PFS Polarstern

PFS "Polarstern" (meaning pole star) is a German research icebreaker of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven. The "Polarstern" was commissioned in 1982 and is mainly used for research in the Arctic and Antarctica.

"Polarstern" was built by the Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft at Kiel and the Nobiskrug at Rendsburg. The ship has a length of 118 metres (387 feet).

"Polarstern" is a double-hulled icebreaker. It is operational at temperatures as low as -50 °C. (-58°F) "Polarstern" can break through ice 1.5 metres thick at a speed of 5 knots. Thicker ice must be broken by ramming.

"Polarstern" is also the name of the first track of Eisbrecher's (German for "Icebreaker") first album, Eisbrecher. Throughout the track, narrations are given specifying the dimensions and specifications of an enormous ship, blowing the measurements of the real icebreaker out of proportion (e.g.: length of 236 metres).

On March 2nd 2008, one of the vessel's helicopters crashed on a routine flight to the Antarctic Neumayer II base. The German pilot and a Dutch researcher were killed, three other passengers injured. [cite web
title=awi.de - sad times (ANT-XXIV/3 Weekly report No. 3)
url=http://www.awi.de/en/infrastructure/ships/polarstern/weekly_reports/all_expeditions/ant_xxiv/ant_xxiv3/9_march_2008/
accessdate=2008-03-30] [cite web
title=Pooljaar.nl - The crash in retrospect (article in Dutch)
url=http://pooljaar.nl/ijzer/2008/03/13/terugblik-op-de-crash/
accessdate=2008-03-28]

External links

* [http://www.awi.de/de/infrastruktur/schiffe/polarstern/ Official site]
* [http://www.awi.de/de/infrastruktur/schiffe/polarstern/wo_ist_polarstern/ Current position of the "Polarstern"]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1969310,00.html Secrets of the seas: Jurassic shrimp, hairy crabs and giant microbes] , news article featuring The "Polarstern"

References