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.

HYDRA is a set of instruments for comprehensive research and monitoring of glacial-marine water bodies and coastal changes in the polar region, and its use is focused on:

  • quantitative and qualitative identification of glacier calving processes through further development of passive acoustic recording methods and studies of the interconnections between marine processes and glacier dynamics, using the example of glaciers on Spitsbergen,
  • studies of fjord hydrodynamics and the rate of sedimentation processes in the glacier foreland and at the mouths of glacial rivers,
  • studies of the paleogeography of the Spitsbergen region through analysis of seabed structures and marine sediments,
  • analysis of the course and rate of processes occurring in the coastal zone.

The HYDRA research equipment enables continuous observations and research, as well as monitoring of basic processes related to:

  • the structure of the sedimentary cover of marine and lake reservoirs and river deltas,
  • the thermal structure, salinity, and the amount and type of suspended matter in the water column,
  • the dynamics of suspended and dissolved material transport processes,
  • the dynamics of coastal zone changes,
  • the effects of anthropogenic impacts on the environment,
  • the characteristics of the condition of aquatic ecosystems.

Technical data

The HYDRA set includes: acoustic buoys, Buster sea boat with equipment, interferometric echosounder, probes: ADCP, CTD, LISST, bathymetric rosette, bottom sediment profiler, side-scan sonar, sediment trap, accessories for particle size analysis, manual hydrographic crane, turbidity sensor, hangar with sample storage, and slipway equipment.

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