I2B Into The Blue

Last month, i2B researcher Sina Longman (Panitz) joined the UK Arctic Science Conference at Northumbria University. She presented new insights on how changing Atlantic waters influenced the Fram Strait in a warmer-than-present past climate (the late Pliocene).

The meeting brought together Arctic scientists from across disciplines — sparking discussions on future research directions and the long-term sustainability of Arctic science.

The conference was held in partnership with the Arctic Office, UK Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling and UK Polar Network.❄️

🌍 The Journey of a Lifetime ❄️🚢
After 35 unforgettable days at sea, the i2B expedition aboard R/V Kronprins Haakon has come to an end. The team retrieved nearly 250 meters of sediment cores from key sites across the Arctic Ocean — records that will help unravel the story of past warm climates. While the real discoveries lie ahead in the lab, patterns are already emerging in the cores we’ve opened.
But this journey was about more than science. It was about teamwork, safety, and shared experiences — from working side by side around the clock, to moments of awe at glacier calving, icebergs off Greenland, a stop at the North Pole, one curious polar bear, and finally the Northern Lights on our last night. Truly, a journey of a lifetime. 🌊✨

🔗 Read co-chief scientist Jochen Knies’ full reflection in our final cruise blog: https://arcg.is/0favaf0

📸 Tim Kalvelage

UiT Norges arktiske universitet UiT - Institutt for geovitenskap/Department of Geosciences Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research NORCE Bjerknessenteret IC3 Centre

📖 Stories of the past ❄️🚢

In a poem written aboard R/V Kronprins Haakon, Anna Pieńkowski (UNIS) captures the rhythm of Arctic science: echo sounders humming through the deep, sediment cores revealing stories of change, and scientists working together under the midnight sun.

Her verses remind us that each core tells a story — of ice, ocean, and life beneath the frost — and that every sample brings us closer to understanding the Arctic’s shifting past and uncertain future. 🌊✨

🔗 Read Anna’s full poem in our latest blog: https://arcg.is/0favaf0

The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS)

Kongsfjorden ❄️🚢

After steaming across the rough seas in the Fram Strait, the i2B expedition paused just outside of Kongsfjorden, where the team collected another sediment core. For Agnes Weiner (NORCE), this fjord is more than just a station — it’s also part of her research. Applying a molecular toolbox, she studies how marine biodiversity in fjords has responded to past and present environmental change.

The retreating glaciers in Kongsfjorden are a stark reminder of these rapid changes. A glacier front observed just four years ago has now pulled back hundreds of meters, reshaping the ecosystem. With a brief visit to Ny-Ålesund, the team reflected on Arctic exploration past and present — and the many questions that still remain. 🌊✨

🔗 Read Agnes’ full blog: https://arcg.is/0favaf0

📸 Agnes Weiner

NORCE Bjerknessenteret

📖 Of Progress and Melancholy ❄️🚢
For UiT student Evin Karimi Balov, five weeks aboard R/V Kronprins Haakon have been both a journey through ice and a journey inward. From the first roar of the hull breaking sea ice to long days of science and nights of new friendships, the expedition has been a journey of a lifetime.

In his poem “Of Progress and Melancholy,” Evin reflects on what he has learned — not only about cores and samples, but about presence, patience, and the power of being in the moment. 🌊✨

🔗 Read his full poem in our latest blog: https://arcg.is/0favaf0

📸 Evin Karimi Balov

UiT - Institutt for geovitenskap/Department of Geosciences UiT Norges arktiske universitet

🚢 The expedition began long before the ship set sail

For lab technician Denise Bethke (AWI), Arctic science starts not on deck, but months earlier — planning, packing, and preparing everything needed to collect pore-water samples at sea. From estimating up to 1,000 samples, to organizing pallets of containers, filters, and chemicals, to navigating customs and hazardous goods regulations — every detail had to be in place before departure.

When R/V Kronprins Haakon finally left port, the team could trust that the right tools were on board and ready. Now, those carefully prepared samples will be transformed into data, helping unlock the Arctic’s climate history. 🌊✨

🔗 Read more in our latest blog by Denise Bethke: https://arcg.is/0favaf0

📸 Denise Bethke

Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research

A Core Memory ❄️🚢

For second-year geology student Charlotte van der Eijk (UiT), joining the i2B expedition came with excitement — but also fear of not knowing enough. Imposter syndrome loomed large. Yet over the weeks at sea, asking questions, seeking help, and learning from experienced scientists turned uncertainty into growth.

From mastering simple tasks like emptying the CTD to understanding pore water analysis, Charlotte discovered that science is built on curiosity, courage, and conversation. Her biggest lesson from the Arctic? No question is ever a 'dumb' question, so don't be afraid to ask them — they lead to knowledge. 🌊✨

🔗 Read more in our latest blog by Charlotte van der Eijk: https://arcg.is/0favaf0

📸 Stijn De Schepper

🐚 Microscopic time-travelling thermometers 🌡️

The Arctic is warming faster than anywhere else on Earth, with consequences for sea ice, circulation, and ecosystems. To understand today’s rapid changes, the i2B team looks to the past — using foraminifera, tiny shelled organisms preserved in sediments, as microscopic time-travelling thermometers.

By analyzing the chemistry of their fossil shells, scientists can reconstruct ocean temperatures from periods long before humans existed. The cores collected on this expedition will help reveal how the Arctic responded during past warm periods — vital knowledge for understanding the future of this fragile region. 🌊✨

🔗 Read more in our latest blog written by Adele Westgård: https://arcg.is/0favaf0

📸 Norbert Nowaczyk

UiT - Institutt for geovitenskap/Department of Geosciences UiT Norges arktiske universitet IC3 Centre

🎂 A birthday at the North Pole ❄️🚢

For PhD student Ingrid Sætersdal (NORCE), joining the i2B expedition has been a chance to see how the sediment samples she usually works with in the lab are collected at sea — from coring to processing. These sediments hold traces of ancient DNA that help reconstruct past biodiversity and show how ecosystems respond to environmental change.

But some work days stand out more than others. On September 2nd, she celebrated her birthday at 90°N with water sampling, a barbecue on the ships hangar, a football match, and even a polar bear sighting — an unforgettable mix of science, teamwork, and Arctic magic. 🌊✨

🔗 Read more in our latest blog written by Ingrid Sætersdal: https://arcg.is/0favaf0


NORCE Bjerknessenteret

✨ The power of teamwork in the Arctic ❄️🚢

From hauling heavy sediment liners in the hangar to processing endless samples on board R/V Kronprins Haakon, Arctic fieldwork is demanding. None of it would be possible without teamwork. Each person contributes in different ways, and together the effort becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

In the challenging, icy environment of the High Arctic, PhD student Alessandro Gagliardi (AWI) reflects on how teamwork makes science possible. 🌊

🔗 Read more in our latest blog written by Alessandro: https://arcg.is/0favaf0

📸 Norbert Nowaczyk


Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research

Fortidens Arktis skal belyse fremtidens isfrie Polhav På søndag kastet forskningsskipet R/V Kronprins Haakon loss og satte kurs mot Polhavet. Ombord er forskere som skal samle inn geologiske spor fra fortiden for å bedre forstå hvordan fremtiden i Arktis kan se ut.