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.
Virtual Background - Atigun Valley
A view looking down the river valley past Atigun Falls, near Toolik Field Station, Alaska.
Virtual Background - Ice Crystals
Feather-shaped ice crystal formations on the ground at Toolik Field Station, Alaska.
Virtual Background - Mushroom Forest
A mini mushroom forest at the Carbon in Permafrost Experimental Heating Research (CiPEHR) site, near Healy, Alaska.
Virtual Background - Red Fox Kits
Two red fox kits play in the snow outside of Toolik Field Station, Alaska.
Virtual Background - Tundra
Vibrant colors of the tundra at the base of the Greenland Ice Sheet near Kangerslussuaq, Greenland.
Virtual Background - Sparrow Eggs
A white-crowned sparrow nest containing eggs, near Atigun Gorge on the North Slope of Alaska.
Virtual Background - Sea Ice
A view of the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean as seen from the deck of the USCGC Healy icebreaker.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Virtual Background - Mossy Forest
A black spruce sapling growing out of the mossy permafrost active layer. Nikolai, Alaska.
Virtual Background - Lake El'gygytgyn
Sunset at Lake El'gygytgyn with ice crystals in the air. Camp El'gygytgyn, Chukotka, Russia.
Virtual Background - Icebergs
Interesting icebergs in front of a glacier in the inlet of Kongsfjorden, near Ny Alesund, Svalbard, Norway.
Virtual Background - Icebergs Fog
Fog rolls in over a batch of icebergs in Ilulissat, Greenland.
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.
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.
Virtual Background - Greenland Fjord
An aerial view of a fjord valley near Sukkertoppen Ice Cap, Greenland.
Virtual Background - Greenland Crevasses
An aerial view of crevasses of a glacier in Greenland as seen from aboard a P-3 Orion aircraft.
Virtual Background - Glacier Terminus
A glacier terminus containing a variety of rock and debris. Kongsfjorden inlet near Ny Alesund, Svalbard, Norway.
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.
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.
Virtual Background - Dog Sleds
The Carbon Balance in Warming and Drying Tundra team ride on dog sleds near Healy, Alaska.
Virtual Background - Cotton Grass
A tussock of cotton grass near Healy, Alaska.
Virtual Background - Chukchi Sea
A view of the Chukchi Sea on a mid-July evening, Utqiaġvik, Alaska.
Virtual Background - Caribou
A caribou strolls through light snow near Healy, Alaska.
Virtual Background - Candle Ice
A close-up of candle ice (long, thin pieces of ice) on Toolik Lake at Toolik Field Station, Alaska.
Virtual Background - Candle Ice
Candle ice in Toolik Lake at Toolik Field Station, Alaska.
Virtual Background - Belugas Bering Sea
Belugas in the Bering Sea seen during the April 2006 US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Walrus Survey.