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The Frozen Ocean: Arctic & Antarctica

Explore Earth’s fragile polar regions, where sea ice regulates climate, supports unique ecosystems, and influences biodiversity and sea-level stability.

The poles are some of the most dynamic—yet fragile—regions on Earth.

Sea ice ebbs and flows with the seasons, reflecting solar radiation and helping cool our climate.

Even in the polar night, phytoplankton and microbes thrive under thick layers of ice, fueling a robust ecosystem.

WHOI research to understand changes at the poles is essential for biodiversity, sea- level stability, and Earth’s environmental balance.

(Map by Natalie Renier, WHOI Creative)

SOURCES
Daily percent ice fraction and edge at 10 km resolution spanning March 2023 – March 2025. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information (CMEMS); https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00134.

© Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

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