Celebrating 150 years of modern marine research in the Nordic Seas

The Nordic Seas (the ocean region between Norway, Greenland, and Iceland) play a key role in the large-scale ocean circulation connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean, and strongly influence the climate in Norway and the global ocean circulation. Key physical processes in this region evolve around the northward transport of warm water from the Atlantic, local dense water formation, and the southward transport of this dense water, as well as freshwater and sea ice. This year (2026) marks the 150th anniversary of the Norwegian Vøring Expedition, which is considered the beginning of modern systematic oceanographic data collection and exploration. Especially during the last decades, the Nordic Seas have undergone several large changes, such as  ocean warming and sea-ice retreat. 

This event will host 8 science talks, starting with an overview of historic research (8:30-9:00), moving on to presenting new discoveries in current oceanographic and sea ice research from the Nordic Seas (9:00-12:00, with coffee break) and finish with a moderated plenary panel discussion on the future of the Nordic Seas, addressing knowledge gaps and methodological challenges (12:00-12:30). A catered lunch will be provided for all registered participants (12:30-13:30). The event is part of the annual meeting for the Arctic-Subarctic Ocean Fluxes community, an international group of researchers collaborating on measuring and understanding oceanic exchanges between the Arctic and the rest of the world.

Detailed programme:
08:30 Welcome
08:40 Østerhus, Svein (NORCE, Bjerknes Centre): 150 Years of Research in the Nordic Seas: Historical Perspectives and Decadal Environmental Changes
09:10 Ingvaldsen, Randi (Institute of Marine Research): Atlantic Water transport to the Barents Sea based on moored observations, 1998-2024
09:30 Miles, Martin (University of Colorado, NORCE, Bjerknes Centre): The “Great Sea-Ice Anomalies” in the northern North Atlantic in the 1880s–1910s
09:50 Brakstad, Ailin (University of Bergen, Bjerknes Centre): Observed long-term changes in the overturning in the Nordic Seas
10:10 Heuzé, Céline (University of Gothenburg): Monitoring the warming of deep waters in and around Fram Strait
10:30 Coffee
11:00 Larsen, Karin Margretha H. (Faroe Marine Research Institute): North Atlantic – Norwegian Sea exchanges: Three decades of ocean observations
11:20 Dale, Duncan (ETH Zurich): Tracing Nordic Seas connectivity and structure with artificial radionuclides: Insights from three simultaneous 2024 cruises
11:40 Pickart, Robert (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution): Dense water pathways in the Nordic Seas: How our thinking has evolved over the past 50 years
12:00 Moderated panel discussion on the future of the Nordic Seas, Chair: Tor Eldevik (University of Bergen, Bjerknes Centre)
12:30 Lunch
13:30 End