Jack Kohler at work on the Kronebreen glacier on Svalbard. Photo: Max Kønig, Norwegian Polar Institute. Front photo: The Norwegian Mapping Authority’s new Geodetic Earth Observatory is being built under harsh conditions.Photo: Helge M. Markusson, Fram Centre (Click on picture to enlarge).
An autumn evening in Ny-Ålesund on Svalbard and the normal working day is long over, but in a second-floor office in the Sverdup research station sits a glaciologist still immersed in his work.
Jack Kohler is the fourth in a row to be monitoring mass movements on the glaciers around Kongsfjorden. Ever since 1967, the Norwegian Polar Institute has been responsible for these measurements, which makes this one of the longest series of measurements ever carried out in Arctic regions.
The extent of the glaciers at Kongsfjorden since 1869. Ill: Jack Kohler, Norwegian Polar Institute.
“It’s essential to spend the time as effectively as possible, which makes for very long working days,” Kohler explains.
His main project has involved measuring the changes in the glaciers; how much snow falls on the glaciers in winter and how much melts in summer. Twice a year, Kohler comes from the Norwegian Polar Institute’s head office in Tromsø to the Institute’s research station in Ny-Ålesund. In the winter, he and his assistants set out collapsible aluminium rods, and the following autumn he returns to measure how much ice and snow have melted. The thickness of the glaciers varies between 50-60 and 600 metres.
“The glaciers are definitively getting smaller, and most of that is down to the increase in the temperature on Svalbard. Even though it can snow a lot on the glaciers in winter, that doesn’t compensate for the increasing temperature,” says Kohler.
The Kongsbreen glacier photographed in September 2014. Photo: Jack Kohler, Norwegian Polar Institute.
To get to and from the Kongsbreen and Kronebreen glaciers, the scientists use a helicopter. In winter, they mostly use snow scooters, with the limit being two hours’ drive each way. If they need to go further than that, the helicopter is preferable.
“The alternative is to set up camp with tents, with everything that involves, including posting a lookout for polar bears. We’ve observed bears on the glaciers a number of times,” Kohler adds.
Part of the logistics consists of Airlift’s helicopter, which transports the scientists into and out of Ny-Ålesund. Photo: Helge M. Markusson, Fram Centre.
20 nations
The Sverdrup research station, which was opened in 1999, is not the only scientific monitoring station in Ny-Ålesund. Walking through this community gives rise to associations with a special area of a much bigger city – New York – namely the streets around the United Nations Headquarters, where countless countries are represented with their buildings.
A number of countries have established research stations in Ny-Ålesund, here represented by Verena Mohaupt, standing on the roof of Germany’s research station, which is run by the Alfred Wegener Institute. Behind her the Sverdrup Research Station. Photo: Helge M. Markusson, Fram Centre.
The Norwegian Polar Institute was in 1968 the first institution to establish an all-year research station. Today, Ny-Ålesund is also home to manned research stations from Germany, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Italy, India, China, South Korea and Japan. Some 20 nations have research projects in and around the world’s most northerly settlement. Two examples of activity are Germany and China. Since 1991, the Alfred Wegener Institute has operated the Koldewey Station, which is engaged in biological and atmospheric research. The Polar Research Institute of China opened the Yellow River Station in 2004, which conducts research into the atmosphere, Northern Lights, biology, glaciology, geology and marine biology.
Zeppelin
Above this cluster of research stations soars the Zeppelinfjellet mountain with the Zeppelin Observatory 475 metres above sea level. This research station is key to monitoring the global atmospheric environment. The data collected here is very important for mapping climate change, changes in the stratospheric ozone and UV radiation, and environmental toxins and air pollutants borne over long distances. The station building is owned by the Norsk Polarinstitutt«>Norwegian Polar Institute, while NILU – Norsk institutt for luftforskning«>the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) has scientific responsibility for the station.
And down by the harbour, by Kongsfjorden, lies the well-equipped Marine Laboratory that is operated by the company Kings Bay. It was opened 10 years ago, and there is now periodically a waiting list to book work space here.
Need of space
The idea is currently being aired of building up a similar laboratory for non-marine scientific disciplines in Ny-Ålesund.
“We need more and bigger shared laboratories,” explains Kim Holmén. As a former employee of NILU, among others, and now International Director at the Norwegian Polar Institute, he knows the conditions at Ny-Ålesund extremely well.
At the Marine Laboratory, a Spanish research team are conducting a project called “Carbon metabolism in seaweed”. They are one of the teams that have contributed to capacity at the lab being periodically swamped. Photo: Helge M. Markusson, Fram Centre.
“This year it’s become quite clear that the marine lab is too small, and that at several of the research stations the working conditions are both temporary and far from satisfactory. But here we find a number of dilemmas cropping up: increased activity will cause light pollution, but on the other hand it will give Kings Bay stronger economic legs to stand on. The new fibre-optic cable to Ny-Ålesund will mean a greater capacity to carry out remote measurements and less of a need to have researchers present for such long periods as previously. At the same time, the cable will result in increased activity. We need to grow on quality and not on manning levels,” says Holmén.
Christina A. Pedersen, research coordinator at the Norwegian Polar Institute, elaborates:
“The main problem is that an increase in activity will lead to an increase in discharges and emissions. On the one hand, we want to offer the excellent opportunities we have in Ny-Ålesund to all other researchers, but on the other it is incredibly important that we don’t impact on the surroundings and the conditions we’re measuring, so that we draw faulty conclusions as to the causes of observed changes. This is our dilemma.”
Monitoring changes
And while we are talking about size and quality, the decidedly largest project as regards research facilities in Ny-Ålesund was initiated last year. On 4 October 2014, Jan Tore Sanner, Norwegian Minister of Local Government and Modernisation, drove the first foundation pile into the ground for the Norwegian Mapping Authority’s new Geodetic Earth Observatory at Brandallaguna. From here, the Mapping Authority will monitor changes in the Earth and contribute to providing decision-makers with a framework of reference for climate research, for all mapping of – for satellite orbits – your and my GPS systems, and for navigation and positioning services. After a period of overlap, the existing geodetic station by the air strip will be phased out and then upgraded with new technology.
The Norwegian Mapping Authority’s new Geodetic Earth Observatory is being built under harsh conditionsPhoto: Helge M. Markusson, Fram Centre.
Per Erik Opseth, Director of the Norwegian Mapping Authority, says: “In 2018, we will deliver a world-class Geodetic Earth Observatory. Ny-Ålesund will play host to a station that is one of the foundation stones in the global infrastructure designed to underpin more accurate monitoring of, among other things, sea-ice melt and sea levels.”
The new station, which will be the most northerly of its kind in the world, has a cost framework of NOK 300 million.
The international significance of this project was also emphasised by Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, when he visited Ny-Ålesund as a guest at the end of June 2014.
“Geodetic Earth Observation will make us better equipped in the fight to find better solutions to tackle the challenges of climate change,” said Dr. Pachauri.
Ny-Ålesund is reckoned to be the northernmost settlement in the world. At almost 79 degrees North, it offers challenges both to those who live there and those who operate the infrastructure – Kings Bay AS. Photos: Helge M. Markusson, Fram Centre.
Facts:
- Ny-Ålesund, 78°55′00″N 11°56′00″E is the world’s northernmost permanent civilian research station and has developed into what is today a modern, international, Arctic scientific research and environmental monitoring base.
- Up until 1962, coal was mined here, but following a major accident mining ceased. Since 1964, Ny-Ålesund has been built up and developed as a centre of international Arctic research and environmental monitoring.
- Several countries have research stations here, and in summer activity is high. In the summer half-year there can be around 150 people living here, while there are only about 35 in the winter.
- Several of the Fram Centre’s research institutions have considerable activity in and around Ny-Ålesund: the Norwegian Polar Institute, the Norwegian Mapping Authority, the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU), the University of Tromsø – Arctic University of Norway, the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA).
- The infrastructure and the Marine Laboratory in Ny-Ålesund are operated by Kings Bay AS.