What’s Happening
From 16 th August to 19 th September 2025 , the Norwegian research vessel R/V Kronprins Haakon will be sailing into the Arctic Ocean for an expedition organised and funded through the prestigious European Research Council Synergy Grant “ i2B – Into The Blue ” . The i2B Arctic Ocean Expedition team consisting of 25 scientists will collect new geological archives that will shed light on Arctic climate during past ‘warmer-than-present-day’ conditions (interglacial periods). These archives are crucial to understand the impact of a “blue” (free of seasonal sea-ice) Arctic Ocean during key interglacial periods, ca. 130,000 and 400,000 years ago. Follow the i2B Arctic Ocean Expedition: https://arcg.is/0favaf0
What are the global impacts of an ice-free Arctic? How will the Arctic develop with increasing climate warming? What does an ice-free Arctic mean for our environment and our society? These are the key questions that the i2B project will address over the coming years, using cutting-edge research, geological records, and numerical models. i2B brings together researchers from UiT The Arctic University of Norway, AWI - The Alfred Wegener Institute – Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven (Germany), NORCE Climate and Environment in Bergen (Norway), and UiB University of Bergen (Norway).
Why It Matters
What the i2B Arctic Ocean Expedition Will Do
Expedition Team
Links & Further Reading