Svalbard - a 'natural lab' on the roof of the world
Lying midway between the top of Europe and the North Pole, the Svalbard archipelago has something to offer scientists from a range of disciplines, from climate researchers and glaciologists to those interested in biodiversity, ocean currents and the Earth's magnetic field. 'Svalbard has in fact been an important arena for polar research for more than two centuries, but recent developments have made this research platform in the Arctic more relevant to international research efforts than ever before,' said State Secretary Jens Revold of the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research at an event organised by the Norwegian Mission to the EU to promote Svalbard as a research location. Obviously one of the most important areas of study on Svalbard is climate change; the IPCC has identified the Arctic as being particularly vulnerable to climate change, and the effects of global warming are already visible there. Temperatures are on the up, and the Ice Fjord has been ice free for the last two years. Many researchers are busy studying these changes and their impacts on the local wildlife. Pollution is another problem on the islands, as winds blow pollutants up to the Arctic from lower latitudes; on some days, the problem is so severe that the islands become enveloped in a murky haze. Around half of this pollution comes from Europe, and with this in mind Kim Holmén of the Norwegian Polar Institute stated that Europe has a special obligation to help improve understanding of the environment in the Arctic. Its position near the North Pole also makes Svalbard an ideal location for studying the Earth's magnetic field as well as solar phenomena such as the Aurora Borealis. A key selling point for the archipelago is its easy accessibility; no other area of the High Arctic is so easy to get to. There are four research bases scattered across the islands, from the Polish base at Hornsund in the south to the Norwegian base at Ny Ålesund in the north, which has the distinction of being the northernmost permanent settlement in the world. Between these lie the Norwegian research base at Longyearbyen, the capital, and the Russian base at Barentsburg. The four research bases offer scientists access to high class research facilities as well as a range of modern amenities. The Norwegian government and its international partners have invested substantially in research infrastructure on the islands. This has led to the establishment of a flourishing international community of scientists on the islands. Another major point in Svalbard's favour is its stunning scenery; more than one speaker at the event said they had 'lost their heart' to the islands. Norway has long been an active participant in the EU's research framework programmes, and it is keen to highlight the fact that despite its remote location, Svalbard is a key part of the European Research Area. Many EU-funded projects are active in the region, and of the 166 projects endorsed by the International Polar Year, over 30 involve work in or around Svalbard. Now the Norwegian government is looking to cement Svalbard's reputation as an international research facility by submitting a proposal to ESFRI (the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures) to develop Svalbard as an international research platform. The 'Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System' (SIAEOS) will help to ensure that all the research activities on Svalbard are well coordinated and organised, and that gaps and weaknesses are addressed. Coordinating the research on Svalbard and avoiding the duplication of studies is a tricky task. 'There are stories, though probably somewhat exaggerated, of local birds that have been ringmarked so many times that they look as if they came out of a jewellery shop,' remarked Mr Revold. At the heart of the plan is a Knowledge Centre, based in Longyearbyen, where data from projects in the archipelago will be assessed and stored for use in modelling programmes and outreach work, for example. SIAEOS will coordinate its activities with other Earth observation systems and modelling efforts, and feed its results into a wider Arctic Observation Network. 'We believe that the research potential on Svalbard is still not fully exploited, and that this research potential would be of great interest to the European research community,' said Mr Revold. 'We think that Svalbard will form a valuable addition to the European infrastructure and a venue for excellent research of global importance.'
Countries
Norway