Arktisk havis – det store bildet og de små sprekkene
Den arktiske havisen krymper raskt, og dette forandrer både Polhavet og dets rolle i det globale klimasystemet. Når isen trekker seg tilbake og endrer karakter, skifter også påvirkningen den har på økosystemer og samfunn – på måter vi bare så vidt begynner å forstå. På dette arrangementet vil tre forskere vise hvordan klimafremskrivninger og havismodellering kan kaste lys over hvordan Arktis kan komme til å se ut i fremtiden.
Hovedinnhold
About the event (held in English)
Arctic sea ice is declining, and the Arctic Ocean is shifting from white to blue. But what does that really mean—for us, for the planet, and for the ice itself? Why do scientists devote so much effort to understanding sea ice, even as headlines claim the Arctic will soon be “ice‑free”?
In reality, sea ice will not vanish completely from the Arctic as long as Earth’s tilt continues to bring months of winter darkness and cold. But that does not mean we can relax. Sea ice acts like a reflective blanket: it sends much of the Sun’s energy back to space, cooling the planet, and it insulates the ocean from the atmosphere. As it retreats, the consequences for the global climate, Arctic ecosystems—and eventually for human societies—will be lasting and significant.
And it’s not only about how much ice we lose. The character of the remaining ice is changing too, in ways we don’t yet fully understand. Will the future Arctic feature more cracks and openings? Fewer large ice plates and more small, fragile floes? Less total ice, yet more seasonal growth?
To anticipate the future of the Arctic Ocean—and of our climate—we need to understand the sea ice of tomorrow.
In this event, three researchers, all connected to the Bjerknes centre, will share how their work in climate prediction and sea‑ice modelling helps reveal the changing role of sea ice in today’s world and in the decades ahead.
Talks
- Big picture and atmospheric forcing, by Lea Svendsen, Associate Professor, Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen
- Going with the floe: how to model sea ice in a changing Arctic, by Guillaume Boutin & Jonathan Rheinlænder, Researchers, Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center
Date & time
March 26, 2026, 19.00-20.00
Free and open for all!
Organisers
Ocean Science Bar is a collaboration between Statsraad Lehmkuhl, the University of Bergen, the Institute of Marine Research, NORCE, and the Nansen Center. At the Statsraaden Bar & Reception you are welcome to enjoy highlights from marine research and ocean related issues in informal and relaxing surroundings.
