Physical geography – Cryosphere research group

1. Physicalgeography – Cryosphere researchgroup ~ 20 persons: 4 professors; Etzelmüller, Hagen, Humlum, Kääb 3 ass. professors; Nordseth, Schuler, Sørbel (vacant – retired 2010 ), 0 adjunct prof. (H. Kristensen until Aug. 2012) 2 senior engineers; Eiken, Tolgensbakk 1 University teacher (lektor) Lilleøren p.t. 6 post.docs/researchers (5 external funded) 5 PhDs (3 external) + 2 more starting Jan 2013 (1ext. 1 UiO)

2. Strategy

3. Strengths Weaknesses • Small and vulnerable group • Fairly narrow research– mainly glaciology and permafrost • Complementary expertise • Wide international network • Strongest and largest University group in physical geography/cryosphere in Norway • Good interaction with other Norwegian groups (NPI,NVE, NGI) • Strong on research ”tools” i.e. geomatics, remote sensing, GIS, geophysical field techniques (GPR, GPS etc.)

4. Opportunities - Future strategy • Develop the Nordic cooperation through the NCoEs • Earth System Modelling • integrated with other groups at the Dept. • Geohazards – geomatics/remote sensing • Glacial geology/geomorphology – paleo ice-sheets • Snow and snow hydrology – hazards/avalanches

5. Recent highlights • EU-projects 1) ICEMASS (Arctic glaciers); 2) BrahmaTwinn (Water resources in Himalaya), 3) ice2sea (2010-2013) - Arctic – global glaciers • NFR – opencallprojects (FRINAT) CRYOLINK (permafrost) (2007-2010), Corria (remotesensing, hazards) (2007-2010) • IPY (NFR) 2007-2010: Partners inn all fundedland-based cryosphere projects 1) Glaciodyn- Arctic glaciers (co-ordinator Hagen), 2) TSP (permafrost) 3) Antarctictraverse (US-No) • ESA – ClimateChangeInitiative – glaciers 2011-13 • NCoE – Nordic Center of Excellence TFI – Climate and Cryosphere, 2011-2015, 17 partners - Nordic Graduateschool

6. Physical geography – cryosphere • Cryosphere • Glaciology – permafrost – periglacial processes – glacial geology – geomorphology - geohazards • Revised strategy after last evaluation in 1997: • Focus research on current cryosphere • Strengthen tools: remotes sensing, GIS, quantitative modelling • But: Limited UiO-resources – reduced budgets: Built down resource geography • Results

7. Naturgeografi – Spisskompetanse – satsing • Kryosfæren - Effekter av klimaendringer i kaldt klima (Nordkalotten/Arktis) • Permafrost - periglasiale prosesser • Glasiologi – isbreer og snø • Bre og permafrost relaterte hazards • Landskapsutvikling/geomorfologi – glasial geologi - kvartærgeologi – fluviale prosesser - skråningsprosesser • Jordobservasjon (Miljøovervåking) og Prosessmodellering • Fjernmåling – satellittbilder- • Landmåling/GPS (surveying) • GIS – Geografiske informasjonssystemer – terrenganalyser • Numeriskemodeller • Ressursforvaltning- naturressurser - ressursovervåking • Vannressurser - kvartærgeologi - fluvial geomorfologi

8. Top-level Research Initiative Interaction between Climate Change and the Cryosphere The new Nordic Cryosphere NCoEs 2011-2015 • SVALI – Stability and Variations of Arctic Land Ice • Jon Ove Hagen, University of Oslo, Norway • 37 MNOK j.o.m.hagen@geo.uio.no • CRAICC – Cryosphere-Atmosphere Interactions in a Changing Arctic Climate • 36 MNOK Markku Kulmala, University of Helsinki, Finland • kulmala@cc.helsinki.fi • DEFROST – Impacts of a Changing Cryosphere: depicting ecosystem-climate feedbacks from permafrost, snow and ice • 25 MNOK Torben R. Christensen, Lund University, Sweden • torben.christensen@nateko.lu.se

9. Improvements since last evaluation • Two new positions • Remote sensing (Kääb) • Cryosphere Modelling (Schuler) • Improved external project funding • Improved publication rate and citations No of ISI-citations per year – updated till today

10. Austfonna ice cap - mass balance 2003-2008 Geodetic mass balance ICESat laser altimetry Interior thickening – peripheral thinning Bn = ~ -0,4 Gt/y ~170 m Ground-based GPS

11. Geohazards GPS/GNSS- stability of slopes Permafrost thawing - Precise monitoring of cracks 3D vector

12. Permafrost mapping and modelling TTOP Gisnås et al.

13. NCoE – ICCCNordic Centre of Excellence ProgrammeInteraction between Climate Change and the Cryosphere

14. Work package breakdown

15. SVALI Organisation

16. The consortium • 17 partners from all the Nordic countries • Norway 5:1) Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, 2) Department of Geomatics, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB), 3) University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), 4) Norwegian Polar Institute , 5) NVE-Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate • Sweden 2: 1) Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University • 2) Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University • Finland 3: 1) Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, 2) Finnish Meteorological Institute, 3) Computational Environment and Application, CSC - IT Center for Science Ltd • Denmark 4: 1) GEUS - Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland 2) DTU-Space, Technical University of Denmark, 3) The Centre for Ice and Climate, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, 4) Danish Climate Centre, Danish Meteorological Institute • Iceland 2: 1) Icelandic Meteorological Office 2) Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland • Greenland 1: Climate Research Centre in Greenland

17. Graduate School at UIO, Norway • Nordic graduate school in cryosphere science and Earth Systems Modelling : PhD-courses, summer schools, workshops and crossborder PhD projects and PostDoc activities. • The Joint Educational Program is a core platform for aligning qualified personnel to work on specific projects linked to the key research themes • A Graduate School Manager at UiO (Anna Sinisalo) will coordinate this activity • A Graduate School Board will have one member from each of the Universities involved. First board meeting: 15th February • Interaction and cooperation with the other TFI NCoEsmust be discussed, both with the Cryosphere and the Climate Adapation programs