Munich, February 8, 2025

The southwest of Greenland is home to a unique natural wonder: bizarre white columns of rock grow up to 20 meters high from the seabed of the Ikkafjord. They consist of the extremely rare mineral icalite. As the material disintegrates at temperatures of over 6°C, they are particularly threatened by the rise in seawater temperature as a result of climate change. As part of an international, interdisciplinary expedition, the two research divers Dr. Florian Huber and Uli Kunz set off to investigate possible changes caused by the warming of the seawater in numerous dives, as well as to take samples and create 3D models of selected columns. Another task was to document the sensitive ecosystem. The unique pillars provide an important home for many creatures such as sea anemones, sea cucumbers and fish such as the lumpfish, which is why they were declared a protected area years ago. The difficult accessibility of the area placed special demands on the breathing air supply, without which it would not have been possible to carry out the dives: the expedition team relied on a JUNIOR diving compressor from BAUER. Thanks to its compact dimensions and low weight, it enabled the tanks to be filled directly on site. And thanks to its TRIPLEX filter system, it ensured absolutely dry air in the scuba tank. This was essential in the icy water of the fjord, where the slightest trace of moisture could lead to dangerous icing of the regulator. With its reliability, the JUNIOR made a significant contribution to the successful completion of the expedition.