The polar oceans are the least known areas of the globe, yet they hold the key to many secrets of our climate. How do the sea ice coverage and the sea water properties change? How do plants and animals survive under the most extreme conditions on Earth? Which information of past climate change can be read from the sediments in the sea floor, and how can future climate changes be predicted? In order to answer these and further questions, a hypermodern research vessel, the AURORA BOREALIS, is planned. The ship is designed to handle the cool summers and freezing winters of the polar oceans and to drill deep into the sea floor.
The AURORA BOREALIS will be the most advanced research vessel in the world; a platform with state-of-the-art technology for polar science. With its all-season capability it will provide a tool for tackling major scientific challenges, which has not been possible before. It will be a real floating European university in polar sciences.
The European Science Foundation has a major role in the development effort for such a research vessel. The European Polar Board (EPB), an ESF expert committee, coordinates the EC's FP7 project 'European Research Icebreaker Consortium - AURORA BOREALIS' (ERICON-AB) that is preparing a strategic, legal and organisational framework for construction and operation of AURORA BOREALIS. The project is among the new pan-European research infrastructures proposed and supported by the European Commission.
The following pages provide you with an overview of the AURORA BOREALIS project, and its scientific background.
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ESF provides the scientific, administrative and technical secretariat for COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).