Dhruv Maniktala, a doctoral candidate at Institute of Geophysics and scientist in RAW project, participated in the 6-week winter glaciology course at University Center of Svalbard (UNIS) in Jan-Feb 2024.
The course’s main focus was on the impacts of winter climate change on the glaciers of Svalbard. The course weas very well organized with an opportunity to have hands-on-experience with some of the major glaciological field work and equipment.
Participants studied the icings for methane contents in the glacier forefields. They also performed GPR measurements on some glaciers to determine the changes in glacier thickness, the properties of snow and firn, and to understand the internal thermal structure of the glaciers. These measurements were complemented by collecting data from snow pit profiles and ice cores. All the field works were followed by labs for data processing and generating results. Workshops on acquiring and processing remote sensing data and aerial images to study changes in the glacier surface elevation and to detect surges were also organized as a part of the course. Last but not the least, participants visited some recently surged glaciers in Svalbard like Scheelebreen and Vallåkrabreen.
