Ocean current links northern and southern hemisphere during Ice Age

The study now published in Nature synchronises the work of EPICA scientists from 10 European countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. "This study is a good example for scientist from different disciplines of ice core research collaborating internationally. Ocean modeller, isotope specialists and glaciologists are bringing together their expertise," says Prof. Dr Heinz Miller, scientific leader of EPICA. As the German partner within EPICA, AWI was responsible for the Dronning Maud Land drilling operations as well as for large parts of the analyses on the EDML ice core and glaciological flow modelling. Coordinated by the European Science Foundation (ESF), EPICA is funded by the participating countries and the European Union. EPICA is one of the core projects of the AWI Research Program "Maritime, Coastal and Polar Systems" in the "Earth and Environment" research section of the Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft.

The manuscript “One-to-one coupling of glacial climate variability in Greenland and Antarctica” will be published in Nature on November 9, 2006.

Bremerhaven, October 31, 2006

In case of publication, please provide a copy.

Notes for editors:

For further information from Alfred Wegener Institute please contact Dr Hubertus Fischer (phone +49(0)471 4831 1174; mobile +49(0)175 8930172; email ) or Dr Hans Oerter (phone: +49(0)471 4831 1347; email ). Your media contact at Alfred Wegener Institute is Dr Ude Cieluch (+49(0)471 4831 2008; email ).

The Alfred Wegener Institute carries out research in the Arctic and Antarctic as well as in the high and mid latitude oceans. The institute coordinates German polar research and makes available to international science important infrastructure, e.g. the research ice breaker “Polarstern” and research stations in the Arctic and Antarctic. AWI is one of 15 research centres within the Helmholtz-Gesellschaft, Germany’s largest scientific organization.

Embargoed until Wednesday, November 8, 2006, 19:00. MEZ/ 13:00 Eastern Time