The Polar Oceans are the least known areas of the globe, yet they hold the key to many secrets of our climate. How do the sea ice coverage and the sea water properties change? How do plants and animals survive under the most extreme conditions on Earth? Which information of past climate change can be read from the sediments in the sea floor, and how can future climate changes be predicted?

In order to answer these and further questions, a hypermodern research vessel, the AURORA BOREALIS, is planned. The ship is designed to plough trough 2.5-m thick polar ocean ice and to drill more than 1000 m into the sea floor.

The Project