HR: 16:15h
AN: OS34A-02 INVITED [Abstracts]
TI: AURORA BOREALIS - Development of a New Research Icebreaker with Drilling Capability
AU: * Thiede, J
EM: Joern.Thiede@awi.de
AF: Stiftung Alfred-Wegener-Institut fuer Polar- und Meeresforschung, Buergermeister-Smidt-
Strasse 20, Bremerhaven, D-27568, Germany
AU: Biebow, N
EM: Nicole.Biebow@awi.de
AF: Stiftung Alfred-Wegener-Institut fuer Polar- und Meeresforschung, Buergermeister-Smidt-
Strasse 20, Bremerhaven, D-27568, Germany
AU: Egerton, P
EM: pegerton@esf.org
AF: European Science Foundation, European Polar Board,
Quai Lezay Marnesia 1, Strassbourg, 67080, France
AU: Kunz-Pirrung, M
EM: Martina.Kunz-Pirrung@awi.de
AF: Stiftung Alfred-Wegener-Institut fuer Polar- und Meeresforschung, Buergermeister-Smidt-
Strasse 20, Bremerhaven, D-27568, Germany
AU: Lembke-Jene, L
EM: Lester.Lembke-Jene@awi.de
AF: Stiftung Alfred-Wegener-Institut fuer Polar- und Meeresforschung, Buergermeister-Smidt-
Strasse 20, Bremerhaven, D-27568, Germany
AB:
Polar research both on land and in the sea cannot achieve the needed progress without novel and state of the art
technologies and infrastructure. In addition, we have the obligation to equip the upcoming young and courageous
generation of polar researchers with the most modern and safest research platforms the 21st century can
provide. This effort will require major investments, both in terms of generating new tools, as well as maintaining
and renovating existing infrastructure.
There are many different novel tools under development for polar research, we will concentrate on the presently
largest one, the planning for a new type of research icebreaker, the AURORA BOREALIS with an all-season
capability of operations in permanently ice-covered waters and with the possibility to carry out deep-sea drilling in
ice-covered deep-sea basins.
AURORA BOREALIS will be the most advanced Polar Research Vessel in the world with a multi-functional role of
drilling in deep ocean basins and supporting climate and environmental research and decision support for
stakeholder governments for the next 35 to 40 years. The vessel is planned as a large research icebreaker with
44,000 tons displacement and a length of up to 196 m, with about 50 Megawatt propulsion power. Advanced
technological features will include azimuth propulsion systems, extensive instrumental and airborne ice-
management support, and the routine operation of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and Autonomous
Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) from two moon-pools. An unique feature of this icebreaker will be the drilling rig that
will enable sampling of the ocean floor and sub-sea down to 5000 m water depth and 1000 m penetration at the
most inhospitable places on earth. The possibility to flexibly equip the ship with laboratory and supply containers,
and the variable arrangement of other modular infrastructure (in particular, winches, cranes, etc.), free deck-
space, and separate protected deck areas, will allow the planned research vessel to cover the needs of most
disciplines in marine research.
UR: http://www.eri-
aurora-borealis.eu/en/about_aurora_borealis/
DE: 3036 Ocean drilling
DE: 3094 Instruments and techniques
DE: 4207 Arctic and Antarctic oceanography (9310, 9315)
DE: 4894 Instruments, sensors, and techniques
DE: 4994 Instruments and techniques
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting