ARCUS Virtual Backgrounds

The Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) supports a rich range of Arctic research, education, and communication activities. Our Polar Media Archive is a valuable resource that is home to over 20,000 beautiful photos from across the Arctic. Of these, we’re proud to present 30 handpicked images to serve as virtual meeting backgrounds.

Information on how to enable virtual backgrounds is available from the Zoom Help Center. Setup varies across meeting platforms.

Virtual Background - Bearded Seal

A bearded seal rests on its own private iceberg. Ny Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway.
Photo by Mark Goldner (PolarTREC 2011), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Atigun Valley

A view looking down the river valley past Atigun Falls, near Toolik Field Station, Alaska.
Photo by Susan Steiner (PolarTREC 2012), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Ice Crystals

Feather-shaped ice crystal formations on the ground at Toolik Field Station, Alaska.
Photo by Jennifer Baldacci (PolarTREC 2017), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Mushroom Forest

A mini mushroom forest at the Carbon in Permafrost Experimental Heating Research (CiPEHR) site, near Healy, Alaska.
Photo by Karen Temple-Beamish (PolarTREC 2016), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Red Fox Kits

Two red fox kits play in the snow outside of Toolik Field Station, Alaska.
Photo by Kim Young (PolarTREC 2018), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Tundra

Vibrant colors of the tundra at the base of the Greenland Ice Sheet near Kangerslussuaq, Greenland.
Photo by Tina Ciarametaro (PolarTREC 2014), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Sparrow Eggs

A white-crowned sparrow nest containing eggs, near Atigun Gorge on the North Slope of Alaska.
Photo by David Walker (PolarTREC 2019), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Sea Ice

A view of the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean as seen from the deck of the USCGC Healy icebreaker.
Photo by Ute Kaden (TREC 2005), Courtesy ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Sea Ice Melt Ponds

Sea ice with melt ponds on the surface and fresh snow. Aboard the USCGC Healy icebreaker in the Arctic Ocean.
Photo by Bill Schmoker (PolarTREC 2010), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Polar Bears on Ice

A polar bear cub sits in front of their mother on sea ice near the R/V Akademic Fedorov in the Central Arctic Ocean.
Photo by Katie Gavenus (PolarTREC 2019), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Polar Bears

A mother polar bear and yearling cub in an area of open water. Aboard the R/V Akademic Federov in the Central Arctic Ocean.
Photo by Katie Gavenus (PolarTREC 2019), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Polar Bear

A polar bear walks along the Healy before swimming across an open lead. Aboard the USCGC Healy icebreaker in the Beautfort Sea.
Photo by Bill Schmoker (PolarTREC 2010), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Mossy Forest

A black spruce sapling growing out of the mossy permafrost active layer. Nikolai, Alaska.
Photo by Allyson Woodard (PolarTREC 2018), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Lake El'gygytgyn

Sunset at Lake El'gygytgyn with ice crystals in the air. Camp El'gygytgyn, Chukotka, Russia.
Photo by Tim Martin (PolarTREC 2009), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Icebergs

Interesting icebergs in front of a glacier in the inlet of Kongsfjorden, near Ny Alesund, Svalbard, Norway.
Photo by Peggy McNeal (PolarTREC 2014), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Icebergs Fog

Fog rolls in over a batch of icebergs in Ilulissat, Greenland.
Photo by Tina Ciarametaro (PolarTREC 2014), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Ice and Sky

A view of the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean as seen from the deck of the USCGC Healy Icebreaker.
Photo by Ute Kaden (TREC 2005), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Healy Icebreaker

The USCGC Healy Icebreaker in the Canada Basin, as seen from aboard the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent in the Arctic Ocean.
Photo by Bill Schmoker (PolarTREC 2010), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Greenland Fjord

An aerial view of a fjord valley near Sukkertoppen Ice Cap, Greenland.
Photo by Tina Ciarametaro (PolarTREC 2014), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Greenland Crevasses

An aerial view of crevasses of a glacier in Greenland as seen from aboard a P-3 Orion aircraft.
Photo by Mark Buesing (PolarTREC 2013), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Glacier Terminus

A glacier terminus containing a variety of rock and debris. Kongsfjorden inlet near Ny Alesund, Svalbard, Norway.
Photo by Peggy McNeal (PolarTREC 2014), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Frost Flowers

Frost flowers forming on the refreezing ice of a lead in the sea ice at the SEDNA/APLIS Ice Camp north of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.
Photo by Bruce Elder, Courtesy of Robert Harris (PolarTREC 2007), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Fedorov MOSAiC

A view of the R/V Akademik Fedorov from the sea ice in the Central Arctic Ocean during the MOSAiC expedition.
Photo by Katie Gavenus (PolarTREC 2019), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Dog Sleds

The Carbon Balance in Warming and Drying Tundra team ride on dog sleds near Healy, Alaska.
Photo by John Wood (PolarTREC 2011), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Cotton Grass

A tussock of cotton grass near Healy, Alaska.
Photo by John Wood (PolarTREC 2011), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Chukchi Sea

A view of the Chukchi Sea on a mid-July evening, Utqiaġvik, Alaska.
Photo by Monica Nuñez (PolarTREC 2019), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Caribou

A caribou strolls through light snow near Healy, Alaska.
Photo by John Wood (PolarTREC) 2011, Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Candle Ice

A close-up of candle ice (long, thin pieces of ice) on Toolik Lake at Toolik Field Station, Alaska.
Photo by Regina Brinker (PolarTREC 2014), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Candle Ice

Candle ice in Toolik Lake at Toolik Field Station, Alaska.
Photo by Andre Wille (PolarTREC 2014), Courtesy of ARCUS.

Virtual Background - Belugas Bering Sea

Belugas in the Bering Sea seen during the April 2006 US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Walrus Survey.
Photo by USFSW/Brad Benter, Coutresy of ARCUS.

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