Pancake Ice: Zenobia Evans, NSF

Below is a list of links and resources related to Polar Oceans Day:

Physical Ocean:

NOAA Ocean Exploration Program: This Web site provides an innovative way for students of all ages to learn about the oceans by offering near real-time access to a series of multidisciplinary ocean explorations. It also provides compelling imagery, video, and topical essays related to the ocean. In particular, take a look at The Hidden Ocean. The Hidden Ocean, Arctic 2005 Expedition presents a unique opportunity to engage explorers of all ages as we journey to a world that few have seen, the little explored Arctic Ocean.

Why We Care: Sea Ice Basics (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory)

The Shrinking Arctic Ice Cap (NOAA) animations, images, latest model results

Global Outlook for Ice and Snow (United Nations Environment Programme) graphics, images, background information and an entire chapter on Ice in the Sea

Arctic Ocean Sciences Board: The long-term mission of the AOSB is to facilitate Arctic Ocean research by the support of multinational and multidisciplinary natural science and engineering programs.

Monitoring the Atlantic inflow through Svinoy section: Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen, in Norway started monitoring the Atlantic water inflow in 1995, and during the International Polar Year the measurements have been extended and new instruments have been deployed. This is all part of the iAOOS project.

Arctic Regional Ocean Observing System (Arctic ROOS): Arctic ROOS is a contribution to the IPY project no. 379: "IPY Operational Oceanography for the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas" coordinated by Prof. Ola M. Johannessen. Click on the link above to see the highlights that have been achieved by the Arctic ROOS consortium in sea ice and oceanography, including the monitoring of sea ice extent in the Arctic using daily passive microwave data, showing that the summer minimum in 2008 was above the famous 2007 minimum. See their Observations page for more information on this.

NOAA Observers Guide to Ice

Biological Ocean:

Census of Marine Life: Links to maps, galleries, education activities

Arctic Ocean Diversity: An international program examining the diversity of marine life in the Arctic, from the sea ice to the deep seafloor.

EBA: Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic: The Response of Life to Change: An international, multidisciplinary programme that has been approved by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) for 2006 - 2013.

Ocean Conservation and the end of overfishing: An educational booklet which provides a general background on ocean conservation and overfishing.

Sea Ice - An Antarctic Habitat (Alfred Wegener Institut): Explore the fantastic realm and diversity of an apparently lifeless "ice desert"

Organisms that Thrive in Arctic Sea Ice (National Ocean and Atmosphere Administration)

Sea Secrets: Tiny Clues To A Big Mystery: 'A seabird, a whale, and a penguin take you on a journey thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean from the California Current down to the Polar waters west of the Antarctic Peninsula. You become an ocean detective and explore two ecosystems and their food webs. More information can be found at http://cce.lternet.edu/outreach/seasecrets or by contacting {Beth Simmons, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it }

Download these posters (pdfs) from the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (Please note - Permission of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery must be obtained before any re-use of these images):

TMAG Southern Ocean Food Web
TMAG Southern Ocean Biomass
TMAG Web of Life Drawing
TMAG Web of Life Drawing Labelled

Also see the Tasmanian Museum Art Gallery Islands to Ice Educational Kit.

General:

World Ocean Day: Website with details on the upcoming World Ocean Day on 8th June 2009. This year's theme is "one climate, one ocean, one future".

Official Statement from the Home Rule Government of Greenland. This document is the Official Statement from the Home Rule Government of Greenland on a possible opening of the North West Paasage.

World Ocean Observatory is an Internet-based place of exchange for ocean information, educational services, and public discourse about the ocean defined as an "integrated, global, social system," thereby relating the ocean to climate, biodiversity, fresh water, food, energy, human health, trade, transportation, policy, governance, finance, coastal development, and cultural traditions.

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Polar Discovery

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission

Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Sciences; a guide for individuals and communities. Developed by the US Global Change Research Programme/Climate Change Science Programme. For further information, please see http://www.climatescience.gov

Arctic Sea Ice News & Analysis: Click on the link to find out more about National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) Current events.

Oceans: In this epic four-part series, Gabrielle Walker looks at how little we understand the waters on which human life depends, and talks to the scientists who are making some extraordinary discoveries deep beneath the ocean waves.