News archive: 2009
Polar Research in Tromsø 2009
This publication describes the education and research in polar studies carried out by institutions in Tromsø during the last year.
Report on melting snow and ice presented in Copenhagen today
Former Vice President Al Gore and Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre presented their global report on melting ice at a side event of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP 15) 14 December.
Kick-off Workshop for the Norwegian-Chinese research project AMORA arranged in Shanghai
A kick-off workshop for the new project AMORA was recently arranged in Shanghai at the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC). AMORA stands for "Advancing Modelling and Observing solar Radiation of Arctic sea-ice - understanding changes and processes" and is funded by the Research Council of Norway.
The ocean beneath the Fimbul Ice Shelf is cold
The warm deep water found over deep water outside the Fimbul Ice Shelf does not flow directly into the cavity under the ice shelf.
Pesticides in Svalbard snow
Scientists at the Norwegian Polar Institute and the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) have investigated the amount of pesticides in the snow in Svalbard. Read about their findings here.
We're there!
Today the expedition arrived at the site M1, where the first hole will be drilled through the ice shelf. The trip here was challenging.
A new image mosaic of the Fimbul Ice Shelf
A mosaic of high resolution mages gives a detailed view of the Fimbul Ice Shelf.
Iceberg about to collide with the Fimbul Ice Shelf
The iceberg B15K, which is part of the huge iceberg B15 that broke away from the Ross Ice Shelf in April 2000, is about to collide with Trolltunga.
Polar bear cub hitches a ride
A British tourist visiting Svalbard made an uncommon observation and managed to take a picture of it; a polar bear cub riding on its mother's back.
International Polar Week 5 - 9 October
The International Polar Year (IPY) is over, but the activity continues. An international polar week is arranged in early October, focusing on recruiting new individual and institutional partners, stimulating increased engagement by polar partners, and highlighting classroom activities developed for the new IPY Polar Resource Book.
The glaciologists at the Fimbul Ice Shelf
Glaciology is traditionally a male dominated field, however the glaciologists participating in the expedition to the Fimbul Ice Shelf are all women.
New book: Ecosystem Barents Sea
The book Ecosystem Barents Sea has now been published in English on Tapir Academic Press, Trondheim, Norway. Many researchers and managers at the Norwegian Polar Institute have contributed to the chapters in this book.
The Sea Ice Outlook reports low pan-arctic ice extent
The outlook for arctic sea ice in September 2009, based on July data, indicates a continuation of low pan-arctic sea ice extent and no indication that a return to historical levels will occur.
International workshop on black carbon in snow
A seminar on black carbon in snow sampling, albedo effects and climate impact was recently organized in Tromsø.
15 million years old ice cover about to disappear
In 20 years, central parts of the Arctic Ocean might be ice-free for the first time in 14-15 million years.
“Ice paradise” — Svalbard in National Geographic Magazine
A spectacularly illustrated article in the April issue of National Geographic Magazine takes an intimate look at Svalbard.
A new Svalbard ice core
A team of scientists lead by Elisabeth Isaksson from the Norwegian Polar Institute and Margit Schwikowski from Paul Scherrer Institut (Switzerland) have together successfully recovered a 149 m deep ice core from Lomonosovfonna at 1200 m elevation.
Centre for Ice, Climate & Ecosystems (ICE) now officially opened
The new centre ICE at the Norwegian Polar Institute was officially opened by the Minister of the Environment Erik Solheim 17 March 2009. The research focus of ICE is ice, climate and ecosystems.
High Mountain Glaciers and Challenges caused by Climate Change
The Norwegian Polar Institute is hosting a climate conference 8-10 June 2009 - initiated by the Norwegian Ministry of the Environment in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Ministers visit Antarctica
Several of the world's environment ministers and climate advisers are now on their way home after a successful vistit to Norway's Troll Research Station in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica.
Traverse completed
February 21 at 4 pm, 1600 UTC, the Norwegian-American Scientific Traverse of East Antarctica 2007-2009 rolled in to Troll Station. The field part of this large IPY project has been successfully completed.
A large pool of freshwater building up in the Arctic
Recent observations of Arctic Ocean outflow in the Fram Strait suggest that freshwater is piling up in the Arctic Ocean. A change in wind direction could release the largest amount of freshwater through Fram Strait ever recorded.
Polar bear meeting in Tromsø
Norway invites the Contracting Parties to the 1973 polar bear Agreement to a meeting of the parties in Tromsø 17 - 19 March 2009.
Melt ponds may explain rapid melting of sea ice
The current climate models do not predict an ice-free Arctic for another 50 to 100 years, but observations show that melting of the sea ice is accelerating. Why are none of the models able to describe this rapid change? Melt ponds on the sea ice in summer may be part of the explanation.
Workshop on Arctic surface-based sea ice observations
This week held The Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) workshop on Arctic surface-based sea ice observations:Integrated protocols and coordinated data acquisition.
Norwegian-Canadian collaboration in the Circumpolar Flaw Lead System Study
The Circumpolar Flaw Lead System Study (CFL) is a large Canadian-led international effort to understand the role of the CFL in a context of Arctic warming.
Young Scientist Forum - a meeting place for young polar scientists
40 young polar scientists and students participate in the Young Scientist Forum (YSF), which is held in conjunction with this year's Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsø in January 2009.
First science on return trip
The traverse departed Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and commenced its 2300 km return journey back to Troll Station on December 23, 2008. After a week in the field everything is going fine, and the first science stop has now been completed.
Twelve tons of equipment to Antarctica
Two containers full of equipment is sent to the Troll station in Antarctica.