - AMSR2, AMSR-E (JAXA) SSMIS | GPS Coordinates Polarstern

Data

Daily | resolution 3.125 km
22. August 2019 – actual date

Information

Method Radiometry
hdf-Data University of Bremen (Institute of Environmental Physics)
geographical coordinates Arctic (HDF) | kmz-Data Arctic
How to cite?

arctic map of the sea ice edge and cruise track of Polarstern during the MOSAiC expedition

Method

Satellite - AMSR2, AMSR-E (JAXA) SSMIS | GPS Coordinates Polarstern

Data

daily in comparison to month mean value 2012 and monthly longterm mean | resolution 3.125 km
16. September 2019 – actual date

Information

Method Radiometry
hdf-Data University of Bremen (Institute of Environmental Physics)
geographical coordinates Arctic (HDF) | kmz-Data Arctic
How to cite?

arctic map with multi-sensor data and cruise track of Polarstern during the MOSAiC expedition

Parameter

high-resolution satellite images | Ice concentration | Ice drift

Method

Satellite - Sentinel-1 (FramSat/Drift + Noise, ESA) | AMSR-2 | OSI SAF

Data

Daily | resolution 3.125 km
05. August 2019 – actual date

Information

FTP
Sea ice concentration product
Contact person at the AWI: Dr Robert Ricke
This work has been funded by the Helmholtz Climate Initiative REKLIM (Regional Climate Change), a joint research project of the Helmholtz Association of German research centres.
How to cite?

arctic map with drift scenarios for the MOSAiC expedition

Parameter

IceTrack (ice drift, ice concentration, ice thickness, temperature, wind speed, pressure)

Method

Satellite | various types of reanalysis data

Data

14 different drift scenarios for Polarstern

Information

Polarstern drift
Contact person at the AWI: Dr Thomas Krumpen
How to cite?

picture of thr ship radar at Polarstern

Parameter

Floe movements in the ship’s immediate vicinity

Method

Ship radar

Data

up to 4 km

Information

Radar systems
scientific application
Contact person at the AWI: Dr Thomas Krumpen
Contact person at the FMI: Dr Jari Haapala

example chart of real-time drift forecasts for the MOSAiC expedition

Parameter

Sea ice drift

Method

Satellite | International operational forecast systems

Data

Sea Ice Drift Forecast Experiment (SIDFEx)
Latest Forecast
SIDFEx Tool

Information

Contact person at the AWI: Dr Helge Goessling

arctic ice charts from National Ice Services

Parameter

Sea Ice

Method

Satellite- und model-based data

Data

Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute in St Petersburg (AARI)

Information

Contact person at the AWI: Dr Thomas Krumpen
Contact person at the AARI: Dr Julia Sokolova (j.sokolova (at) @aari.ru)

arctic map with MOSAiC buoys

Parameter

physical properties of sea ice, snow, and the uppermost ocean

Method

ice teathered platforms - buoys

Information

Contact person at the AWI: Dr Marcel Nicolaus

map of the arctic sea ice concentration from IUP Bremen with Polarstern position

Parameter

Sea Ice Concentration

Method

Merged satellite data of passive microwave and thermal infrared measurements (AMSR2|GCOM-W1 und MODIS|Aqua)

Data

daily | resolution 1 km
27. August 2019 - actual date
Start region: png | geoTiff
Polarstern: png | geoTiff

Information

Universität Bremen, Institut für Umweltphysik
Research Group "Remote Sensing of Polar Regions"
Contact person at the IUP: Dr Gunnar Spreen
Contact person at the IUP: Valentin Ludwig

In case of questions or any difficulties, please contact us at: Meereisportal Team.