UiT-led expedition reaches the North Pole
Arctic Ocean Expedition 2025 will provide new knowledge about the Arctic's climate history.
On Tuesday 2 September, the research vessel "Kronprins Haakon" reached the North Pole with an international team of researchers led by UiT The Arctic University of Norway, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre and the University of Bergen. The expedition is organised and funded through the prestigious synergy grant "i2B – Into The Blue" from the European Research Council – and marks a milestone for UiT.
A historic milestone
"Reaching the North Pole with RV "Kronprins Haakon" is a historic milestone for UiT and for the i2B Into the Blue project. Thirty years ago, I first stood here under very different conditions. This time, we sailed through stretches of open water where once the ice was thick and unbroken. That striking change underlines why our work is so important, " says expedition leader Jochen Knies at the Department of Geosciences, UiT.
Knies is co-leading this expedition together with Stijn De Schepper from the University of Bergen and NORCE.
Searching for traces of previous warm periods The i2B Arctic Ocean Expedition is taking place from 16 August to 19 September and aims to investigate how the Arctic Ocean has reacted during previous warm periods – when the summer ice may have disappeared completely.
‘With i2B, we are collecting sediment samples that can give us insight into how the Arctic Ocean reacted during warm interglacial periods between 130,000 and 400,000 years ago. This knowledge is crucial for predicting the future of the Arctic,’ explains Knies.
The research team consists of 25 participants from nine nations, affiliated with UiT, the University of Bergen, NORCE and the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany.
Important climate research
During the expedition, the researchers will:
• retrieve high-resolution sediment cores to reconstruct temperature, sea ice, oceanography and ecosystems during previous warm periods
• compare the data with modern observations to understand the transition to an ice-free Arctic Ocean
• investigate whether the past can provide a warning of future tipping points in the climate system
"Such knowledge is crucial for predicting the future of the Arctic Ocean, and it is inspiring to contribute this knowledge at such a symbolic place (the North Pole). Standing with our team on the ice at the North Pole was both humbling and unforgettable — a reminder of the responsibility we carry to uncover the Arctic’s climate history," says Knies.
Historic UiT leadership
As far as Professor Matthias Forwick, Head of the Department of Geosciences, is aware, this is the first expedition led by UiT to reach the North Pole. However, UiT researchers have a long tradition of working in the Arctic Ocean: as early as 1991, Professors Tore Vorren and Yngve Kristoffersen from the department reached the North Pole with the Swedish icebreaker Oden.
"We are excited about the expedition because it will give us insight into what the Arctic Ocean looked like during previous warm periods. This will give us a better understanding of what is happening today – and what we can expect in the future. The ‘i2B – Into The Blue’ project is an important contribution to "Arctic Ocean 2050", says Forwick.
Read more about the i2B Arctic Ocean Expedition