https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.993651Rückert, Janna ElisabethJanna ElisabethRückert0000-0001-9885-6576Institute of Environmental Physics, University of BremenBahlmann, JonathanJonathanBahlmannDrift + NoiseBühler, LinnuLinnuBühlerUniversity of CologneKaphegyi, KariKariKaphegyiUniversity of InnsbruckKolar, JonathanJonathanKolar0009-0004-2109-9115Institute of Environmental Physics, University of BremenNeckel, NiklasNiklasNeckel0000-0003-4300-5488Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, BremerhavenRisse, NilsNilsRisse0000-0002-7267-9353University of CologneTrace-Kleeberg, SunkeSunkeTrace-KleebergUniversity of SouthamptonPANGAEA2026ArcticFreeboardice densityice salinitysea ice coreStation labelEvent labelCoreDATE/TIMELATITUDELONGITUDESea ice thicknessDEPTH, ice/snowDepth, ice/snow, top/minimumDepth, ice/snow, bottom/maximumSea ice salinitySea ice conductivityDensity, iceFreeboardSnow depthCommentObserverCoreCalculatedSalinometer, Greisinger, G1410 [handheld]PS144PolarsternArctic Amplification (AC3)2024-08-16T17:00:00/2024-09-26T03:00:00Dataset10.1594/PANGAEA.99049610.57738/BZPM_0794_2025https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.9936272219 data pointstext/tab-separated-valuesCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 InternationalDuring the Polarstern cruise PS144 from August 2024 to October 2024 in the central Arctic Ocean ice core samples were obtained with a 9 cm Kovacs corer during 10 ice stations. In total, there are 12 cores (at two stations the ice was sampled twice), all of them taken within the vicinity of the footprint of the onboard microwave radiometers installed for the VAMPIRE project (https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.990496), that is, in about 25 m distance to the port bow of Polarstern). This dataset contains vertical density and salinity profiles obtained by cutting the core in 5 cm intervals (for the upper 20 cm) and 10 cm intervals for the remaining part. The samples were weighed on the ice. Together with the known volume, densities are calculated for each sample. The samples were taken to the ship, melted and their salinity was measured using a Greisinger G1410 salinometer (measuring salinity and conductivity). The measured total ice ("EsEs") and snow thickness as well as the ice freeboard (distance from sea level to ice surface, the total freeboard is derived by adding the snow thickness) are included in the dataset. Note that the location (latitude and longitude in the dataset) was usually measured at the start of all measurements performed by the group, while the actual coring occurred up to a few hours later and does not account for sea ice drift. The ice cores are identifiable by the column "unique core number", which is the same as used in the temperature profile dataset (doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.993627). For more information about these measurements the user is referred to Chapter 6.4 of the cruise report (https://doi.org/10.57738/BZPM_0794_2025).42.983087179.50777884.42133389.9589Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhavenhttps://doi.org/10.13039/501100003207AWI_PS144_06SeaIcePhys. (ArcWatch1/TransArc3)German Research Foundationhttps://doi.org/10.13039/501100001659268020496TRR 172: ArctiC Amplification: Climate Relevant Atmospheric and SurfaCe Processes, and Feedback Mechanisms