Lars Kaleschke

@seaice.de

2748 Followers 985 Following

Physicist. Climate, sea ice, earth observation @awi.de #Bremen https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7086-3299 https://det.social/@seaice

Animated AMSR2 satellite map of Antarctic sea-ice concentration at 3 km resolution. As the date advances, white and pale-blue sea ice expands over the dark ocean, while a persistent open-water area around Maud Rise remains slow to freeze.
Animated AMSR2 satellite map of Antarctic sea-ice concentration at 3 km resolution. As the date advances, white and pale-blue sea ice expands over the dark ocean, while a persistent open-water area around Maud Rise remains slow to freeze.
Large conference hall prepared for a live event, viewed from the audiovisual control desk at the back of the room. Multiple monitors, laptops, and video production equipment are visible in the foreground. Rows of empty chairs face a large projection screen under blue ambient lighting, awaiting the audience.
Composite satellite image of the eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica. A Sentinel-1 SAR swath is overlaid on an AMSR2 sea-ice concentration background from 5 July 2026. The SAR image reveals a dark polynya embedded within the sea ice near the Antarctic ice edge. Three annotations identify the jäääär (Estonian for “ice edge”) at the outer ice edge, sisemine jäääär (“inner ice edge”) around the polynya, and the polynya itself. Latitude and longitude grid lines provide geographic context.
Bremen Stadtmusikanten, im Hintergrund ein Wolf.🐺
NISAR SAR image over Antarctica.
Animated, ship-centered map of Antarctic sea-ice concentration from JAXA AMSR2 (3 km resolution). The view follows RV Polarstern, with a red fading track and yellow star marking the latest position, while the map gradually zooms in toward the most recent location. Iceberg positions from USNIC are shown where available.
Animated, ship-centered map of Antarctic sea-ice concentration from JAXA AMSR2 (3 km resolution). The view follows RV Polarstern, with a red fading track and yellow star marking the latest position, while the map gradually zooms in toward the most recent location. Iceberg outlines from USNIC are shown where available.
Sea ice thickness map from satellites
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image showing sea ice formation in the southwestern Baltic Sea near Rügen. A rotated satellite swath cuts diagonally across the map, with dark, smooth open water contrasting against brighter, rougher textures of newly formed ice. Thin, grey streaks and bands indicate frazil and grease ice aligned with wind and currents, while brighter bluish, mottled patches mark thicker consolidated ice and floes along the coast and in sheltered bays. Irregular ice edges, fractures, and leads are visible where ice transitions to open water. Red latitude–longitude grid lines overlay the scene, and surrounding land areas appear dark, emphasizing the radar backscatter differences between land, ice, and sea.
Cover illustration for Earth Observation, an open-access EGU journal: a stylized purple globe with satellites, aircraft, drones, radar dishes, and observatories monitoring Earth, with EGU and Copernicus Publications logos.
Animation of sea ice around Antarctica from AMSR2 satellite data.
Arctic sea ice extent plot showing 2025-11-26 being the lowest for the day.
Entrance of Messe Bremen where CM25 takes place.
Animation of sea ice concentration with leads enhanced from AMSR2 satellite data.
Animation of the observed sea-ice concentration on 27 February 2017, the previous record low, and on 27 February 2022. Detail view of the Bellingshausen-Amundsen Sea and Weddell Sea sectors. The image highlights the region of the former Larsen B Ice Shelf, which abruptly collapsed in 2002. Afterwards, a land-fast shelf of sea ice formed and has survived the summer melting in the past few years. Source: https://www.meereisportal.de/en/news-overview/news-detail-view/record-low-antarctic-sea-ice-extent-reached-in-february-2022
Sea ice thickness from CryoSat-2/Sentinel-3/SMOS in the northern hemisphere from October 15 to October 21, 2025 (near real-time processing)
SMOS sea ice thickness map for the Arctic on 15/10/2025 with some data gaps in the Barents–Kara or European Arctic sector of the Arctic Ocean.
Antarctic sea ice extent seasonal plot showing this year with the 2nd lowest value for the day.
A seal under the sea ice. A measurement stick behind.
Animation of two images from ice surface webcam showing the progress of melting within one week.
SMOS sea ice thickness map showing thin ice over Maud Rise.
Animation of Arctic sea ice concentration derived from AMSR2.
Arctic sea ice extent has declined by about 5 percent since 1980 (https://nsidc.org/data/seaice_index/images/s_plot_hires.png), although following 2007 there has been a pause in the Arctic sea ice decline (England et al., 2025).
Animation of Antarctic AMSR2 ice concentration over July 2025.
Something red under the sea ice
Animation of AMSR2 sea ice concentration data over the time period since mid-June to July 9 showing a large polynya developing north of Greenland.
Position of TARA Polar Station and Polarstern
Animation of sea ice from AMSR2.
Polarstern travelling through a sea ice lead, May 25, 2020
Sea ice shear event at the MOSAIC expedition, May 12, 2020.
Panoramic view of a polar research expedition in a snowy Arctic environment. A large icebreaker research vessel, the RV Polarstern, is docked on the ice to the left. Various scientific remote sensing equipment and instruments are set up across the snow-covered landscape, connected by cables and wires. The sun is reflected by glazing snow conditions.
Open water as seen from Polarstern.
A helicopter lifting a hut from the sea ice. Observed from a distance.
A helicopter carrying a remote sensing instrument over sea ice.
Sea ice floe flips up benath the anchor rope.
Sunset over a broken runway on the sea ice. Refrozen leads are covered with some frost flowers. For me, the picture expresses the fact that it will not be possible to get home as planned. 23 March 2020, 21:13.
Sunrise over a sea ice lead. Reflection of the sun and sea smoke.
A ROV emerges from a hole in the sea ice.
A view from the gangway of RV Polarstern. An ice floe is broken and the vertical structure can be seen from the side. 21 March 2020.
A seal's head in a sea ice lead. Difficult to see, as it can only be seen from a distance.
Sea ice, tents, and contrails in the sky.
Animation of sea ice concentration from AMSR2 with enhanced leads.
Sea ice lead covered with frost flowers.
A lead within sea ice. Scientists and instruments on the ice in a distance.
Beaufort Sea sea ice area time series showing a minimum.
Animation of sea ice from AMSR2 satellite sensor
Animation of Arctic sea ice from AMSR2 satellite data.
Scientist in the dark polar night walk towards the icebreaker Polarstern in the middle of the Arctic Ocean.
Video showing the traveling of an icebreaker through an open lead.
AMSR2 image animation showing the ice berg moving.
L-band radiometer mounted on a potkukelkka. Photo with snow and the sunset in the background.
Red moon over rhe sea ice