Kronebreeen, Svalbard. Photo: Monica Sund

Glaciology Exchange (Glacio-Ex)

Norwegian/Canadian/US

Partnership Program

Luke Copland University of Ottawa, Canada

Jon Ove Hagen University of Oslo, Norway

The Cryosphere is changing!

Changes in ice thickness (in centimeters per year) during 2003-2010 as measured by

NASA's GRACE satellites, averaged over each of the world's ice caps and glacier

systems outside of Greenland and Antarctica

http://www.nasa.gov/to

pics/earth/features/gra

ce20120208i.html

Late 19th century ice shelf extent (~9,000 km2)

Eureka

Alert

Eureka

Alert

July 2005 Extent (1043 km2)

Late 19th century ice shelf extent (~9,000 km2)

Eureka

Alert Sept 2012 Extent (~500 km2)

Ward Hunt

Serson

Milne

Markham

Petersen

Ayles

Late 19th century ice shelf extent (~9,000 km2)

July 2005 Extent (1043 km2)

Who cares?! • Melting glaciers raise sea level:

greater impact from storm surges

• Ice islands major concern for offshore oil exploration

• Changing sea ice impacts arctic shipping routes

Glacio-Ex

Glacio-Ex project is focused on the terrestrial

cryosphere: glaciers, snow, ice shelves,

permafrost and seasonal frost in sub-Arctic,

Arctic, and high mountain environments

Primary funding from SIU (Norwegian Centre for

International Cooperation in Higher Education),

Partnership Program for North America: 2012-

2016

We have a common and pressing need to learn

from each other’s research, and to expose

university students at all levels to the similarities

and differences in environmental and societal

conditions in the North

This project aims to strengthen scientific

cooperation, research interaction and educational

activities between the project partners

The Partnership

• 2 from Norway

• 3 from Canada

• 1 from USA

University of Ottawa

Department of Geography

(Luke Copland, North

American Coordinator)

University of Oslo

Department of Geosciences

(Jon Ove Hagen,

Project Leader)

Simon Fraser University,

Dept. Earth Sciences,

(Gwenn Flowers)

University Centre in

Svalbard (UNIS),

Department of Geology

(Doug Benn)

University of Alaska Fairbanks,

Geophysical Institute

(Regine Hock)

University of Alberta, Earth

and Atmospheric

Sciences,

(Martin Sharp)

Science Exchange

Science Workshops

– At least one science workshop per year

– One at every partner over the next 4 years

Exchange visits of faculty & grad students

– Sabbaticals

– Writing joint papers

Research

– Sharing field equipment, develop new techniques

– Inter-comparison between methods

Research sites of Cryo-Ex partners

Field instrumentation

Student and Faculty Training

Joint courses, MSc and PhD level

– Develop new courses, build on existing

ones

– E.g. Remote Sensing of Glaciers, Oslo

Summer field schools

– Specialized field courses to train

graduate students and researchers

Undergraduate student exchanges

– Students go for entire semester

– ~75% of past participants continue in

graduate studies

Yukon Permafrost Course, 2011

Svalbard Tidewater Glaciers Workshop, 2012

Summer Schools

2013: Wireless sensor networks

– Kananaskis Field Station, Alberta, Canada

2014: Glaciology field techniques

– Wrangell Mountains Center, McCarthy, Alaska

2015: Tidewater glaciers and permafrost

– UNIS, Svalbard, Norway

2016: Permafrost and glaciology

– Kluane Lake Research Station, Yukon, Canada

UNIS

Kananaskis Field Station

Kluane Lake Research Station

Wrangell Mountains Center

Field course on alpine landscapes, Norway

Field course on glaciers and permafrost, Svalbard

GEG4001: Northern Field Research, Yukon/Alaska

GEG4001: Northern Field Research, Yukon/Alaska

GEG4100 Glaciology: Patagonia, Argentina

GEG4100 Glaciology: Antarctica

Practical Issues

Commercial flights to Canadian Arctic very expensive – Ottawa-Resolute ~$5600

– Ottawa- Longyearbyen ~$2000

Food costs very high in Canadian Arctic (& poor quality)

$5600

$800

$1200

Charter flights cheap in Canada/US – Twin Otter ~$2000/hr

– Helicopters ~$1000-$2000/hr

– Svalbard >$5000/hr

Unrestricted flying in Canada/US – Few regulations, can land essentially

anywhere

– Can only fly in Svalbard with permission of the Governor

– Also unrestricted snowmobile use in US/Canada

Major aircraft support for Canadians from Polar Continental Shelf Project – Operate logistics base in Resolute Bay

– Virtually all equipment and flight hours provided free of charge to researchers

Practical Issues

Glacio-Ex provides unique connection

between leading cryospheric research

groups in Norway and North America

Glacio-Ex will establish closer, formal

linkages and exchange arrangements,

and will train the next generation of

cryospheric scientists

The exchange is expected to lead to

long-term collaborative ties between

researchers, and graduate and

undergraduate students in all three

countries

Conclusions

Thankyou!