Research Projects at the German-French Arctic Research Base
Atmospherical Research
Meteorological Measurements
Permafrost
Geophysics
Marine Biology
Terrestrial Biology
Research at the AWIPEV Base with the stations Koldewey, Rabot and Corbel covers a large field of modern polar research. Both, long term and short term projects of different subjects such as atmospheric research, marine and terrestrial biology, or cryosphere research find their home at the Arctic Research Base.
Many different measurements, excursions, as well as field expeditions are possible at the base. Prominent examples are atmospheric long term measurements, scientific diving, glacier expeditions, installation of measuring systems in the permafrost, and launches of research balloons.
A detailed description of the projects can be found here.
Atmospheric Research
The Lidar Laser and Polar Lights above the Dome of the Observatory
The observatory building is the main part of the research platform. It was put into operation in 1995 in particular for the use of measuring instruments of the NDACC, the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change. Meanwhile several additional instruments have been set up at the observatory.
Generation of a Light Pulse by a Nd:YAG-Laser
The NDACC contains several atmospheric instruments:
LIDAR is an instrument for the "Light Detection and Ranging". Similar as a radar, a short light pulse is sent into the atmosphere. This pulse reacts with different components of the atmosphere. A small part is reflected and collected on the ground by a telescope. Altitude profiles of the different atmospheric components (e.g. ozone, water vapour, aerosols) are derived.
With the sun and the moon respectively as light source the high-resolution FTIR-spectrometer detects twenty to thirty different gases in the atmosphere simultaneously. This method builds on the effect that trace gases absorb a light with a spectral fingerprint. Therefore it is possible to determine the density of columns of trace gases like ozone, NO2, HNO3, ClONO2, CFCs, and others.
Working at the Radiometer
The RAM (Radiometer for Atmospheric Measurememts) is operated in cooperation with the University of Bremen. It measures ozone, chlorine monoxide, and water vapour. The method is based upon the measurement of thermally activated emissions from the molecules. Both, ozone and water vapour are measured all year-round. Measurement of chlorine monoxide is carried out at the end of the winter and start of spring when raised concentrations are expected.
The University of Bremen developed and maintains the DOAS system (Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy). With this method densities of columns of atmospheric trace gases are detected by their characteristic absorption in the optical spectral range. Typically spectral ranges in the ultra violet (UV) and the visible (VIS) light are used.
UV sensors watched by an Arctic tern
On the roof of the atmospheric observatory as well as in two metres water depth in the Kongsfjord UV light is measured. The system was developed in cooperation with iSitec, a company in Bremerhaven. It enables the synchronous detection of the whole range of the UV-A and UV-B spectrum.
The star photometer is another permanent instrument of the atmospheric observatory. It uses the light of a star to acquire the content of aerosols in the atmosphere. In summer a sun photometer which is located on a measuring field near Ny-Ålesund takes on this task. Therefore star and sun photometer complement each other through the whole year.
Sensors for Detection of the Radiation onto the Earth
Beside the NDACC the AWIPEV Base is also part of the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN). The purpose of this network is to monitor the radiation budget and to provide data for the validation of satellite measurements. A set of different sensors for these measurements is installed south of the town of Ny-Ålesund.
Meteorological Measurements
Meteorological Mast at the Koldewey Station
Meteorological Measurements are performed by the base in Ny-Ålesund and in the clean air station Corbel five kilometres southeast of Ny-Ålesund. There is a meteorological tower with two anemometers (both in two and ten metres height) and two humidity sensors (both in two metres height) next to the BSRN measuring field.
Additionally every day a radio sonde is launches which provides profiles of temperature, humidity, pressure, wind velocity, and wind direction. These data are forwarded to the Norwegian Meteorological Organisation and to the World Meteorological Organisation and used in weather forecasting.
Balloon borne ozone sondes are launched once a week in summer and twice a week in winter. Additional to the parameter mentioned above they provide profiles of the ozone concentration in the troposphere and the stratosphere.
Additionally special sondes for the detection of water vapour, ozone or aerosol particles are launched with research balloons. These balloons reach altitudes up to more than forty kilometres whereas daily weather balloons reach heights between 25 and 35 kilometres depending on the temperature of the stratosphere.
Permafrost
There are two permanent permafrost measuring stations. One is located next to the atmospheric observatory, the other one is situated about three kilometres out in the field. Temperature and moisture are measured automatically to reconstruct dynamic processes in the frozen ground. The obtained data are used in climate modelling. Furthermore, changes in the characteristics of the soils and the related processes can be used to perceive regional and global changes.
Geophysics
Supported by the Geoforschungszentrum (GFZ) Potsdam an antenna in Ny-Ålesund receives satellite data from the satellites CHAMP and GRACE. Amongst other applications these data are used for the determination of altitude profiles of temperature and water vapour. The antenna also receives signals of the satellite BIRD. Very accurate GPS signals with a high time resolution are received by a GPS station which is also run by GFZ.
The world wide seismic activity is monitored at a station in the area of the old coal mines. Seismic activities of Spitsbergen and of the oceanic ridge in the area of Svalbard are in main focus here. This Very-Broad-Band station (VBB) is an open station – the data is provided to every interested scientist. It is litigated and stored by the IRIS Data Management Center in Seattle, U.S. Copies are available from GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam (GFZ).
The Institute Geographique National Francais runs a reference sender for the satellite instrument DORIS (Doppler Orbitography and Radio-positioning Integrated by Satellite).
Marine Biology
Projects of marine biology are supported by several scientific divers who sample the fjord for biological material that will be analysed by marine biologists. Especially the effects of UV radiation to the arctic vegetation and fauna as well as their ability to adapt a higher UV rate are analysed. Another project investigates how fast the sea bottom is settled by zoological and plant organisms. Therefore special jars filled with sediment are put into twenty metres sea depth.
Another long term project is about growing and the birthing manner of Greenland mussels and sea squirts. Both are fixed in cages at Ny-Alesund`s harbour. They are retrieved and analysed every four weeks.
Facilities for marine research have been improved considerably with the opening of the international Arctic marine laboratory in 2005.
Terrestrial Biology
During summer term many ornithologists at the station are watching the life and behaviour of different species of gulls, guillemots and eider ducks. Main focus is put on the hormonal balance and the metabolism of kittiwakes during breeding to find an explanation of the very low birth rate. Eider ducks are analysed with regard to the parental adopting of non-native poults. (Link des Titels zu Projektseiten Disciplines)
