Field-based JSEP in Greenland

Each summer, students from Greenland, the U.S., and Denmark spend 3 weeks in Greenland for a two-part JSEP experience. First, they spend two weeks in Kangerlussuaq for the Greenland-led Kangerlussuaq Science Field School. During the third week, students travel to Summit Station, an U.S. research base that sits at 10,000 feet atop the Greenland Ice Sheet for the U.S.-led Science Education Week.

PART 1: KANGERLUSSUAQ SCIENCE FIELD SCHOOL

In late June and early July, students spend two weeks learning about and participating in polar science and research alongside researchers and educators at field sites in the tundra region of Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland. Each day students head into the field to learn about different aspects of the environment, including the Greenland Ice Sheet margin, plant and animal biodiversity, aquatic ecosystems, glacial geomorphology and geology, and natural resources. They learn field methods, complete research projects on a topic of their choosing, and present their results at an outreach event at the airport.

During this part of the program, students live in dormitory-style housing and share in cooking and cleaning responsibilities. Field School is led by Greenland and supported by the Government of Greenland. Dartmouth and Ilisimatusarfik faculty and students participate as teachers and research mentors. The Kangerlussuaq International Science Support (KISS) facility is a hub for research in the area and a resource for showcasing international, collaborative science.

PART 2: SCIENCE EDUCATION WEEK

Immediately following Field School, students prepare for and travel to the U.S. Summit Station at the top of the Greenland Ice Sheet. At an elevation of over 10,000 ft (3000 m), students learn about ice coring, glaciology and other science being conducted by the U.S. and international science community. The Greenland Ice Sheet is the second largest ice body in the world after Antarctica. Because of its remoteness, travel to Summit Station is restricted to researchers so this is a rare opportunity for students to learn first-hand about this unique environment that covers 80% of Greenland and is three times the size of Texas.

During the trip to Summit Station, students live in camp-style accommodations and work together with the Summit community to conserve resources. This is because all fuel and supplies are flown in by large cargo planes equipped to land on ice, and water is only available by melting snow, which is energy-intensive in such a cold environment. Science Education Week is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and led by Dartmouth faculty and graduate students with extensive experience with science and logistics in Greenland. Before traveling to Summit Station, all students are outfitted with Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) gear.

Kangerlussuaq

Kangerlussuaq is a small town (population ~500) in western Greenland situated in the Arctic tundra ecosystem. It's at the eastern end of a deep fjord. The town is known for its airport, which is Greenland’s major international transport hub. The Kangerlussuaq Museum illustrates the town’s past as a U.S. airbase during WWII. An unpaved road runs northeast from town to the vast Greenland Ice Sheet. Here, Russell Glacier is a vantage point for ice-calving events.

Summit Station

Established in 1989 and funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, Summit Station is a year‐round, high altitude observing station in Greenland. Situated on the inland ice in a pristine and remote location, it offers access to atmospheric observations, astronomy and astrophysics research, studies of ice sheet energy and surface mass balance and more. The peak summer population is 45 with a skeleton crew of 4-6 during winter.

https://insite.datatransport.org/insite2/summitcamp/cameras/smg-netcam

Photos by Lars Demant-Poort

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