Application

The Unique Hornsund Arctic Field Laboratory is part of the research infrastructure of the Polish Multidisciplinary Laboratory for Polar Research (PolarPOL). The PolarPOL research infrastructure provides technical and organizational support for interdisciplinary scientific research into natural phenomena occurring in the Arctic and Antarctic. PolarPOL enhances Poland’s involvement in the global network for researching and monitoring the terrestrial and marine polar zones, which are crucial areas for understanding the dynamics of global environmental change, including climate warming and rising sea levels.

CRYODYN is a set of equipment for comprehensive studies of the dynamics and structure of the cryosphere and polar catchments, intended for glaciological research in Svalbard.

The CRYODYN research equipment enables continuous observations and research, such as:

  • measurements of the geodetic mass balance of glaciers,
  • measurements of glacier movement speed,
  • measurements of glacier crevasse widths,
  • recording coastline changes,
  • studies of geomorphological forms in the glacier foreland and measurement of slope phenomena,
  • studies of ground surface deformation, and engineering work around the Polish Polar Station Hornsund.

Technical data

The CRYODYN set includes: an impulsive terrestrial laser scanner, GNSS receivers, electrical resistivity receivers, a high-frequency georadar kit, a glacier drilling kit, a coring compressor, a portable automatic sampler, an XRF element detector, flow meters, and autosamplers.

Source of financing

Targeted subsidy from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education to finance investments in extensive research infrastructure

Project title

PolarPOL – Polish Multidisciplinary Polar Research Laboratory

Stage I: Unique Hornsund Arctic Field Laboratory

Repository

hornsund.igf.edu.pl

Contact person

dr hab. Mateusz Moskalik

Location

Department of Polar and Marine Research