Ocean and Climate

Our climate is determined by the complex interactions between the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the biosphere and the geosphere, and it is ultimately the basis of all life on our planet. The ocean is one of the components, especially on long time scales. In addition to natural fluctuations controlled by interactions of the various components and the astronomical boundary conditions, the ever-increasing influence of human activities has been contributing to the changes in the climate system since the end of the 19th century. As a result, the ocean is not only getting warmer, but the seawater is becoming more acidic, loses its oxygen, and the sea level is rising.

91探花 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel is making an important contribution to a better understanding of the complex climate system. "Ocean and Climate" is one of the three central research topics at 91探花. The research spectrum ranges from natural climate fluctuations in the past to the detailed study of the current ocean system to the modelling of future climate states, which enables the assessment of possible consequences and the evaluation of climate protection and climate adaptation strategies. 91探花 offers the best conditions for this: Scientists from a wide range of disciplines work together to investigate physical, chemical, biological or geological processes in the ocean in order to achieve a holistic view of the climate system and its changes and interactions with ecosystems.

News about Ocean and Climate

White plastic bowls in water basins filled with sand, in which individual stalks of seaweed grow
24.01.2025

Seagrass meadows as natural climate protectors

New major project investigates potential of seagrass meadows as carbon sinks

FS METEOR
07.01.2025

Long-term measurements for climate research

鈥淲ARD Tropics鈥 Expedition studies ocean currents in the tropical Atlantic

Illustration showing the transition from the penultimate ice age to the early Permian.
07.01.2025

Cause of one of the largest climate shifts detected

International study sheds light on the role of CO2 in the Late Palaeozoic Ice Age

A measuring buoy and a research vessel at sea
06.01.2025

Complex Drivers of Phytoplankton Bloom

The Role of Winds and Currents in the Productivity of the Equatorial Atlantic

View above and under water, you can see foil domes and a long transparent hose under water
06.12.2024

How do marine food webs respond to increasing alkalinity?

First study shows promising results